Feature Car: 1952 Aston Martin DB2 Saloon
We recently spotted this ultra rare 1952 Aston Martin DB2 Saloon at a car show in the Nashville area. It was incredible and I was totally enthralled with it. Although I was never able to meet up with the owner the following information was provided by the display board with the car.
This 1952 Aston Martin DB2, one of 308 built, was delivered new to Mexico in early 1952. After a short stint there, it was exported to the UK where it was converted to RHD. After several European owners, it was sold to a gentleman from New York who was an active member of the Aston Martin Owner’s Club and he campaigned the car extensively in numerous vintage rallies including the 1986 Carrera Panamericana, the Colorado Grand, the Copperstate 1000 and numerous New England 1000’s.
The car was sold to Florida at the 2007 RM Auction at the Amelia Island Concours and was then purchased by the current owner. They immediately set out to prepare the car for vintage rallying and undertook an extensive rebuild including an engine overhaul by noted Feitham Aston specialist Kevin Kay of California with the remainder of the work by JD’s British Cars of Nashville. The car was completed in time for the California Mille Miglia in May 2009 where it performed beautifully.
The car has received its FIA Historic Passport, necessary for campaigning in European rally events and the car was submitted for entry in several of these event in 2010-211 including the Italian Mille Miglia.
DB2 Astons were the first major effort of production cars for the Aston under the leadership of English industrialist David Brown who bought the company after WW II and whose initials “DB” still grace today’s Aston martin’s. DB2 Astons had significant success in racing and rallying including class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Mille Miglia and the Alpine Rally.