Unquestionably, the Aston Martin DB3S is one of the rarest and most desirable of all the sports racing cars from the golden era of 1950s motor racing, featuring a race winning chassis and engine combination, and clothed with great style by the celebrated designer Frank Feeley.From only a handful of factory race cars there followed a number of production models that were campaigned with vigour across the world. Chassis DB3S/115 is one of those twenty production cars built by the factory. Delivered to Joe Lubin on the 26th March 1956, 115 made its racing debut at Bakersfield on the 20th May. Painted in the distinctive American racing colours of white with a blue stripe, 115 quickly established itself as the most recognised of all the competition cars in the thriving California race scene. Lubin continued to campaign the car during 1957 with Richie Ginther, Rob Oker and Bill Love sharing the driving. At the time Ginther was a rising star, later competing in F1 and claiming Honda’s maiden grand prix victory in Mexico in 1965. And it was in Ginther’s capable hands that 115 claimed its greatest success with second overall at Pomona. In early 1958 Lubin sold 115 to Bill de Creeft who repainted the car blue before racing it at eight events during the 1958 season. With a new decade came a new owner, Ron Keil, who made minor modifications to the Aston Martin to make it more compliant for road use, regularly using it on the streets of California. 1965 saw it acquired by its penultimate custodian, who kept the DB3S until the current owner purchased it from him in 2010.DB3S/115 has been restored to its original colour scheme and raced at the Goodwood Revival. With one owner for 45 years, 115 is an exceptionally original example. So as well as being race prepared, DB3S/115 represents the perfect embodiment of Aston Martin’s fabulous sports racing car, perfectly suited to both the road and the circuit.
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