The title David Brown is vital to the historical past of Aston Martin. The entrepreneur and former tractor builder bought the corporate in 1947, and it is his initials that grace a number of the most well-known Aston Martins such because the DB5, more moderen DB9, and the most recent DB12 and DBX fashions.

Nonetheless, the primary mannequin launched underneath Brown’s tenure was a sprightly roadster often called the 2-Liter Sports activities. Later known as the DB1, simply 15 examples had been constructed between 1948 and 1950, and now one is up on the market.

The automobile, quantity eight within the collection, is ready to be bought by H&H Classics at its public sale happening on Sept. 20 in Duxford, U.Ok.

The automobile bears chassis no. AMC/49/8, and was initially bought as a naked chassis to A.B. Hunter of Types Lane, Park Langley, who had coachbuilder Gurney Nutting set up a physique.

1949 Aston Martin 2-Liter Sports activities (DB1) – Picture credit score: H&H Classics

In response to the itemizing, the unique 2.0-liter engine was changed shortly after the automobile was delivered as a result of mechanical points, and a subsequent proprietor commissioned the present physique from coachbuilder Swallow Coachbuilding in the course of the late Fifties.

The DB1 then traded arms a number of extra instances, together with to former Aston Martin engineer Shaun Magee who put in the present 2.6-liter engine and added a entrance axle from the DB2 and a transmission from the DB3S to enhance efficiency. He raced the automobile with some success at quite a lot of Aston Martin House owners Membership occasions.

The present proprietor bought the automobile in 1994 with the view to restoring it to its authentic state, although he solely managed to getting round to ripping down the engine, per the itemizing.

The present estimate for the traditional is 100,000 to 140,000 British kilos (roughly $125,000 to $175,000). The value may seem low for such a uncommon traditional however then not a lot of the unique automobile stays as a result of modifications accomplished by varied house owners through the years.