30 Years in the Barn: 1962 Aston Martin DB4
Say what you will, but Gulling Motorcars does come up with some pretty great finds. It seems like it’d be near impossible anymore to continue pulling exotics like this 1962 Aston Martin DB4 out of old farm structures, but as they’ve proven yet again, these cars are still out there. This one has a great story, too, as the Aston belonged to a worker who was gifted the car after helping his boss sort out some mechanical issues on another vehicle. Unfortunately, he never had the opportunity to restore the car as planned and it remained in his barn for 30 years. Find it here on Gullwing Motorcars website with no price listed.
The DB4 is perhaps one of the most iconic Aston Martins ever built, and a sought-after classic among British car fans and general connoisseurs alike. To find one sitting locked away on a farm in the United States is seemingly the stuff of pure fantasy, but as this barn find shows, it’s clearly still possible. In restored condition, values are sky-high and despite seeming like a giveaway vehicle when the previous owner was gifted it from his boss, it’s been a coveted collector’s item for decades. The first owner evidently bought the Aston overseas or found the car in the hands of a service member who brought it home, as it’s a right-hand drive example. While it looks solid coming out of the barn, you do have to wonder if being stored in the lower section of the structure subjected it to flooding on occasion.
The color combo was originally blue over red, with traces of both shades still visible in places. The DB4 is obviously a restoration project all the way through, but it’s still surprisingly complete. No reason was given as to why the employee who received the Aston felt compelled to lock it in a barn for years, as the listing indicates it was in that owner’s care for 40 years and spent 30+ years in the barn – so one would assume it was driven for a short period and then parked. Potentially, the boss saw the Aston was becoming a tired, vintage sports car with needs and let it go with the understanding that it would need some mechanical attention in the coming years. In addition to the RHD steering, there’s still a “GB” – for Great Britain – placard on the right-rear tail section.
The DB4 came equipped with a DOHC inline-six good for a very robust 240 b.h.p. at 5000 RPMs and 240 lbs-ft at 4200 RPM. The seller maintains this is the numbers-matching unit, which makes this incredible barn find all the more desirable. In “Good” condition, Hagerty claims a 1962 DB4 is worth $475,000, rising to $778,000 for a Concours example. This one will not be cheap – especially with this seller – but if you want a DB4 you can restore back to pristine condition, where are you going to find another one? And given the RHD steering makes it appealing to a British customer, it wouldn’t surprise me to see this DB4 head to a new home in its birthplace.
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Comments
It is an amazing find. However, they are going to ask an incredible amount of money for this and not show a single pic of the underneath? This is the type that has to be put on a lift and documented properly. Or maybe they don’t trust it structurally hold together on a lift.
With matching numbers, the underneath is irrelevant. Many times they basically reconstruct the vehicle around the VINs!
I had a 1965 model, a DB6, and the change was the covered headlights. Like this car, I bought it from a farmer in Indiana, and it was sitting behind (not in) the corn crib. He had it imported it form England, and it was Right Hand Drive and an automatic. I have no idea how long it sat outside, and one window was down a long time. He said it would not start in the winter, so he parked it. Turns out, was missing a choke cable to pull the jets down on the S.U.’s. I paid the princely sum of $3,000 for the car. Check today’s prices for a laugh.
For the life of me, I can’t understand how a rare valuable car like this could end up rotting in a barn for 30 years.
It was likely pretty ratty and not running 30 years ago when the guy got it. The internet wasn’t in full swing like it is now , so a non running foreign car that you cant get parts for at your local NAPA, wouldn’t be so desirable , especially if you weren’t aware how few were still around .
When I was a kid, the 16th Ferrari Testa Rosa built languished under a blue tarp in a southern California backyard for years.
Just what is up with those GB and other stickers I see around? Some Euro law?
Yes, stickers to ID your auto’s country of origin are required if driving your car in another country (nowadays it’s just on the number plate). You can get them for free when crossing the channel!
General, rather than European; if you take your car abroad on holiday, you’re required to display a sticker (or a plate) that shows where you’re from. A “might do something odd” warning, if you like. I’d imagine that they’d be less common in the USA, as the only places that you could drive to are Canada and Mexico – and it very much depends whereabouts you live whether you’d drive there or not! I can drive for two hours and be on a ferry that’ll take me to Ijmuiden, and Amsterdam’s not far away from there. A few hours south would see me in France by way of Belgium.
They’re more use in a conglomeration of lots of small countries. Your state registration plate is probably a better comparison.
Thanks Peter & Derek! Mystery solved. I thought it was a show of support, like a decal of your favorite sports team. Thanks again, Mike.
The GB plate on the Aston indicates it is from Britain. Used when touring Europe. Same for other European countries. It identified which country a car was registered.
No meaning in UK other than someone may have toured Europe.
Later Euro zone had the country ID as part of the tag/license plate.
Bondo, James Bondo.
Name is Rip, RIp Off…
If it’s at gullwing motors their probably asking a million bucks. Their auto pricing is ridiculous
They only want 325 grand. Real cheap.
Good Lord. Now THAT is a barn find.
It would seem that no matter what it costs to restore it, it’s probably worth it.
Gullwing motors and others who find and sell cars like this sell “dream cars”. If you think you will ever be “rightside up” after restoring this, you are truly dreaming.
The holy grail of finds, I’d say! Restored, this Aston is probably worth north of $800K!!
What a beautiful find and photo set! I think I want the photographs more than the car, at least in this condition.
People like to dump on Gullwing for their high asking prices and minimal photos and descriptions. I assume the ad is just meant to get people interested and start a conversation and inspection. I would guess the often high asking prices are the same. They have sold tons of cars, so they do end up accepting reasonable prices I would guess. $325k might be reasonable or negotiable depending on what the undersides look like.
what a crying shame to have not stored it in a more preservative way…no matter what you pay the cost to restore it at this point is going to probobly exceed its value…
Should be just a matter of popping down to the local Aston Martin parts department to pick up some replacements for … Well, for most of the car. Lets see, to start with, we will need 72X5 spokes for the wire wheels, matching rims, spoke nipples, a hub and a new knockoff spinner. Oh wait, make that 5 sets of 36 inner and 36 outer spokes. now, bring up the micro-fische for the carburettors please. Do you have 6.70X15 Avon bias plys in stock???? Oh, and I’ll have one of the 6 volt positive ground dynamos, too – Lucas, I believe.
Its a long road to $800,000.
And it’s probably going to take $800,000 to get there.
Why do I get the feeling Gullwing maybe paid $5k tops for this?
“Gifted the car”……WOW, nice that he appreciated it so much as to let it rot in a barn? So weird.
If he was given the car, it probably wasn’t in good shape even 30 years ago. Something really expensive most have gone on a car like this to make it a giveaway car
I got this DB5 beat. Mine had an ejection seat, machine guns and bullet deflector. Better yet it fit in my hand and I took it to school everyday! Fast as snot!
I live near Gullwing and brought a few cars from them over the past 35 years . There is always a few cars in the packed warehouses that will leave you in awe . The prices are usually all over the place . I have seen great deals which are usually sold within hours .
I remember Peter having an aluminum. Mercedes race car in the 1980’s which no one knew it’s history and sat for months unsold until a man from the Mercedes museum got wind of it and purchased it for the museum . a lot of the cars that raced at bridgehampton and lime rock eventually ended up at Gullwing as well as almost all of the Long Island North shore Gold Coast collections.
I have found Peter Kumar to be honorable and a fine person to deal with. How many of you naysayers have actually done business with him? My experience with Beverly Hills Hair Club was completely different, watch out for those guys!
How sad, very sad!!
Does it come with the extras? You know, ejection seat, oil slick spreader, concealed machine guns, etc.?
I sold this 1966 Toyota Sports 800 to Gullwing for $6,000, after no sell on Ebay. They are asking $29k.
Gullwing offered me $25,000 for my EXCELLENT restored 1962 Jaguar XKE OTS about 3 years ago. It was insured with Hagerty with an agreed value of $180,000! Of course, I said NO! Amazing to me, there are people who actually sell their cars (give them away)! Gullwing was not dishonest, just wanted it for nothing! They politely said “ok”!
I would advise whoever buys it to send it to Aston Martin for its restoration. Yes they are expensive, but having them do it will mean you can describe the car as more than just “restored”. You can legitimately describe it as “remanufactured by Aston Martin”, which will up the value of the finished product dramatically by 60 or 70 per-cent over its value if done by even a reputable restoration shop.
Well, at least for $325k you get a full supply of 30 years’ original grime. Cleaning would obviously have detracted from the patina.
What a SHAME !!!!!! someone let this classic go to to this extent this ride needs a new home and a complete rebuild
You guys seem unaware that Austin Martin would buy this in a flash and restore it themselves. They are always looking out for originals.
Last months news…….
Wow what a find. Makes me drool and fantasize this is one of the most beautiful cars ever made. This is only a fantasy for most. Including the farm hand who was gifted the car . A real shame that it was stored the way it was. I’m assuming but I’m a working stiff myself. Here is a guy that had intended on getting in running. Every Friday night at the end of a long week. He would step up to the local watering hole. Blow his weeks saving on 4 Hams beers. And have those ask him you still got that DB 4 . Oh how the stories would flow. Hell ‘ he was a richer man than most. What a car it once was and undoubtedly will be again. It will never see pavement again only green grass rolling on and off the enclosed trailer. That to me is the biggest shame.