Cornish capers… in an Aston DB4
Icouldn’t help but notice an Aston Martin DB4, registration YSD 457, in CCW’S auction coverage, because I gather it was recently sold by H&H Classics.
This DB4 used to ‘live’ at my house and I knew a few of the previous owners and their back stories.
When I first knew the car, it was in the possession of my former boss and later great friend, Aubrey White, co-owner of Glenland Motors in Cornwall. He re-built the engine due to it burning oil and completed the job late at night, driving to Dover the next morning just in time to catch the SRN4 hovercraft and take his father to see the Cambrai Memorial in France.
Aubrey sold the car to an existing customer who, it must be said, rather abused the car including, much to our disgust, carrying Delabole slate from their quarry in the boot to his house down a very bumpy lane and knocking a hole in the sump! After this the car was sold to the rather well-known (in Bristol circles) engineering factory owner, Ivor Halbert, who fixed the car while it was being kept at his holiday home (now my home) in St Newlyn East, Cornwall. Ivor also became a great friend of mine and
I had the pleasure of driving many of his exotic cars, including LAM 1, a Lamborghini 400GT 2+2. THU 404, his beloved Bristol 404 (now owned by Peter Lovett) and 160 PJ the one and only Bristol 407 Zagato. He even lent me YSD 457 one evening to take my then-girlfriend out.
I include some photos of YSD on a trip out to Land’s End with LAM 1 and my AC Aceca-bristol 626 FXK. I hope this little bit of history may be of some interest to you and/or the new owner, whoever that is.
❚ Nick Simpson, Cornwall
You’re absolutely right, Nick. H&H Classics sold the DB4 for £360k at its Duxford sale back in November – Ed.