Aston Martin V8

[mrg3.6]

Unfortunately not Porsche related I'm afraid, but does anyone have any views on (or experience of) the generally 'unloved' Aston Martin Series 2 & 3 cars produced between 72-73 (injected) and 74-76 (Carbs):



Martin

[pmjt]

I wouldn't say they're unloved - POW spec and Vantage Oscar India spec cars can fetch huge money. Series 3 and AMV8 are catching up. But yes, they are cheap compared to DB's (not the 7's and 9's).

To drive? They are not a sports car More a 'sporting' car - they waft and have loads of torque from a lazy engine linked to a (if automatic) lazy torque converter.

I would describe them as a "sense of occasion car" - when you open the door and smell the leather (must be maintained with something like Forte or Connolly hide food or it ruins) then slip into the relatively unsupported seat, touch the leather and the wood, then fire the V8 it can't fail to get the pulse going.

And then you slip into drive (or wrestle with the stupendously heavy clutch if manual - these cars were built for MEN ) and then set off you wonder "why so much noise for so little motion?"

The whole thing shudders as it gets going - the chassis flex - yes, even the coupe's - is quite alarming - they make you realise just how big a car they are. They pick up their skirts after a while - and cruise beautifully once up to speed. As long as it's a straight road. With no need to brake........ in which case you wait for them to pick up speed......... repeat:

The problem is that the 'sense of occasion' only works for a while and so you end up thinking "why do I own this??" - then the service bills come in and then something goes wrong.....

They usually have low mileage because they're rarely (able to be) used and require constant sorting. They (sorry, this is my perspective having owned Astons from DB2/4 (which was actually rather good) to Vanquish (which was actually spectacularly awful )) fail to live up to the 'tingle' you first get and after a while you get very bored with them.

For me, every time I get in my RS it could be considered underwhelming: no leather, no walnut, no signature of the guy who made the engine on the top of the cam cover, no thud of the door closing (just the 'thwang' of a well fitting piece of machinery ) - but when you set off, every time it reminds you just how special it is - all early 911's do.

Not sure if any of that makes any sense - but it's from my experience

Perhaps this might help: I used to call the guys at JCT Aston Martin (Leodis Court) while in France, Switzerland, Germany - wherever I was with the car and sing this little ditty - to the tune of Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head:

"Bits keep on dropping off my Aston......"

I could go on but I guess you've worked out my view on them

P

[Mike]

Featured in a recent magazine test but can't remember which one, only recall
13 mpg and boat like handling, but good motorway cruiser.

[JB-L]

No experience of owning/driving one, however I keep coming across them in various workshops in my local area Newport Pagnell/Olney/Northampton villages, appear to be a lot of craftsman keeping them alive.

PS I always enjoy finding another one, or seeing one out on a test drive.

[KS]

Around 1980, back in the days when I had a road test car almost every week, I had an Aston Martin V8 for a week – factory car, regn. AMV 8. As said, more a GT in the truest sense than a sports car BUT still amazing fun and quintessentially British. I loved it, but got told off by the publisher for using over £100-worth of petrol in that week (back when petrol cost nothing...). Followed that by a road test of a twin-turbocharged Lagonda factory test car. Now that was interesting (especially in a straight line). I did note that the test car had analogue guages fitted in place of the 'hi-tech but never worked' digi set-up normally used...

[PhilipB]

I had the dubious privilege of driving an early 70s V8 Vantage for the weekend a while ago. If early 911s are your thing then the Aston V8 is the antithesis. It felt like a truck - huge, heavy and with agricultural controls. Not nice to drive in any way. Having said that they do look good and sound great. But that would wear off I think especially when you came to fill it up at the petrol station. Twin tanks I seem to remember.....

[richkaz]

Is it just the early cars that you need to know about ?
I have a road test of the earlier twin headlight car and the later 1980 Oscar India V Maserati Indy that I can post if it's of interest.
Richard

[alfacat]

Hi Martin
This months issue of ' Classiccars' has an feature on the AMV8, its a little light wight (and short) but makes interesting reading.
Nice bit on Cobras if you like that sort of thing.

All the best

Ian F.

[mrg3.6]

Chaps - appreciate all the great AM feedback, certainly seems to be a 'love-hate' thing going on with the AM V8 then

I have lusted after an Aston, since my best friend and I 'borrowed' his dad's new Aston and drove it up/down the M4 whilst his parents were away one weekend - we were only 15 at the time and my mates old man never did find out

I would never consider an Aston as a replacement for my 911 so any comparison I guess is futile, but as I'm still chewing over importing a classic car over to Singapore and the series 2 & 3 cars seem to be 'relatively' good value (for a solid driver) when compared to the earlier DBS/later Oscar India variants or for that matter a decent early RHD 911, the AM would seem to make an interesting weekend cruiser particularly with it's factory a/c, assuming it works

PS - Interesting to note that the early Bosch injections system was superseded by carbs - any thoughts on that particular dilema?

Richard, I would much appreciate a copy of the road test and Ian, I'll keep an eye out for Classic Car.

Thx

Martin

[neilmcd]

Have you driven one? Astons do look good, but they might not deliver dynamically.

Takes me back to the mid 90's working for a car manufacturer in Norfolk, and we got a V8 Vantage in for ride & handling and noise & vibration appraisal (probably swapped it for the day for an Esprit - that was the usual trick.) Amazingly, this type of thing was part of my job. They paid me as well.

One of my colleagues drove it (as did I). I'll paraphrase his report:

"I don't ride horses, but if I found myself on one, my guess is that's what it would feel like. Galloping along, with no clue whether to kick it or pull on the strings in it's mouth to steer it."

It was all over the place.

I was sooo disappointed that something looking so good could be so bad.

Neil

[alfacat]

Hi Martin
If your in a hurry you can always catch up with 'Classiccars' on www.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk.
The car in the feature is for sale, good luck with your search.

All the best
Ian F.

[richkaz]

Old road test of Oscar India.

[richkaz]

Old test of DBS V8

[mrg3.6]

Thanks Richard

[Tosh]

Chaps - appreciate all the great AM feedback, certainly seems to be a 'love-hate' thing going on with the AM V8 then

I would never consider an Aston as a replacement for my 911 so any comparison I guess is futile, but as I'm still chewing over importing a classic car over to Singapore and the series 2 & 3 cars seem to be 'relatively' good value (for a solid driver) when compared to the earlier DBS/later Oscar India variants or for that matter a decent early RHD 911, the AM would seem to make an interesting weekend cruiser particularly with it's factory a/c, assuming it works


Martin

It's a Grand Tourer, a continental mile eater. Jurong to Changi on the ECP is hardly going to be it's natural habitat Although I guess you could take the CTE back