Looking after a DB2/4

‘You have to apply the standards of the period when looking after these cars,’ advises Peter Brown. ‘Don’t merely look on it as a car that’s going well, so it doesn’t need such frequent checking.

‘We used to do about 5000 miles a year, but now it’s more like 3000. I change the oil – making sure it’s a proper classic oil – and filter, plugs and points every year, and grease up the various nipples every three to four months to prevent gravel getting into the ball joints. I also change the oil in the differential and the gearbox.’

He reckons it only costs him about £200 to £300 a year in maintenance costs, but of course, he does all the work himself.

‘So far the only body parts I’ve needed since putting the car back on the road in 1979 are new headlight covers after someone backed into the nose. The insurance company stipulated polycarbonate composite and these had to be custom made.’ However, as Peter stresses, this would apply to any of the alloy body panels too, should they ever be needed.

‘The one-off nose doesn’t really make any difference – no one produces any of the body parts the way in which, say, BMH does for MGS. You’d have to start from scratch.’