Aston Martin DB 2

 The Aston Martin DB2 is a sports car from the 1950s sold by Aston Martin from May 1950 to April 1953.

History

The production DB2 debuted at the New York Auto Show in April 1950. The Aston Martin DB2 was a major advancement over the previous 2-Litre Sports model it replaced, the prototype for the DB2 appeared as one of three Aston Martins at the 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans. The car was based on Claude Hill's tube-frame chassis, created for the 2-Litre Sports "DB1", with a closed coupé body design by Frank Feeley. with a dual overhead cam straight-6 in place of the previously-used pushrod straight-4. A light car, so that with a tuned engine suitable for running on 80 octanes. With accommodation for two, or possibly three people, and ample luggage space, The finest quality leather is used for the upholstery the seat squabs fold forwards so that luggage may be stowed in the rear part of the car The front seat has a center armrest, but if this is raised there is sufficient width between the doors to carry three persons although the possibility of doing so is largely dependent upon the buyer choosing the steering column gear lever which is an alternative to the centrally positioned control In 1954 an enlarged version was introduced, known as the 'DB2/4' and incorporating two occasional seats in the back of the cabin for use by children.

The details include many fittings specially designed and made by Aston Martin to replace the proprietary products normally employed. In the case of the heater element, however, this is a standard Smiths circulatory and screen demisting element placed behind the handsome walnut facia panel which, in addition to the clock and speedometer, has a rev-counter, oil capacity gauge, fuel gauge, oil pressure gauge, water thermometer, and ammeter. These are centrally mounted, and there are glove lockers of reasonable capacity at each side of the panel together recesses in the doors for maps and small items. There is a lock for the spare wheel housing and the wheel itself is mounted horizontally with an easily operated.
The Aston Martin DB2 handles in the way which you expect from the name. the body is a largely stressed skin assembly with an ingenious system of reinforcement, the whole being mounted on the frame through four Silent-bloc bushes. The entire front end of the chassis is exposed when the bonnet is raised, for accessibility or maintenance work to be required the first 49 cars used a square three-part grille in front with large rectangular side vents. This was soon updated with the more familiar integrated, rounded Aston Martin grille with horizontal slats. The dual fuel tank filler caps are anti-theft concealed within the body and the flaps which open to give access to them are controlled from within the body so that, when the latter is locked. With complete weather protection, interior heater for a long-range touring car. Later in 1950, a Drophead Coupé (DHC) variant was introduced. With at least 100 built.

The car featured a 2.6 L engine that was derived from Lagonda, and was designed as a closed coupé sports-saloon. A later drophead coupé model was also introduced, accounting for only a small amount of the model's total sales.  The six-cylinder engine performance is relatively moderately rated with an output of 105 b.h.p. at 5,000 r.p.m equivalent to 2.36 h.p. per sq. in. of piston area and over 115 m.p.h top speed. built with a barrel-type crankcase construction with the counterbalanced four-bearing crankshaft and its bearing housings inserted end-wise, detachable cylinder liners in direct contact with the water, and a twin-camshaft cylinder head in which the exhaust-valve guides also make direct contact with the cooling water.

Performance: Aston Martin DB2

• Cubic capacity: 2,580 c.c.
• Max BHP : 105 b.h.p.@ 5,000 r.p.m,
• B.h.p. per sq. in. piston area: 2.365
• Peak piston speed ft. per min: 2,590 ft. per min.
• Piston area, sq. in. per ton: 40.2
• Top gear m.p.h. per 1,000 r.p.m: 21
• Litres per'ton-mile, dry: 3,360

The power is transmitted through a normal single-plate clutch to the D.B. four-speed gearbox, a feature of which is the choice of gear ratios which The rear axle is fitted with a hypoid bevel gear, and in conjunction with the 16-in. rims of the knock-off detachable wire wheels type. The front and rear suspension units are practically identical with previous Aston Martin cars, the Panhard rod is so positioned as to bring the rear roll center in. below hub level.
The frame design follows the lines developed on the earlier Aston Martin four-cylinder 2-1itre car, but has been improved beam stiffness where the triangulated arrangement at
the front end is joined to the rear frame members, the latter in turn being considerably stiffened by the unique constructional methods employed in the body-work.

In total 411 DB2s were produced through to 1953.