Sir Paul McCartney’s 1964 Aston Martin DB5 and Ringo Starr’s 1966 Austin Mini Cooper S will both be crossing the block at Bonhams’ December 2 Bond Street Sale in London.
McCartney’s Aston, chassis number 1653/R (above, photo courtesy of Bonhams), was completed at Newport Pagnell on July 3, 1964, and delivered on September 22 to Bryce, Hamer & Isherwood, Sir Paul’s accountants at the time. Ordered by McCartney prior to his departure for the Beatles’ world tour in the summer of 1964, the DB5 was subsequently registered in the musician’s name, and Paul greatly enjoyed driving it over the following six years. Accompanying paperwork shows the sale price was £3,800 10s 0d plus Purchase Tax of £793 6s 8d.
The BMIHT certificate on file confirms that the first recorded purchaser was Paul McCartney, while showing that the Aston was originally finished in Sierra Blue with black interior. It was fitted as standard with a ZF five-speed gearbox, and a long list of other desirable factory options.
Though Paul McCartney later owned an Aston Martin DB6, which has enjoyed extensive media coverage, this lesser known DB5 is believed to be the first Aston owned by the musician. He ordered it at a particularly important career juncture, just weeks after the Beatles’ appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show and the completion of filming A Hard Day’s Night, their first film.
The car enjoyed excellent care and feeding with subsequent owners — its current ownership family has had it for 40 years — and comes to auction in truly immaculate condition, with copy guarantee form, a V5C registration document; current MoT; invoices relating to its recent restoration; and the aforementioned BMIHT certificate. The full story of its life, celebrity owners and restoration is also detailed in a beautifully presented full-color 141-page book, a copy of which accompanies the car.
Ringo’s Cooper S boasts features such as a hatchback conversion by coachbuilder Harold Radford that was offered as an option on his company’s up-market Mini de Ville GT, introduced in October 1965. Ringo’s rationale was that he needed the extra access for his drum kit. Ringo’s Mini was purchased new by band manager Brian Epstein’s company, to which it was first registered in May 1966. Registration passed to Richard Starkey (Ringo’s actual name) on June 15, 1967, and he kept the car until selling it in December 1968. Nothing is known of its subsequent history until 1977, when it was purchased by the current owner’s father.
While in the latter’s ownership, the car has appeared on the BBC television program Blue Peter in February 1984, being described as the “Rolls-Royce of Minis,” and in March of that same year went on display at the “Beatle City” exhibition in Liverpool. In August 1987, the Mini was displayed in Dallas, Texas, when the “Beatle City” exhibition came to the USA, and following its return home was restored by Naylor Brothers in 1990-’91. In 1998, Ringo’s Mini won the coveted Cartier “Style et Luxe” concours award at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and three years later was featured on BBC TV’s flagship motoring show, Top Gear.
The car is expected to be freshly MoT’d prior to sale, but potential buyers should be advised that some additional re-commissioning of the electrics will be required. Finished in two-tone Rolls-Royce Regal Red/silver-grey, this fabulous piece of Beatles-related motoring history is offered with sundry restoration invoices, a V5 Registration Certificate, and the original logbook signed by both Brian Epstein and Richard Starkey.
For complete information on both cars, please visit www.bonhams.com
