With the paint removed, all was revealed. Years of poorly executed repairs, all covered with a nice thick layer of filler ­ up to 30mm thick in places! This grim finding is fairly common with Aston Martins, as the bodies are made from aluminium which requires a skilled, experienced craftsman to repair properly. Unfortunately for the unsuspecting classic car owner, there seems to be more and more panelbeaters around who have developed great skills in sculpting filler rather than repairing cars properly. With all the filler removed, the body could be assessed properly.

We hand made new outer sill panels, new door skins and a complete new front along with many hours of replacing sections that had been damaged too badly to salvage. All exterior fittings were trial fitted to ensure correct fit and then it was over to the paintshop for the classic Aston Martin silver paintwork.

Reassembled and retrimmed, we gave the engine and engine bay a cosmetic restoration, which was all that was needed and this Aston was back on the road in around 9 months.