1969 Aston Martin DB6 'Vantage'

This motor car is being sold as part of a private overseas collection. It has been imported under the Bonhams’ temporary admission customs bond. In addition to the ‘hammer’ price, the winning bidder must pay a bond release fee (£350) and also import tax/duty.

In the UK, cars over 30 years old are subject to the lower rate of 5% import tax on the final selling price if purchased by a private individual. Cars less than 30 years old will pay 10% duty + VAT as well as VAT. A company buying this car will always pay 10% duty + VAT as well as VAT on the ‘hammer’ price.

The winning bidder will receive a receipt for the final hammer value, and proof that HMRC fees are paid. If the car is subsequently exported abroad within 30 days then these fees are refundable upon proof of customs/tax payment in the other country.

The bond release fee (£350 payable direct, post-auction, to the CARS shipping company) will produce a NOVA from HMRC, this document is formal proof that all duties & taxes are paid in UK. The vehicle is not registered anywhere. You must register the vehicle with the DVLA. Upon request, The Market can suggest some companies who can help with this process.

This vehicle has been on static display in the Middle East for a number of years, and there is no history available beyond that displayed in our photography section. In all cases, the documents shown are photocopies, unless otherwise stated. We do not have the originals.

Unless otherwise stated, we have not tried to start or drive the car so cannot vouch for its mechanical viability or functionality. It will require recommissioning prior to road use and is strictly sold ‘as seen’.

It is available for viewing by appointment weekdays 9am-5pm, and we advise you (or your appointed engineer) to inspect it at our HQ near Abingdon in Oxfordshire.

Eagle-eyed readers will have spotted that we are currently calling this car a ‘Vantage’.

This is because we know it has a Vantage engine, which was fitted during its time living in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

What we don’t know at the time of writing is whether or not the car left the factory as a Vantage or as a ‘standard’ DB6. We will let you know as soon as we receive confirmation either way.

We do think it left the factory as an auto, which would suggest it wasn't a Vantage. But in 1969 it does suggest it could be a Mk2.

Chassis: DB6/4063/R.

Engine: 400/3436/VC.

We understand from an AMOC NSW/Thoroughbred Sports Car Club document that the car was purchased from a Mr. Frank Crech (his name is variously spelled as Crech, Grech, Cretch and Gretch in this document, so who knows?) by a Mr. Bill Rankin, who for reasons known only to himself, decided to change the engine for a Ford V8 351 unit.

Some time later, the car was purchased by Mr. Bill Russell of Sydney, who sourced the current Vantage engine (400/3436/VC) from England and commissioned ‘The Toymaker Classic Automobiles’ (NSW) to restore the car back to its original condition. There are pictures of this very car in the gallery on their website.

In common with many cars from the vendor’s collection of static display vehicles, this manual RHD Aston Martin DB6 comes with no paperwork beyond whatever photocopies are shown in the gallery section – none of which constitutes any kind of current licensing or registration documentation.

We know from a window sticker that the car was still in NSW in 2009, and we also know that it entered the vendor’s collection in 2012.

The car’s odometer currently reads 36,112 kms.

We have got power to the car and can confirm that the fuel pump works. However, we haven’t tried to start or drive it and can therefore only comment on its cosmetic condition, which we think is really pretty good.

Overall, the bodywork is in very decent nick, save for a few fairly obvious exceptions to that rule – the o/s/r section of bumper is missing and the driver’s door mirror is similarly AWOL (you’ll find it hiding in the driver’s footwell).

Aside from a shallow indentation on the driver’s door beneath the door handle, there are no dents, folds, holes or creases of any real consequence in evidence anywhere that we can see.

The panel gaps and shut lines are consistent and even, and the doors slam home with a satisfyingly heavy and exact thunk.

The dark red paintwork, too, is surprisingly good and has retained an impressive amount of shine and lustre.

The chrome work and wheels are decent all-round.

There are one or two light scratches and some scuffs on the boot lid, a small scuff to the paint by the n/s/r light cluster, and a scratch and a couple of paint chips on the passenger door.

There are also a few cracks and chips to the paint on the driver’s door where it meets the window trim.

There’s a build-up of dust/sand inside the headlamp cowlings.

The exterior rubber trim has held up very well and the wire wheels look to be in good order.

Much like the exterior, the condition of the interior is really very impressive and has clearly been the lucky recipient of some refurbishment and renovation work – as evidenced by the Dynamat insulation under the carpets.

The black leather upholstery is in excellent condition, front and back, and is largely devoid of creases or any other signs of use or wear.

The door cards are equally good, as are the carpets, mats and headlining.

The boot is following the same script and is intact, clean, lined with Dynamat insulation, and contains a spare wheel, some spare parts and tools, and a set of unused mats supplied by R.S. Williams.

While the dashboard and instruments also appear to be in fine fettle, we can’t make any claims about the functionality of switches, knobs, levers, toggles, buttons, dials or other electrics as we haven’t started or driven the vehicle.

Everything in the engine bay, including the engine, appears to be particularly clean, dry, present and correct.

The car rolls, whether in gear or not, so the clutch appears to be disconnected.

The undersides of the car are excellent, as far as we can see, and everything visible appears to have a good amount of structural integrity.

Clearly, you’ll want to take a look for yourself.

The car doesn’t come with any history or service records beyond what is shown in the photography section.

Currently, it has neither an MoT certificate nor an up-to-date V5. It must be registered in the country of your choice and you will need to contact the appropriate vehicle licensing agency for instructions on how to do this.

None of the paperwork shown in the gallery constitutes any kind of current licensing or registration documentation.

Provided that the car’s engine and mechanicals are amenable to recommissioning and as good as the rest of it, we think this is a fine, manual, RHD DB6 - with a Vantage engine - and one where much of the heavy lifting would appear to have been done by other people.

We’re confident to offer this car for auction with an estimate of £100,000 - £150,000, plus Bonhams bond payment and £350 NOVA fee.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.