Aston Martin remains British! |
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540 V8
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Posted: 12-March-2007 at 22:19 |
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I couldn't believe the news when I heard one of the best loved cars in the world was going to be sold to an egyption consortium After TVR going only a short time ago, was the last significant remaining part of British motoring heritage about to go too? thankfully, no! Don't know about you, but cost no object, I'd rather have an Aston Martin aside from any other super car in the world. Before they moved from Newport Pagnell, I was lucky enough to have a guided tour around the Aston Martin factory and it's one of the most heart warming sights I have ever seen. The ONLY piece of modern technology in the whole factory was a laser jig which ensured the chassis was straight bafore the body was assembled around it. I watched guys, the youngest (apart from one apprentice) had to in his late 40's, hand craft each individual body panel. First pressing the steel from a large press then it went onto have the rough edges cut away and then pain stakingly knocked into the final shape over the course of the next few hours and that was just one wing. After that, the body panel will be closely scrutinised by a quality control chappie who could see imperfections that no-one else could, and this guy had to be at least 60. The panel was marked with chalk at about 7 or 8 parts and sent back to have the microscopic pits smoothed out. As for the engines, each one is hand built from start to finish by one person. Taking the freshly machined block and smoothing it off taking several days just to smooth the cylinder bores etc then slowly and carefully piecing the whole lump together. No wonder the engine had a gold plate on it with the assembly persons name carved out! I witnessed something which I will always remember and the car, hand assembled by master craftsmen, that I always loved as a kid became the single most thing in the world I'd love to own, knowing how it had been not built, but hand crafted just for me (I can dream!) I was even told a story while I was there of a guy in the USA who paid for his whole car to be shipped to Aston Martin just to have a minor body repair done as he would only trust them to do it. The shipping alone cost the guy 4000. That tell you how special this car is. Staying British is the best news the company could have had. You may not all share my fondness of astons, but you must agree it's one of the most iconic cars in the world and it's still british which can only be a good thing! HIP..HIP...HOORAY!!
Mike |
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Rhys
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Damn good show, what!
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thepits
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I understand that the consortium includes some chap from prodrive..
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nero
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News story on BBC website - the guy you are speaking about is Dave Richards.
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Horsetan
Really Senior Member II Say Neigh to Gatsos Joined: 11-April-2003 Location: Please let it be Ireland Status: Offline Points: 6381 |
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You can still get something akin to this at Morgan. There's nothing quite like nostalgia to make you go soggy. |
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Jack735
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Good news but not that will affect what I buy next Horsetan, nostalgia's not what it used to be |
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Oooh, The machine of a dream, such a clean machine With the pistons a pumpin', and the alloys all gleam, When I'm holding your wheel, All I hear is your gear, With my hand on your grease gun, Mmm it's like a disease son, I'm in love with my car, gotta feel for my automobile, Get a grip on my .......
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dryle
Really Senior Member II Joined: 31-January-2006 Location: Enfield. Status: Offline Points: 1348 |
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jensen is the same hand built, no dealer only direct to public. other great British car firms - noble, Invicta, Lister, caterham, Ariel (not a joke), Ascari, Farboud, Ginetta to name a few. british owned car manufacturing is really alive and kicking. but the car for me would be a silver DB5 as in goldfinger. |
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Dave Ryle
"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." -- George Bernard Shaw |
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Peter H
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Agree nostalgia is nice, In the real world though the engines are now made in Germany by robots & have you been round Gaydon ? Like any other car factory producing low volume cars, all parts JIT to line etc British, Interesting as most parts come from abroard and also consortium money comes from US & Arabs |
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Das Wolperdinger
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gjoconnor92
Really Senior Member II The eyes have it Joined: 21-July-2003 Location: Kildare and Limerick, Ireland Status: Offline Points: 735 |
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I'm afraid the Noble is only part British the body and chassis are made in South Africa, with just final assembly in the UK |
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Gerard O'Connor
1989 E30 320i for track day use 1972 2002 competition car project (delayed!!) Sheane Formula Vee My e-mail |
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Rhys
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Oh, the old British motorbike firm - nice. (or did you mean the Atom? ) |
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thepits
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Peter H
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Are you sure Jensen is still going?, went bust several times in Redditch & moved to Liverpool, then unsure but either went bust again or moved somewhere like Malta where AC now are. Ginetta are now swedish (I Think) |
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Das Wolperdinger
AHN-NYUNG-HEE GA-SEH-YO |
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Horsetan
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Jensen did fold whilst assembling the new SV-8 cars. There were a handful of them (up to 12, I read somewhere, or was it 20?) and they were almost complete. They were sold on in the state that they had reached. Buy your SV-8 HERE You could also buy a 1989 Jensen Interceptor on an F-plate! Edited by Horsetan |
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dryle
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did Vicky Butler Henson or whatever her name is do an article on top gear/fifth gear about Aston reparing your car/servicing for real Aston enthusiasts people paying 30 - 40k for work done on a DB5, but as the old story goes that aston would have gone belly up if it were not for 007 and bently not wanting to be asociated with the films at the time and there is a saying in goldfinger when he asks q where is his bently |
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Dave Ryle
"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." -- George Bernard Shaw |
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AndyS
Really Senior Member II The Last of the Few Joined: 21-August-2003 Location: 55 � North Status: Offline Points: 1365 |
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I think you'll find those panels were aluminium. Nostalgia indeed. I remember when the Goldfinger film came out & the desperate search for the new Corgi model. Take a look at the Aston Workshop. It's enough to have you foaming at the mouth! Apart from the obvious DB5 the early V8 with the 4 headlamp grille is my favourite. Time has moved on & the dodgy Bosch fuel injection can be sorted now. With around 360bhp it was one fast motor. If I could afford one I'd happily sell the 635 to make way for it. Dave Richards used to write a column for Cars & Car Conversions in between co-driving for Harri Vatanen. They won the world title in the early '80's. |
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Rhys
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Mmmm... Oooooo... I do prefer the older models I must say. |
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540 V8
Bavarian-Board Contributor Lick my badge Joined: 07-December-2005 Location: Running the asylum Status: Offline Points: 2280 |
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I agree with you Rhys that the older models do have that certain flare and muscular look but I still love the DB9 and the 1990 Vantage. To be fair, I'm not really fussed, if someone said 'do you want an aston' I'd simply say YES very loudly!! And yes you are correct Andys, it is Aluminuim not steel, schoolboy error clouded by drink lol! Steel! PAH! Mike |
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