Alan Puckets 1951 Aston Martin DB2

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of QUEENSLAND

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we found this prize example of a rare model in its original race-and-rally trim right here in Sydney, lovingly restored by perfectionist Alan Puckett

Story and photos: John Smailes

Sports car world October 1971

ON THE DASHBOARD of Alan Pucketts 1951 Aston Martin DB2 is a small black button, which either flash the brake lights without touching the brakes, or cut out the brake lights when the brakes are used.

In the wild and wooly days of the Aston DB2's glory, this was used either to leave the guy behind flying blind into the fog, or to make him brake early and lose valuable seconds.

It's not an entirely original idea. In the dog-eat-dog world of contemporary commercial rallying it's not an unknown ploy - even in Australia.

But it's hardly the sort of device one would expect to find on a Gentleman's Vehicle - and these days Aston Martin is definitely a maker of Gentleman's Vehicles, with deliberate capital letters.

They come with eight track stereo, power windows, power steering, terribly efficient air conditioning, plush seats and automatic gearboxes.

They can be seen parked among the Rolls and Bentleys at Warwick farm along Member's Row at the Polo Field on Dudley Cup day, being terribly social, but if the owner is a real Aston Martin man he'll have no truck with such goings on.

Alan Puckett is an Aston Martin man. He's had six of them, and not one of them has had power windows.

Photo left

The mighty heart of a proud warrior. The engine bay is a Concours judge's delight, all chrome and polished metal. The extent of lightening in this lightweight is typified in the 'Swiss cheese" throttle linkage arm under the air horns (air horns?)