1957 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk II Coupe

A race car’s provenance is vital to its value, and there’s much to be said for one that’s largely been untouched from the time it laid tire tracks on tarmac or dirt. That’s clearly the case with this 1957 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk II that’s beautiful simply because it wears its experiences on its less-than-perfect body like a badge of honor. Don Bose discovered it in the California desert mid-restoration with its original black paint removed. The bodywork was halted before Bose bought it. He then proceeded with a mechanical restoration that had the guts reworked but left the body and interior as-is per Bose’s explicit instructions. Then he raced it and it took on the wonderful dented patina you see here. It suffered a collapsed roof due to a repair shop accident, and Bose had it fixed but continued to retain the rather imperfect and storied exterior. Now, it’s going up for auction from August 15-17 at Monterey Car Week and should make for one seriously unique collector’s piece with the kind of character only time can imbue.