DB5 and DB6: two generations of one grand tourer
The DB5 was unveiled in 1963 and built until 1965. It continues the DB4, keeping the shape drawn by Carrozzeria Touring and the faired-in headlamps, with an engine enlarged to 4 litres and a richer specification. Goldfinger, in 1964, made it the best-known Aston Martin in the world; for the workshop it is first of all a car hand-built at Newport Pagnell, each with a history of its own.
The DB6 followed from 1965 to 1970. Its longer wheelbase gives proper rear seats, and its cut-off Kamm tail with an integral spoiler improves stability at speed. It came in two series, the Mk I and then the Mk II, recognisable by its flared wheel arches. The range in brief:
- DB5 saloon and DB5 Convertible, 1963 to 1965, with the more powerful Vantage version;
- the first Volantes, known as “short chassis” cars, built on the DB5 base;
- DB6 Mk I, saloon and Volante, with a Vantage version;
- DB6 Mk II, 1969 to 1970, as saloon and Volante.
The 4-litre Tadek Marek straight-six
The DB5 and DB6 share the straight-six designed by Tadek Marek: aluminium block and cylinder head, twin chain-driven overhead camshafts, wet liners. It breathes through three SU carburettors, or three Webers on Vantage cars. Depending on year and options, it is paired with a ZF five-speed manual gearbox or an automatic.
This engine does not forgive a neglected cooling system. Poorly maintained coolant attacks the aluminium and the liner seals: the result is coolant in the oil, overheating or falling oil pressure. An engine rebuild starts with dismantling and measuring every part; the estimate is then based on the condition actually found, not on a notional figure.
Synchronisation of the three carburettors, ignition timing and the state of the timing chain and its tensioner are checked at every visit. A well-set DB5 pulls cleanly from low revs and holds a steady idle.
Superleggera: why aluminium and steel corrode
The DB5 body follows Touring’s Superleggera method, built under licence: aluminium panels are shaped and folded over a framework of small steel tubes, itself mounted on a steel platform chassis. The DB6 abandons the tube framework for a more conventional structure, but still carries aluminium panels on steel.
Wherever the two metals meet in the presence of moisture, electrolytic corrosion sets in. It shows as blistering under the paint and white powder along the folded edges, even when the panel looks sound. The steel rusts in the usual way: sills, floors, chassis members and platform mounting points must be examined, ideally with the car on a lift and the trim removed.
A serious restoration opens these areas, treats the structure, replaces affected steel and insulates the two metals again before the panels are closed. This is coachwork and panel work that takes time and great precision in the shut lines, because the shape of a DB5 shows every misalignment.
How is an Aston Martin DB5 restored?
An Aston Martin DB5 or DB6 restoration begins with a full inspection and an estimate detailed item by item. If you are far away, a first opinion can be given from photographs and video; transport of the car to Mougins is arranged on request, within France and across Europe.
Depending on condition, the work can go as far as a bare shell, together with the mechanics, suspension, the four-wheel disc brakes, the wiring loom and the interior. You receive photographs of the key stages, and no additional work is undertaken without your agreement. The general approach, common to every classic Aston Martin, is set out on the Aston Martin restoration page.
Trim is made entirely in our workshop: seats, door cards, carpets and headlining, in a hide close to the original or in a combination of your choosing. Respecting the car as it left the factory is the default; a more personal interpretation remains possible if you wish.
Volante, Vantage, Mk II: what to check
A Volante adds its hood, the hood mechanism and cabin sealing to the usual points; an open body is also more sensitive to the rigidity and condition of the structure. A Vantage needs careful setting of its Weber carburettors. On a DB6 Mk II, the optional electronic fuel injection is rare and many cars were converted to carburettors: the car’s configuration is documented before any work.
In every case, the workshop checks that the numbers match, reviews the available history and the nature of earlier repairs, before proposing anything.
What the workshop does for a DB5 or DB6
Based in Mougins since 2017, the independent workshop Original Classic & Luxury Cars handles servicing, mechanics, coachwork, trim and full restoration of classic Aston Martins. One team follows the car from start to finish, and the detailed invoice becomes part of its history file.
The DB5 and DB6 share their era with the Jaguar E-type, the other great British straight-six of the 1960s. The whole marque, from the DB4 to current models, is covered on the Aston Martin page. For a first opinion, ask for an estimate from photographs and video.