DB12

[RichB]

LTP said:

Calinours said:

The warrant was from Charles as POW - he’s always been an AM fan, like many of his age he was smitten with the DB5 in the 1964 bond film when he was 16, the reason his mum bought him a DB6 Volante for his 21st, which of course he still has to this day. He’s had others, most long since sold for charity, notably a 1988 V8 Vantage as a 40th from middle eastern royalty.

Indeed. And as Charles is no longer PoW the warrant has expired. I don't think William is quite such a fan, although I recall him borrowing one of his dad's cars for his wedding.

... and leaving the handbrake on as he drove away. Fortunately he wasn't going far!

[AstonV]

RichB said:

LTP said:

Calinours said:

The warrant was from Charles as POW - he’s always been an AM fan, like many of his age he was smitten with the DB5 in the 1964 bond film when he was 16, the reason his mum bought him a DB6 Volante for his 21st, which of course he still has to this day. He’s had others, most long since sold for charity, notably a 1988 V8 Vantage as a 40th from middle eastern royalty.

Indeed. And as Charles is no longer PoW the warrant has expired. I don't think William is quite such a fan, although I recall him borrowing one of his dad's cars for his wedding.

... and leaving the handbrake on as he drove away. Fortunately he wasn't going far!

Too funny. More money than brains.

[LTP]

AstonV said:

Too funny. More money than brains.

Be fair, the Aston handbrake has fooled many people in addition to Wills. If it's down, it must be off.

It is sometimes incorrectly described as a "fly off" handbrake, when it is nothing of the sort.

[RichB]

LTP said:

AstonV said:

Too funny. More money than brains.

Be fair, the Aston handbrake has fooled many people in addition to Wills. If it's down, it must be off. It is sometimes incorrectly described as a "fly off" handbrake, when it is nothing of the sort.

I've not driven a DB6 but Isn't it a case of: pull up, latch the ratchet and let go, handle drops to the floor. To release: lift handle, take up the strain and let go when ready? If so I'd call that a 'fly-off' but with the added oddity that the handle falls to the floor.

[Dewi 2]

Composer62 said:

I'm happy to be corrected, but I've been told that the Ferrari Grigio Titanio colour on my V8 Vantage roadster would have been around a £4500 option back in 2008.

Hello Kevin,

I am not with my records, but will try to remember to post the exact original extra cost. About a weeks time.
In 2008, I think Aston Martin had a paint category with a name something like, 'Other Manufacturers' Colours'.

David.
( Keeper of records - Grigio Titanio 4.7 and V12V. )

[Jon39]

AstonV said:

Too funny. More money than brains.

Objection your honour.

I can easily use an Aston Martin handbrake, but I cannot control a large helicopter.
I think piloting a helicopter might require a very active and alert brain.

[Composer62]

Dewi 2 said:

Composer62 said:

I'm happy to be corrected, but I've been told that the Ferrari Grigio Titanio colour on my V8 Vantage roadster would have been around a £4500 option back in 2008.

Hello Kevin,

I am not with my records, but will try to remember to post the exact original extra cost. About a weeks time.
In 2008, I think Aston Martin had a paint category with a name something like, 'Other Manufacturers' Colours'.

David.
( Keeper of records - Grigio Titanio 4.7 and V12V. )

Thanks David, I really appreciate that.

[MCSV8]

RichB said:

LTP said:

AstonV said:

Too funny. More money than brains.

Be fair, the Aston handbrake has fooled many people in addition to Wills. If it's down, it must be off. It is sometimes incorrectly described as a "fly off" handbrake, when it is nothing of the sort.

I've not driven a DB6 but Isn't it a case of: pull up, latch the ratchet and let go, handle drops to the floor. To release: lift handle, take up the strain and let go when ready? If so I'd call that a 'fly-off' but with the added oddity that the handle falls to the floor.

Don't know about DBs, but on my 1977 V8 the action is :

pull up, latch the ratchet and let go, handle stays where it is . To release: pull handle back to release the ratchet and let go when ready and the handle falls to the floor.

Seems "fly-off" is a suitable description.

[RichB]

MCSV8 said:

RichB said:

LTP said:

AstonV said:

Too funny. More money than brains.

Be fair, the Aston handbrake has fooled many people in addition to Wills. If it's down, it must be off. It is sometimes incorrectly described as a "fly off" handbrake, when it is nothing of the sort.

I've not driven a DB6 but Isn't it a case of: pull up, latch the ratchet and let go, handle drops to the floor. To release: lift handle, take up the strain and let go when ready? If so I'd call that a 'fly-off' but with the added oddity that the handle falls to the floor.

Don't know about DBs, but on my 1977 V8 the action is : pull up, latch the ratchet and let go, handle stays where it is . To release: pull handle back to release the ratchet and let go when ready and the handle falls to the floor. Seems "fly-off" is a suitable description.

Agreed...

[john ryan]

The difference of a traditional fly-off handbrake is that the ratchet is engaged by pushing the button in. Pulling up against the load releases the button, and the handle can be dropped to the floor without risk of the handbrake re-engaging.
The V8V, for example, has conventional engagement whereby the handle can be ratcheted on, and the button must be pressed to release. The handle drops to the floor when not activated. There is a possibility that the handbrake will re-engage if the button is not pressed in as the handle is lowered,.
The difference is subtle, but a true fly-off gives assured rapid release, and can be pulled on at will without the ratchet engaging ( for eg handbrake turns)

[Calinours]

These AM handbrakes are all a bit odd. I have two, one where you just pull up hard and push down to apply the beake , then pull up with button pressed to release. The older stuff is a little more tricky, as described above pull up and hold button until latch and then just pull up to unlatch and push down!

All legacies of 1950s to 1960s stuff, helpfully continued for us all to the 2000s by AML

Edited by Calinours on Thursday 8th February 20:39

[OLDBENZ]

DB4/5/6 handbrakes do not drop to the floor when engaged - you lift the lever, press in the button and the lever stays in position.

[LTP]

MCSV8 said:

Don't know about DBs, but on my 1977 V8 the action is :

pull up, latch the ratchet and let go, handle stays where it is . To release: pull handle back to release the ratchet and let go when ready and the handle falls to the floor.

Seems "fly-off" is a suitable description.

Ah. It seems there are different types of Aston handbrake action then.

On V8V and DB9 the action is:-
To engage:

• Pull up lever - mechanism "climbs" the ratchet and holds the brake
• Lower lever to floor to avoid tripping over it on exit/entry (or lever falls under own weight)

To release:

• Lift lever and apply enough force to overcome tension in cables
• Press button
• Lower lever with button pressed to release handbrake

It's like a conventional handbrake but with "lost motion" when engaged so you can lower the handle out of the way

My TR4As had a true "fly-off"
To engage:

• Lift lever and hold with sufficient force to engage brake
• Press and hold button
• Release force off lever whilst holding button in
• Lever stays in the up position. Failure to hold the button in before releasing pressure off the lever means the lever falls and the brake will not be applied (this used to really confuse anyone who drove my TR as they thought the handbrake was broken)

To release:

• Lift lever with sufficient force to overcome ratchet engagement
• Let lever go

From your and Rich's description it sounds like the earlier Astons did have a true "fly off" handbrake; VH cars do not, but I have seen the "lost motion" system in them described as "fly off".
Apologies for inaccuracy - I was going off a third-party description of a DB6 handbrake operation

[john ryan]

I always modified my mini coopers to fly off for autotests and the like; easily done. My everyday Reliant Scimitar is similarly modified.

[ram_g]

The way my 2015 DB9's handbrake works is *exactly* identical to how my 1991 Corvette ZR-1's handbrake worked.

[AstonV]

Jon39 said:

AstonV said:

Too funny. More money than brains.

Objection your honour.

I can easily use an Aston Martin handbrake, but I cannot control a large helicopter.
I think piloting a helicopter might require a very active and alert brain.

I thought Harry Markle was the pilot?

[The real deal]

The Kings Aston Martin has a racing brake so on is down and up is disengaged.

[RichB]

I do like a 'fly-off' handbrake. My 1933 Lagonda has one.

[Simpo Two]

Calinours said:

These AM handbrakes are all a bit odd. I have two, one where you just pull up hard and push down to apply the beake , then pull up with button pressed to release.

The DB9 handbrake foxed me completely. When I bought the car it had about 1cc of petrol left so I drove very gently to a garage 2-3 miles away, stopped next to a pump, put the handbrake on and filled the tank. Could I get fking handbrake off again? No. I rang the dealer for help but he didn't answer so I had to get the handbook out...

So I just use 'P' instead.

Jaguar handbrakes are much more sensible; a little lever on the centre console you pull up to apply, and you release it either by pushing the lever down, or if not it simply releases when you drive off.

[DB9VolanteDriver]

I never had any issue with the Aston handbrake, but then again I learned my craft on the Jag XJ-S that I drove for many years with the exact same type of system.