VIN: the works Aston Martin DB3 chassis 5
History of chassis DB3/5
Of the five DB3s assembled for works use, none was relied upon more heavily than chassis 5.
During Aston Martin’s 1952 campaign, chassis 5 was raced half a dozen times. It debuted in the hands of Lance Macklin at the Silverstone International meet where the DB3s famously finished first, second and third in class.
Appearances at the Monaco Grand Prix and Le Mans followed (both of which ended with a DNF).
Reg Parnell subsequently drove chassis 5 to a class win at the Boreham 100 mile International race. This followed a successful trip to the Jersey road races where Parnell took fourth overall and third in class.
Perhaps the car’s finest hour was an exciting victory at the end-of-season Goodwood 9 Hours on August 16th 1952.
As some of the favourites fell by the wayside, Peter Collins and Pat Griffith stayed out of trouble to secure Aston Martin another highly marketable win.
As the much-improved DB3S wasn’t expected to arrive until the spring of 1953, Aston Martin prepared four of their existing DB3s for use during the early stage of the season.
Chassis 5 appeared twice more as a works car with both appearances coming as part of the inaugural World Sportscar Championship.
Reg Parnell and George Abecassis drove it to second overall and class victory at the Sebring 12 Hours which went down as the car’s other standout achievement.
It was then entered for Abecassis and Griffith to drive in the Mille Miglia. Unfortunately, this outing ended soon after the southerly Rome checkpoint when the steering broke and the car crashed out.
Chassis 5 was taken back to the factory where the damaged bodywork was removed.
The rolling chassis was purchased around twelve months later by Nigel Mann who had previously owned and raced a DB2 (LML/50/59) which he drove to a tenth place finish at Le Mans in 1951.
As a good customer, Mann was able to purchase the naked DB3. He quickly fitted a quirky Coupe body; the front end mimicked a DB3S while, from the cockpit back, it was Morgan-esque.
In this configuration, Mann raced chassis 5 three times in 1954. The car’s best result was sixth overall at the Hyeres 12 Hour road race in southern France.
For 1955, Mann preferred to use his new Alfa Romeo 1900 (he had previously raced an 8C alongside the DB2). Chassis 5 appeared just once that season. However, Mann had not skimped on its preparation. The existing Coupe body had been transformed into a Spider while the nose had been further modified in the latest DB3S style.
The car’s sole appearance in 1955 was at the Hyeres 12 Hours where it placed sixth overall for the second year in succession.
Thereafter, chassis 5 was retired from active duty.
The car was later road registered UPL 4 and exported to Hong Kong.
It re-emerged in the USA in 1979, by which time another Spider body had been fitted.
The car returned to the UK in 1990 and was restored to its original configuration.
Notable History
David Brown (Aston Martin Ltd.), Feltham
10/05/1952 IND Silverstone International (L. Macklin) 4th oa, 3rd S3.0 class (#31)
02/06/1952 IND Monaco GP (L. Macklin) DNF (#76)
15/06/1952 IND Le Mans 24 Hours (L. Macklin / P. Collins) DNF (#25)
10/07/1952 IND Jersey International Road Race, St. Helier (R. Parnell) 4th oa, 3rd S2.5+ class (#26)
02/08/1952 IND Boreham 100 mile International (R. Parnell) 3rd oa, 1st S3.0 class (#31)
16/08/1952 IND Goodwood 9 Hours (P. Collins / P. Griffith) 1st oa, 1st S3.0 class (#17)
08/03/1953 WSC Sebring 12 Hours (R. Parnell / G. Abecassis) 2nd oa, 1st S3.0 class (#30)
26/04/1953 WSC Mille Miglia (G. Abecassis / P. Griffith) DNF (#612)
Damaged body removed after 1965 Mille Miglia crash
Sold to Nigel Mann, Sussex
Fitted with Coupe bodywork
06/06/1954 IND Hyeres 12 Hours (N. Mann / C. Brackenbury) 6th oa, 2nd S2.0+ class (#3)
22/08/1954 IND La Baule (N. Mann) 14th oa, 6th S2.0+ class (#??)
25/09/1954 IND Goodwood International Unlimited Sports (N. Mann) ran (#76)
Body modified to Spider configuration
29/05/1955 IND Hyeres 12 Hours (N. Mann / M. Morris-Goodall) 6th oa, 5th S2.0+ class (#22)
Later road registered UPL 4
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Aston Martin - https://www.astonmartin.com
