I'm looking at an Aston this weekend. A 1970 DBS V8. Anybody have any experience with these cars? I know rust in the sills is a big problem and I've heard that the early injection systems can be trouble too. Has any one worked on these cars or owned one for a long period? Any advice much appreciated. Cheers Simon
Parts are rare for that car, and it is expencive to maintain... I wouldn't pursue it, but if its your desire, then be prepared for its expense. I've got a DB5 which is extremely rare and expensive. I only drive it twice every 2 weeks, if I come around to it. So another thing is, when and if you get this Aston, you probably wont want to drive it often, just because you wont want to risk anything. That is the only reason I just keep my DB5 clean and indoors for most of the time, because that risk is just too expensive to take, if for example you drive it all week, and it overheats or the clutch wears, anything minor like that can be quite costly for such a rare car. Good luck with it.
If you haven't already, check out the forum at www.amoc.org. It's nowhere near as active as FChat, but you'll find some good info about your car there, and some knowledgeable people who are happy to answer your questions. Best of luck, Neil
Simon: This Aston DBS body was on eBay (USA) recently and may give you some information on where to look for "body rot." http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Aston-Martin-DBS-1967-Aston-Martin-DBS-Restoration-project_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ5358QQitemZ4569547495QQrdZ1 Good luck, and best wishes
Thanks for the response guys. I know Astons aren't cheap to run...neither are Ferraris and the other option was looking like a 512BB but by my understanding they need regular exercise to avoid problems. I'll keep you posted. The Aston DBS was always one of my favourite shapes every since seeing it in On Her Majestys Secret Service. If 007 drives one, it's got to be cool Cheers Simon
simon, the dbs v8 ia an excellent car.despite it's size and weight;its great to drive,understated and reliable IF the original owner took meticulous care of it! the fuel injection was indeed a problem at first,but modern aston specialists have just about figured it out. try www.aston.co.uk or www.rswilliams.co.uk for any enquieries! also,dbs astons are relatively cheap to purchase;for example a polish dbs v8 was on sale in august for GB26,000.that is indeed steep for a dbs,but this car was lovingly RESTORED in 2004. a dbs can be had for between GB8,000-26k. aston had problems with the dbs v8 BOSCH Mechanical Fuel Injection, and soon switched to 4 twin-choke Weber carburettors in 1973 with the series 3 V8.fuel injection returned in 1986 with the series 5.(this time the supplier was Weber/Marelli.) if u want to uprate a dbs v8 with carbs to a W/M '86 fuel injection system it's possible but costly.an engine rebulid/recabilabration would set u back around GB9,000.IMHO,a fully restored and upgraded dbs v8 would be ideal,and would indeed be a superb,reliable and fast GT.good luck!
