|
1953 Aston Martin DB3S
The Aston Martin DB3S was a sports racing car built as a replacement for the heavy and uncompetitive DB3. In total 31 cars were made, with 11 works cars and 20 cars being sold for customer use. The DB3S was
introduced in 1953 and it proved somewhat more successful than the Aston Martin DB3. The DB3S was later replaced in 1956 by the DBR1
The 11 works cars had chassis numbers from DB3S/1 to DB3S/11, with the 11th works car never being raced. The 20 custmer cars had three digit chassis numbers, from DB3S/101 to DB3S/120.
Originally two works DB3S fixed head coupé's were made. The change was to make them more aerodynamic than the open top bodied cars. However they were unstable at high speeds and both crashed at the 1954 24
Hours of Le Mans. Both coupé's were then rebuilt as open bodied cars. Three of the customer cars were also fitted with similar coupé bodies.
- Debut: 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans
- Constructor: Aston Martin Lagonda LTD
- Designer: Willie Watson, Frank Feely (Body).
- Chassis: Twin-tubular, space frame design, aluminium body, open two seater.
- Suspension:
- (front) Torsion bar and trailing arms Suspension
- (rear) Torsion bars, trailing arms, De Dion tube and central slide
- Length: 12 ft 10 in (3,910mm)
- Width: 4 ft 11 in (1,500mm)
- Height: 3 ft 5 in (1,040 mm)
- Axle track: 4 ft 1 in
- Wheelbase: 7 ft 3 in (2,210 mm)
- Engine:
Lagonda 2,992 cc Straight six, Twin OHC, (later a twin-plug head),
FR Layout, 3 twin-choke Weber 35 DCO carburettors
- Transmission: David Brown S430, 4-speed Manual, 9" single clutch
- Weight: 1,850 lb (840 kg) dry 1,940 lb (880 kg)
- Tyres: 16 x 6
- Notable drivers: Tony Brooks, Reg Parnell, Roy Salvadori, Noël Cunningham-Reid,
Carroll Shelby, Stirling Moss
|
