Puragtory again; thanks William
Discussion
Behold the magnificence of Albion!
Yet another immaculate, brutal masterpiece from Newport Pagnell, in black to boot, with which to drive me to distraction.
A V8 Vantage.
One of my favourite 10 motors ever; the definitive British GT. Imagine the sheer sense of occasion derived from a stately 150 mph blat through Europe.
Joy. www.williamloughran.co.uk
And I promise you, I really am nowt to do with this lot but I am regaularly smitten by their sensational, gloriously presented exotica.
Yet another immaculate, brutal masterpiece from Newport Pagnell, in black to boot, with which to drive me to distraction.
A V8 Vantage.
One of my favourite 10 motors ever; the definitive British GT. Imagine the sheer sense of occasion derived from a stately 150 mph blat through Europe.
Joy. www.williamloughran.co.uk
And I promise you, I really am nowt to do with this lot but I am regaularly smitten by their sensational, gloriously presented exotica.
DanL said: Do you think you could stop posting links to this website? It really is far too depressing to see such magnificent cars, and lack the funds to acquire one!
Dan
I do apologise Dan but I just can't help myself although I've just reported myself to Ted for possible violation of PH rules and regs and with any luck he'll ban any such future refs.
In the meantime, feel free to salivate!
P.S. Do any PHers run AM Vantages?
jhoneyball said:
P.S. Do any PHers run AM Vantages?
I do -- 1989 V8 Vantage Xpack, metallic BRG, tan leather with green piping. Widebore exhaust, no rear silencers. All the RSWilliams modifications (inc brembo fronts). About 4th from last car made of the proper carb'ed Vantage.
Good God...
Permission to enter service as your valet?
Er, describe; pictures, etc - please!
well there are a few pics here:
www.jonhoneyball.com/aston/
what you want to know? factory v8 vantage, xpack so it has the zagato engine, 432bhp etc and zagato suspension. Plus it has handling kit on top, so huge antiroll bar at front, new springs, new koni's
www.jonhoneyball.com/aston/
what you want to know? factory v8 vantage, xpack so it has the zagato engine, 432bhp etc and zagato suspension. Plus it has handling kit on top, so huge antiroll bar at front, new springs, new koni's
Peerless, brutal elegance. The William Towns styling for me, the zenith of Aston design (DB4 Zagato excepted) and your colour, BRG(?) - quinessential, classic, masterpiece, timeless, etc, etc.
When did you acquire the beauty? How old is she? What is the driving experience like? Acceleration? Pick up in various gears? Fastest speed achieved? Have you annexed Europe with her? Have you compared to later versions of V8/Vantage and what thought?
Like the Countach, this is the stuff of schoolboy fantasy and I can almost smell the burning rubber as you blitz 60 in the low 5s...
Massive, undiluted salutations to you. Some of those piccies are tremendous.
Thanks very much; Hail to Albion & God save Aston Martin.
P.S. The interior...I weep with appreciation: it is SO tasteful. Incredible.
When did you acquire the beauty? How old is she? What is the driving experience like? Acceleration? Pick up in various gears? Fastest speed achieved? Have you annexed Europe with her? Have you compared to later versions of V8/Vantage and what thought?
Like the Countach, this is the stuff of schoolboy fantasy and I can almost smell the burning rubber as you blitz 60 in the low 5s...
Massive, undiluted salutations to you. Some of those piccies are tremendous.
Thanks very much; Hail to Albion & God save Aston Martin.
P.S. The interior...I weep with appreciation: it is SO tasteful. Incredible.
Thanks for the kind words. I'll try to answer your questions, and also explain some of the pics:
> and your colour, BRG(?)
BRG is actually a solid nonmetallic colour. This is metallic BRG, known as Hunter Green I think. Aston Racing Green is a solid green much lighter than this -- you will see that on the racing cars.
> When did you acquire the beauty? How old is she?
I bought him (doesnt strike me as a her, sorry!) nearly three years ago from the big Aston dealer at Lancaster Reading. Cost me 60k including full aston factory "heritage" warranty. Dealer prep was subsequently found to be almost negligable and the aston warranty not worth the paper it was written on (claim limit of 2500 quid, I recall, which doesnt get you very far).
Bought with receipts for 18k of work some 18 months previously at the aston factory. Assumed to be perfect condition, had 27k miles on the clock.
Last night, it tripped over the 70k mileometer mark, and is now in *vastly* better condition than when I bought, thanks to the incredible people at RSWilliams (www.rswilliams.co.uk -- the only serious place in the world for astons) and the application of more money than I dare think. Well, over 50k, I think.
> What is the driving experience like? Acceleration? Pick up in various gears?
Driving is incredible. Its heavy, yes. But beautifully balanced. And it has real shove. Not in a modern turbo way, but pulls like a steam engine. Can easily cope with 300rpm in 5th gear. You have to be careful, because the eight 50mm webers put a *lot* of fuel into the engine if you are not careful. Accelleration is limited by traction -- in the dry, the de-dion rear axle means you just dont get any wheelspin unless you are grotesquely brutal. In the wet, you need care -- it will fishtail at 80mph in 3rd if you are not careful.
Clutch is heavy but progressive -- I've had 40k miles out of this clutch and its not worn out yet. Others get 5-10k tops.
> Fastest speed achieved?
Around 145mph or so on a track day.
See the video clip at www.sport190.com/images.asp of my mate tim trying to keep up with me in his 993 Porsche 911. If you turn the speakers up, you will hear the aston v8 wail over the top of the porsche engine noise (and thats with windows and roof closed)
> Have you annexed Europe with her?
Not yet, have been tempted to do the swiss alps though. Specially now I have the stonking brembo upgrade on the front :-)
> Have you compared to later versions of V8/Vantage and what thought?
Yes, I dont like the 90's vantage. Its too schwazanegger (spelling?). Its too steriod, pumped up. Too full of itself. Too bragging. Too "in your face". Mine is subtle and quiet when it needs to be, and heavyweight boxer when it needs to be that too.
> Like the Countach, this is the stuff of schoolboy fantasy and I can almost smell the burning rubber as you blitz 60 in the low 5s...
Got it in one - I visited the factory when I was 15 and saw them being made. Decided I would have my own one day. I knew exactly the spec I wanted.
> Massive, undiluted salutations to you. Some of those piccies are tremendous.
Thanks, let me explain a few of them:
aston_d1x and aston_small -- nikon d1x (like most of the pics) in small street in cirencester.
bassunit -- as the final part of the hifi upgrades, RSW custom built a bass box into the right hand side wing area of the boot, and fitted a 12" infinity reference speaker into it. Even did a BRG grill cover for it too.
bolt -- view down underside of car looking backwards. Check out the passanger side of the rear diff, and the bolts. See the paint marks from bolt heads through to diff, to indicate any turning of the bolts? they have a tendency to come unwound
centerconsole -- mine came without the center console arm rest and cubby box. RSW make their own, so I had it fitted. Incredible workmanship.
chassis008 -- car on ramp, when being fully waxoyled. Takes 14 litres of the stuff. This is front hub, passanger side. Note the large brembo disc and calipers. See www.rswilliams.co.uk/conv_b.html for more shots of the disc -- it is a VERY big disc. And pagid blue racing pads too, of course. And AP550 racing brake fluid. And...
diffunitxxx -- had the rear diff dropped out, brakes rebuilt, calipers rebuilt, and the rsw racing mounting cage fitted which is much stronger -- designed for their 7 litre engine.
engine1, and engine2 -- its a ron russell engine. Unforch he died a couple of years ago :-(
the final images are just in the driveway.
> P.S. The interior...I weep with appreciation: it is SO tasteful. Incredible.
Its very comfy. And with the Nakamichi 1000 head unit (with seperate D/A convertors), 8 infinity speakers, infinity bass unit etc, you can choose between howl and music :-)
>> Edited by jhoneyball on Thursday 28th November 10:13
> and your colour, BRG(?)
BRG is actually a solid nonmetallic colour. This is metallic BRG, known as Hunter Green I think. Aston Racing Green is a solid green much lighter than this -- you will see that on the racing cars.
> When did you acquire the beauty? How old is she?
I bought him (doesnt strike me as a her, sorry!) nearly three years ago from the big Aston dealer at Lancaster Reading. Cost me 60k including full aston factory "heritage" warranty. Dealer prep was subsequently found to be almost negligable and the aston warranty not worth the paper it was written on (claim limit of 2500 quid, I recall, which doesnt get you very far).
Bought with receipts for 18k of work some 18 months previously at the aston factory. Assumed to be perfect condition, had 27k miles on the clock.
Last night, it tripped over the 70k mileometer mark, and is now in *vastly* better condition than when I bought, thanks to the incredible people at RSWilliams (www.rswilliams.co.uk -- the only serious place in the world for astons) and the application of more money than I dare think. Well, over 50k, I think.
> What is the driving experience like? Acceleration? Pick up in various gears?
Driving is incredible. Its heavy, yes. But beautifully balanced. And it has real shove. Not in a modern turbo way, but pulls like a steam engine. Can easily cope with 300rpm in 5th gear. You have to be careful, because the eight 50mm webers put a *lot* of fuel into the engine if you are not careful. Accelleration is limited by traction -- in the dry, the de-dion rear axle means you just dont get any wheelspin unless you are grotesquely brutal. In the wet, you need care -- it will fishtail at 80mph in 3rd if you are not careful.
Clutch is heavy but progressive -- I've had 40k miles out of this clutch and its not worn out yet. Others get 5-10k tops.
> Fastest speed achieved?
Around 145mph or so on a track day.
See the video clip at www.sport190.com/images.asp of my mate tim trying to keep up with me in his 993 Porsche 911. If you turn the speakers up, you will hear the aston v8 wail over the top of the porsche engine noise (and thats with windows and roof closed)
> Have you annexed Europe with her?
Not yet, have been tempted to do the swiss alps though. Specially now I have the stonking brembo upgrade on the front :-)
> Have you compared to later versions of V8/Vantage and what thought?
Yes, I dont like the 90's vantage. Its too schwazanegger (spelling?). Its too steriod, pumped up. Too full of itself. Too bragging. Too "in your face". Mine is subtle and quiet when it needs to be, and heavyweight boxer when it needs to be that too.
> Like the Countach, this is the stuff of schoolboy fantasy and I can almost smell the burning rubber as you blitz 60 in the low 5s...
Got it in one - I visited the factory when I was 15 and saw them being made. Decided I would have my own one day. I knew exactly the spec I wanted.
> Massive, undiluted salutations to you. Some of those piccies are tremendous.
Thanks, let me explain a few of them:
aston_d1x and aston_small -- nikon d1x (like most of the pics) in small street in cirencester.
bassunit -- as the final part of the hifi upgrades, RSW custom built a bass box into the right hand side wing area of the boot, and fitted a 12" infinity reference speaker into it. Even did a BRG grill cover for it too.
bolt -- view down underside of car looking backwards. Check out the passanger side of the rear diff, and the bolts. See the paint marks from bolt heads through to diff, to indicate any turning of the bolts? they have a tendency to come unwound
centerconsole -- mine came without the center console arm rest and cubby box. RSW make their own, so I had it fitted. Incredible workmanship.
chassis008 -- car on ramp, when being fully waxoyled. Takes 14 litres of the stuff. This is front hub, passanger side. Note the large brembo disc and calipers. See www.rswilliams.co.uk/conv_b.html for more shots of the disc -- it is a VERY big disc. And pagid blue racing pads too, of course. And AP550 racing brake fluid. And...
diffunitxxx -- had the rear diff dropped out, brakes rebuilt, calipers rebuilt, and the rsw racing mounting cage fitted which is much stronger -- designed for their 7 litre engine.
engine1, and engine2 -- its a ron russell engine. Unforch he died a couple of years ago :-(
the final images are just in the driveway.
> P.S. The interior...I weep with appreciation: it is SO tasteful. Incredible.
Its very comfy. And with the Nakamichi 1000 head unit (with seperate D/A convertors), 8 infinity speakers, infinity bass unit etc, you can choose between howl and music :-)
>> Edited by jhoneyball on Thursday 28th November 10:13
Frankly, Jhoney, when IDS is ousted on the next night of the long knives, I will be proposing your good self.
Clearly, a man of inspired taste and discretion and since you have a V8 Vantage, eminently qualified to restore The Empire.
Hail to thee.
I always thought I wanted one of these; know I know it.
Clearly, a man of inspired taste and discretion and since you have a V8 Vantage, eminently qualified to restore The Empire.
Hail to thee.
I always thought I wanted one of these; know I know it.
kevinday said: Absolutely right derestrictor. Unfotunately I doubt whether I will ever be able to afford one so will make do with a wedge.
I wonder what Jon does with his Vantage when he goes stag hunting? He MUST need someone to lovingly tend it and prevent pining whilst he's fjord-bound!
Frankly, I love this car SO much I'd even consider re-opening my Zymol Concours box in honour: imagine the ecstacy of:
(a) Having this green bastion of heroicism on your drive?
(b) Smearing it in carnuba wax!
Uuuuuuuurgh!!! I love it! I need it!
Gassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff