Aston Martin DB6 Vantage Manual (1967) For sale from Desmond J Smail Ltd, in Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom

DB6/3230/R left the factory in September 1967 via Odeon Motors in its original Platinum paintwork with Dark Blue Connolly leather and a long list of factory options. These included, Vantage Engine, Heated Rear Screen, Power Steering, Power Aerial, Chrome Roadwheels, 3-Ear hubcaps, 2 Safety Belts, 3.73 Limited Slip Diff, 2 Walpress Wing Mirrors, 2 Marchal Q1 Fog & Spot Lamps, Detachable Headrest in Dark Blue, Overriders Front & Rear, Motorola Radio, Fiamm Horns with changeover Switch and a Secret Ignition Switch!  
It’s first keeper, according to the factory build sheet, was one Robert MacDonald-Hall or ‘Sam’ as he was more commonly known, hence the DB6’s first registration number, ‘SAM 404’. Commander Robert MacDonald-Hall RN was a WW2 fighter ace serving with the Fleet Air Arm, flying a variety of land and carrier-based aircraft and even float-planes aboard various Royal Navy ships. As Commander of 807 squadron his was the first operational unit to fly the new Supermarine ‘Seafire’ aboard HMS Furious in 1942. He served in England, Canada, Norway, Malta, Syria, North Africa and eventually saw out the end of the war in Ceylon. After the war he went on to become a successful businessman, purchasing and developing an aircraft interiors company that is still going to this day. MacDonald-Hall’s experience as a fighter pilot is reflected in this car’s meticulous maintenance, as it returned to the factory on many occasions in his first few years of ownership for servicing and other works. However, ‘Sam’ parted with the DB6 in 1971 when it came into the hands of High Wycombe dealer, Charles Prior of ‘Holmwood Cars’. Prior kept the car for a year before selling to a Mr Aldeman from Leighton Buzzard in 1972, and it changed hands again in 1977 when it came into the care of Robert Edwards from Luton. Mr Edwards kept the DB6 for many years before committing it to some restoration in 1991 with a view to selling, He had the car re-painted along with chassis and suspension work, a top end engine overhaul, new carpets and various other works before selling to Mr Sandford from Barnet later that year. Whether the restoration wasn’t as complete as Mr Sandford wanted is not clear but he sent the DB6 Vantage to marque specialists Chapman Spooner in 1992 for more restoration work which included another re-paint. He then sent it to Ken Shergold in 1993 for a full engine re-build and suspension upgrade with a handling kit. He continued to have the car maintained with Aston Martin Works in Newport Pagnell before parting company with it 1995 when it was acquired by Peter Berry from The Isle of Man. Various MOT’s and works invoices show that Mr Berry had minimal usage of the DB6, even after his return to mainland UK. He eventually sold the car in 2009 through ‘Thornfalcon Classics’ to Brian Chant, of ‘Unicorn Motor Company’, who kept the car for his own personal use. Although he maintained the DB6 himself, Mr Chant kept detailed records of everything that he did to the DB6 during his ownership, which lasted until 2011 when he sold it to a Mr Davies from Tonbridge. Mr Davies also kept the car very well maintained including another engine re-build to 4.2 unleaded specification. In 2015 he approached Desmond Smail with a view to selling the car, which Desmond duly did a short time later to its current keeper. The DB6 has been meticulously maintained and serviced by Desmond J Smail Ltd during its current ownership despite minimal use.
This DB6 is a matching numbers original Vantage engine, manual gearbox car, in excellent condition, is extremely well maintained and comes with a very comprehensive history file including many works invoices, correspondence and MOT’s.