Restoration & Preservation

In reality, there are very few true dedicated Aston Martin restorers anywhere in the world;  organisations that can offer full restoration under one roof.  Too many owners are asked to pay too much for the service, in part because so much is outsourced and then marked up and in part because owners are taken advantage of.

AMI manages restorations with four important, valuable advantages:

• Skills: Specialist trade people are all selected as being the best in their category for the car under consideration.

• Costs are carefully managed and passed on ‘at cost’. Overall costs including AMI fees are typically 20-40% lower but the quality is of the best.

• The AMI knowledge of how a car should be restored or preserved will be applied to the project.

• Time management; projects are all managed with a carefully prepared process and the use of modern project management tools. Planning is maximised: ‘hope’ is minimised.  

Project oversight and management

If a car has to be restored to any level then it should be done 100% correctly and accurately. AMI provides the knowledge and resources to ensure that an Aston Martin is returned the originality that it deserves right down to the last nut. Today, originality is increasingly appreciated and important. It’s not just about ‘matching numbers’. It is about the correct materials, finishes, colours and parts.

Restoration Case Studies

Ex. Le Mans DB4GT Zagato MP209

This is one of the most significant Zagatos being the only car that took part at Le Mans twice and is one of the three MP209, lightweight Project cars. The car had over the decades suffered from damage and incorrect restoration. The mission was to return the car to its 1962 Le Mans guise. AMI was engaged to work with R S Williams to ensure total accuracy. The most challenging aspect was getting the body shape returned to correct whilst using the original metal as far as possible. Working with SAC, the other two cars were scanned and the correct body design was extrapolated, a CAD created and new bucks from which the body was re-created and repaired. Enormous effort was expended by AMI to obtain the correct parts where needed and to create the rear number plate. The finished car’s quality speaks for itself. 

DB6 Volante

This DB6 Volante, one of just 130 cars was bought at auction from the Kuwait collection in full knowledge that the car would need fully restoring. It was in a very bad way and the chassis required huge restoration work, as did the body. The car was put back to left hand drive and its automatic transmission upgraded to a better, 4 speed system. Numerous invisible upgrades were included in the project to enable the owner to enjoy the car in warm parts of the USA.

DB1957 Bertone DB2/4 Coupe

Stephen Archer was with the owner when he bought this car from Goodings. The mission was to restore the car to its appearance at the Turin show in 1958, it had been at the show a year earlier but in white. A fascinating and unique car that that been poorly maintained and restored over the years. AMI worked with KKR in Redding California to return the car to its rightful condition providing much research and detailed advice. The body required correction and many one-off parts had to be re-drawn and re-made. This was a very challenging project but the  finished result is a great credit to KKR. The car took first in class at Pebble Beach in 2023. The owner commented:

“ Thanks very much Stephen.  This could never have been accomplished without your assistance and Walter’s fabulous team.  Thanks for all your assistance in making this dream of mine and Julie’s come true.  A fitting tribute indeed.”

DB4 Convertible

This extremely rare DB4 Convertible is one of 70 cars but in this LHD spec with a special series engine it is one of one. It was bought in good condition but was entrusted to AMI to bring to concours winning quality. The chassis and body were in very good condition but the car had to be totally dismantled to do the job correctly. The engine benefitted from a full re-build and the car was re-trimmed to its original red Conolly colour. The rarity of this car was ample justification for returning it to ‘as it left the factory’.

DB4 GT Zagato

There are only 19 Zagatos but Stephen Archer has been involved in restoring 20% of them!
This car was bought by Tom Hartley Junior in 2022 and AMI was given the task to work with SprayTec to make this the best and exactly as delivered to its first Italian owner. The family of the first owner was contacted and the story of the car fully researched. This made it possible to establish its original colour scheme and specification. We sourced bumpers and seats from Italy and many other parts besides. The finished result is simply extraordinary and greatly helped by the hugely skilled team at BodyLines. R S Williams rebuilt the engine to complete the team that brought this unique Zagato back to the condition that it deserves to be in.

Winning Pebble Beach 2019

For nearly 70 years, Pebble Beach has been the ‘Everest’ of Concours D’Elegance worldwide. Getting to base camp is an achievement but getting to the peak first is very very difficult. To win Pebble is very special to the owner and for the car. As David MacNeil told me “It was fantastic, an experience that I shall never forget” having won the Zagato class at Pebble in 2019 with his 1962 DB4GT Zagato and coming within a whisker of winning Best in Show – the most coveted prize of all. David has a fine collection of cars so why did he put the huge effort into the Zagato? “It’s an iconic car, with magnificent styling, one of the greatest post war GT cars and of course this is Zagato’s 100th anniversary.”

But in 2016 the same car came third at Pebble in the post-war GT class, so the car was hardly in need of restoration for 2019 – or was it? Here it gets embarrassing; David recounts “There was this guy Stephen Archer, a credible historian who tore the Zagato apart after the last Pebble. So I had Kevin Kay Restorations work with Stephen to rebuild the car for 2019 – in 10 months I might add!” The focus was on quality but also a fanatical attention to getting the details correct. The judges (including Andrea Zagato) rarely make comments on cars as they do their work but they were clearly very impressed with the car and to win in Zagato’s 100th years at Pebble in a field of fourteen other Zagato bodied cars was an achievement. Post war cars rarely win Best in Show but as David recalls “Being a finalist was a very proud moment and it was clear from the roar of the crowd that it was the people’s favourite”

To summit Everest is a team effort and every detail has to be taken care of. Expect to see David back at Pebble trying for the summit of summits

Series 1 DB4

A very discerning North American who had never owned an Aston came to the conclusion that a DB4 would be a good car to have, his own investigations led him the conclusion that the car should be a Series 1 – the definitive model type.

A complete car in reasonable condition was found in France and then we embarked on a year’s rebuild though Covid extended the time scale a little. The car was completely restored to the state that it was when it left Aston Martin in 1960.

There were some challenges along the way like sourcing an original door glass (unique to the Series 1) but a new, original glass was found. 

The owner commented: “ The restoration of DB4/165/L was seamless and that’s entirely thanks to you. From finding the correct car to arranging for its shipment to the US East coast, with all of the numerous and complex steps in between. I will recommend you, with the highest of praises, to any of my friends who may be interested in restoring a beautiful car. If the opportunity arises in the next few years, we may embark on another project together; nothing would make me happier.”

Some recent and current projects

1966 DB6 MK1 Volante
1970 DB6 MK2
1964 DB5
1965 DB5
1960 DB4GT
1961 DB4GT
1970 DB6 MK2
1965 Bond DB5
1957 Bertone DB2/4