Aston Martin Works restore classic DB5

An Aston Martin DB5 that was bought second-hand in 1973, driven for a few years, then parked up for more than four decades, recently re-emerged from a comprehensive restoration conducted by Aston Martin Works in the UK.

Arguably the most famous car in the world, thanks to its appearance in several instalments of the James Bond franchise, the DB5 made its debut in 1963. Key changes over the DB4 it replaced included a six-cylinder engine enlarged from 3670cc (3.8lt) to 3995cc (4.0lt). This could be backed by a range of transmissions, from a David Brown four-speed manual with or without overdrive, to a ZF five-speed and three-speed Borg Warner automatic.

The 4.0-litre produced 282hp (210kW), which could be upgraded to 325hp (242kW) with the ‘Vantage’ option that was available from 1964. In total, 1,022 DB5s were built from 1963 to 1965. But of that number, it’s believed just 65 were built to Vantage spec, while RHD Vantage coupes in Silver Birch numbered just 39.

Bargain Buy for Welsh Welder

Today, restored DB5s regularly sell for more than AU$1 million, but in 1973, the car shown was purchased for just £900 by John Williams, a welder living in North Wales. To put that pricing into context, John would have had to shell out around £8,500 to purchase a brand-new Aston Martin V8 (nee DBS-V8) in 1973. The same car cost more than AU$30,000 new in Australia – eight times the price of a new Holden Kingswood or Ford Falcon. Only Rolls-Royce, Bentley and exotics from Lamborghini and Ferrari were more expensive in Australia back then.

John saved up for a year to secure the second-hand DB5, and was still a teenager when he bought it. What his £900 secured was a 1965 DB5 finished in Silver Birch with the Vantage engine, Weber carbs, power windows and wire wheels.

The car’s history prior to John’s purchase wasn’t fully known, but the original owner was based in Surrey in the south of England, living in a gated community that included the Beatles’ John Lennon and Ringo Starr among its residents.

Brief Use, Long Storage

John used the DB5 as his daily driver for almost four years before a job in the Middle East saw the car parked up. Then, as Williams explained: “life happened. I’d had offers to buy her, and times when I could have done with the money, but I resisted and, as Sue [John’s wife] said ‘You’ll never get another one’.”

As John was occupied with raising a family and running a garage (service station) in Wales, the DB5 remained in storage, becoming a plaything for local children, who were said to have bounced on the car and broke off the exhaust tip when they stood on it.

“As time went on, it became a goal of mine to get her restored; to be able to drive her again,” John said. “Being a garage man, I was a bit ashamed that I’d let her get into that state. I worked hard to buy her, and we’ve worked hard to get her repaired.”

Employing Aston Martin Works

When John and Sue finally committed to get the DB5 restored, they chose Aston Martin Works, the dedicated heritage division of Aston Martin that’s based in the marque’s historic home of Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire. Although new car operations moved to Gaydon in Warwickshire in 2007, Aston Martin Works has remained at Newport Pagnell, serving as the brand’s heritage hub, with restoration services and manufacture of ‘continuation’ cars that have included the DB4 GT, DB4 GT Zagato and DB5 Goldfinger.

The Williams car arrived at Aston Martin Works in late 2022, with the comprehensive restoration work including a full strip and rebuild, restoring the chassis, hand-forming new Superleggera aluminium panels, rebuilding the engine and completely remanufacturing the interior. John and Sue regularly called in to Aston Martin Works to check on the progress of the restoration, which took almost three years to complete.

Silver Birch - Gold Standard

In December, 2025, after more than 2,500 hours of work, the DB5 was finished, with a thrilled John Williams declaring: “It's been a long time coming, a long time saving, but it's been worth every penny. It's just amazing.

“It's probably almost 50 years since I have driven this car, but the experience is phenomenal. It's just... unbelievable. My girl’s back and up and running! Back to her former glory.”

Paul Spires, President of Aston Martin Works, was equally thrilled with the finished result, saying he was delighted that the Williams family selected the factory’s heritage division to bring this rare DB5 back to life.

“Although the car was in a profoundly run-down condition when it arrived, we always relish a challenge, and I knew we had the skills, dedication and expertise to return the car to better-than-new condition,” Spires said.

“After more than 2,500 hours of dedicated work by our teams in the Panel, Paint, Trim and Heritage Workshops – along with vital support from our in-house Parts Department – the car is finished and, to my eye at least, looks absolutely stunning.”

Of the car that John Williams bought for £900 more than 50 years ago, Spires speculates that it may now be worth up to £1 million (AU$2M approx.).

“In the 70th anniversary year of Aston Martin’s presence at Newport Pagnell, it is inspiring to see the dedication, commitment and pride of owners such as the Williams family,” Spires added. “I know it has been understandably emotional to see the car that they have owned for more than half a century restored so meticulously, and I know that every member of the team here hopes they can enjoy many years of happy motoring in their ‘new’ DB5.”