1938 Aston Martin 15/98 Short-Chassis Open Sports
- Colour
- Green
Chassis C8/821/SO is a 1938 Aston Martin 15/98 Open Sports, one of the short-chassis models introduced in 1936 to bridge the gap between outright competition cars and the gentleman's touring market. Delivered new in March 1938 in green with matching leather trim, the car eventually reached the United States, where it became known to the North American Aston Martin Owners Club and accumulated concours recognition, including Best Open Car Pre-WWII at the 2011 Greenwich Concours. A subsequent restoration by the Paterek Brothers in New Jersey revealed a cracked original engine block; a replacement block and head are currently fitted, while the repaired original accompanies the car.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$224,000
- 1938 →Factory deliveryMr. Harding-Carispartial documentation
First registered owner; vehicle was delivered new in 1938 and factory maintenance records document early servicing during this period.
- → 1940Second owner, pre-1940none documentation
- → 1940Third owner, pre-1940none documentation
Factory records indicate substantial crash-damage repair work completed in early 1940 at a cost of £150.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownNorth American owner(s)partial documentation
Car eventually reached the United States and became known to the North American Aston Martin Owners Club; a restoration was carried out by the Paterek Brothers in New Jersey, during which a cracked engine block was discovered and replaced.
Competition
- 20112011 Greenwich Concours d'EleganceBest Open Car Pre-WWII
Award given in the pre-war open car category at the Greenwich Concours.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1940RepairAston Martin Works
Factory works undertook accident damage repairs at a cost of £150, completed in early 1940; preceded by several minor services also recorded at the factory.
Details drawn from factory maintenance records.
- —RestorationPaterek Brothers
Comprehensive restoration carried out in New Jersey; during the work the original engine block was found to be cracked and replaced with a substitute block and cylinder head. The original block was subsequently repaired and is retained with the car.
Work took place several years before the auction date; a small collection of restoration and historical documents accompanies the car.
- —Service
Cosmetic detailing and mechanical servicing carried out in preparation for the auction sale.
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