VIN: the works Aston Martin DB2 Le Mans Prototype chassis LML/49/3
History of chassis LML/49/3
Chassis LML/49/3 was one of two DB2 Prototypes built with Aston Martin’s new dual overhead camshaft straight six engine.
Unlike its sister car (chassis LML/49/4, which was destined for use as David Brown’s personal vehicle), chassis 3 was built to go racing. It would join the first two cars (chassis 1 and 2) for an attack on the 1949 24 Hour races at Le Mans and Spa.
Whereas cars 3 and 4 had the new WO Bentley-designed Aston straight six, chassis 1 and 2 used the four cylinder Claude Hill engine. Running the cars alongside one another would give Aston Martin plenty of technical data to appraise.
Chassis 1, 2 and 3 made their debuts at the Le Mans 24 Hours which took place over the weekend of June 25th and 26th. The three cars were driven to la Sarthe in convoy. Prior to departure, they had been consecutively registered UMC 64, UMC 65 and UMC 66.
For the race, chassis 3 was allocated to Leslie Johnson and Charles Brackenbury.
Grid times were dictated by engine size as opposed to practice times. Johnson / Brackenbury lined up 19th.
Unfortunately, chassis 3 retired in the first hour due to loss of water. It had completed just six laps.
By contrast, the pair of four cylinder entries ran with no major problems until disaster struck when the race had little more than an hour remaining.
Pierre Marechal's car (chassis 1) was seventh overall and fourth in the Index of Performance when a brake line fractured coming into Maison Blanche. The subsequent brake failure caused Marechal to crash at high speed. Chassis 1 barrel rolled, the engine was torn from its mountings and the roof was completely flattened.
Sadly, Pierre Marechal succumbed to spinal injuries in hospital the next day.
The sole remaining works entry of Jones / Haines (chassis 2) eventually finished seventh overall and third in the two-litre Sport category.
Chassis 2 and 3 were then entered for the Spa 24 Hours as planned (July 9th and 10th). Aston Martin had famously won the 1948 event with their 2-litre Sport ‘Spa Special’.
Unfortunately, back-to-back wins were not to be. Nevertheless, both DB2 Prototypes ran for the duration of the 24 hour race.
Johnson / Brackenbury placed third overall and second in class with chassis 3.
In the four cylinder car, Haines / Macklin took fifth overall and third in class.
Later in 1949, Aston Martin went on to use chassis 3 for a series of speed records at the Montlhery circuit in France. The attempt had to be abandoned owing to foggy conditions. By this stage, the car had completed five hours of running at an average speed of 104mph.
The car was subsequently used as a test mule for the DB2 until it was unexpectedly called upon to compete at the 1950 Le Mans race.
Chassis 3 had been taken to la Sarthe as a spare, but when Jack Fairman crashed one of the 1950 team cars near Argentan, the old ‘49 model was promoted to race.
However, it had clearly not undergone such thorough preparation as the new cars and there was little surprise when Eric Thompson retired chassis 3 after eight laps with engine trouble. When the engine was opened up back at Feltham, the crankshaft fell out in two pieces.
By 1952, chassis 3 had been sold to the first of several private owners. It went on to do a little club racing and was later restored to its original configuration.
Notable History
David Brown / Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd.
Six cylinder WO Bentley engine
Almond Green
Registered UMC 66
26/06/1949 IND Le Mans 24 Hours (L. Johnson / C. Brackenbury) DNF (#19)
10/07/1949 IND Spa 24 Hours (L. Johnson / C. Brackenbury) 3rd oa, 2nd S4.0 class (#14)
1949 Montlhery 24 Hour Speed Records (E. Thomson / C. Brackenbury / L. Macklin / R. Bouchard) ABD
25/06/1950 IND Le Mans 24 Hours (E. Thompson / J. Gordon) DNF (#20)
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: unattributed
