James Bond's Aston Martin DB5 Car For Sale

By: FSWL team

Published:
2010-06-23

1964 Aston Martin DB5 real James Bond car

The 1964 Aston Martin DB5, a genuine James Bond movie car (Chassis No DB5/1486/R), to be auctioned courtsey of RM Auctions in London.

RM Auctions is proud to represent the one of only two - and only known remaining - original 007 Aston Martin DB5 movie car at its October 27, 2010 'Automobiles of London' auction at Battersea Evolution, London, UK.

Chassis: DB5/1486/R; Engine: 400/1469/V; Original UK Reg: FMP 7B

FMP 7B Technical Details & Notes

• Silver Birch exterior paint; Dark Grey leather interior

• Engine: 3,995 cc/ Power: 282 bhp (210 kW) at 5500 rpm/ Torque: 288 lb·ft (390 N·m) at 3850 rpm/ Top Speed: 145 mph (233 km/h)/ 0–60 mph (97 km/h) Acceleration: 7.1 s (all figures quoted are for a ‘standard’ car without gadgets)

• As the Road Car driven by Sean Connery in Goldfinger (1964), FMP 7B was fitted with one of the first Vantage engines of any DB5, however, it displays triple SU carbs rather than Webers

• For Thunderball (1965), FMP 7B was fitted with the full complement of famous Bond gadgets - by the Factory - that are seen onscreen, including machine guns, bullet-proof shield, revolving number plates, tracking device, removable roof panel, oil slick sprayer, nail spreader and smoke screen - all controlled from factory installed toggles and switches hidden in the center arm-rest

FMP 7B and its movie history

• Two Aston Martin DB5s were used on screen for the production of the timeless 1960’s James Bond classics, Goldfinger and Thunderball. One of those two cars was reported stolen in 1997 and is believed to have been destroyed. The other is FMP 7B.

• Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 and its gadgets were the brainchild of Oscar-award-winning special effects expert John Stears, also of Star Wars and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang fame.

• FMP 7B was the Road Car used in Goldfinger. Featured in various locations and intended for the fast driving sequences, FMP 7B was given substantial screen time, most notably the scenes at the Stoke Park Club and, even more recognizably, when Bond is spying on Mr. Goldfinger from the picturesque Furka Pass in Switzerland.

• For Thunderball, FMP 7B was to have most of the screen time, so it was fitted with the full complement of gadgets which it carries to this day.

• FMP 7B, the only remaining Bond DB5 movie car in existence, is extremely original. Its specification has not changed since its appearance in THUNDERBALL and virtually all its distinctive gadgets remain intact - a remarkable discovery.

FMP 7B is sold to Mr Jerry Lee

• Sold in 1969 to American Mr. Jerry Lee – FMP 7B’s first ex-factory and remaining owner

• Mr. Lee pursued FMP 7B and eventually negotiated its purchase from the Aston Martin factory for $12,000

• For a time, Mr. Lee agreed to allow Aston Martin to continue to use FMP 7B for promotional purposes in the USA

• FMP 7B enjoyed record-breaking crowds at exhibitions on numerous occasions throughout the seventies, until the car was pulled from public life in 1977

• FMP 7B was shown publicly exactly twice over the ensuing 30+ years: once at the NY Motor Show in 1981 (making its second appearance there) and secondly at the Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance in 1993

• Otherwise, and until now, FMP 7B had remained completely out of public view, stored as a static display in Mr. Lee’s home

FMP 7B Today

• The odometer shows approximately 30,000 miles, mostly - one presumes - from its tour usage

• It is in highly original condition and was repainted at some stage

• The original dark grey interior remains in generally good condition, displaying a remarkably authentic and appealing original patina to match the mileage

• A careful re-commissioning program was recently undertaken by RM Auto Restoration, returning the car to running condition after its long-term static storage. Mechanically, this included a head-off engine service, a new clutch, a fully rebuilt braking system and new exhaust piping. (Completed in April/May 2010)

• The systems running the modified devices have been serviced as well, for more reliable and robust demonstration. This includes the revolving number plates, machine guns, bulletproof rear shield, smoke screen, tracking device and electric release of removable roof panel and smoke screen.

Proceeds from the sale of FMP 7B

Proceeds of the sale of FMP 7B will be used to further the charitable work of The Jerry Lee Foundation, a multi-national initiative dedicated to solving social problems associated with poverty, with an emphasis on crime prevention. The Foundation supports programs at the University of Pennsylvania and Cambridge University (UK), and it has established the Stockholm Prize in Criminology, for which Mr. Lee received a Swedish knighthood in 2008, as well as programs in Australia, Norway and Washington, DC.

Now in its fourth year, Automobiles of London is now a well-established sale on the European collector car calendar and takes place at Battersea Evolution, London, United Kingdom.

RM Auctions is the world’s largest collector car auction house and specializes in investment-quality automobiles, holding four of the top five world record prices for motor cars sold at auction.

For details about the Aston Martin DB5 - a real James Bond car - visit the official website:
www.rmauctions.com/bond/

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