In reply to Jay Nadelson's inquiry about an Aston Martin DB6.
I have some experience in this arena, having the bits of a DB2/4 Mk
III strewn around my basement. The only thing that makes the project
worthwhile is that (1) I got the hulk _very_ low, (2) I like the work
and (3) I expect it to take _lots_ of time. The up side is that if
one does an Aston Martin well, there is some expectation for return,
although the bucks are not nearly so big as seen about five years ago.
Current DB6 listings run anywhere from about $15,000 to $50,000 for
good drivers. The latter price would be expected for a 95+ point example.
The down side is that Aston Martins are _hellish_ expensive to fix.
Make a Jaguar look like a Plymouth Duster. Mechanical bits are merely
outrageous. A brake repair kit (front pads, seals, hoses, cylinder
rebuild kits and shoe liners) for mine cost $600. Wiring
harness cost $750. Post-DB4 cars are still supported by the factory,
owned by Ford, the folks who brought you the $650 rebuilt starter
motor. I would guess that your master cylinder would cost in excess of
$1000. The trim is all hand-fitted, very expensive materials. An
interior could run $5-10 large and paint/bodywork is in the same league, at
least if you want a job that will get you any kind of return.
But they are nice, fast and drive pretty well, even the old ones. I
would speculate that if (1) you were a good craftsman, (2) you had
five years to concentrate on one car, and (3) you had between $10 and
$20 k to sink into it, you might end up with something worth $40
k. But be prepared for deeply deferred gratification.
>From your description, the hulk is probably worth $3-5k as is, and
could probably be parted out for more.
A. B. Bonds
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