One to Buy: rare Burnham Green 13,000 mile 1986 Aston Martin V8 Volante V585
When it came to the ultimate sporty open-topped Grand Tourer during the 1980s, nothing could match Aston Martin’s handsome line of V8 Volantes which offered Rolls-Royce build quality with performance well beyond anything the Jaguar XJS or Mercedes-Benz SL could offer.
In the second half of the decade, Aston Martin also build the Volante in spectacularly powerful Vantage trim with massive spoilers, deep side skirts and brawny wheelarch extensions. However, while that Vantage punch was no doubt intoxicating, the more elegant appearance of the standard Volante makes it a highly desired machine today.
From early 1986, Aston Martin further enhanced the Volante’s refined nature with the switch to a V585 engine with electronic fuel-injection instead of carburettors.
274 of these cars were built between early 1986 and mid 1989, 59 of which were Coupes and the remaining 215 Volantes. Of these 215 open-bodied examples, just 44 were built in right-hand drive.
Today, undoubtedly one of the finest of those 44 right-hand drive V585 Volantes is on the market with Dylan Miles in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Configured in rarely seen Burnham Green with Natural hide piped Special Mid Green, Beige carpets, a Natural roof and automatic transmission, the car was supplied by HWM to its first owner, JJ Morris of Elstead, Surrey, on March 7th 1986.
The car’s second owner acquired it on February 24th 1987 and this Volante has remained with the same family ever since, during which time the mileage has risen to a little under 13,500.
Reprinted below is Dylan Miles’ description:
Price: GBP £159,950
Engine Size: 5340cc
No. of Cylinders: 8
BHP: 320
Number Made: 44 RHD
HISTORY
This beautiful V8 Volante was one of the first ‘V585’ series cars fitted with the Weber Marelli electronic fuel injection system and the Aston Martin works record confirms it was specified in Burnham Green coachwork with Natural 846 hides piped Special Mid Green, Steering wheel matched to piping, Natural hood trimmed in Everflex, Beige carpets and automatic transmission
The Volante was consigned to supplying dealer HW Motors on 29th January 1986 and sold to the first owner via H.R.Owen on 7th March 1986. The original warranty card retained on file denotes the first owner as Mr J.J.Morris Esq of Elstead, Surrey, issued on March 7th 1986 with registration C321 SPH
The original service book that remains with the Volante shows the first service completed by HW Motors on 17th March 1986 at 955 miles. The original V5 confirms the sale to the second owner Mr Ashworth, Lancs, on 24th February 1987 and the second service was undertaken by main agents JCT 600 on 9th July of the same year at 4962 miles
After his acquisition Mr Ashworth assigned the cherished registration JA 444 which would remain on the car until 1995 when it was replaced by the marque appropriate AM 444 registration
The Volante returned to JCT 600 in June 1988 for repairs to a leaking radiator, new tire and some minor adjustments with mileage at 9246 miles. In June 1989 the Aston was sent to Strattons of Salford for an oil service at 9959 miles and was saw minimal use until it was sent to Chapman Spooner Ltd in June 1994 where it received a 10,000 mile service, automatic gearbox rebuild and attention to the air conditioning system
Further sundry parts invoices from Stratstone were issued in February 1999 and the MoT history outlined at the bottom of the description shows the car was used sparingly for the following few years. The Volante was only used by Mr Ashworth on high days and holidays and lived alongside a very original DB5 that we entrusted to sell on behalf of the family in 2012 as well as a Commemorative V12 E Type Roadster
The decision was made by the family in December 2018 to commission restoration specialists Mitchell Motors of Wiltshire to carry out chassis restoration works, mileage now reading just over 13,000 miles
The history file contains invoices and photographs depicting the works which included cutting away lower sections of front and rear wings, blasting back to bare aluminium, removing the doors, cutting away sills on both sides, cutting away box sections and remanufacturing box sections and floor sides where required, weld in new outrigger sections, weld in new sills, weld wing bottoms back on, refit doors and repaint the sides, the total cost of which was GBP 12,000
Since the works listed above the Aston has lived in professional temperature-controlled storage and has seen very little use since. We are delighted to have been selected by the Ashworth family to find a new loving home for their Volante and upon its arrival with us it flew through an MoT, issued in July 2024 with total mileage today showing 13,488
We are very fortunate to handle some great Aston Martin motorcars but rarely do we see cars with such low mileage and ownership in such great colours. This two owner Volante is supplied with two sets of keys, original owners book containing original service booklet and warranty card, original Blaupunkt Toronto radio and manual, associated history file with service records and original V5 documents (old and current) and retains the cherished registration ‘AM 444’ which is available for purchase via separate negotiation
Without question one of the lowest mileage right hand drive V8 Volante’s extant, our research shows this to be the sole RHD EFi Volante delivered in Burnham Green and is a genuine, very original and unmolested low mileage example. Interested parties should note that further maintenance between 1987-2018 was undertaken in house by the family-owned garages which included a Bentley franchise but the Volante may require some recommissioning prior to use following its period in storage. This Volante offers a rare opportunity to own a unique and desirable Aston Martin at a very reasonable price level
MoT History
MoT – March 31st 1989 – 08959 miles
MoT – March 31st 1990 – 09459 miles
MoT- March 23rd 1991 – 09929 miles
MoT – March 28th 1992 – 09959 miles
MoT – April 15th 1993 – 09982 miles
MoT – April 29th 1994 – 10,042 miles
MoT – April 26th 1995 – 10,122 miles
MoT – May 15th 1996 – 10,262 miles
MoT – May 28th 1997 – 10,296 miles
MoT – April 30th 1999 – 11,230 miles
MoT – August 21st 2004 – 11,743 miles
MoT – November 18th 2005 – 11,817 miles
MoT – May 12th 2008 – 11,928 miles
MoT – April 7th 2012 – 11,974 miles
MoT – June 16th 2014 – 12,449 miles
MoT – May 15th 2017 – 12,606 miles
MoT – January 31st 2019 – 13,341 miles
MoT – July 16th 2024 – 13,488 miles
