Classic Aston Martin V8's
Discussion
Thank you again for the positive comments from everyone, I really appreciate the encouraging words.
I'm not sure what to do now. I do need to raise funds for the Vantage but at the same time, I am extremely reluctant to let the 72 go. If I can find a way to hold onto them both then that would be ideal. I've put so much into the green one and it has turned out way better than I expected, I know I will regret selling it. I built it to my ideal spec as though it was a keeper, rather than something to just do and sell on. I just need to think about how to pull some money together for the rest of the Vantage.
I may well put the 72 into storage over the winter and mull over the options. At the moment, it's still with the trimmer but I need to move it from there soon. I did speak to a few places about selling, both dealers and some auction houses (not Coys!!), but nobody filled me with confidence.
I'm not sure what to do now. I do need to raise funds for the Vantage but at the same time, I am extremely reluctant to let the 72 go. If I can find a way to hold onto them both then that would be ideal. I've put so much into the green one and it has turned out way better than I expected, I know I will regret selling it. I built it to my ideal spec as though it was a keeper, rather than something to just do and sell on. I just need to think about how to pull some money together for the rest of the Vantage.
I may well put the 72 into storage over the winter and mull over the options. At the moment, it's still with the trimmer but I need to move it from there soon. I did speak to a few places about selling, both dealers and some auction houses (not Coys!!), but nobody filled me with confidence.
The 72 Series II car is beautiful.
They were often overlooked falling between the original DBS & the later Carburettored cars but the elegance of the single headlight, slim bonnet scoop & non-flip tail makes them so pretty.
If you do manage to retain both it will be the perfect companion to the more muscular Vantage.
Stunning restoration!
They were often overlooked falling between the original DBS & the later Carburettored cars but the elegance of the single headlight, slim bonnet scoop & non-flip tail makes them so pretty.
If you do manage to retain both it will be the perfect companion to the more muscular Vantage.
Stunning restoration!
Stick Legs said:
The 72 Series II car is beautiful.
They were often overlooked falling between the original DBS & the later Carburettored cars but the elegance of the single headlight, slim bonnet scoop & non-flip tail makes them so pretty.
If you do manage to retain both it will be the perfect companion to the more muscular Vantage.
Stunning restoration!
Thank you. That's right, these Series 2 cars are the forgotten ones. They were made for just over a year from April 72 to July 73, and only 288 were produced before the carb'd Series 3 car was introduced. With the more powerful Bosch MFI engine, they are in effect a DBS V8 with less headlights and air con as standard.They were often overlooked falling between the original DBS & the later Carburettored cars but the elegance of the single headlight, slim bonnet scoop & non-flip tail makes them so pretty.
If you do manage to retain both it will be the perfect companion to the more muscular Vantage.
Stunning restoration!
I agree with you that there is a definite purity to the design with the lack of additional lights and the smaller bonnet scoop.
classicaholic said:
Looking great, have you dared to work out the rest cost? Probably better not too!
I've got a fair idea what I have spent. Including purchase price, restoration work, interior and parts the project has cost me in the region of £120k. I feel this is pretty good as usually the cost of a good restoration far exceeds the value of the car but in this instance the value is probably around that same number. I would also say that spreading this cost out over nearly six years has made it a lot less painful than spending it in one hit , which I don't have the cash to do. If I take away the purchase price of the project and the gearbox (£34k +£10k = £44k), this has meant a spend on the restoration of £76k. So the restoration has averaged out at just over £1,000 a month over the six years making it much more manageable.
One of the reasons I bought this project is that the engine had been rebuilt so that meant a chunk of money I didn't have to spend. An engine rebuild on one of these with a specialist starts around £20k.
I want to be up front with these numbers so that they are helpful for anyone considering a project like this. There is a project DBS V8 on sale for £68k at the moment. The body shell looks to be in a similar condition to mine (pretty good) but the engine is in pieces. So I would estimate, based on my two restorations now, that one would end up spending £160-£170k to do that car (inc purchase price). DBS V8's are valued higher than my car and there are a few restored ones on sale for this sort of money so it's possible to come out the other side and not lose your shirt.
It is a labour of love though!
It's sad in a way that prices of these Aston V8's have shot up so much in the last 15 years. I paid £11k for my DBS V8 in 2005, for the money it was a fantastic car. I did spend a lot on it and probably broke even when I sold it in 2013 for £55k. If prices hadn't gone up then I'm sure I probably would have kept that car. It shocks me to think that 7 years later, people are asking more for a project car than I sold my restored one for. I find it sad because it has pushed these cars out of the reach of a lot of enthusiasts. They are not without faults but once sorted are perfectly usable cars, fuel consumption aside!
CQ8 said:
It's sad in a way that prices of these Aston V8's have shot up so much in the last 15 years...
... I find it sad because it has pushed these cars out of the reach of a lot of enthusiasts. They are not without faults but once sorted are perfectly usable cars, fuel consumption aside!
Yup that's me!... I find it sad because it has pushed these cars out of the reach of a lot of enthusiasts. They are not without faults but once sorted are perfectly usable cars, fuel consumption aside!
Turned down a DBS6 in Axminster that had been taken apart but was complete at £8k in 2000. (I was 23 and had just moved out to rented house so knew it was insane!)
Then had to choose between buying a house and a V8 Series III for £20k in 2003.
Since they went over £50k they have consistently been the one step ahead of my purchasing power.
I am resigned to buying either a Virage or a DB9. But neither are the same.
The Virage because it is still a separate chassis V8 Aston.
The DB9 because it's at or near the bottom of the depreciation curve and would make a fine companion.
If my numbers came up it's a DBS V8 Manual or an Oscar India for me, but that's the only way it's happening now.
It is however a pleasure to watch what you are doing and to see these beautiful cars being treated properly and sympathetically.
classicaholic defintely wasn't the only one wondering about the cost CQ8, so thank you for putting it all down.
I guess it's a reflection of the classic car market these days, but something the region of £120k for a perfectly restored, mint car like this seems very reasonable, yes it's a lot of money outright but not so much you'd feel awful driving it. My Evora listed at £104k, for example, and that's going to lose a heck of a lot more money!
It's utterly beautiful and I'm very envious. I hope you find a way of keeping it and driving it as much as possible!
I guess it's a reflection of the classic car market these days, but something the region of £120k for a perfectly restored, mint car like this seems very reasonable, yes it's a lot of money outright but not so much you'd feel awful driving it. My Evora listed at £104k, for example, and that's going to lose a heck of a lot more money!
It's utterly beautiful and I'm very envious. I hope you find a way of keeping it and driving it as much as possible!
Stick Legs said:
Yup that's me!
Turned down a DBS6 in Axminster that had been taken apart but was complete at £8k in 2000. (I was 23 and had just moved out to rented house so knew it was insane!)
Then had to choose between buying a house and a V8 Series III for £20k in 2003.
Since they went over £50k they have consistently been the one step ahead of my purchasing power.
I am resigned to buying either a Virage or a DB9. But neither are the same.
The Virage because it is still a separate chassis V8 Aston.
The DB9 because it's at or near the bottom of the depreciation curve and would make a fine companion.
If my numbers came up it's a DBS V8 Manual or an Oscar India for me, but that's the only way it's happening now.
It is however a pleasure to watch what you are doing and to see these beautiful cars being treated properly and sympathetically.
If only we had time machines! The cars we would go back and buy for pennies...Turned down a DBS6 in Axminster that had been taken apart but was complete at £8k in 2000. (I was 23 and had just moved out to rented house so knew it was insane!)
Then had to choose between buying a house and a V8 Series III for £20k in 2003.
Since they went over £50k they have consistently been the one step ahead of my purchasing power.
I am resigned to buying either a Virage or a DB9. But neither are the same.
The Virage because it is still a separate chassis V8 Aston.
The DB9 because it's at or near the bottom of the depreciation curve and would make a fine companion.
If my numbers came up it's a DBS V8 Manual or an Oscar India for me, but that's the only way it's happening now.
It is however a pleasure to watch what you are doing and to see these beautiful cars being treated properly and sympathetically.
I like the Virage, and they are relatively cheap for what is still a handbuilt V8 Aston. I think they are more useable than the earlier cars and there is lots of knowledge to correct their issues.
The DB9 is a great buy too. The well proven V12 engine and a stylish. I looked at these in quite some detail as a replacement for my 911 RSR. In the end, I decided to go for something completely different but that was because it's not my main car and I wanted more of an event. I've no doubt the DB9 would have been a very enjoyable though.
leglessAlex said:
classicaholic defintely wasn't the only one wondering about the cost CQ8, so thank you for putting it all down.
I guess it's a reflection of the classic car market these days, but something the region of £120k for a perfectly restored, mint car like this seems very reasonable, yes it's a lot of money outright but not so much you'd feel awful driving it. My Evora listed at £104k, for example, and that's going to lose a heck of a lot more money!
It's utterly beautiful and I'm very envious. I hope you find a way of keeping it and driving it as much as possible!
That is a very good way to look at it. The rise in values has meant that depreciation is not a factor, although that could change at any time.I guess it's a reflection of the classic car market these days, but something the region of £120k for a perfectly restored, mint car like this seems very reasonable, yes it's a lot of money outright but not so much you'd feel awful driving it. My Evora listed at £104k, for example, and that's going to lose a heck of a lot more money!
It's utterly beautiful and I'm very envious. I hope you find a way of keeping it and driving it as much as possible!
TR4man said:
Obviously £120k is a huge amount of money to most people (myself very much included) but it does actually seem very good value when you consider what it may have cost do do something similar on a comparative Italian car.
It is a significant sum no question. But as you say, for what (I think) was at the time the fastest four seater in the world it's not outrageous.I remember chatting with the owner of a Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona in the underground car park of a London supermarket. My DBS V8 was parked away from everyone else at the far end and he had parked his Ferrari close by. We talked about the merits of each car and admired them both parked together. As much as I love the Daytona, at the time it was worth 10 times my Aston, but I wasn't convinced it was ten times the better car. To fully restore one of those would cost a great deal more than the Aston.
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