Engine number: LB6B/50/104
replaced by VB6B/50/1116, a Vantage engine, on 20 October 1952.
Gearbox: DBR/50/121, DBRW/50/215 fitted 21 October 1950, DBRC/50/49
fitted 7 December 1950. See this page
for the gearbox codes.
The car now has a floor gearchange. Date of change is unknown but it
could be at the same time than the engine change.
What is sure is that it was after being used as a demonstrator.
Body number: 78001 (first DHC body).
Colour: Cadillac Green (like the VMF works racers). Interior: rust.
The DHC model of the DB2 was announced in June 1950.
LML/50/10 was built in time for the London Motor Show of October 1950.
It's in fact the DHC prototype and demonstrator even if it was in fact
the personal car of David Brown who especially liked DHC. It was a
welcome change for him after LML/50/5 and even more LML/49/4 as this
car had the same specs than LML/49/3 which was known as "the Sweatbox".
Fresh air was to come with a DHC!
By the way, David Brown later had another DB2 DHC (LML/50/186, which
received a special DP/101 competition engine) and had DB3/2 built for
him: a DB3 with a DHC arrangement!
Like all DB2 before LML/50/11 (i.e. from LML/50/5 up to LML/50/10, as
the previous one LMA/49/1 to LML/49/4 are DB Mark IIs), this car was
built without airscoop on the bonnet (except maybe LML/50/6).
(Source : Sotheby's catalogue,
more about the sale anon)
(Source : FRO)
(Thanks José)
(Source : RAS)
The car was tested in Autocar in October 1950...
...and in Motor Sport in
February 1951
You can notice that in this test,
the car was described as a " DB II "...
Journalists already had problems with Aston Martin precise types!
That will be harder with the DB2/4 MkIII and DB MkIII... Period and
nowadays!
LML/50/10 was also described in Country
Life in January.
An airscoop was later fitted on the
bonnet as seen here when tested at Brands Hatch in 1952:
(Thanks José for this
photo)
(Source : Sotheby's catalogue, more about the sale anon)
With this airscoop, the car now had the definitive production body.
Now, below, a rare document: the original logbook of LML/50/10.
It's particularly interesting to see engine change but also that when
owned by David Brown, it was at "David Brown Tractors Ltd" name!
David Brown Jr. has also owned it from October
1951 to April 1952. He raced it at Snetterton.
(Thanks José for this
document)
Below: a toy was made with the early type of grille but without
washboards!
This model car was presented to Prince Bertil, owner of LML/50/26. See here.
(Source : AMOC
register)
(Source : HAR)
You can see several differences
on the car next to the scale model:
- on the left photo, wheels are painted like body, car features side
strips (see my page about this)
- on the right photo, wheels are grey, no side strip
Nevertheless, it is regularly assumed both are LML/50/10... As far as I
am concerned, I am not sure that the photo on the right really depicts
LML/50/10... Especially when you consider that LML/50/10 was later seen
with side strips and painted wheels.
Once more, LML/50/10 in the original livery...
(Thanks José)
Friend José also sent me
photos of the car when it was "updated" by removing the washboards...
That's quite funny, as it then looked more like the toy!
Here with white walls, looking very American...
The car could be found in a somewhat sorry state...
(Source: Thoroughbred & Classic
Cars, March 1985 ; at the time I hadn't noticed that the
washboards had been removed...)
In 1971, its English owner wanted to put back the washboard
grilles.
So he wrote to Aston Martin works to ask for those grilles! Below, here
is the reply on the left and a copy of the invoice on the right (you
can compare with the one of LML/50/26).
The works was not surprised to see a
washboard DB2 without washboards as "most were removed and blanked off
during 1952".
By the way, you could have a look at Prince
Bertil's
LML/50/26, which kept the washboards and had the three grille
design
updated for the one piece (inverted T shape)...
Exactly the other way!
On the invoice, you can notice "demonstrator" and type "DB MARK II"
like
the UMCs...
The car after restoration (including a colour change):
Car was for sale by Sotheby's on 6
May 1996. Here is a scan of the catalogue:
Test in The Automobile May
2001:
And in Aston issue 8 (2006). Aston is the
magazine of the Aston
Martin Heritage Trust. You should apply for a membership or simply
buy those mags.
Finally, here are some photos of the car in its present location.
José send me the nice
following photos:
Here are some photos taken at an AMOC rally in May 2009:
