1961 Aston Martin DB4 Series III

In April 1961, Aston Martin made several revisions to the DB4 including changing the rear cathedral rear lights that were sourced from a Humber Hawk to new units that had three individual lenses per side.

The Series III car was only made until September of the same year until the Series IV was introduced with an egg-crate grill and slimmer hood scoop.

In Detail

submitted by	Richard Owen
type	Series Production Car
built at	England
coachbuilder	Carrozzeria Touring
price $	$ 9,770
price Â£/td>	Â£3,976
engine	Inline-6
position	Front Longitudinal
aspiration	Natural
block material	All Aluminum
valvetrain	DOHC
fuel feed	SU Carburettors
displacement	3670 cc / 224.0 in³
bore	91.95 mm / 3.62 in
stroke	91.9 mm / 3.62 in
compression	8.25:1
engine designer	Tadek Marek
power	179.0 kw / 240 bhp @ 5500 rpm
specific output	65.4 bhp per litre
bhp/weight	183.49 bhp per tonne
torque	332.2 nm / 245.0 ft lbs @ 4000 rpm
body / frame	Aluminum Panels over Box-Section Steel & Tubular Steel Chassis
driven wheels	RWD
wheel type	Wire Wheels
front brakes	Dunlop Discs
rear brakes	Dunlop Discs
front wheels	F 40.6 x 15.2 cm / 16.0 x 6.0 in
rear wheels	R 40.6 x 15.2 cm / 16.0 x 6.0 in
steering	Rack & Pinion
f suspension	A-Arms w/Coil Springs, Anti-Roll Bar
r suspension	Rigid Axle w/Watt Linkage, Coil Springs, Dampers
curb weight	1308 kg / 2884 lbs
wheelbase	2489 mm / 98.0 in
front track	1372 mm / 54.0 in
rear track	1359 mm / 53.5 in
length	4489 mm / 176.7 in
width	1676 mm / 66.0 in
height	1321 mm / 52.0 in
transmission	4-Speed Manual or 3-Speed Auto
gear ratios	2.49:1, 1.74:1, 1.25:1, 1.00:1
final drive	3.54:1
top speed	~225.6 kph / 140.2 mph
0 – 60 mph	~8.5 seconds
0 – 100 mph	~18.3 seconds
0 – 1/4 mile	~16.1 seconds
combined fuel econ eu	16.0 L/100 km or 14.70 mpg-us

Auction Sales History

1961 Aston Martin DB4 DB4/718/R – did not sell for $290,000 A genuine “barn find”. Purchased new by Castrol Ltd. as an executive car. Factory service history through 1970. Matching-numbers engine. This car is ready to be freshly restored and happily returned to the road, and it represents a rare opportunity to acquire a DB4 that has been out of sight, and even out of mind, for nearly a quarter century.
Auction Source: 2014 Monterey by RM Auctions

1961 Aston Martin DB4 Series III DB4/634/R –

DB4/634/R is finished in Midnight Blue livery, with chrome wire wheels and the interior is furnished with grey leather upholstery, possibly the original, showing some delightful patina, and grey carpets. The gearbox is of the manual type with overdrive and a six-stacker CD system is fitted, operating through the period radio. AMOC records show that this car was Best in Show at the 1987 Doune Classic Car Concours, carried off a similar award at The Culzean Castle Classic Vehicle Concours that year and at the 1988 AMOC Silverstone Concours achieved a creditable 3rd place in the highly competitive Newcomer’s Class. This well-presented DB4 comes with a luxembourg Title.

Auction Source: 2011 Salon Rétromobile Aucion by Artcurial

1969 Aston Martin DB4 Series III DB4/672/R –

Finished in its factory-correct livery of Snow Shadow Grey with red Connolly hide interior, the car is offered with current MoT/road fund licence and Swansea V5. The accompanying important history file contains extensive service history, invoices, ownership details and correspondence, old-style logbook, spare keys and a DB4 workshop manual. Highly original and exceptionally well documented ‘RLA 600’ represents a wonderful opportunity to acquire a well maintained DB4 with an impeccable provenance

Auction Source: 2011 Salon Rétromobile Aucion by Artcurial

1961 Aston Martin DB4 –

A right-hand drive DB4 Series 3, this car, chassis DB4/682/R, was built in July 1961. Records show that the first owner entered the vehicle into the 1961 and 1962 Brighton Speed Trials – an early encounter with motorsports that sealed its future and proved to be the start of a very successful career in motor racing. It was twelve years later that DB4/682/R set off on its illustrious path to fame as one of, if not the, most successful DB4 racer of all time. It was a career that spanned 21 years and notched up a remarkable 42 podium finishes, including 19 victories, and spawned a myriad of lightened DB4s, all vying for the coveted position on the podium. Quite literally, hundreds of thousands of pounds were invested in elderly DB4s by fellow motorsport enthusiasts in an attempt to compete head-on with DB4/682/R. Ultimately, the car held its own against such bottomless pits of money right up to its retirement from competitive racing in late 1996. In fact, in its last outing, up against the best entrants from RS Williams and Aston Engineering, driver Tony Dron (British Saloon Car champion and motoring journalist) managed to put the car on pole position for the start. After a rough start, the car still finished in third!

Auction Source: 2009 RM Auctions’ Automobiles of London