Sagato a Db7 - how difficult can it be ?

[hartley]

Looking at the prices of a nice Db7 -30k ish - and a ZagatoDb7 - 140k ish - why not make your own ? Anybody done it or have an idea of who might- what are the main differences apart from the looks ? I assume a Volante would be an easier Zag to make as the hood is unchanged ?

[DB9VolanteDriver]

No, it wouldn't be easier, since the Zagato has no top

[hartley]

Easier still if no top !

[williamp]

Zagato is a Coupe. The AR1 is a "Volante", so both are possible. How deep are your pockets??

[hartley]

How deep do they need to be - what's involved ?

[George29]

hartley said:

How deep do they need to be - what's involved ?

Off the top of my head.... there would be every single panel, rear lights, all the boot mechanisms, front grille, rear window and rear side windows. Plus the interior would need changing to match a Zagato.

Would Aston even sell you a complete set of panels for a Zagato? And how much would you expect them to be?

Plus after all that cost you end up with something that doesn't have the desirability of an original, so will be worth much, much less.

[toohuge]

Still further complications, I seem to remember that the wheelbase is slightly shorter on the Zagato. Lovely vehicle though, although the panels were hand beaten iirc so you are looking at huge, huge costs.

With Aston likely to refuse.

Chris

[hartley]

The main visual difference appears to be the grille and the swoopy rear/ shaped rear window - the latter would be difficult to recreate - the interior is very similar to the Db7 but with nicer stitching . I would guess Aston won't sell panels so you will never end up with the real thing so it is more a 'homage' to the Zagato .In which case I wonder what you could do for say £25k ?

[DBPHiL]

There is a replacement front available.....
http://www.astonmartinbits.com/models/1-DB7/parts/...

[LordBretSinclair]

Alternatively turn your DB7 into one of these

[jonby]

hartley said:

The main visual difference appears to be the grille and the swoopy rear/ shaped rear window - the latter would be difficult to recreate - the interior is very similar to the Db7 but with nicer stitching . I would guess Aston won't sell panels so you will never end up with the real thing so it is more a 'homage' to the Zagato .In which case I wonder what you could do for say £25k ?

it would look like a dog's dinner IMO

the only way you will get close to the Zag rear window, the double bubble roof, the unusual boot with upright tailgate, the rear lights, etc is to use mostly original parts. Which will be nigh on impossible to get in the majority of instances through anyone other than official aston martin, as so few cars were made I can't see where else spare panels/parts would be

Plus unless you shorten the chassis in line with the original zag, I can't see how all those bits would work

yes you could change the front grille arrangement on it's own, which you may or may not prefer when looked at in isolation, but without the rear, for what it's worth, IMO it's not a zag recreation or homage, it's just a DB7 with a different (possibly zag ?) front grille

As it happens, AR1 may be easier & cheaper to do though again you'd have some expensive parts to buy

[mikey k]

LordBretSinclair said:

Alternatively turn your DB7 into one of these

best idea!

[Stonic]

LordBretSinclair said:

Alternatively turn your DB7 into one of these

Please pardon my ignorance but what is it? That car is simply s$x on wheels. Love it, want one….

[SS972]

http://www.evanta.co.uk/DB4-Zagato.htm#all

[footsoldier]

How much for the conversion, from a DB7? I couldn't find it on website...

[mikey k]

footsoldier said:

How much for the conversion, from a DB7? I couldn't find it on website...

Full thread a while back

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=114...

[hartley]

Ok sold - db4gt recreation from a Db7 it is - the million dollar question though - not answered on the web site or the thread is - How Much ? Are we talking Singer money or DBS money ?

[George29]

hartley said:

Ok sold - db4gt recreation from a Db7 it is - the million dollar question though - not answered on the web site or the thread is - How Much ? Are we talking Singer money or DBS money ?

The car sold for about €140k last year, so I guess it's going to be sort of around £70k to convert? May as well just buy a DB7 Zagato in the first place for that money.

[jonby]

George29 said:

hartley said:

Ok sold - db4gt recreation from a Db7 it is - the million dollar question though - not answered on the web site or the thread is - How Much ? Are we talking Singer money or DBS money ?

The car sold for about €140k last year, so I guess it's going to be sort of around £70k to convert? May as well just buy a DB7 Zagato in the first place for that money.

I seem to recall the DB7 conversion has a 'list' cost of c. £100k plus donor car

[hartley]

That does not sound out of the question for such a great looking and rare beast - Dbs prices . The only thing that looks a bit 'kit car' is the interior - for 140k I'd need a proper Momo wheel not a crappy 80's air bag stuffed atrocity.