Your Ride: 1950 Aston Martin DB2 Drophead Prototype

Posted on 19 April 2014 by Jeff Perez 

@ BOLD RIDE                          

How did you acquire your ride?

You may remember back in November of 2013 that we featured one of our reader Jose’s very rare, and very beautiful 1932 Alvis Speed 20 SA. It was a classic in pristine condition.

 

But Jose’s collection is more than just a one-hit wonder. He recently sent us photos and info regarding his 1950 Aston Martin DB2 Drophead Prototype. Another extremely rare, and extremely well-kept vehicle. He and his car recently took a trip from New Mexico to San Francisco called the Jewel of the USA.

 

Here’s our full interview with Jose below:

 

For many years I owned a 1951 DB2 Coupe (in which we had entered the 1999 1000 Millas in Argentina and the 2000 Mille Miglia in Italy) and was looking for a same model drophead. I was in London in 2004 on the eve of the start of the London Sydney Marathon when I saw a magazine advert for this car. It was love at first site: went to the dealer, drove it ’round the block and agreed a value and the purchase. Flying back from Sydney a month later I collected it and drove it home to Portugal…

 

What drew you to it when you bought it?
 

Its history and its looks. It was the model prototype (chassis number 10, LML/50/10) and it was featured in virtually all road tests of this model at the time. And it was owned by (Sir) David Brown and later by his son David Brown Jr. Also, the registration letters VMF were a factory exclusive, the three DB2′s that entered at Le Mans were also VMF’s… And the Frank Feeley designed body has such fluid lines and is so minimalist that it is a real gem. Some resemblance to Ferrari barchettas of the same period though.
 

Does it have a name.
 

Being maroon in colour we just call it “vermelhinho” which in portuguese means “the little red one” with affection, to differentiate it from our DB2 Coupe which is green…

 

What do you feel like when you drive it?
 

The chassis is very responsive but of course we can not forget it is a 1950 car. With cross-ply tyres, heavy steering and slow gear change driving it fast is a mouthful… But what a joy.
 

What you would change about your car, if anything?
 

Anything I change would completely adulterate the car’s character. No, no, it has to be driven as designed in its day…
 

What have you done to make it a bolder ride?
 

Actually, it features a later 3 liter engine, rather than the original 2.6 liter…

Dream accessory for it and why?