1954 Aston Martin DB2 Drophead Coupe

Introduced in 1950, the DB2 Drophead Coupe – with its fashionable all aluminum body, highly tuned twin-cam straight six, and peerless reputation among sports car enthusiasts – was one of the most exclusive sports cars money could buy. All told, 102 examples were built, of which approximately 76 were specified in left-hand drive for export markets.

Few of these cars were sold to America, and even fewer looked as handsome as this example, which was delivered new in San Francisco with the same color scheme it presents today: Orient Blue with a red leather interior. As a US-market car, it was built in left-hand drive and, though originally ordered in April 1953, it did not leave the factory for a further eight months.

The car’s original owner was Mario Corbett, the famed “Bay Tradition” architect who, during this period, designed a number of his most charismatic residences. Among them were The Round House at Wolfback Ridge in Sausalito, the Spaulding Residence in Pacific Palisades, and 601 Ortega Street in San Francisco – a home distinctive for having no square or rectangular rooms.

Delivered to Mr. Corbett at his Montgomery Street address in San Francisco on February 8, 1954, this DB2 Drophead Coupe was acquired by a client whose profession reflected the very qualities for which Aston Martin is renowned: elegant design, purposeful engineering, and exceptional craftsmanship. Unfortunately, factory records do not record how long Corbett retained the car or identify its subsequent owners. However, by the late 1990s, the car surfaced at Symbolic Motors and then joined a private New England collection, where it remained for the next 15 years. In 2012, Symbolic reacquired the Drophead Coupe from that collection.

The current owner, a passionate collector and Anglophile, sought out the DB2 for its rarity and its appeal as an all-weather postwar touring car. He acquired the Aston Martin in 2012, and had it restored over the next few years, initially at Sublime Restorations of New Hampshire, and later at Automotive Restorations Inc. of Stratford, Connecticut. The work culminated in an extensive cosmetic refurbishment, returning the car to its original blue exterior with a red interior.

Alongside this cosmetic work, a larger-capacity three-liter engine block was sourced from Vetus Engineering Ltd. in the UK to enhance performance, along with a new crankshaft, rods, pistons, and cylinder head from British suppliers. The engine was rebuilt around these components by Charles Sim of Cycles Immortal in Maine, who also rebuilt the transmission and rear axle. The original matching-numbers engine block, rods, pistons, and related components were retained.

Since restoration was completed in 2020, the car has been rewarded with regular use and benefited from fastidious care within the owner’s personal collection. An exceptional example of the model, with an intriguing provenance, this DB2 Drophead Coupe is ideally suited for touring or concours display.