A 1960 Aston Martin DB4 Roars Back to Life

The British marque Aston Martin makes some of the world’s most luxurious cars, and many of these even define an era. Some of the iconic models that rode out of its headquarters include the famous DB4, which for many vintage car collectors a true marvel in terms of its aesthetics and performance. The DB4 also firmly put Aston Martin on the map as a purveyor of fine handmade cars.

The Aston Martin brand has a long history dating back to 1913 when Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford founded it. Only after the second world war did the marque come into prominence under its new owner David Brown. The British industrialist cut his teeth at his family-owned gear and manual transmission manufacturing company before venturing out to set up his own tractor company. After coming across an advertisement for the sports car company for £30,000, he bought it and the rest is history.

Making its first appearance at the 1958 Paris Motor Show, the DB4 is a beautiful display of British engineering prowess combined with Italian sensibilities. The entrance of this remarkable car instantly became the new kid on the block and competed against household names like Ferrari, Maserati and Bugatti. It managed to carve out its niche and take a sit at the table.

Imbued with a heritage spanning nearly 70 years, any DB4 deserves to be preserved so that its legacy continues. But wouldn’t it be more astounding if a car from the past gets a new lease of life and has its engines roar back as it takes on the roads again? With the help of world-class restorers like Hilton & Moss, a 1960 Aston Martin DB4 is refurbished from scratch with every nut and bolt to wheels and roof. 

New spray paint of Silver Biroh is done to replace the original green, and its interior has also been overhauled to match its new exterior. Aside from the newly installed leather upholstery, the DB4 is fitted with an electric power steering wheel, a heated rear windscreen, an electronic clock and a period-style audio system that can be connected to a music player.

Powering the Aston Martin DB4 is a 4.2-litre powertrain by Oseli that is expertly lightened, balanced and converted to run on unleaded fuel. The four-speed David Brown gearbox is rebuilt with integrated overdrive, providing the driver with a reassuring classic feel of the car. To bring forth a more pleasurable driving experience, the cornering and body roll of the vehicle is kept to the minimum with a bigger anti-roll bar for better stability when cruising.

Speaking more about this project, the Hilton Group founder, Peter Hilton said, “The Aston Martin DB4 not only has star-studded film star credentials, but also boasts a design philosophy that would set the precedent for the iconic model that would follow it. Myself and the entire team at Hilton & Moss are honoured to be able to restore such a giant of British motoring to its former glory, and continue our distinguished heritage of restoring some of the world’s finest cars.”

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