| ASTON MARTIN DB4 SERIES IV 'VANTAGE' GT (1 of only 14 GT-engined examples) Chassis no. DB4/861/L Engine no. 370/208/GT |
The Aston Martin DB4GT was developed for increased performance by
making it shorter, lighter, and more powerful than the standard version.
The engine was extensively modified, featuring a higher compression,
twin-plug, dual-ignition cylinder head, and breathing through triple dual-
throat Weber 45DCOE carburetors. Power output was claimed at 302
bhp at 6000 rpm, a useful increase from the claimed 240 bhp of the
standard car. Maximum speeds during testing reached 153mph with a 0
to 60 time of 6.1 seconds. As such it was in fact the most powerful British
car of its era as well as one of the first cars that could go from standstill
to 100 mph and then brake to a dead stop in under 20 seconds. Exactly
100 GT examples were built, including the 19 striking Zagato variations
and development prototype cars.
Rarer yet are 14 DB4 coupes ordered new from the factory with the GT
engine installed. This configuration afforded the owner the increased
performance of the uprated motor, but without compromising the back
seat area or the luggage space in the boot (taken up by an overlarge fuel
tank in the GT). 6 of the 14 examples were built on the later and longer
Series V chassis, leaving just 8 made on the original DB4 wheelbase.
DB4 / 861/ L is one of the 8 earlier cars, one of only 5 from the Series IV
line. A stunning LHD model, it well-known in the Aston Martin Owners
Club, and carries significant ownership history which includes Peter
Livanos, a patron-saint and owner of the Aston Martin Lagonda
company, and an enthusiastic car collector and vintage racer.
This wonderful Aston benefits from the rare and desirable overdrive unit
(as original equipment) fitted to the proper David Brown 4-speed, wide-
ratio gearbox, a significant enhancement to the car’s highway
performance. The distinctive DB4 dashboard binnacle was supplied with
the GT gauge package, which includes an oil temperature gauge as well as
oil pressure, coolant temperature, etc.
The subject of a comprehensive restoration by the by well-known US
marque specialists Robert & Jon Clerk of Performance Tuning, the car
today has covered just 10,000 miles since refurbishment. Beautifully
finished in understated Snow Shadow Grey with Red leather seats, black
carpets, it is as stunning in appearance as it is satisfying to drive.
OWNERSHIP HISTORY
861 / L was delivered originally by the New York City main dealer J.S.
Inskip on 26 June 1962 to Mr. J. Barnes Mull of Haverford, PA. A rally
enthusiast, Mr. Mull traded the car back to Inskip around 1967 for a new
DB6. Charlie Turner, the eminent Atlanta Aston dealer heard about the
car and alerted the well-known Aston enthusiast Whitman ‘Whit’ Ball,
who purchased the car from Charlie (for $4000), ostensibly for his father,
and had the car repainted in ‘Porsche chocolate brown’ with contrasting
bright red wheels (!).
Whit Ball is a towering figure in the Aston Martin Owners Club (USA), a
Life Member of the club and one of the founders of its signature Lime
Rock Classic annual event. In fact he took first place in the autocross with
861 / L in 1974 at Lime Rock, the year of the inaugural meeting. After a
dozen or so years of ownership Whit sold the car in the late 70s back to
Charlie Turner (for $3000) who, in turn, sold it on to Ken Boyd, the
California-based proprietor of Aston Martin Services (the authorized
factory parts distributor for the earlier model cars).
Ken Boyd proceeded to extract the GT engine (a reflection of the market
at the time) and installed engine no. 370/181 a standard-spec motor,
and had the car repainted gold before selling the car.
Then, in the late-80s, Whit Ball comes back into the picture. Intrigued by
an advertisement for the car in the AMOC club newsletter, he
repurchased the 861 / L from a Mr. D.S. Watson, who resided in the San
Francisco Bay Area. This time Whit had the intention of restoring it with a
GT engine that Charlie Turner had attempted to arrange, but it never
came to pass. So Whit sold the car on again, this time to Peter Livanos
and into the stable of his Aston Martin Vintage Racing Services (AMVRS)
the factory sanctioned, American racing endeavor.
When AMVRS was liquidated in the early 90s the car came into to the
possession of its president, Robert Clerk, who traced and acquired an
original GT engine. Robert and his son Jon, both talented restorers and
engineers undertook a comprehensive restoration with its emphasis on
correctness and originality, and returned the car to its elegant Snow
Shadow Grey livery.
Once properly restored, 861 / L made its AMOC debut at the Lime Rock
Classic Concours in July, 1996, whereupon it took pride of First Place in
its class.
Today this rare and superb example has approximately 10,000 miles since
its restoration and remains in beautiful condition. In April, 2003 the car
was shown on an important stand at Techno Classica, the world’s largest
exhibition of classic vehicles. At that event 861 / L was spotted by an
editor for the prestigious UK magazine, Thoroughbred & Classic Cars,
who suggested it as a cover feature for their August issue, which
documented the car on a roadtrip from Brussels to London.
making it shorter, lighter, and more powerful than the standard version.
The engine was extensively modified, featuring a higher compression,
twin-plug, dual-ignition cylinder head, and breathing through triple dual-
throat Weber 45DCOE carburetors. Power output was claimed at 302
bhp at 6000 rpm, a useful increase from the claimed 240 bhp of the
standard car. Maximum speeds during testing reached 153mph with a 0
to 60 time of 6.1 seconds. As such it was in fact the most powerful British
car of its era as well as one of the first cars that could go from standstill
to 100 mph and then brake to a dead stop in under 20 seconds. Exactly
100 GT examples were built, including the 19 striking Zagato variations
and development prototype cars.
Rarer yet are 14 DB4 coupes ordered new from the factory with the GT
engine installed. This configuration afforded the owner the increased
performance of the uprated motor, but without compromising the back
seat area or the luggage space in the boot (taken up by an overlarge fuel
tank in the GT). 6 of the 14 examples were built on the later and longer
Series V chassis, leaving just 8 made on the original DB4 wheelbase.
DB4 / 861/ L is one of the 8 earlier cars, one of only 5 from the Series IV
line. A stunning LHD model, it well-known in the Aston Martin Owners
Club, and carries significant ownership history which includes Peter
Livanos, a patron-saint and owner of the Aston Martin Lagonda
company, and an enthusiastic car collector and vintage racer.
This wonderful Aston benefits from the rare and desirable overdrive unit
(as original equipment) fitted to the proper David Brown 4-speed, wide-
ratio gearbox, a significant enhancement to the car’s highway
performance. The distinctive DB4 dashboard binnacle was supplied with
the GT gauge package, which includes an oil temperature gauge as well as
oil pressure, coolant temperature, etc.
The subject of a comprehensive restoration by the by well-known US
marque specialists Robert & Jon Clerk of Performance Tuning, the car
today has covered just 10,000 miles since refurbishment. Beautifully
finished in understated Snow Shadow Grey with Red leather seats, black
carpets, it is as stunning in appearance as it is satisfying to drive.
OWNERSHIP HISTORY
861 / L was delivered originally by the New York City main dealer J.S.
Inskip on 26 June 1962 to Mr. J. Barnes Mull of Haverford, PA. A rally
enthusiast, Mr. Mull traded the car back to Inskip around 1967 for a new
DB6. Charlie Turner, the eminent Atlanta Aston dealer heard about the
car and alerted the well-known Aston enthusiast Whitman ‘Whit’ Ball,
who purchased the car from Charlie (for $4000), ostensibly for his father,
and had the car repainted in ‘Porsche chocolate brown’ with contrasting
bright red wheels (!).
Whit Ball is a towering figure in the Aston Martin Owners Club (USA), a
Life Member of the club and one of the founders of its signature Lime
Rock Classic annual event. In fact he took first place in the autocross with
861 / L in 1974 at Lime Rock, the year of the inaugural meeting. After a
dozen or so years of ownership Whit sold the car in the late 70s back to
Charlie Turner (for $3000) who, in turn, sold it on to Ken Boyd, the
California-based proprietor of Aston Martin Services (the authorized
factory parts distributor for the earlier model cars).
Ken Boyd proceeded to extract the GT engine (a reflection of the market
at the time) and installed engine no. 370/181 a standard-spec motor,
and had the car repainted gold before selling the car.
Then, in the late-80s, Whit Ball comes back into the picture. Intrigued by
an advertisement for the car in the AMOC club newsletter, he
repurchased the 861 / L from a Mr. D.S. Watson, who resided in the San
Francisco Bay Area. This time Whit had the intention of restoring it with a
GT engine that Charlie Turner had attempted to arrange, but it never
came to pass. So Whit sold the car on again, this time to Peter Livanos
and into the stable of his Aston Martin Vintage Racing Services (AMVRS)
the factory sanctioned, American racing endeavor.
When AMVRS was liquidated in the early 90s the car came into to the
possession of its president, Robert Clerk, who traced and acquired an
original GT engine. Robert and his son Jon, both talented restorers and
engineers undertook a comprehensive restoration with its emphasis on
correctness and originality, and returned the car to its elegant Snow
Shadow Grey livery.
Once properly restored, 861 / L made its AMOC debut at the Lime Rock
Classic Concours in July, 1996, whereupon it took pride of First Place in
its class.
Today this rare and superb example has approximately 10,000 miles since
its restoration and remains in beautiful condition. In April, 2003 the car
was shown on an important stand at Techno Classica, the world’s largest
exhibition of classic vehicles. At that event 861 / L was spotted by an
editor for the prestigious UK magazine, Thoroughbred & Classic Cars,
who suggested it as a cover feature for their August issue, which
documented the car on a roadtrip from Brussels to London.
| CLASSIC CARS MAGAZINE Cover Feature August, 2003 |
| *** SOLD *** |
CONTACT
DON ROSE
Tel +1.617.513.0388
Fax +1.978.744.7678
007@donrose.com
Car is located in
London, UK
DON ROSE
Tel +1.617.513.0388
Fax +1.978.744.7678
007@donrose.com
Car is located in
London, UK
