Beschreibung:

Photo Credit: James Mann 1954 ASTON MARTIN DB2/4 MK I SPYDER COACHWORK BY BERTONE Chassis No. LML 502 Engine No. VB6J/83 Body No. 41222 Burgundy with biscuit leather interior Engine: six cylinders, in-line, twin overhead camshaft, single plug cast iron head, triple Weber 40 DCO 3 carburetors, 2,922cc, 140bhp at 5,000rpm; Gearbox four speed manual with synchromesh; Suspension: independent front by trailing arms and coil springs, live rear axle with coil springs, parallel arms and Panhard rod; Brakes: four wheel polished Girling alfin drums. Left hand drive. Without doubt the first true English Grand Touring Coupe, the Aston Martin DB2 of 1950, was given a closed body of timeless beauty. It was the first all-new design to be produced under the stewardship of David Brown who had acquired the old Lagonda company and with it W.O. Bentley's final masterpiece, a glorious twin overhead camshaft straight six engine. In 1953 came the DB2/4, an occasional four seater or two-plus-two fixed head coupe, seen first at the London Motor Show in the fall of that year. Engine development kept pace; at first the DB2 Vantage variant gave 125bhp and was standard on the DB2/4, but a 140bhp three litre was not far behind. The DB2/4 was successful for Aston Martin, selling a total of 565 saloons and dropheads before giving way to the DB2/4 Mark II in 1955. The largely hand built Aston Martin was costly and it was exclusive, but there was scope for a yet more exclusive open two-seater. Three DB2/4 chassis were sent to Italy to be bodied by Carrozzeria Bertone at the behest of the legendary Mr. Sidney Harold 'Wacky' Arnolt of Chicago, specialist car importer, dealer and sports-car racer who at this period had a fertile relationship with Guiseppe 'Nuccio' Bertone that had begun when the American ordered first three, then a run of 200 T-Type MGs to be clad with Gran Turismo bodies. Arnolt then commissioned three special two seater DB2/4 Spyders to be built on Aston Martin chassis LML 502, 505 and 507. Bertone's own records show that the work was invoiced for $3,654 in total between December 1953 and January 1954. Nuccio Bertone, more organizer than designer, originally trained as an accountant. He always said that his low production costs were due to good organization and his pioneering innovation of building bodies on mobile jigs without needing chassis to hand. Bertone's stunning Spyder was sculpted by the brilliant and fiery stylist Franco Scaglione, who had arrived at the Carrozzeria after a stormy period at Pinin Farina. He drew inspiration from several design sources, with the Gothic-arch cross sections of the spyder's fenders as a reference back to Frank Feeley's profiles on the Lagonda V12 of 1937. This example is LML 502 and thus the first of the three special bodied cars. The current owner purchased it in 1999 and immediately invested a further $100,000 in having it restored to its present magnificent condition for display in his private collection. It is the first of the three special bodied Arnolt-ordered cars and as exquisite an example of the coachbuilders art as could be. Given the body number 41222, the design is clearly influenced by the Aston Martin DB3S Works team sports-racers that had made their racing debut in May 1953. The panelwork is exceptional with fine signature razor-edge wing line following the sweeping curves front to rear, finishing in the prettiest of tails. The deep burgundy paintwork is flawless and the bodywork is utterly devoid of ornament but for modest trim around the hood air intake and the radiator intake. LML 502's taut lines are admirably set off by a neatly executed 'Appendix J' style sports racing V screen (now in Perspex), highly polished Borrani triple laced light alloy wire wheels with spinners and Dunlop Road Speed RS5 6.00 H16 tires. Opening the bonnet reveals an engine bay beautifully detailed and presented to the highest order, with highly polished cam covers over a painted red head, the eye take