A rare Aston Martin has been discovered abandoned in a mouse-infested barn, where it had been left untouched for more than 40 years.
The dilapidated Aston Martin DBS, built in 1971, was discovered in an old barn near Bridgnorth, Shropshire, with just over 60,000 miles on the clock.
The car, which features a white gold interior, could be worth as much as £170,000 when restored.
That is partly due to it having a manual gearbox – making it one of just 120 made by Aston Martin.
It thought the car, which is similar to one featured in the 1969 James Bond film ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, has been locked away in the barn since at least 1979.
A rare Aston Martin has been discovered abandoned in a mouse-infested barn, where it had been left untouched for more than 40 years
The dilapidated Aston Martin DBS, built in 1971, was discovered in an old barn near Bridgnorth, Shropshire, with just over 60,000 miles on the clock
When it was discovered it was infested with moths and mice.
The Aston Martin DBS: The Bond car which only lived twice
The Aston Martin DBS was a grand tourer (a sports car designed for high speeds and long distances) which was built between 1969 and 1972.
George Lazenby in the sixth James Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Powered by a straight-six engine (an engine which has six cylinders in one line), the two-door DBS was a successor to Aston Martin’s DB6 and was succeed by the Aston Martin V8.
Weighing 1,500kg, it featured a 3995cc engine with 280bhp.
Famously it was driven by George Lazenby in the sixth James Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
It also featured briefly in the background of the next Bond film, Diamonds Are Forever.
But the car was given a reboot in the late 2000s as the DBS V12. And it served Bond again, this time Daniel Craig, in the 2006 film Casino Royal.
The incredible find came to light when the former owner of the car passed away and his brother – the executor of the will – approached restoration company, Classic Motor Cars (CMC) in Bridgnorth to see if they would be interested in buying it.
The vehicle was moved to CMC and was immediately snapped up by an existing client and car enthusiast, who wishes to remain anonymous.
Now skilled workers at the company have set about bringing it back to its former glory so it can be driven on the road again for the first rime in over 40 years.
Managing Director at Classic Motor Cars, Nigel Woodward said: ‘It just goes to show that you never know what might turn up and be lurking just around the corner.
‘The car had been in the same garage from at least 1979 and it could have been even longer.
‘It is in remarkable condition with just 61,892 miles on the clock which is believed to be correct.
‘We are carrying out a sympathetic restoration on the car which retains its original Bosch mechanical fuel injection, and its original colours, DuBonnet Rosso with a White Gold interior.
‘The restoration will include an engine rebuild and the car is the only one I have found from a similar period, where the floor panels are original.
‘The whole car is in exceptional condition with original panels and paint which we have simply cleaned and polished.
‘The condition of the car is probably due to the fact that it was in a totally dry environment and had a fair amount of ventilation.
‘We will bring the car back to the original condition, attending to any mechanical issues for safety-critical and long-term reliability.
‘We will restore the body and trim work, retaining as much as possible of the original paint, trim and bodywork.’
The car, which features a white gold interior, could be worth as much as £170,000 when restored
The incredible find came to light when the former owner of the car passed away and his brother – the executor of the will – approached restoration company, Classic Motor Cars (CMC) in Bridgnorth to see if they would be interested in buying it
V8 DBS’s were in production from 1969 to 1972 and were the last car to come out of the Newport Pagnell Factory.
Nigel added: ‘This particular car has a manual transmission of which only 120 were ever built and is RHD.
‘Notably, the V8’s gained 113kg in weight compared to the previous 6-cylinder model, due to its V8 engine, new and improved ZF gearbox, ventilated brake discs and fatter tyres.
‘The car is currently sitting in our detailing bay where it’s starting its restoration journey.
‘To begin, our detailer Dan Brown has blown the car down with compressed air to get rid of any excess dust, grit, and debris which could scratch the car.
‘It has then been sprayed with car shampoo and left to sit for five minutes before been bucket washed.
Famously the Aston Martin DBS was driven by George Lazenby in the sixth James Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Pictured: Mr Lazenby in front of the vehicle with David Walliams on the 50th anniversay of the film in 2019
‘The car was so dirty, we repeated this process twice.
‘Dan then vacuumed the car to get rid of moth and mouse infestation.
‘Next on the list is biologically cleaning the interior fabrics.’
The new owner of the car said: ‘Acquiring an unmolested and complete example of the DBS V8 is very exciting, and once expertly restored by CMC, will be cherished, enjoyed and driven.
‘I am looking forward to taking it out on the road for the first time for over 40 years.’