Owner says his 1974 Aston Martin is a ‘car for life’
Classic car was drag-raced at Cayuga Speedway by previous owner
It took 10 footsteps for Peter Schurmann to know this was the car for him. As the elevator doors opened, he could see the flowing silhouette of a car highlighted against the night sky by the overhead lights of an awning. In the short distance from the elevator to the glass double doors that the car was parked in front of, he fell in love. Not bad for a plan B.
As far as fallbacks go, this is a pretty good one. Thirty-four years ago, Schurmann was shopping for an exotic car to buy and he had his heart set on a Maserati Ghibli convertible. The Italian lines drew him in, but at the time he just didn’t have the money. So he “settled” and bought the 1974 Aston Martin. When first purchased, the Aston was more than a little needy and had even been drag raced at Cayuga Speedway by its previous owner.
You never really own them. You’re just a custodian for the next generation.
Astons have always been the car for someone who wants Ferrari performance but in a less auspicious package. The rather unimaginatively named Aston Martin V8 Saloon was designed to replace the aging DB6 and bring Aston into a new era. The V8 eschewed the traditional Aston straight-six for — you guessed it — a V-8.
The engine was a masterpiece. Designed by Tadek Marek, who also designed the famous Aston Martin in-line six, the DOHC unit displaced 5.3 litres and was topped by four fuel-gulping Weber carburetors. It’s the vibrating soul of the car.
The V-8 engine seethes with intent at idle. It shudders and shakes as the many cam lobes operate valves the size of silver dollars. The carb linkage is flexed, ready and willing to dump gasoline down all eight venturis at any given moment.
When the engine is really at work in the higher revs, it sounds its best. It might not have the highpitched metallic yowl of an Italian V-8, but there’s no mistaking it for a blue-collar American V-8, either. It sounds like a Mustang that went to Oxford for a few years.
The paint on the car is perfectly suited for the shape and is actually a completely unique hue. Schurmann was driving down a Toronto street when he saw a Rover going the opposite way in a resplendent shade of red.
After a series of probably illegal traffic manoeuvres, he managed to intercept the Rover driver and get the name of the paint colour. After adding a bit of blue to the mix to make it darker, the paint was applied; it suits the car’s lines perfectly.
Schurmann says jokingly “it’s the only car that comes complete with a social life,” and he frequently enjoys taking the car to shows and events. He’s formed many great relationships through the Aston Martin Owners Club, which he ran for 10 years.
With Aston Martins, and especially vintage ones, he says, “You never really own them. You’re just a custodian for the next generation.” After 34 years, it isn’t likely that Schurmann would trade it, even for the Maserati Ghibli he originally wanted.
“These cars,” he says, “are cars for life.”