DB9 - better pictures

[marcos]

V12 Vantage, beauty although i do not like those carbon slats in the bonnet, i would want those painted to match the exterior colour.

Seen that done on a silver one, looks sooooo much better. The carbon vents work on back and dark grey cars, but look a bit silly on the light ones. I think painting them will catch on.

 

[marcos]

Just to give you an idea though, those are the Sports Pack wheels, decent stainless grille mesh and polished slatted grille. Clear rear lights as well bring it up to date.

Since then, lowered 25mm and track increased with spacers. Looks quite mean now.

All mods subtle but will make a significantly nicer car and one of a kind when it's all done.

And the wood interior is no more, now replaced with gunmetal coloured aluminium so the new switchgear will contrast even more. Have also added satin chrome ashtray cover, gear shift surround and gearknob from the DBS.

Don't like to think what I have spent so far and also what I have lined up for it!! Brembo 6-pot calipers and mahoosive discs may be a 37th birthday present to myself... As might the carbon diffuser and splitter...

 

[Paul L]

Just to give you an idea though, those are the Sports Pack wheels, decent stainless grille mesh and polished slatted grille. Clear rear lights as well bring it up to date.

Since then, lowered 25mm and track increased with spacers. Looks quite mean now.

All mods subtle but will make a significantly nicer car and one of a kind when it's all done.

And the wood interior is no more, now replaced with gunmetal coloured aluminium so the new switchgear will contrast even more. Have also added satin chrome ashtray cover, gear shift surround and gearknob from the DBS.

Don't like to think what I have spent so far and also what I have lined up for it!! Brembo 6-pot calipers and mahoosive discs may be a 37th birthday present to myself... As might the carbon diffuser and splitter...

Lewis, Lewis, lewis!

Yes, this is a car that some would wish to own but I have found spending £25.00 on a good decal can turn heads just as well.

YES, Spending £25.00 on a decal saying FREE Pizza can make your car become a magnet for the attention of the public!

 

[Paul L]

Sorry, just been told to say by the other half that your car is very nice!

I mean this is just taking the mickey - Aston Martin DB9 Volante manual 6.0, Marcos GT Spyder V8 4.6, Porsche 911 Targa 3.6, Lotus Turbo Esprit S3 2.2, Volkswagen Golf VR6 2.8 - - Give me a break!

Lewis, see you in France for the Le Mans trip - plus just joking on the cars, your missing a Lambo for a full house!

Long live the petrol head in all of us!!

Good night from the jealous guy!!!!

 

[marcos]

Soon to be added an Alfa 2000 Spider Veloce!

Just rememer you can sleep in a car, you can't drive a house...

Catch up soon Paul!

 

[marcos]

I would opt for a V8 Vantage over a DB9, slightly better looking personally.

Very subjective Adam. I find them too short and a bit cross-eyed, the guy who came to inspect the Alfa for me thinks it's the best looking modern car!

Vantage does appeal to a younger driver than the DB9, but I would imagine a GS would outperform it comprehensively, at least the 4.3 anyway.

 

[Andyk]

Lewis...not much to say but..Stunning....Look forward to seeing her finished...A DB9 went past me today at full pelt and sounded amazing.......

 

[Andyk]

V12 Vantage, beauty although i do not like those carbon slats in the bonnet, i would want those painted to match the exterior colour.

Not seen one in the flesh so just had a look on PH at the bonnet vents and I really don't mind them...The silver car looked OK...May look different in the flesh but thought they looked fine.

 

[Andyk]

Collected the car today from Derby Motor Services, it is a thing of wonder! Quicksilver SuperSports and 200cell cats make the car deafeningly loud but in a race car kind of way, I feel like I'm at Le Mans all the time! I love it!! At idle it has a wonderful burble and as long as I keep it below 2500rpm it's fine to drive through town without attracting the wrong kind of attention. The bark at 3500-4000rpm makes me laugh out loud every time!

I had 20mm rear and 15mm front spacers fitted to go with the sports pack wheels, Ti nuts and H&R springs (lowered 25mm all round) and Rick at DMS applied his fast road geo settings. All together everything is vastly more positive, ride comfort is still amazingly good but the Volante floatiness has disappeared to be replaced by an extremey planted car. Bombing around the back roads of Derbyshire today revealed a great ride, better steering feel and zero body roll, plus the ability to put the power on the road. The widening of the track seems to have made the feel of the steering less assisted (increase in scrub ratio) which is a very welcome change when pressing on. In short, I had a sports car on the back roads and a GT on the motorway with cruise set, iPod connection working well, air con on and roof up.

The noise of the exhaust in my car isn't a placebo effect, my car is much faster throughout the rev range after J1 filters, re-map at TDI, race cats and the lightweight sipsersports backbox. I didn't take it past 6k rpm so that's without even reaching peak power. Torque is more than adequate from 1500rpm and from 3-4krpm is amazing. I think this is now the fastest car I own, if it started at 450bhp it will now be making 480bhp or slightly more. It's a lot when coupled with the torque of 6 litres, we all know it's not just about power!

Next move... Having the Sarah Maynard machined control set fitted in a couple of weeks, steering wheel side parts trimmed in Parliament leather (dark green, same as dash top and door cappings) and I have now agreed a price on the DBS bonnet (£1k from the magical eBay)) which I am having fitted at Nicholas Mee, who I have discovered are 4miles from my house! A mod that the beards of AMOC will not agree with but it will differentiate my car from the pack as I like. The two extra nostrils are about it, perhaps a slightly more angular hump, I don't think it's a DBS wannabee thing like fitting bumpers and sills, it will be quite subtle and not noticeable until parked next to another DB9!

I will take a few shots tomorrow of the new wheels with spacers, the clear rear lights and so on, the rest will have to wait until Le Mans. I lose the car for servicing Monday to Thursday next week, then again for the next batch of work the following Monday to Friday! Not much chance to enjoy it, have a Kent Pistonheads/Astomn thing tomrrow though.

Totally different car to when I bought it. How very me.

Nicholas Mee...They are pretty respected in the Aston world I believe.......They have some nice upgrades as well...Lots of Pro drive stuff.............Way back I believe they were the UK importer for Venture....

 

[ENZ525]

Looking amazing Lewis, can't wait to see and hear her

 

[Parisien]

Looking very sauve and street mean Lewis.....enjoy and have a really enjoyable period of ownership.

P

 

[marcos]

Looking amazing Lewis, can't wait to see and hear her

As we accelerated away out of Derby, my friend Johnny said 'Sarah's going to hate you for this' and we both laughed (which sounds mean but was meant in a nice way). It really is very, very loud. Probably the same as the Maser, but this has no roof...

 

[Parisien]

...yeah....HATE sounds just about right..............................

Your car didn't sound too loud at Le Mans......or just not giving it the beanz Lewis??!!!





P

 

[Easyplan66]

beautiful car Lewis, very nice additions, never thought of having interior upgrades, got me thinking now !

 

[marcos]

Kissing goodbye to the car for another week now!

Carbon fibre bonnet has turned up and is being fitted and sprayed this week, save 10kg. The paintshop also does vinyl so will get them to do my yellow stripes for Le Mans while it's there! Will have a chat and see, but will probably end up getting a couple of stonechips done as well and the number plate screw holes filled and painted.
Also having the black steering wheel retrimmed in dark green (just the sides) to match the dash top and the machined alloy switchgear fitted.

Long term brakes - carbon ceramics if I can get them off a DBS/V12V scrapper or bigger steel Brembos if not.The CCM brakes save a whopping 5kg per wheel and I am looking at lightweight seats which believe or not save 30kg... but are not heated. If they can be.. job done, wouldn't like to do without heated seats through winter! Also having the rear seats and belts removed to make it a 2-seater. Withe race exhaust saving 20kg, if i do everything it will be around 100kg lighter. That's like a Supperleggera Lambo or 911 GT3 weight saving. Not insignificant for performance and handling at all...

Performance wise, with re-map for faster throttle response and for mid-range torque (that added 30-40bhp top end anyway with the race exhaust system), with the forged wheels and Ti nuts, the progressive H&R springs, lowering 25mm all round, the spacers and fast road geometry, it is the finest car I have ever driven. This is how I always wanted it to be.

Brooklands yesterday!

 

[conaero]

Looking good Lewis, Ill have to have a nose round it down in Le Mans see if I fancy one myself.

Does it have back seats, if so, how do they compare to the 4200?

 

[GransportFan1]

Very nice Lewis, love the DB9 LM wheels.

 

[dem maser]

Looking good Lewis, Ill have to have a nose round it down in Le Mans see if I fancy one myself.

Does it have back seats, if so, how do they compare to the 4200?

They have rear seats but cant compare them to the 4200.....

 

[marcos]

They have rear seats but cant compare them to the 4200.....

As Dem says, they are pointless and in fact a bit silly so I'm having them removed. I think the coupe is a bit better, but not much. Could squeeze a person behind the passenger if the seat was forward far enough, but I can't see I'd ever have to do this. The 4200 would sit 4 comfortably (relatively), it was one of its strengths.

Thanks Matt and Adam! It;s certainly a different car from whan I collected it, much as my old 4200 was. Took it from a very smooth, very fast and relexed cruiser to something far more sporty. It encourages me to push it all the time without being tiring and I love that!

 

[marcos]

Very nice Lewis, love the DB9 LM wheels.

They were a great buy and glad I kept the paint on them when refurbed. Matt grey paint with satin diamond cut faces. Non-painted ones look a bit blingy by comparison!