1961 Aston Martin DB4

model history

The Aston Martin DB4, produced from 1958 to 1963 at Newport Pagnell introduced a completely new platform featuring a lightweight tubular frame and rakish bodywork styled by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan using their patented "Superleggera" construction method. The DB4 was the first Aston Martin to be fitted with the all-alloy 3.7-litre straight-six engine, designed by Tadek Marek, delivering strong performance for its era and a top speed of over 140 mph in later variants.

Aston Martin iterated the DB4 in multiple series (I to V) with each introducing subtle refinements in design, interior features and mechanical upgrades. The high-performance DB4 GT and ultra-rare DB4 GT Zagato variants pushed the boundaries of power and exclusivity even further.

The DB4 achieved success in international races, winning on its debut in GT form at Goodwood, driven by Stirling Moss.  The car would race internationally, including at Le Mans and Sebring, but was in reality a bit less successful than its major period contemporary, the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta.  The cars continue to flourish in historic racing, as a more interesting alternative to the Jaguar E-Type.

Of course, Jaguar famously turned down the opportunity to supply cars to the James Bond film Goldfinger and Aston Martin has never looked back with the DB4’s successor intrinsically linked with the Bond name.‍

this car‍

DB4/643/R was delivered in Snow Shadow Grey over Dark Grey interior in May 1961 to a Mr H.W. Irwin in Dublin. Being a Series 3, the car featured an electric tacho, twin bonnet stays, triple lens rear lights, improved noise insulation and reliability upgrades.

The car remained in Ireland for 16 years before being imported into the UK in 1977 by a Mr T. Barrett. The car was then sold to a Mr Brian Martin in 1979 who kept the car for over 25 years before selling it to a Alan Hudd in 2005. Hudd developed the car to FIA Appendix K regulations and began competing with it in the UK and Europe at events including the Spa Six Hours, Silverstone Classic and Masters Historic Racing series alongside his co-driver David Croft. In this time the car was mostly maintained by Aston Engineering, who stlil refer to it as TSY ‘the Alan Hudd car’.

The current owner purchased the car in 2019 from Nicholas Mee and shortly afterwards redeveloped it to be the ultimate road-racer returning many of the original parts to the car including the original synchro gearbox, original fibreglass tunnel and original door cards. Numerous other changes were made to improve usability including raising the front ride height, fitting standard brake pads and master cylinder, fitting the original electric windows and a handbrake.

Since this work, the car has almost exclusively been used on the road though most recently on track carefully at a private Goodwood track day to stretch the cars legs. The history file for the car is extensive and includes ownership documents, invoices and MOTs dating back to the cars time in Ireland.