Tuscany in our DB9 Volante
Discussion
Our DB9 is painted in one of the original pale greens then and now used by AM as their racing colour. To heighten the impression, we recently had it detailed with a yellow stripe across the body, yellow mirrors and a broad yellow strip around the grille mouth.
You may imagine our pleasure then, when in the flea market in Arezzo on Sunday, we came across a Solido die cast model of a DBR9 painted in the same colour scheme !
Not only that, but the same stall also had a three foot long scale model of a Mercedes Benz
1938 K504 drop head tourer in black. This was complete with air horns, spot lights, opera irons, double duck hood and cream leather upholstery. All fixed on a polished wood base and under a Perspex display case. Hubby was mesmerised. It was utterly,utterly beautiful !
What was it doing on a stall in a Tuscan flea market ? It should have been in M-B's own museum !
At 1000 Euros, we wanted to buy it, but were thwarted by the difficulties of shipping it back to England.
You may imagine our pleasure then, when in the flea market in Arezzo on Sunday, we came across a Solido die cast model of a DBR9 painted in the same colour scheme !
Not only that, but the same stall also had a three foot long scale model of a Mercedes Benz
1938 K504 drop head tourer in black. This was complete with air horns, spot lights, opera irons, double duck hood and cream leather upholstery. All fixed on a polished wood base and under a Perspex display case. Hubby was mesmerised. It was utterly,utterly beautiful !
What was it doing on a stall in a Tuscan flea market ? It should have been in M-B's own museum !
At 1000 Euros, we wanted to buy it, but were thwarted by the difficulties of shipping it back to England.
Pics of our DB9 ? We didn't take any of the Merc model. Hubby was too distraught at not being able to buy it due to the shipping difficulties, he doesn't want to be reminded of his loss............and he's never had a Mercedes. He does have , though, a beautiful scale model of a 1934 Hispano Suiza made out of tulip wood, copper and brass. The Hispano model is about the same size ( approx one metre ). The two would have made beautiful corner pieces to his Georgian partners desk ! I had to go and buy a gold Dunhill lighter and fifty Romeo y Julieta cigars, plus a bottle of sixteen year old Lagavulin to console him !.....not easy to do in Florence.
IanV12VSRs said:
The DB9 of course. This is the Aston forum 
OK, but we are presently staying in a hotel in the centre of Florence. The hotel manager, upon seeing our car, decided that it would be sensible for the Aston to be valet parked in a secure car park nearby ( this also happened in Arezzo when we were there ). We can see our Aston at all times via cctv on the tv in our room, but have no plans to visit it until later this week.We'll take some pics then.
Incidentally, we had major problems in getting to our hotel in the centre of Arezzo. It was the weekend of their jousting tournaments held in the main square, and most of the roads were closed. We rang the hotel using our mobile and the receptionist gave us perfect directions through a maze of medieval alleys. A police Alfa Romeo ( a two litre Guilia ) stopped us but then provide an escort. The female driver kissed my husband when we told her we owned a rare Guilia Quatrofoglio ( the 200 MPH version of the Guilia ). The crowds were ecstatic over seeing the Aston. We could barely move forward for all the back slapping and applause, let alone hundreds of pictures being taken. Hubby had a similar thing happen when he drove his drop head "E" Type through Sienna back in 1985. It's really quite moving.
I mentioned in the Alfa Romeo section yesterday about our seeing an AR Guilia Quatrofoglia being used on location here in Florence for the forthcoming Michael Bay film
"6 UNDERGROUND " starring Ryan Reynolds. Upon our arriving in our DB9 here on Sunday, we were overwhelmed by the attention paid to the Aston when we drove through the city centre. We were also a bit concerned about two pretty girls who followed us on a Vespa scooter to our hotel.
They were taking many pictures whilst doing so.
We have just received a phone call from an assistant producer offering us 5000 USD for a couple of hours use of the Aston for some static ( but with the engine on ) film footage with Ryan Reynolds at the wheel. It will be blue screen work with the car being trailered to a film studio tomorrow afternoon, with dinner paid for the two of us. We can be with the Aston at all times. The moolah won't pay for our holiday, but it'll help !
"6 UNDERGROUND " starring Ryan Reynolds. Upon our arriving in our DB9 here on Sunday, we were overwhelmed by the attention paid to the Aston when we drove through the city centre. We were also a bit concerned about two pretty girls who followed us on a Vespa scooter to our hotel.
They were taking many pictures whilst doing so.
We have just received a phone call from an assistant producer offering us 5000 USD for a couple of hours use of the Aston for some static ( but with the engine on ) film footage with Ryan Reynolds at the wheel. It will be blue screen work with the car being trailered to a film studio tomorrow afternoon, with dinner paid for the two of us. We can be with the Aston at all times. The moolah won't pay for our holiday, but it'll help !
IanV12VSRs said:
The DB9 of course. This is the Aston forum
Here is a pic of the Aston just having its detailing done last month. We'll take some better ones later this week, probably outside the Alfa Romeo Museum in Milan.Last night here in the Piazza Della Republicca, Florence we found a brilliant guy who does airbrush portraits of cars. We have ordered pics of three of our cars, the DB9, my Quatrofoglio
and our Bentley Continental GTC. Hubby ordered one of a Ferrari Dino 246 he owned before I met him, and this was done whilst we had dinner nearby at a fabulous Argentinian steak restaurant. There was a slight delay in getting suitable pics for copying purposes on his smartphone ( Hubbie's 246 had non standard Cromodora alloys, and we wanted to get the Aston's Californian Sage shade just right ) but we have every confidence in his attaining perfection. When our Lagonda DHC is fully restored, we'll email him pics.
El Toro said:
Well done Ratana & hubby - truly living La Dolce Vita.
You may think so,amigo,but the 5000 Euros we earned from loaning our DB9 to the Michael Bay film crew, was blown away by today by Hubby buying a 36,000 Euro Panerai Radiomir Oro Rosso " 1940" edition chronometer. What is it with men ? They've only got two bloody wrists ; why do they need so many watches ?Bobajobbob said:
It sounds like you are having my dream holiday. It doesn't get much better than driving around Italy in an Aston buying watches.
There is one fly in the ointment. The Tuscan roads are not like they were fifteen years ago when we last toured in our V12 DB7 Volante. It's harder to find the dreamy,open roads anymore. The roadworks are everywhere, the surfaces are like tank traps and the quantity of heavy lorries are a bloody nightmare.............in other words just like the U.K. Mind you, the sunshine is fabulous !You are right about the watches, though. My favourites are those made by Raymond Weil.
Hubbie's feeling a tad guilty about buying his Euro 36,000 Panerai yesterday, so a local jeweller is bringing a selection of RW's to the hotel for me to choose from later today.
Ciao.
james-witton said:
Please don’t take these comments to heart OP. It’s just The self levelling PH system at work.
Hope you had a great time.
Thank you James. I don't take these comments to heart. We're only half way through our holiday and, having been to the Ferrari Museo, we are now looking forward to going to the Alfa Museum in Milan next week.Hope you had a great time.
Ciao.
Neil1300r said:
Hi,
You may think that your suggested watch is the same. It is not. First of all your suggested one, whilst doubtless perfect, was first bought by someone else. It's papers will therefore be in the name of the first purchaser, making it effectively second hand, and its guarantee will almost certainly have expired.
Hubbie's ' watch is number one in a very limited edition of solid rose gold.. It also has an eight day power reserve not three. Moreover, it is inscribed with a dedication from the Decima Flottiglia MAS, an Italian naval unit from WW2, against whom Hubbie's dad fought in motor torpedo boats in the Mediterranean. It also has a lifetime guarantee.
Not quite the same watch methinks.
Ciao.
avinalarf said:
Go girl....go.
I wondered what you'd be doin' after you were axed from your TV show.
I'm sitting in Napoli aeroporto a tad bored with two hours to go before take off.
I've just spent the week in Ischia in a 6 star hotel that cost loadsa money.
I've bought a couple of Cartiers per mia moglia and several solid gold JLC reversos for myself.
Red gold,white gold and yellow gold plus I got an extra lifetime's guarantee for when I'm resurrected.
Don't listen to the misanthropic fogeys on here, they're jealous cos they haven't got loadsa money like we have.
p.s. mine is inscribed with a special message from the capo of the local Naples mafia and a blessing from the Pope.
Not quite the same watch methinks.
Ah ha.
Oh, amigo, I just love your response. Such deft humour.
I omitted to mention that Gramps served with Phillip the Greek in WW2 ; so, for me at least, being an adherent to that religion espoused by Martin Luther, a blessing on Hubbie's watch from both him and the Archbishop of Canterbury should suffice.
Regrettably, try though I may, my social calendar does not permit a meeting with Phil until the end of the grouse shooting season next year. I have told him to be patient, but as we all know, he is a law unto himself. Dear Bish, of course, doing anything for a free lunch at Claridges, merely awaits my call the very moment I return .
I wondered what you'd be doin' after you were axed from your TV show.
I'm sitting in Napoli aeroporto a tad bored with two hours to go before take off.
I've just spent the week in Ischia in a 6 star hotel that cost loadsa money.
I've bought a couple of Cartiers per mia moglia and several solid gold JLC reversos for myself.
Red gold,white gold and yellow gold plus I got an extra lifetime's guarantee for when I'm resurrected.
Don't listen to the misanthropic fogeys on here, they're jealous cos they haven't got loadsa money like we have.
p.s. mine is inscribed with a special message from the capo of the local Naples mafia and a blessing from the Pope.
Not quite the same watch methinks.
Ah ha.
Oh, amigo, I just love your response. Such deft humour.
I omitted to mention that Gramps served with Phillip the Greek in WW2 ; so, for me at least, being an adherent to that religion espoused by Martin Luther, a blessing on Hubbie's watch from both him and the Archbishop of Canterbury should suffice.
Regrettably, try though I may, my social calendar does not permit a meeting with Phil until the end of the grouse shooting season next year. I have told him to be patient, but as we all know, he is a law unto himself. Dear Bish, of course, doing anything for a free lunch at Claridges, merely awaits my call the very moment I return .
Edited by avinalarf on Friday 7th September 18:46
B4rnst4ble said:
Nice car op
Why is the reg number for a 2003 ford connect ?
No idea, compadre, no idea. Apart from my Quatrofoglio and my V8 Audi Quattro AvantWhy is the reg number for a 2003 ford connect ?
( which have consecutive number plates ), all of Hubbie's cars are consecutive in the PIL series, even the 1940 Lagonda drop head tourer, which is presently undergoing a light cosmetic restoration. PIL plates are the initials of his company and are as cheap as chips.
I think that the last one cost about four grand and was bought out of the petty cash account.
P.S. Here's a helpful word of advice. Please, please, please don't buy any PIL plates in the hope we'd buy them from you. We have more than enough. Not only that, but Hubby has now started buying plates with his and my initials. Ciao.
RobDown said:
There are some on the Alfa Forums who think Roseanne is actually some fantasist bloke who got kicked out of the Alfa Owners Club and has some connection (which I can’t work out) with jail time and firearms
I sincerely hope they’re wrong as I find the OPs many posts across PH make for very entertaining reading and I hope s(he) is genuine
jI sincerely hope they’re wrong as I find the OPs many posts across PH make for very entertaining reading and I hope s(he) is genuine
I have most certainly never been kicked out of any club, well,motoring club anyway, although I was once asked to leave a committee meeting of the VSCC since my skirt was too short. I I have also been refused entrance to a couple of West End night clubs for my erstwhile habit of gradually sliding under the table, especially when the Krug has flowed liberally.
Hubby was many years ago banned from either the Ferarri Owners or Porsche Drivers Club forums ( maybe both, he can't remember.......too much Hennessy brandy, too little brain ),
because, being partly South African he once used the word k----r in a post he submitted; but, even then he was being complimentary in saying that they made the best trackers when he is on a lion shoot and,indeed, owed his life to one. Yes, he was arrested in South Africa for firing several bursts from his Sterling SMG at the terrorists to keep them away, but he sold up and buggered off to Switzerland before anyone would give evidence. Wouldn't you ?
No, for good or bad, I am as genuine as the nose on your face, and hopefully a f--k sight prettier !
Blackpuddin said:
OP does seem somewhat engaged by the price of stuff. Are we meant to be impressed?
Dear Blackpuddin,Am I, perchance, talking to a fellow Lancastrian ( I'm a Bury girl ). Please be neither impressed nor unimpressed. The price I quoted for Hubbie's new gold watch was about half of what was paid for it. Did you by any chance read recently of our Aston being used in a film shoot in Florence a few days ago ? Are you aware of the gifts of Goody Bags made to celebs ?
Well, for our sins we were given one. I am not so boastful as to say what was in it, suffice it to say that it included a beautiful Swiss made chronometer. Hubby already had the same one in his collection of watches, so he sensibly offered it as p/x towards his new watch. Deal done and dusted !
Yesterday we left our hotel in the mountains overlooking Pistoia. The road down into the valley is like a mini Stelvio Pass. Coming up towards us we narrowly avoided a beautiful white AMG C63 which swung a tad wide on a bend. The girl driving it changed seats with her passenger, who then reversed the Merc several hundred yards down the hill. They then got out and asked if they could take some pics of the Aston, including one of the girl sitting in the drivers seat. Graciously, the Mercedes driver then asked if he could take one of me at the wheel. The Merc was registered German, but I think the driver must have been Austrian, he was so charming. Hubby sat in a nearby hedge, growling, scratching his crotch ( mosquitoes seem to like his blood with so much 16 old Lagavulin in it ) and smoking a fag.
What IS the rule of who reverses in this situation ? I need to tell Hubby.
What IS the rule of who reverses in this situation ? I need to tell Hubby.
[quote=TarpaTow]Wow, what a car and lifestyle, awesome.
I dream of getting behind the wheel of an Aston one day and I will as I become even more successful. It must be amazing cruising around in such a car knowing that everybody is looking at you. I get that in my BM and the knowledge that people are just looking at me as a relatively young guy in something like a BM is a fab feeling. I can't imagine what it's like an an Aston, must be out of this world from the getgo.
Not sure I'd have your colour scheme though, it looks like some of the really old F1 cars I've seen in magazines, were they Lotuses?
I work in finance and am used to dealing with successful people and anybody who can get into an Aston gets max points from me lol. I can only imagine how successful people would think I was if I rocked up in a DB9; what a statement and to be able to drop into conversation that I holiday in Tuscany. That probably beats even being able to leave a BM key ring on the table to impress the waiter, just so they know what sort of person they're dealing with, a successful dynamic go-getter. When I get in an Aston I'll just know that people will see me and think 'Bond, James Bond'. Can't wait.
I presume 34000 was a misprint for the watch lol , who spends that sort of money on a watch. Who's even got that sort of money to drop on a watch? I've stayed with Casio, like the Red Bull F1 drivers wear, and know that it gets respect, even if it's the silent envy type of respect. That, and knowing you're behind the wheel of a BM just reconfirms the message of success , almost as good as touring in an Aston.
[/quote
What a sensible chap you are.....and very aspirational too. Well done ! I entirely understand your aversion to green. After all, many people even believe it to be bad luck ! We've had 'em in many colours. Probably my favourite was Solent Silver. Another previous great colour was a curious bronze brown shade, the name of which neither of us can recall, but it did have a beautiful maroon type interior called Red Oxide. It looked awful on the main dealer website,
but when the Dealer Principal drove it over for a test drive, we both fell in love with it and bought it.
We've haven't had a green Aston before, although Hubby used to borrow his dad's DB 2/4 DHC,which was Sherwood Green. Hubby is old enough to remember when Vanwalls, Connaughts and
BRM's drove in British Racing Green, never mind Jaguars, Listers and Astons, so he is as happy as a pig in s--t to have one.
Best wishes,
Rosanne.
I dream of getting behind the wheel of an Aston one day and I will as I become even more successful. It must be amazing cruising around in such a car knowing that everybody is looking at you. I get that in my BM and the knowledge that people are just looking at me as a relatively young guy in something like a BM is a fab feeling. I can't imagine what it's like an an Aston, must be out of this world from the getgo.
Not sure I'd have your colour scheme though, it looks like some of the really old F1 cars I've seen in magazines, were they Lotuses?
I work in finance and am used to dealing with successful people and anybody who can get into an Aston gets max points from me lol. I can only imagine how successful people would think I was if I rocked up in a DB9; what a statement and to be able to drop into conversation that I holiday in Tuscany. That probably beats even being able to leave a BM key ring on the table to impress the waiter, just so they know what sort of person they're dealing with, a successful dynamic go-getter. When I get in an Aston I'll just know that people will see me and think 'Bond, James Bond'. Can't wait.
I presume 34000 was a misprint for the watch lol , who spends that sort of money on a watch. Who's even got that sort of money to drop on a watch? I've stayed with Casio, like the Red Bull F1 drivers wear, and know that it gets respect, even if it's the silent envy type of respect. That, and knowing you're behind the wheel of a BM just reconfirms the message of success , almost as good as touring in an Aston.
[/quote
What a sensible chap you are.....and very aspirational too. Well done ! I entirely understand your aversion to green. After all, many people even believe it to be bad luck ! We've had 'em in many colours. Probably my favourite was Solent Silver. Another previous great colour was a curious bronze brown shade, the name of which neither of us can recall, but it did have a beautiful maroon type interior called Red Oxide. It looked awful on the main dealer website,
but when the Dealer Principal drove it over for a test drive, we both fell in love with it and bought it.
We've haven't had a green Aston before, although Hubby used to borrow his dad's DB 2/4 DHC,which was Sherwood Green. Hubby is old enough to remember when Vanwalls, Connaughts and
BRM's drove in British Racing Green, never mind Jaguars, Listers and Astons, so he is as happy as a pig in s--t to have one.
Best wishes,
Rosanne.
We've just arrived at our hotel, the Grand Hotel Sitea in Turin ( see attached pic of the
Aston ),having driven there from the Alfa Romeo Museum in Milan. I'll be submitting a thread on this museum in the Alfa forum.
As stated previously, the Italian motorways are ordure of the first order. Talk about middle lane drivers ! If I never see another Fiat 500 ever again, it'll be a ---- sight too soon.
Hubby says that they are OK for sprinkling on his " Krispy Kremes ", but give me a break, I hate the little cockroaches.
Hubby did very well last night. It is approaching the end of the tourist season, so last nights hotel was running its stocks of single malt down. The owner of the hotel didn't think that what was left in his bottles of Lagavulin and Laophraig constituted triples measures, so they were freebies. Hubby had to finish on Talisker Skye, but that was no hardship since his breath kept the mosquitos away during the night, especially when I applied a lighted match to it !
Italians don't seem to drink much decent whisky. Hubby was reduced today to buying a bottle of some foul American concoction from Lidl. He says that a seven Euros a bottle it'll be ok as a beer chaser. Not only that, but when we get home ,he's sure that if diluted with creosote it might cure the gardener's ringworm.
Aston ),having driven there from the Alfa Romeo Museum in Milan. I'll be submitting a thread on this museum in the Alfa forum.
As stated previously, the Italian motorways are ordure of the first order. Talk about middle lane drivers ! If I never see another Fiat 500 ever again, it'll be a ---- sight too soon.
Hubby says that they are OK for sprinkling on his " Krispy Kremes ", but give me a break, I hate the little cockroaches.
Hubby did very well last night. It is approaching the end of the tourist season, so last nights hotel was running its stocks of single malt down. The owner of the hotel didn't think that what was left in his bottles of Lagavulin and Laophraig constituted triples measures, so they were freebies. Hubby had to finish on Talisker Skye, but that was no hardship since his breath kept the mosquitos away during the night, especially when I applied a lighted match to it !
Italians don't seem to drink much decent whisky. Hubby was reduced today to buying a bottle of some foul American concoction from Lidl. He says that a seven Euros a bottle it'll be ok as a beer chaser. Not only that, but when we get home ,he's sure that if diluted with creosote it might cure the gardener's ringworm.
Pericoloso said:
Only open 10 till 2 on Mondays though.
You are very kind to have have suggested this. The only problem is, that after the Alfa Romeototal 4D driving experience cinema at their museum where one undergoes driving various Alfas at the Millie Miglia, Nurburgring and Le Mans circuit in 4D, whilst sitting in a SPARCO seat and being sprayed with rain water as and when it happens, Hubby has insisted that tomorrow is devoted tomorrow to replacing his Calvin Klein skivvies with new ones. So have I come to that !
[quote=Bobajobbob]I'm hoping that PIL doesn't stand for Perverts in Leather as Google has helpfully suggested?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT1Soa4SW_4[/quote
It may do, when the female judge arrived at Hubbie's specimen, she demanded the sal volatilie bottle and a large Remy Martin before moving on towards her total disappointment and complete disatisfaction with what followed. Silly girl !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT1Soa4SW_4[/quote
It may do, when the female judge arrived at Hubbie's specimen, she demanded the sal volatilie bottle and a large Remy Martin before moving on towards her total disappointment and complete disatisfaction with what followed. Silly girl !
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