Gullwing Motor Cars in Astoria New York has a 1957 Aston Martin DB2/4 Left Hand Drive (LHD) up for sale as a perfect canditate for restoration.
Call me crazy, but if I were going to restore this, I’d do the interior, the engine, add required headlights, and then leave the exterior exactly as it is. Seeing a perfectly restored classic is nice, no question about it, but the recent Bullitt Mustang that sold for 3.4mil at auction, with patina and all, is a great example of the value of originality.
I think these classics with original paint, including imperfections, will continue to rise in value vs restored examples. It’s simply too easy to repaint a car vs finding one with original paint in condition that is still worth salvaging.
I recently wrote a blog post about a Porsche 356 Speedster located in California that has a similar level of patina. Patina is something you can’t really fake, it has to be earned. This Aston Martin has nice patina on the red section, but I’m not sure exactly what’s going on in the front. It looks like somebody started the process of beginning a restoration, but it’s not clear from the description.
Aston Martins are one of the most collectible British classic cars, next to McLaren and Jaguar. Rolls Royce is certainly an expensive vehicle, and some have become collectible, but I’d say Aston Martin’s are consistently in the lead. In fact, there are several restored Aston Martins for sale right now in excess of $1,000,000 USD. Two are also owned by Gullwing Motor Cars.
Aston Martins For Sale
The James Bond franchise brought notoriety to the already exclusive Aston Martin. Early DB4 and DB5’s are particulars popular today, while newer DB9’s are beginning to level off on their depreciation and even appreciate a bit as the new DB11’s hit the market.
With low production numbers, Aston Martins will likely continue to maintain a place in classic car collections. The challenge is finding one that isn’t so valuable you can’t drive it and enjoy it.
If you’re in the market for an Aston Martin, and have the money, reach out to Gullwing Motor Cars to find out more.
