DB GT Special, coachwork by Zagato

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DB GT Special, coachwork by Zagato

(1961 / 1968 / 2003)

Quite an odd Aston Martin this one. It started life as a standard DB4GT chassis number 0148/R, and was originally owned by the Hon. Max Aitkin. But when it became the property of the second owner, Bob Buchanan-Michaelson, a transformation occurred. Whilst back at the factory, the car was extensively rebuilt with the front of a DB5 and the rear of a DB6 and was thus renamed the DBGT Special - a one-off instruction book was even especially printed. If you have a copy of my favourite book on the marque, 'The Power Behind Aston Martin' by Geoff Courtney and Roger Stowers, the car in it's original form is illustrated.

DB GT Special, coachwork by Zagato

More recently, the DBGT Special has had an extensive chassis restoration at Aston Martin specialists, RS Williams, and then on to the Zagato factory in Italy for the fitting of an original style DB4GT Zagato body. So whilst it can be described as a genuine DB4GT Zagato, it cannot to be counted as one of the first 19 cars.

The car has been more recently put up for auction at the AM/Bonhams event in 2006 at Works Service. The car was arranged both with a V8 Zagato and a more recent prototype DB7 Zagato, a very rare photo opportunity. I don’t think that the car reached its reserve but it did find a new owner shortly after the event. Then in September 2006, the DBGT Special attended the AMOC Zagato display at Brooklands which gave me my first chance to photograph the car with one of the first 19 Zags.

The DBGT Special with coachwork by Zagato is now raced by Chris Scragg. The photographs here were taken during the support race for the 2007 Le Mans 24 hour race.