There is an amazing story behind the DB5 being sold by Aston specialist Nicholas Mee & Company. It sat for more than 20 years in a lock-up before its recently completed restoration as a James Bond lookalike in Silver Birch.

‘Imagine a garage at the back of a block of flats, that’s where it was discovered,’ says Ed Barton-Hilton, sales and marketing manager at Nicholas Mee. ‘At one point the garages were rebuilt around the car! It was in pretty poor shape, but most importantly it was complete.’

The car, sold new in 1964 to Edward Portman, the ninth Viscount Portman, was taken to renowned Aston specialist Adrian Johnson, formerly Post Vintage, for what Barton-Hilton describes as ‘a nut-and-bolt restoration’, as well as a change of colour from its original Sierra Blue.

‘It is one of those over-used terms, but this really was nut and bolt,’ he says. ‘Where possible everything was restored, repaired or else replaced with factory items.’

Like many DB5s, the engine has been taken out from 4.0 to 4.2 litres with bigger pistons, a common upgrade. ‘If you are rebuilding an engine today, you go to 4.2,’ says Barton-Hilton.

The car has been used just once post restoration, for the wedding of the owner’s daughter. He decided that he didn’t want to spoil the car after seeing the finished article.

The asking price is £850,000 and, reckons Barton-Hilton, ‘You won’t find a better DB5 in Silver Birch.’

Nicholas Mee & Company, Hatfield, Hertfordshire
Tel: 0208 7418822, nicolasmee.co.uk