Unique & Rare - full of character
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This seems like a very special DB2 1954, anyone know about it?
Can the bare aluminium survive weather and the elements?
Do you guys like it?
What can anyone tell us about it?
http://www.amoc.org/component/option,com_wrapper/I...


Can the bare aluminium survive weather and the elements?
Do you guys like it?
What can anyone tell us about it?
http://www.amoc.org/component/option,com_wrapper/I...
Edited by W1111AM on Wednesday 12th November 22:07
W1111AM said:
Can the bare aluminium survive weather and the elements?
Do you guys like it?
Bare aluminium withstands the elements OK, it requires polishing pretty frequently though as it oxidises (If you like it shiny), aircraft have also been finished this way because it looks good and saves weight (and cracks can be detected easier)Do you guys like it?
Edited by W1111AM on Wednesday 12th November 22:07
You can scotchbrite it for a satin brushed finish.
Some of the AC Cobra guys are going the bare alloy route to show off that the car has a proper hand made aluminium body and is not a fibreglass knock off.
Drawbacks are damage is not easily repaired, you cant fill dents with Bondo (P38), it has to be properly knocked out and metal finished by a skilled individual (craftsman).
Do I like it?
Is the Pope catholic ?,
I particulary like some of the imperfections (battle scars) that can be seen, it makes the car even more unique and tough looking IMO.
WayneB said:
W1111AM said:
Can the bare aluminium survive weather and the elements?
Do you guys like it?
Bare aluminium withstands the elements OK, it requires polishing pretty frequently though as it oxidises (If you like it shiny), aircraft have also been finished this way because it looks good and saves weight (and cracks can be detected easier)Do you guys like it?
Edited by W1111AM on Wednesday 12th November 22:07
You can scotchbrite it for a satin brushed finish.
Some of the AC Cobra guys are going the bare alloy route to show off that the car has a proper hand made aluminium body and is not a fibreglass knock off.
Drawbacks are damage is not easily repaired, you cant fill dents with Bondo (P38), it has to be properly knocked out and metal finished by a skilled individual (craftsman).
Do I like it?
Is the Pope catholic ?,
I particulary like some of the imperfections (battle scars) that can be seen, it makes the car even more unique and tough looking IMO.
Is this the first polished alu body on a road-going AM anyone has seen, or are there others?
The Pope could not use bare alu, it's not bullet-proof

W1111AM said:
Great feedback on aluminium panels, I agree with you there is certainly great visual history in a few dents and scratches. I think it is growing on my, the bare alu.
Is this the first polished alu body on a road-going AM anyone has seen, or are there others?
The Pope could not use bare alu, it's not bullet-proof
I saw a DB6 that was being driven about in bare aluminium about 6 years ago (in Conneticut USA) , the owner had attempted a "rolling restoration" , stripped off all of the paint , had some metalwork replaced on the car and left it raw (clean but not really highly polished).Is this the first polished alu body on a road-going AM anyone has seen, or are there others?
The Pope could not use bare alu, it's not bullet-proof

Its now painted though (I actually painted it):lol:
You can also see where the body workers at AM had gas welded the various panel sections together, which is interesting, you can actually see how many pieces the bonnet, wings, boot etc was made from, and it really makes you appreciate just how skilled the blokes were who made the bodies at AM back then, some of the Italian stuff I have seen in the raw state is nowhere near to the standard that AM factory bodies were made to.
Contrary to some of the comments here, the bare finish doesn't look like a chrome wrap in real life, the small scratches, weld marks etc and unique hue and texture of the alloy leave no doubt that its the "real deal".
However I can see how some would prefer the painted finish, and the red car in the thread looks fine too, but paint is still a temporary (sacrificial)finish really, some of the exotics I have worked on have had so many paint jobs over their life to date its amazing (one Ferrari had been completely painted in differing colours on 8 separate occasions since 1961).
WayneB said:
W1111AM said:
Great feedback on aluminium panels, I agree with you there is certainly great visual history in a few dents and scratches. I think it is growing on my, the bare alu.
Is this the first polished alu body on a road-going AM anyone has seen, or are there others?
The Pope could not use bare alu, it's not bullet-proof
I saw a DB6 that was being driven about in bare aluminium about 6 years ago (in Conneticut USA) , the owner had attempted a "rolling restoration" , stripped off all of the paint , had some metalwork replaced on the car and left it raw (clean but not really highly polished).Is this the first polished alu body on a road-going AM anyone has seen, or are there others?
The Pope could not use bare alu, it's not bullet-proof

Its now painted though (I actually painted it):lol:
You can also see where the body workers at AM had gas welded the various panel sections together, which is interesting, you can actually see how many pieces the bonnet, wings, boot etc was made from, and it really makes you appreciate just how skilled the blokes were who made the bodies at AM back then, some of the Italian stuff I have seen in the raw state is nowhere near to the standard that AM factory bodies were made to.
Contrary to some of the comments here, the bare finish doesn't look like a chrome wrap in real life, the small scratches, weld marks etc and unique hue and texture of the alloy leave no doubt that its the "real deal".
However I can see how some would prefer the painted finish, and the red car in the thread looks fine too, but paint is still a temporary (sacrificial)finish really, some of the exotics I have worked on have had so many paint jobs over their life to date its amazing (one Ferrari had been completely painted in differing colours on 8 separate occasions since 1961).

I think a good paint job enhances the shape of the vehicle more than being simply highly polished Aluminium. Accentuates the lines and curves.
Both the previous posts of the ali-polished vehicles show that there is too much light being mirrored-off and the subtlety of form is lost with this distraction.


Both the previous posts of the ali-polished vehicles show that there is too much light being mirrored-off and the subtlety of form is lost with this distraction.
Edited by Guycord on Friday 14th November 04:04
Guycord said:
I think a good paint job enhances the shape of the vehicle more than being simply highly polished Aluminium. Accentuates the lines and curves.
Both the previous posts of the ali-polished vehicles show that there is too much light being mirrored-off and the subtlety of form is lost with this distraction.


great to see your beautiful car, before and after pictures again Both the previous posts of the ali-polished vehicles show that there is too much light being mirrored-off and the subtlety of form is lost with this distraction.
Edited by Guycord on Friday 14th November 04:04

What if the Alu was not highly polished but a satin-bright finish? I agree the full mirror is very reflective and distracting from the form of the bodywork. I think the original DB2 images I found at the start of this thread look more of a satin-bright?
Guycord's point about paint being able to accentuate a cars form is dead right.
Back in the day, Scaglietti would form the car body panelshapes out of aluminium , pour oil over them and look at them outsides in the sun to get a better impression of how the finished part would look.
Metallic Paint on cars back in the era before clearcoating tended to be duller, so consequently cars restored and painted using modern methods today don't really look like they did back in the '60's/'70's which can be better or worse depending on the styling of the car.
The DB6 I mentioned in my other post definitely looked better painted, the owner agonised over what colour to paint it for a long time before arriving at his choice of Black Pearl.
I think the worst colour for most Aston Martin's (DB4 on) is white, it just totally washes out the shape of the car,the William Towns designed models however can carry off white, probably because he favoured a more straight, tailored, creased look over Tourings more fluid shapes.
Back in the day, Scaglietti would form the car body panelshapes out of aluminium , pour oil over them and look at them outsides in the sun to get a better impression of how the finished part would look.
Metallic Paint on cars back in the era before clearcoating tended to be duller, so consequently cars restored and painted using modern methods today don't really look like they did back in the '60's/'70's which can be better or worse depending on the styling of the car.
The DB6 I mentioned in my other post definitely looked better painted, the owner agonised over what colour to paint it for a long time before arriving at his choice of Black Pearl.
I think the worst colour for most Aston Martin's (DB4 on) is white, it just totally washes out the shape of the car,the William Towns designed models however can carry off white, probably because he favoured a more straight, tailored, creased look over Tourings more fluid shapes.
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