THE WASHBOARD DB2s REGISTER
      i.e. THE EARLIEST DB2s
 
Chassis numbers

They begin with LMA (for Aston Martin 4 cylinder engine) or LML (for Lagonda 6 cylinder engines).
Year was indicated (49, 50) but the system came to a halt at 50! Later DB2s still had 50 in the chassis number...
Then you get the number in the series.

Engine numbers

The engine was of Lagonda origins and was also found in base specs in the Lagonda built from 1947 to 1954.
You can recognise the specifications with the prefix of the engine number:
Prefix
 Compression
 BHP at RPM
 Carburation
 Remarks
LB6
 6.5 : 1
 105 at 5,000
 2 SU H4 (1 1/2 in)
 Early DB2 and production Lagonda
LB6A
 same
 same
 same
 same specs
LB6B
 same
 same
 same
 same specs
LB6E
 7.5 : 1
 116 at 5,000
 2 SU (1 3/4 in) Bigger manifolds and valves. Fitted to very few cars.
LB6V
 8.16 : 1
 125 at 5,000
 2 SU HV6 (1 3/4 in) First type of Vantage engine.
VB6E
 same
 same
 same
 Same specs except for controls. Usually for export.
VB6B


Later Vantage engine with larger induction manifold.
DP/101


Prototype 3 litre fitted to some Team Cars.

LB6E engines were used on Team Cars at Le Mans in 1949.
A racing version, prefix LB6C and based on the LB6V but with three Weber 36 DCF5 carburettors, was fitted to the DB3 (or 35 DCO on early stage to Team Cars). It produced 133 BHP at 5,500 r.p.m. and later 140 at 5,300 .
It was not fitted to DB2 but its aluminium head was used for DB2 Team Cars at Silverstone in 1951 and it helped boost the LB6E to 128 BHP at 5,000 r.p.m.
Later at Le Mans, still in 1951, DB2s reverted to cast iron head but gained three Weber 35 DCOs to get 138 BHP at 5,500 r.p.m.
For the record, the DP/101 3 liter engine was developed up to 163 BHP at 5,500 r.p.m.

As you can see, studying early Aston Martin engines is quite entertaining!

Gearbox numbers

As the DB2 was aimed at the export market, particularly North America, it was produced with a 2/3 bench seat and steering column gear change. This was a very normal layout for a car built in the early 50s and the dash layout allowed to build the car either with LHD or with RHD easily.
The very first car to have a centre gear change was LML/50/17 and the first one to have a close ratio box was LML/50/11.
Gearbox letters are:
DBR    for Steering Column Change
DBRW for Steering Column Change Wide Ratio
DBRC  for Steering Column Change Close Ratio
DBCW for Centre Change Wide Ratio
DBCC  for Centre Change Close Ratio
Then you got "49" or "50" and a two or three figure number.
The majority of early cars were modified to centre change but even the Team Cars started life with a DBR gearbox!
It was thought that  DBR stood for "David Brown Racing" and had no connection with DBRW and DBRC.
In fact, it means "David Brown Remote" and, for racing, DBCC and DBCW were used.

Body numbers

The four "Fixed Head Coupés" had body number 48001 onward BUT body number 48003 has not been allocated...
So LMA/49/1 has body 48001, LML/49/2 has 48002, LML/49/3 has 48004 and LML/49/4 has 48005.

The "Experimental Prototype", i.e. LML/50/5, and following saloons have numbers in the 68001 series apart from Team Cars, which were not given body numbers.

DHC bodies began with 78001, which was LML/50/10 (the DHC prototype) body number.

Gearbox and body numbers based on Tom Barnard article in AM Magazine v 25 n111.
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