A long-suffering partner is a vital component in any classic car ownership.
There has to be a degree of subterfuge, too, and my excuse for purchasing an Aston Martin DB6 in 1978 was that our two children were finding it difficult to squeeze into the back seats of my Porsche 911s, so I suggested a four-seater as the family conveyance.
I tried a couple – one with an automatic ’box, which is a travesty for that engine – then found a 1968 DB6 with 36,000 miles for £3250; I considered an Aston Martin DB5, but the extra few inches in the 6’s wheelbase meant two reasonable rear seats.
There wasn’t a big price difference between a 5 and 6 in those days.
The Aston Martin DB6 replaced Robin Beynon’s Porsche 911s as family transport
As family and part-time business transport, it performed effortlessly – even on holiday trips to Devon, when the boot space proved adequate.
After owning two-seaters such as a Healey 3000 and a Daimler SP250, I was pretty good at packing small boots.
It has been in the family for 45 years now.
I have kept a record of all the work and the expenditure, although I have never added up the total costs – and I won’t.
This cherished Aston Martin DB6 has covered nearly 90,000 miles with its current owner
