The DB5 is widely known as the 'Most Famous Car in the World', but amongst Aston Martin enthusiasts it represents even more; the DB5 is perhaps the purest embodiment of what an Aston Martin is. Timelessly designed, luxuriously trimmed and offering effortless performance, the DB5 had earned its place as one of the finest cars ever produced. After over 35 years as one of the leading Aston Martin specialists, Aston Workshop are delighted to present what we consider to be the ultimate Aston Martin DB5.
More powerful, more refined and more beautiful than the car it replaced, the DB5 was an instant hit. Capable of exceeding 150mph in total comfort, the DB5 represented the true spirit of Aston Martin. With only 887 saloons, 123 convertibles and 12 shooting brakes built in period, these cars are made even more special by their rarity. Over six decades after it was introduced, the DB5 remains as iconic as ever.
ICON
Introduced in 1963, the DB5 became an instant classic. It's appearances in the James Bond films 'Goldfinger' and 'Thunderball' made the DB5 a silver-screen star, but the story of how it became the most famous car in the world starts in 1958. At that year's Paris Motor Show an all-new world-beating Grand Tourer, the DB4, was unveiled. Featuring a cutting-edge aluminium straight-6 engine, innovative “superleggera” construction and a beautiful Touring-designed body, the DB4 set a new standard for GT cars. Through several iterations the DB4 was steadily improved, and in 1963 those improvements were combined into a new model: the Aston Martin DB5.
More powerful, more refined and more beautiful than the car it replaced, the DB5 was an instant hit. Capable of exceeding 150mph in total comfort, the DB5 represented the true spirit of Aston Martin. With only 887 saloons, 123 convertibles and 12 shooting brakes built in period, these cars are made even more special by their rarity. Over six decades after it was introduced, the DB5 remains as iconic as ever.
PRESERVE
With so few DB5s produced in period it is of the upmost importance to preserve the originality of these iconic cars. When sourcing DB5s for our Ultimate DB5 restoration program we aim to find cars that feature as many of their original parts and accessories as possible. The ultimate aim of the Aston Workshop restoration process is to return an original DB5 to the condition it was in when it left the factory, with only the subtlest enhancements as per the owner's request to improve its suitability for modern driving. Where useful we apply modern techniques and materials based upon over 60 years of engineering developments since the DB5s original release, while remaining sympathetic to the automotive heritage that these cars represent.
To preserve the originality of your DB5 we endeavour to use original parts wherever possible, sourced by our experienced workshop team who have an intricate knowledge of the specific nuances of the DB5. Where new parts are required, we re-manufacture them ourselves to the original specification or to an improved specification in cases where modern enhancements would be beneficial. As a mark of your car's originality we obtain a heritage certificate proving its provenance, and even carry out steps such as tracking down any original registration numbers if they have been lost.
RESTORE
In a process totalling thousands of hours, utilising every single member of our 45-strong team across our 45,000 sq ft facility, Aston Workshop aim to return an original DB5 to the finest possible condition. Our restoration process has been finely honed since our inception in 1988; nearly 40 years on, the cars we restore are widely considered some of the finest available on the market today. Aston Workshop's restorations have won awards at events such as Goodwood Festival of Speed, Techno Classica Essen and Salon Privé in recent years, such is the quality of work and dedication to originality we put into our projects.
Restoration projects begin in our heritage workshop where the car is stripped and assessed. In-keeping with our 'all-under-one-roof' philosophy the constituent parts and subsystems of the car are moved to their respective departments for the specialist care they receive, before returning to the heritage workshop for reassembly. The body and chassis are looked after in our paint and body centre, initially for a full inspection before any rectification and restoration work is carried out. We utilise the exact same techniques to fabricate and shape metalwork as the Aston Martin factory did in the 1960s, hand rolling aluminium panels to match the original curves and radii of the original body. Once the body and chassis work has been completed the 300+ hour paint process can begin, with countless layers of primer, paint and lacquer applied (hand-blocked between every layer) until a world-class finish is achieved.
While the body restoration is underway a separate team will be carrying out a full drivetrain restoration. Your DB5's engine is first stripped and assessed, with careful consideration given to the common areas of weakness these engines can occasionally suffer from. In many cases a new engine block is specified, which we manufacture ourselves to 21st century standards with a range of internal improvements to aid reliability and performance. A range of high-performance engine specifications are available with options for larger capacities, uprated carburation, and type of ignition. When choosing a gearbox, both original and modern options are available for both manual and automatic transmission.
The various trim assemblies are handed over to our dedicated trimmer who is able to either carefully restore the original components or carry out a full retrim to factory standards, while suspension and braking systems are can also be available either to original specification or to feature modern upgrades. Each component, once signed off by their respective departments, return to the heritage workshop for reassembly and final testing. Our Workshop Manager has the final say on when a car can be considered of a high enough quality, after which the owner can choose to pick their DB5 up from our facility or have the car delivered by our transport service.
ENHANCE
When the Aston Martin DB5 was released in 1963 it represented the pinnacle of automotive engineering, with an all-aluminium 4.0L straight-6 engine, Superleggera construction and twin-circuit Girling disc brakes. Over 60 years later, Aston Workshop are continuing in the spirit of engineering advancement that the DB5 represents with a range of complimentary enhancements available for specification by the cars owner.
Some of our enhancements, such as modern electronic ignition or our Monte Carlo handling kit, would be considered recommended enhancements to make the car more suitable for modern traffic. Others, including modernised infotainment systems, larger engine capacities and modern gearbox options, are available to subtly upgrade the car without distracting from the original qualities inherent in the DB5.
Most of our Ultimate DB5 projects now feature engines utilising our in-house designed and produced engine-blocks. Externally identical to original blocks, but featuring a range of internal upgrades, our blocks are a direct fit for 1960s Aston Martins yet they bring a range of benefits for extra power, durability and reliability. Engines built with our blocks receive a 10-year global warranty.
Our range of gearbox upgrades includes both original and modern versions of manual or automatic transmissions. Rebuilt David Brown 4-speed and ZF 5-speed gearboxes are available for owners prioritising total originality, while our modern 5-speed manual transmission offers a more engaging drive. Original 3-speed or modern 4-speed automatic transmission options are also available.
JOURNEY
There's more to an Aston Workshop restoration than simply placing your order and waiting for the car to arrive. You'll firstly be invited to visit our facility to specify your car, with luxury accommodation provided by our on-site country pub and hotel. We invite prospective Ultimate DB5 customers to inspect the projects we currently have in build and test-drive a fully restored Aston Martin to fully appreciate the quality of the work we carry out. Once your specification is confirmed we will arrange the transport of your car to our facility, or if a car is needing to be sourced we will contact our international network of clients and partners to purchase a DB5 on your behalf.
The work will then begin on the restoration itself. We provide regular progress reports and keep an online photographic log of your restoration, meaning you'll be kept in the loop at every stage. We also invite owners to periodically stay with us to check on their car. When it comes to the project being finished you'll have the option to have the car delivered to anywhere around the world, or to pick your DB5 up from our facility. We encourage owners to stay with us and meet the team that carried out their DB5 restoration, before driving away in their pride and joy.
The Ultimate DB5 journey continues well after the restoration is complete. We will remain on-hand for annual servicing or continue to provide technical support to whoever will be caring for your car around the world. Our transport division are also ideally placed to handle the delivery of your car to various events around the world, ensuring you have the most enjoyable Ultimate DB5 ownership experience.
THE DB5 SPECIALISTS
As one of the oldest Aston Martin specialists in the industry we've seen more DB5s than potentially anyone else. Countless of these iconic cars have been fully restored at our facility, with many more receiving upgrades, recommissioning and annual servicing over the years. Whether saloon, convertible or shooting brake, your DB5 will be in the very safest of hands while undergoing restoration to its former glory.
Our experience with other Astons of the 1960s means we have an incredibly deep understanding of the components they share with DB5s. Our low-inertia crankshaft for example fits all straight-6 Aston engines up to 4.2L capacity, and rectifies the high-RPM vibrations that are often the cause of engine block cracking. Combine that with our in-house engine block design, and your car will have a vastly improved powerplant.
ENQUIRE
The order book for Ultimate DB5 restorations is currently open. We are able to carry out the restoration process on a car you already own, or source a DB5 to be the basis of your dream Aston Martin project. Prospective owners are invited to tour our facility and begin the specification process, which includes browsing our range of exterior and interior colour and material samples, exploring our range of modern enhancements and discussing any bespoke options you'd like to include.
To make a formal enquiry regarding our Ultimate DB5 restorations please contact our team on +44 (0) 1207 233 525 or sales@aston.co.uk
