Have Aston Martin ever made vans?
Discussion
Stark999 said:
Anyone want this plate? Came off my written off Aston last year. AM72 VAN
I cannot remember Aston Martin ever making a van.
I think your only hope, is to search for someone age 72, who habitually gets out of bed ante meridiem and is named Viceroy Aloysius Newbold. -
Harry Hill would say, "What are the chances?" Long odds certainly, but stranger things have happened.
Jon39 said:
Stark999 said:
Anyone want this plate? Came off my written off Aston last year. AM72 VAN
I cannot remember Aston Martin ever making a van.
I think your only hope, is to search for someone age 72, who habitually gets out of bed ante meridiem and is named Viceroy Aloysius Newbold. -
Harry Hill would say, "What are the chances?" Long odds certainly, but stranger things have happened.
Before the 1922 French Grand Prix.
There's at least one more picture of the van where you can see 'Aston Martin Service Van' or something similar, sign-written on the side. Can I find it? Nope. If it exists, and I haven't dreamt it, it will be in one of the books I've sold - possibly the Ted Inman Hunter/Alan Archer book. Lionel and Kate Martin were great promoters of their business and painting the company name on the van and driving to Strasburg would have seemed like a good opportunity for some cost effective advertising.
It was a Model T Ford, if I remember correctly.
E&OE
DickyC said:
Before the 1922 French Grand Prix.
There's at least one more picture of the van where you can see 'Aston Martin Service Van' or something similar, sign-written on the side. Can I find it? Nope. If it exists, and I haven't dreamt it, it will be in one of the books I've sold - possibly the Ted Inman Hunter/Alan Archer book. Lionel and Kate Martin were great promoters of their business and painting the company name on the van and driving to Strasburg would have seemed like a good opportunity for some cost effective advertising.
It was a Model T Ford, if I remember correctly.
E&OE
Thank you Richard.
I had a photo of a van in my mind, but had forgotten it was one of the French GP photos.
Perhaps disappointing now to learn it was a Ford. They could have put a van body on an Aston Martin chassis, for even better publicity purposes.
Mercedes-Benz like to have their own transporters.
Very classy. Seeing those, the Ecurie Ecosse transporter carrying C-type and D-type Jaguars sprang to mind.
Transporting racing cars has always been a problem. In the early fifties most Astons were driven to the circuits. Those taking the cars to Le Mans and minding them on the ferry were the persistent late clockers-on - it was seen as a punishment! When Brian Hetreed was killed at the Nurburgring in 1964 in Aston Project 214#0195, the wreckage was brought back to the UK in the transporter and the other racing cars were driven, all bearing the same trade plate number, as it was never imagined all of them would be on the road at the same time. Whether the border control officers all understood the team's difficulties, or the race authorities had made arrangements, was never discovered, but the team was allowed through all the checkpoints in all the countries they drove though without question. A mark of respect hard to imagine today.
Sorry, I should have said Off Topic somewhere in there.
Transporting racing cars has always been a problem. In the early fifties most Astons were driven to the circuits. Those taking the cars to Le Mans and minding them on the ferry were the persistent late clockers-on - it was seen as a punishment! When Brian Hetreed was killed at the Nurburgring in 1964 in Aston Project 214#0195, the wreckage was brought back to the UK in the transporter and the other racing cars were driven, all bearing the same trade plate number, as it was never imagined all of them would be on the road at the same time. Whether the border control officers all understood the team's difficulties, or the race authorities had made arrangements, was never discovered, but the team was allowed through all the checkpoints in all the countries they drove though without question. A mark of respect hard to imagine today.
Sorry, I should have said Off Topic somewhere in there.
Jon39 said:
I had a photo of a van in my mind, but had forgotten it was one of the French GP photos.
Perhaps disappointing now to learn it was a Ford. They could have put a van body on an Aston Martin chassis, for even better publicity purposes.
Didn't you like the one I suggested Jon? Perhaps disappointing now to learn it was a Ford. They could have put a van body on an Aston Martin chassis, for even better publicity purposes.
It was 100% AML, Lagonda saloon from the bulkhead and windscreen forwards with a box van built on the back by the chaps at Feltham. Jon39 said:
skhannes said:
Ferrari made a success of this concept.
The Ferrari 250 GT SWB Breadvan is a one-off Ferrari made in 1962 from a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB, chassis number 2819.
Said to be worth $30 million.
The car has often been raced and unfortunately mistakes can happen.
RichB said:
Jon39 said:
I had a photo of a van in my mind, but had forgotten it was one of the French GP photos.
Perhaps disappointing now to learn it was a Ford. They could have put a van body on an Aston Martin chassis, for even better publicity purposes.
Didn't you like the one I suggested Jon? Perhaps disappointing now to learn it was a Ford. They could have put a van body on an Aston Martin chassis, for even better publicity purposes.
It was 100% AML, Lagonda saloon from the bulkhead and windscreen forwards with a box van built on the back by the chaps at Feltham. So sorry Richard. I looked your photograph and from the radiator grill, mistakenly did not identify the car correctly as a Lagonda.
That vehicle therefore might be the only Aston Martin or Lagonda van ever produced. I had a quick look at DVLA, but that van looks unlikely to have survived. Registration issued by Middlesex licence Office.
Saw recently that you posted a photo of your Aston Martin. Restorers always seem to take their time, but you must be pleased to have your car back again.
Jon39 said:
So sorry Richard. I looked your photograph and from the radiator grill, mistakenly did not identify the car correctly as a Lagonda.
That vehicle therefore might be the only Aston Martin or Lagonda van ever produced. I had a quick look at DVLA, but that van looks unlikely to have survived. Registration issued by Middlesex licence Office.
Saw recently that you posted a photo of your Aston Martin. Restorers always seem to take their time, but you must be pleased to have your car back again.
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