You knew the previous-generation Aston Martin Vanquish came with a wonky automated-manual gearbox — arguably that car's weakest link. But did you know Aston Martin has since installed traditional six-speed manuals in 90 of those cars? Here's where they did it.
That's just one of the things you'll learn about Aston Martin Works on this week's episode of /DRIVEN. Have a pre-war 15/98 Roadster that's been rear-ended by some texting dope? Send it to Works. Have a mid-'70s Aston V8 that needs a right-hand- to left-hand-drive conversion? Ditto.
Need a complete makeover of your supercharged Vantage, including a full-color change, new interior, engine rebuild and manual-to-automatic swap? New chassis for your DB5? Back the Brink's truck right up here.
The shop still has all of the automaker's original body bucks, so if you need, say, new panels for your DB2, they're just a few hand-hammerings away.
Most high-end automakers with a storied history, including Ferrari and Porsche, have a place like this — a shop where owners can have their beloved appreciating (or depreciating, as the case may be) cars looked at, fawned over and worked on, no matter how valuable they are.
Sure, it's a moneymaker, but for a brand whose past glory still looms spectre-like over the present, a "works" shop is mission-critical.
Aston Martin Rebuilds Irreplaceable Classics In This UK Workshop