AMOC Forum

[williamp]

Start with the DBS from 1967, which was named after a design study by Touring in 1966. The built if alongside the DB6, with the 6 cylinder engine
The DBS, like the DB6 could be bought with either Su carbs, Weber carbs in Vantage tune or fuel injection..

Then the launched the DBS V8 with the V8 and mechanical fuel injection. For a while, customers could buy a DB6, DBS OR DBS V8 and with SU, Weber, AE brico or Bosch fuel systems depending on the engine.

Then the range was rationalised, with a new front end (2 headlights, as seen above). SU and eldctric fuel injection was dropped... the weber vantage 6 cylinder engine car was renamed the AM Vantage, the DBS V8 as the V8. Confused? If becomes easier when they drop the AM Vantage... and then use weber carbs on the V8 engine instead of the Bosch fuel injection.

Then they stopped with the AM Vantage and made the V8...then the volante, vantage, lagonda, bulldog through the 70s and 80s. Then the Virage was launched and all was well with the world...

Phew!

[V8LM]

... when in 1992 they announced The Vantage, which became V8 Vantage when the V8 Coupe and V8 Volante were launched in 1996. Then all was well with the DB7 Vantage launched as the hot DB7 (although whilst both officially available I don’t believe any i6 cars were built after the first V12).

Then all was well until they decided to name the AMV8 the V8 Vantage, meaning that any hot car in the future has to have a different monicker, so Vanquish S (admittedly Vanquish Vantage would have been a mouthful), DB9S, .... bugger!

[DickyC]

Ah, yeah, but, AML said the 90's Virage-based Vantage was a new car, not a hotter version of the Virage.

[DickyC]

A regular Vantage owner bought a Virage and put a deposit on a Vantage only to learn it wasn't going to be just breathed on, it was going to be a lot more than that, and he tried to get his money back.

[V8LM]

Exactly. That’s why it was The Vantage, not Virage Vantage as the DVLA call it. They were only going to make a handful too (7 or 12, can’t remember).

[DickyC]

Yes, Richard Williams predicted there would be more V8 Zagatos than Vantages. Mind you they were £183,000 when they came out so you can see what he was thinking. The last of the coachbuilt Astons. They will be bonkers money one day. If they aren't already.

[mrgoodkat]

I just got here from the AMOC forum as well, won't be renewing my membership. There were no events on my area and no club meetings. I wrote the area rep once to ask about a place to service my car, never heard back. The overseas membership is completely pointless, 100 GBP for the magazine which is 70% ads anyway and the forum. Looks like I'll be getting the forum here for free

Not bashing the forum, it's a great source of knowledge, but it's not worth 100 quid per year imho.

Edited by mrgoodkat on Tuesday 26th February 09:36

[SuperleggeraChap]

Just stumbled across this thread.

I've been a member of AMOC for 4 years and, personally, my experience has been very positive.

Loads of very helpful advice from the forum; access to some great AMOC, including regional, events; and discounted non-AMOC events.


P.S. Contrary to the views of some on this thread, the Concours Judges' white coats and gloves are to protect the cars from belt buckles and sticky fingers. Entirely sensible IMHO.

[Ken Figenus]

The AM V8 (Andy Palmer's Vantage V8 body shape car) was initially known as DBS? Am I reading that really right?

Good list of models here: https://www2.astonmartin.com/en/heritage/past-mode...

[DickyC]

Yes. AML produced the car with a very similar shape for 25 years. Although it was always intended to have the V8 engine the engine wasn't ready and the car was introduced with the 6 cylinder engine from the DB6. The name DBS, intended for the V8, was used for the 6 cylinder car. When the V8 came out it was called the DBS V8. This is why some people erroneously refer to the DBS, the 6 cylinder car, as DBS6.

[V8LM]

Ken Figenus said:

The AM V8 (Andy Palmer's Vantage V8 body shape car) was initially known as DBS? Am I reading that really right?

The DBS was this:



With the V8 engine it was the DBS V8 (DBS in beige behind):



With Company Developments, the DBS became the Aston Martin Vantage:



and the DBS V8 became the Aston Martin V8:



The V8 Vantage came along in 1977:

[Ken Figenus]

Thanks V8LM - I'm clear now! I'm also clear that it was that last red V8 Vantage that planted the seed when I was in short trousers and this is why the missus cant have a conservatory to this day

[LordBretSinclair]

V8LM said:

The DBS was this:



With the V8 engine it was the DBS V8 (DBS in beige behind):

Except for one "DBS V8" that had a 6 cylinder engine !!!!!

[Stevejay]

So where does the Oscar India cars fit in on this timeline?

[james-witton]

Stevejay said:

So where does the Oscar India cars fit in on this timeline?

Yes, and wasn’t there some mention of the AMOC forum at the start of this thread?

Just saying.

[bignoise]

Ken Figenus said:

Thanks V8LM - I'm clear now! I'm also clear that it was that last red V8 Vantage that planted the seed when I was in short trousers and this is why the missus cant have a conservatory to this day

you and me both Ken

That was the car that sowed the seed of ambition and desire

[V8LM]

And me. For my ninth birthday my Uncle bought me a book of cars. Many of my friends had the Dancing Donkey BB 512 Boxer as their pin-up car, and I wanted to be different. The 2-ton super lorry was mine.

Spool forward 15 years and The Vantage, made from pure unobtainium, was launched.

Spool forward 15(ish) years and I made my first post on the AMOC Forum asking for advice.

Spool forward 15 years and six Aston Martin motorcars, I have a great bunch of friends, memories, and experiences that wouldn't have happened without the AMOC.

(3, 2, 1, and we are back in the room).

[MarkM3Evoplus]

mrgoodkat said:

I just got here from the AMOC forum as well, won't be renewing my membership. There were no events on my area and no club meetings. I wrote the area rep once to ask about a place to service my car, never heard back. The overseas membership is completely pointless, 100 GBP for the magazine which is 70% ads anyway and the forum. Looks like I'll be getting the forum here for free

Not bashing the forum, it's a great source of knowledge, but it's not worth 100 quid per year imho.

Edited by mrgoodkat on Tuesday 26th February 09:36

The forum has saved me £1000s in maintenance costs, so AMOC membership definitely been worth it for me!

[RobDown]

MarkM3Evoplus said:

The forum has saved me £1000s in maintenance costs, so AMOC membership definitely been worth it for me!

The forum has its uses if you drive pre-Gaydon cars

But what AMoC has failed to do (or perhaps the environment has not allowed it to do?) is being inclusive of Gaydon cars; that now make up the majority of Aston Martins in existence.

Rather like positive discrimination in the workplace to encourage women and minorities, AMOC needs to do the same with Gaydon cars. Maybe the magazines could do some of the basics - like reviews of the new models, or even acknowledge their existence. (And before Tony complains I have made these suggestions on the AMoC forum too!).

If it stands still on this issue the club is going to wither and die over time.

[DickyC]

Is the pre-Gaydon bias as perceived by those with newer cars more likely to indicate that owners of newer cars are less likely to come forward as volunteers?

It's a club. Clubs rely on volunteers.