PROVENANCE
Charles Turner, Atlanta, Georgia (acquired circa 1980)
Robert Clerk, Deerfield Beach, Florida (acquired from the above circa 1982)
Mark Templeton, Gulf Stream, Florida (acquired from the above in 2001)
Roger Corea, Rochester, New York (acquired from the above in 2002)
Current Owner (acquired from the above in 2004)
LITERATURE
Aston Martin Owners Club, , vol. III, 2005, chassis no. listed on p. 207

EXHIBITED
Aston Martin Owners Club Eastern Regional Meet, Lime Rock, Connecticut, August 2004 (Second in Class)
Forza Mille, New England, October 2004
ATSC Concours d’Elegance, Irvine, California, 2004 (Third in Class)
California Mille, April 2005
Concours d’Elegance at the St. Regis, Dana Point, California, 2009
Dana Point Concours d’Elegance, Dana Point, California, 2012 (First in Class)
Palos Verdes Concours d’Elegance, Palos Verdes, California, 2013 (First in Class)

THIS CAR
Featuring updated styling inspired by the DB3S racing car and an engine revised by Tadek Marek, the Aston Martin Mk III is one of 551 examples built through 1959.

Completed at the Feltham works on August 27, 1957, this Mk III is believed by the consignor to be one of approximately 25 left-hand-drive examples produced that year. Originally finished in Deep Carriage Green, the Aston Martin was initially sold through the official dealer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Though little is known of the car’s earliest years, by the early 1980s it was owned by Charles Turner of Atlanta.

Chassis 1332 was in need of some attention when purchased from Mr. Turner in 1982 by Robert Clerk of Deerfield Beach, Florida. Formerly a technical service manager for Aston Martin – and later president of Aston Martin Vintage Racing Services – Mr. Clerk was uniquely qualified to take on the Mk III’s restoration, which commenced in 1986. In addition to assistance from his son, Jon, Mr. Clerk retained Harry Tidmarsh to file-strip the aluminum body, which was then repainted in classic Aston Martin Racing Green by Dwayne Nosworthy of Westchester Classic Cars in Danbury, Connecticut. The interior was re-trimmed in two-tone green, while Victor Trockemko rebuilt the engine, gearbox, rear end, and other mechanical components.

Completed in 1990, the Aston Martin was retained by Mr. Clerk for 11 more years of mild use before being sold in October 2001 to Mark Templeton of Gulf Stream, Florida. Six months later, Roger Corea, a dealer in Rochester, New York, purchased the Mk III, and he sold the car in early 2004 to the consignor. Intending to use the Aston Martin in events, the new owner immediately sent the Mk III for freshening to the famed marque specialists at Steel Wings of Ivyland, Pennsylvania. Notably, Steel Wings is partly owned by Jon Clerk, who had helped with the earlier restoration.

In August 2004, the Mk III was presented at the Aston Martin Owners Club Eastern Regional Meet at Lime Rock, Connecticut, and won a class award. Two months later, the car participated in the Forza Mille tour in New England, and in 2005, it ran in the California Mille. The consignor was amazed by the Mk III’s performance during these events, noting that the model provides ample trunk space and “is quite comfortable for long days of aggressive driving on mountain roads.”

More recently treated to cosmetic measures by Classic European Restorations in Vista, California, as well as mechanical attention – including a rebuild of the cylinder head and brake master cylinder – by the esteemed Kevin Kay of Redding, California, this Mk III has continued to win class awards at Southern California concours. This is a most impressive example of an important Aston Martin model and it will be a fantastic addition to a discerning collector’s stable of high-quality sports cars.