This is a collection of parts to build a replica James Bond-style Aston Martin DB5, including the rotating license plates, a removable ejector roof panel, a pop-up rear bullet shield, rear axle tire slashers, an oil sprayer, a smoke screen machine, and faux machine guns behind the headlights.
Although the car is titled as a 1964 Aston, it actually consists of a replica DB5 chassis, a body made from fiberglass and carbon fiber, a Jaguar XK engine, a Tremec T-5 five-speed manual gearbox, Wilwood four-wheel disc brakes, suspension, and many of the required interior parts.
Fast Facts – A James Bond Aston Martin DB5 Replica
- This Aston Martin DB5 replica includes iconic Bond gadgets like rotating license plates, faux machine guns, an ejector roof panel, and a smoke screen. With a body built from fiberglass and carbon fiber, it uses a Jaguar XK inline-six engine, Tremec T-5 gearbox, Wilwood disc brakes, and it has an exact copy of the DB5 chassis.
- The original Aston Martin DB5, launched in 1963, had a 4.0 liter straight-six engine producing 282 bhp, a ZF 5-speed manual transmission, a luxurious interior, and excellent performance by the standards of the time. It was produced until 1965 and then produced again in very limited numbers in 2020.
- The DB5 famously featured in the James Bond franchise, beginning with Goldfinger (1964), where its fictional spy gadgets made it legendary. Since then, the DB5 has appeared in numerous Bond films, including Thunderball, Casino Royale, Skyfall, and No Time to Die.
- This partially completed replica project, titled as a 1964 Aston Martin, is being offered for sale in California. Additionally, it includes an extensive interior parts catalogue including gray-upholstered seats, a wood-rimmed steering wheel, Smiths gauges, and a Vintage Air climate-control system.
The Aston Martin DB5
Introduced in 1963, the Aston Martin DB5 retained much of the styling of the later version of the DB4, but incorporated a series of significant mechanical upgrades. The most significant of these upgrades was the increase in displacement of the all-aluminum straight-six from 3.7 liters to 4.0 liters.
Above Video: This is the famous scene from “Goldfinger” in which James Bond, played by Sean Connery in this outing, was first introduced to his DB5 and given a rundown on all its gadgets.
This change, coupled with the triple SU carburetors, increased the engine’s output to 282 bhp, giving the car a top speed of approximately 145 mph. Though these figures may not seem earth shattering today, back in the early days of the 1960s they were immense.
To put it all into perspective, 282 bhp was more than the Jaguar E-Type’s 265 bhp, and more than the 276 bhp of the Ferrari 250 GT SWB and the 280 bhp of the Lamborghini 350 GT.
The DB5 also featured a new ZF 5-speed manual transmission, replacing the earlier 4-speed unit, and offered an optional 3-speed Borg-Warner automatic transmission. Standard equipment included reclining seats, wool pile carpets, electric windows, twin fuel tanks, chrome wire wheels, and full leather trim, reflecting Aston Martin’s reputation for opulence.
The DB5 would remain in production from 1963 until 1965 when it was replaced with the DB6. Interestingly, the DB5 would return to production in 2020 with 25 continuation examples made.
James Bond’s DB5
The Aston Martin DB5’s association with the James Bond film franchise elevated its status not just in Britain, but around the world. In Ian Fleming’s 1959 novel Goldfinger, James Bond drove an Aston Martin DB Mark III.
However, for the 1964 film adaptation, the producers sought a current model and approached Aston Martin for their latest offering. The company provided a prototype DB5, which was then outfitted with various fictional gadgets by special effects expert John Stears.
The body for the car is made from carbon fiber and fiberglass, the total weight is just 170 lbs.
These gadgets included machine guns behind the headlights, a passenger ejector seat, a revolving license plate, an oil slick sprayer, a bulletproof shield, and a number of others. The DB5 made its debut in Goldfinger and returned in the subsequent film Thunderball.
DB5s have now appeared in eight Bond films including the two previously mentioned, as well as Golden Eye, Tomorrow Never Dies, Casino Royale, Skyfall, Spectre, and No Time to Die.
The James Bond DB5 Replica Shown Here
The car shown here is a replica, but that might be for the best, as if anyone took a genuine DB5 and started cutting it up to add Bond gadgets to it they would likely find themselves hunted by a posse of Aston enthusiasts wielding flaming torches and freshly sharpened pitchforks.
This project car consists of a body made from fiberglass and carbon fiber that is said to weigh just 170 lbs. There is also a replica DB5 chassis, a 4.2 liter Jaguar XK inline-six, a Tremec T-5 five-speed manual transmission, Wilwood four-wheel disc brakes, suspension, and a dual exhaust system.
It also includes a number of Bond gadgets including rotating license plates, a removable ejector roof panel, a pop-up rear bullet shield, rear axle tire slashers, an oil sprayer, a smoke screen machine, and faux machine guns.
This project car is accompanied by a 4.2 liter Jaguar XK straight-six, triple Weber carburetors with polished intake trumpets, and a pair of three-branch exhaust manifolds.
A significant number of parts for the interior are also included, the lot includes windows, trim, badges, seats with gray upholstery, a wood-rimmed steering wheel, Smiths gauges, and a Vintage Air climate control system.
The project car is now being offered for sale out of Santa Barbara, California with a California title that lists it as a 1964 Aston. If you’d like to read more or place a bid you can find the listing on Bring a Trailer here.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
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