IGNITION / Letters
Phone call of a lifetime
Letter of the month
IT WAS A PLEASANT surprise to find the story of Aston Martin DB2 ‘VMF 65’ in Octane 245. It took me back more than 20 years to when my friend Jerry [above, on right], who lives in Los Angeles, phoned me in New Zealand and asked if I was interested in doing the 2001 Mille Miglia as his navigator in two weeks’ time. His entered companion had pulled out.
I told him that I would love to but I find it difficult reading in cars as it gives me motion sickness. He told me not to worry about that because ‘We don’t have to win the thing – oh, and by the way, I’ve entered an Aston Martin DB2 Le Mans car.’
Now, while I knew Jerry owned an Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato, a DB6 Volante and a DB2 Fixed Head, I knew Jerry didn’t have one of those. ‘There is a catch,’ he admitted. ‘You’ll have to go to Silverstone to pick it up for the owner and drive it to him in Hamburg, Germany. I’ll meet you there and we’ll head on down to Brescia.’ Jerry and the owner had a reciprocal agreement of loaning each other historic cars, depending upon which continent and event they wished to enter.
Two weeks later I was introduced to VMF 65, which had just been serviced after being purchased from former Octane contributor Rowan Atkinson. (Yes, it still had a teddy tied to the roll-cage, should he be wondering where he left it.) The extremely generous owner also lent us a Land Rover Discovery tow car and trailer and off we set to Italy.