One of my dads neighbours is in the middle of a divorce and the house is going up for sale. As is the car in his garage. Turns out the old guy has kept a 1974 Aston Martin V8 in the garage for the last 5 years. Similar to this one:


But red. They are aluminum bodied on a steel chassis and have a known issue that the sills rot badly like this:


In fact pretty much the whole chassis rots. This one had the sills replaced 6 years ago and has then been locked in a garage. So it might be ok...... maybe.....

It doesn't run, possibly because the owner removed the spark plugs and condensation has got into the engine. It also hasn't been stored properly all the fluids are still in it. Oh and the engine has been rebuilt by Cosworth at some stage so god only knows what they did.

My dad has access to a barn in which a renovation project could be completed and has enough skills to be able to do most of the work. Apart from a respray which it needs, it was red but is not a faded pink colour as it's aluminum it will be bastard to spray.

It is a bargain and even if it is falling to bits underneath the outlay could be recovered by breaking it.

I'm potentially looking at going 50/50 on the cost shared between my old man and I.
It's not exactly a classic Aston but is a bit of history.

What's the general consensus then ? Given I already on a notorious car does even thinking about this make me certifiable ? I'm not thinking of this as an investment by any stretch more as a keeper. I won't even have easy access to as it, it will be in Kent and I am in Cheshire.

I kind of like the idea but then am stupid when it comes to cars........ I haven't told the mrs yet until I have made my mind up, she will go spare. I also know it has potential to be a catastrophic money pit.

 

Another pic:


This is a car that has been restored not the one in question.

 

That's the issue. Treble whatever you think it will cost. As for time - it could take forever.

Trouble is, with an Aston, you can't really cut corners.

I've probably got a mag article on one of these.

You can have it if I can find it.

 

If the initial cost isn't too high and you have the time then go for it.

I have always thought that these are cars.

 

I love these bruisers.

But from everything I've ever seen and read on restores, I think Gad is right. Assume it will cost 3 times as much, take far longer than expected, and you cannot cut corners on an AM.

EDIT:

It may be worth getting a quote from AM works, they do restorations. They're not cheap, but you could kind of think of it as a worst case scenario.

 

not sure what they are worth

but I suspect a lot less than the restoration costs

nice cars with a big but

 

Go for it Lee.

Then you can do this

 

I'm with Gad on this one.

You'd spend less on a good one, I'd reckon.

If it were a Vantage...

No, I still wouldn't.

I do like them, but in reality, they look like a home-made PoS with beautiful panels wrapped round them.

 

You've bought the Maser - you clearly like throwing money away

I reckon you should do it

 

Are you the sort of person that likes wielding a spanner and an angle grinder?

Before you make any decision, have a good poke round the car. If the sills are ok, that might make or break the project.

Ali doesn't have to be hard to spray nowadays. There are a fair few ali bodied and paneled cars on the road nowadays so spraying ali has become a known quantity.

If you're doing it for the fun then its probably worth it. If your doing it to make money, tread very carefully.