Our “Video of the Week” this time is from Petrolicious and is of a 1957 Aston Martin Mk III that the owner bills as “perfectly awful.” And no, that is not an insult, it is a term of endearment. This is not one of those over-restored, pampered, show-only cars. This is an honest to god, survivor, original. And it is simply wonderful. “Some day, down in the future, whoever ends up with this car when it leaves my garage—they may choose to restore it,” says Dave Adams. “…but I hope if and when that happens, they do it with the correct lens so it’s not over-restored.”
This 1957 Aston Martin Mk III is actually the prototype for the Mk III range, and was not only used for official testing and design duties, but had also been entered into the Monte Carlo Rally. As Adams explains, the Mk III represented a huge number of both endings and beginnings for the marque.
“When Ian Fleming wrote Goldfinger in 1957, the gadget-filled Aston Martin, it was a Mk III. The movie was made in 1964,” he says. “Sean Connery drives a DB5, but James Bond drives a Mk III.”
Adams has been working with classic cars since he bought and old Jaguar while a student in high school, and through years of learning, gaining experience, and importing classic cars—since the ’70s—he’s built a life around motoring. His beloved Mk III has remained in Adams’ care since he bought the car in England, and he knew from the get-go that this prototype was a special car.
“I would call it a nice used sports car,” he says. “I sort of think it’s been art directing itself over these years…to me, this car’s perfectly awful—I love it the way it is.”
What a truly magnificent car in a gorgeous setting. I much prefer survivor cars such as this – be they Aston, Triumph, Jaguar or MG – to the better than new show queens. Perhaps that viewpoint comes with age and perspective when we realize that aging gracefully can be far more attractive that too many trips to the cosmetic surgeon.
I have 2 Morgan cars in the showroom in this condition
a 64 4/4 and a 67 plus 4 , they are good driving cars that some might find ugly others might say perfect.
pics and details on the site
I applaud Dave Adams for enjoying his car for the fun of using it. We hear many stories of cars restored to concours standards and taken to shows in a trailer – that’s fine for those who like to do that and good for them but there are many car enthusiasts who enjoy driving their cars and the pride of ownership is in the use not purely the possession! We need to hear more of people who xrive their cars.
Where was the video shot? The small car ferry reminds me of one in Oregon, as does a lot of the landscape and trees.