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A classic Aston Martin DB5 from the 1960s, once neglected to the point where neighborhood children would play on it, has been meticulously restored and now holds an estimated value of £1 million. The car, famously featured in James Bond movies such as *Goldfinger* and *Thunderball*, was purchased second-hand in 1973 by John Williams, a 71-year-old from Mold, Flintshire. At the time, he paid £985, roughly equivalent to £15,000 today. Although Williams drove the car in his youth, it eventually deteriorated after years of sitting unused on his driveway.
Williams’s passion for Aston Martins began early when he received a toy model at the age of eight. By nineteen, he had saved enough money to acquire one, sourcing the DB5 from a motoring magazine advertisement. However, his career took him to the Middle East in the late 1970s, and as a result, the car was stored and later left exposed outside his home. This neglect led to the vehicle falling into disrepair and becoming a playground attraction for local children. “The neighbours’ kids used to bounce on the bonnet and we used to tell them off,” recalled his wife, Susan, who added a humorous anecdote about a child trying to activate the Bond-style features he had seen in the films.
Only 1,022 Aston Martin DB5s were made between 1963 and 1965, and this particular model, a silver birch grey DB5 Vantage, is one of just 39 worldwide. Even in its poor condition, Aston Martin valued the car at £500,000, and the Williams couple received numerous offers to sell. Despite financial pressures, they ultimately decided against selling. “Money comes into it and reality, and sitting at the kitchen table he said ‘what do you think?’” Susan recounted. “And I said, ‘well, you’ll never get another one’. So he said, ‘no, we’re keeping her’.” This decision led to a committed restoration process that took three years and cost £400,000.
The restoration team at Aston Martin’s Buckinghamshire facility devoted approximately 2,500 hours to repairing the car and even had to remove a nest of mice before beginning the work. The experts painstakingly restored many original features, including the car’s paintwork. Aston Martin historian Steve Waddingham emphasized the complexity of the project, stating, “It would almost be easier to build a brand new car, but to actually repair and put new sections into a very heavily corroded car like this one took an awful lot of skill and patience.” Waddingham described the DB5 as “such an overwhelming car to be in the presence of – the smell of it, the feel of it, the noise it makes.” Reflecting on the experience, John Williams expressed his joy at taking the car for a drive after more than four decades, describing it as “mind-blowing” and joking about feeling youthful again. Susan, who had only previously experienced the car in storage, also cherished her first proper ride, appreciating the powerful sound and performance. While John does not plan to drive the vehicle frequently due to preservation concerns, the restoration fulfilled his lifelong dream
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