ASTON MARTIN DB7 VANTAGE V12 6.0 LITRE

BOUGHT BY US AS A 'MINOR' PROJECT TO REPLACE OUR V12 XJS LISTER , THIS

LOW MILEAGE (47K) EXAMPLE IN NICE GENERAL CONDITION, BUT SERIOUSLY

LACKING IN RECENT REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE, MADE IT AN INTERESTING

SUBJECT TO CARRY OUT SOME NASTY RUST (LUCKILY ISOLATED TO REAR O/S QTR

AND WHEEL ARCH) REMOVAL, A FULL ROUTINE SERVICE,  FITTING OF A FULL NEW

OIL BREATHER PIPE SYSTEM, REPLACE RADIUS ARMS & FIXINGS, SAND BLAST REAR

CROSSBRACE & CHANGE DIFF OIL,  TIDY UP INTERIOR INCL HEADLINING, REFURBISH

WHEELS, MACHINE POLISH & CERAMIC COAT PAINTWORK, OVERHAUL BRAKES ETC

ETC.

   

Click an image to enlarge

ROUTINE SERVICING (21/06/2024)

ROUTINE SERVICING INCLUDED UPGRADING BRAKE FLUID TO DOT 5.1,

WHICH WAS PRECEDED BY A FULL FLUSH OUT OF ALL OLD FLUID . CASTROL

EDGE FULLY SYNTHETIC OIL WAS CHOSEN FOR THE ENGINE, OE OIL &

FUEL FILTERS, AND SHELL O.A.T. RED ANTI-FREEZE.  OUR NEIGHBOURING

GARAGE OWNER WORKS ON SEVERAL RACING ASTONS, AND SUGGESTED

WE USE RAM-AIR FILTERS FOR INDUCTION. BETTER PERFORMANCE AND

MUCH LESS COSTLY THAN OE. WE DID USE ORIGINAL A.M. FUEL FILTERS,

HOWEVER.  

DIFFERENTIAL SERVICE (20/06/2024)

REAR DIFF OIL REPLACED WITH CASTROL. REAR CROSSBRACE HAD TO

BE REMOVED FOR ACCESS - A GOOD  OPPORTUNITY TO SAND BLAST ALL

THE RUST AND DIRT OFF IT AND REFIT IT BACK ONTO THE CAR.

FULL SET OF NEW BREATHER HOSES AND PCV VALVES (20/05/2024)

SOME OF THE OIL BREATHER PIPES ON THE ASTON WERE STARTING TO BREAK DOWN, 

IN PARTICULAR, THE ELBOWS ADJACENT TO THE BULKHEAD WERE PERISHED. BECAUSE

OIL STARVATION CAN BE A POSSIBILITY IF THE PCV VALVES FAIL, THE DECISION WAS

MADE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE SET. THE ENGINE IN THIS CAR RUNS FAULTLESSLY, AND

WE INTEND TO KEEP IT THAT WAY ! 

INTERIOR INCLUDING HEADLINING (20/05/2024)

ONCE THE MORE SERIOUS BODYWORK WAS COMPLETE, AND THE ARCHES GIVEN 

A FEW COATS OF WAXOYL, THE INTERIOR WORK WAS STARTED. THE HEADLINING

WAS IN POOR CONDITION, BEING HELD IN PLACE WITH A FEW PINS - THE GLUE HAD

TYPICALLY FAILED. THE ORIGINAL HEADLINER WAS ALCANTARA - WHICH LIKE ROLLS

WOOL CAN BE A BIT HEAVY, SO WE DECIDED TO USE OUR NORMAL JAG NYLON. THE

COLOUR WAS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, BUT GAVE A NICE CONTRAST.  UPDATE - OUR

UPHOLSTERY SUPPLIER NOW HAS ANOTHER ALCANTARA WITH FOAM BACKING -

WHICH IS NOT MUCH HEAVIER THAN NYLON. FRONT PILLARS WERE ALSO BECOMING

UNGLUED, SO THESE GOT RETRIMMED ALSO. 

BODY AND PAINTWORK (14/05/2024)

ONCE FILLER WORK COMPLETE AND MASKING IN PLACE, 3 COATS OF HIGH

BUILD PRIMER WERE APPLIED, THEN FLATTED, FOLLOWING WHICH MAX

MEYER SOLVENT BASE COAT IN A.M. SOLENT SILVER APPLIED, THEN MAX MEYER

2K CLEAR LACQUER. THE FINAL SURFACE THEN FLAT & POLISHED ONCE IT

HAD THOROUGHLY CURED, THEN EVENTUALLY, THE ENTIRE CAR TREATED TO 

A HIGH QUALITY CERAMIC COATING. 

CUTTING, WELDING AND FURTHER RUST PREVENTION (07/05/2024)

THE REAR 0/S ARCH WAS CLEARLY BUBBLING. AS OFTEN OCCURS, THE

RESULTING CLEAN-UP LED TO A DECENT SIZED HOLE, WHICH SAW A NEW

PLATE SEAM WELDED IN PLACE. THIS GAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BARE-METAL

THE ENTIRE ARCH, AS SMALL RUST SPOTS WERE EVIDENT IN SEVERAL PLACES.

AS PAINTWORK WAS GOING TO BE NECESSARY - IT MADE SENSE TO GO THE 

WHOLE HOG, AND COMPLETELY DE-RUST THIS SECTION !