Every classic car enthusiast secretly dreams of it: pulling open a forgotten barn, only to discover, hidden under a thick layer of dust, an untouched vintage car. For the same money, you'll find an Aston Martin DB6 MK2 Vantage. You never know…
Text Jeroen Jansen Image Tom Gidden, Courtesy of RM Sotheby's
Shiny cars speak for themselves: those mobiles have been well taken care of. They have been pampered, repaired, washed. They have been loved. Yet many a car lover's heart still beats much faster for a barn find, than for a classic car in concours condition. The barnfind is surrounded with mystery: what did a car go through? Who did it belong to? Why did that person choose to park their gem and not touch it again? And was this a choice at all?
The Aston Martin pictured here, a 1970 DB6 MK2 Vantage, has been gathering dust in storage for the past 30 years. And as many questions as arise, so many remain unanswered. It is not even clear when the last owner, now deceased, acquired the car. There are invoices, however, dating back to 1984, which also show the last owner's family name. So it is likely that the car was already registered in the name of its late British owner back then.
Don't get in and drive off
What is clear, however, is that this is not just another Aston pulled from a garage. The DB6 MK2 is the stern end of the DB6 family. It came with power steering as standard, had a slightly different clutch and could be fitted with automatic transmission or a ZF manual transmission as desired. The most important addition was the optional Vantage trim level. Only 71 DB6s rolled out of the factory as a Vantage, making it a rare extra. This car has that coveted extra.
The 'Vantage package' included more horsepower, wider wheels, flared wheel arches and a redesigned interior that narrowed the gap between the DB6 and its successor the DBS a touch. The car on these pages, a right-hand drive, was given the chic Fiesta Red colour. The updated interior was styled in classy black leather. The car still wears that colour and interior today. Also, its original six-cylinder inline engine with 285bhp still lies neatly under the bonnet.
Anyone who knows anything about barnfids, know that it is not a case of get in and drive away. The Aston may have been parked inside for years and belonged to a - perhaps - old lady, but for cars, standing still is going backwards. The body, completely original and intact, is as gorgeous as ever, but deserves a good serving of tender love and care. And the technology also needs considerable attention. In the photos alone, you can see dried-out rubbers, traces of the rust monster and dust. A lot of dust.
Could hardly be more beautiful
Yet it is almost impossible to find a more beautiful, original, better AND more exciting example of a DB6 MK2 Vantage on the block. Time has stood still in this car. It was put away one fine day and 'forgotten'. There is still a newspaper on the back seat. Perhaps from the day the owner decided to put his bolide inside and put away the keys for at least thirty years. You don't know. That very mystery makes this Aston already more valuable than many a classic.
How valuable, that depends a bit on the fool who gives something for it. RM Sotheby's specialists estimate the car at around 160,000 to 200,000 euros. That makes the car, with all due respect, a bargain. According to value oracle Hagerty, a car like this in acceptable condition fetches a million. In concours condition, that value rises to €1.5 million. But, fair is fair, you don't want to prepare this car for the concours at all. You want to keep this one. Honour it. But: do drive it.
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