VIN: the works / one-off Aston Martin DB3 Special chassis 4
History of chassis DB3/4
Chassis 4 was one of five DB3s constructed for use by the works Aston Martin squad.
It was raced throughout 1952 and into 1953 (until the new DB3S was ready).
Chassis 4 made its debut as part of a four-car team at the Silverstone International Trophy meet on May 10th 1952. DB3s finished second, third and fourth behind the Jaguar C-type of Stirling Moss.
George Abecassis was third overall and second in the under three-litre class driving chassis 4.
The car’s next appearance was at the Monaco Grand Prix which, for 1952, was unusually organised for Sports cars. A trio of DB3s were entered, all of which ran experimental 2.9-litre DP101 motors.
Chassis 4 was allocated to Peter Collins who finished seventh after long delays for an overheating engine. The 2.9-litre power unit was not re-instated until the final race of the year at Goodwood.
Back in the UK, chassis 4 appeared on three more occasions in 1952. On each outing it was driven by George Abecassis.
Abecassis finished third overall and second in class at the Jersey International Road Race. This was followed by DNFs at the Boreham 100 mile International and the Goodwood 9 Hours (where Dennis Poore co-drove).
Because the DB3S was not ready until spring of 1953, Aston Martin used updated DB3s for a handful of early-season events. Chassis 4 attended a trio of races in 1953 and, on each occasion, the highly rated Peter Collins was behind the wheel.
Collins and Geoff Duke retired from the 1953 Sebring 12 Hours.
Collins and Mike Keen then finished 16th overall and tenth in class on the Mille Miglia.
Both the Sebring and Mille Miglia events were part of the inaugural World Sportscar Championship organised for 1953.
After two events on foreign soil, chassis 4 returned home where Collins drove single-handedly at what would be the car’s last outing as a works machine: the Silverstone International Trophy. Collins finished fourth overall and second in class.
Aston Martin then switched focus to the much-improved DB3S.
Chassis 4 returned to the factory where it sat for a period of time.
It next emerged in early 1954, by which time the original DB3 body had been replaced with a very pretty new shell that was perhaps created with a view to offering a slightly more refined iteration of Aston Martin’s fully-fledged sports racing cars. The engine had been uprated to DB3S trim.
Chassis 4’s handsome new body featured a more intricately contoured front end with a re-shaped primary intake, fashionable cut-away sections behind the front wheels, a full width windscreen and muscular rear fenders.
Unfortunately, such a car was never put into production.
Chassis 4 was road registered 151 BMH in April 1954.
It was sold some time afterwards to an M. Derrick who raced the car at a couple of minor Goodwood events during the summer of 1955.
In later years, chassis 4 was acquired by the Louwman Collection in The Hague, Holland.
Today, the car retains its unique coachwork as fitted over late 1953 / early 1954.
Notable History
David Brown / Aston Martin Ltd.
10/05/1952 IND Silverstone International (G. Abecassis) 3rd oa, 2nd S3.0 class (#33)
02/06/1952 IND Monaco GP (P. Collins) 7th (#74)
10/07/1952 IND Jersey International Road Race, St. Helier (G. Abecassis) 3rd oa, 2nd S2.5+ class (#27)
02/08/1952 IND Boreham 100 mile International (G. Abecassis) DNF (#32)
16/08/1952 IND Goodwood 9 Hours (G. Abecassis / D. Poore) DNF (#16)
08/03/1953 WSC Sebring 12 Hours (P. Collins / G. Duke) DNF (#31)
26/04/1953 WSC Mille Miglia (P. Collins / M. Keen) 16th oa, 10th S2.0+ class (#551)
09/05/1953 IND Silverstone International (P. Collins) 4th oa, 2nd S3.0 class (#22)
Re-bodied and fitted with a DB3S engine
04/1954 registered 151 BMH
18/06/1955 IND Goodwood Sports (M. Derrick) 12th oa (#44)
24/09/1955 IND Goodwood Handicap (M. Derrick) 5th oa (#47)
Later sold to the Lowman Collection, The Hague, Holland
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Aston Martin - https://www.astonmartin.com
