For decades, a weather-beaten classic car sat rusting in the driveway of a modest home in Mold, Flintshire. To passersby, it might have seemed like just another relic left to the elements, but to John Williams, it was the embodiment of a childhood dream—and, as fate would have it, a future multimillion-dollar treasure. Today, that very car, a 1960s Aston Martin DB5 once made famous by James Bond, has been painstakingly restored and is now valued at a staggering £1 million (about $1.3 million), according to BBC and CBS.
Williams, now 71, first fell under the spell of Aston Martins at the tender age of eight. A simple toy car ignited a fascination that would shape the course of his life. By the time he turned 19, Williams had already begun saving for his own real-life version. In 1973, he finally made the leap, purchasing the secondhand DB5 for just £985—roughly the equivalent of £15,000 today, as reported by BBC. It was a significant investment for a young man, but one that would prove priceless in more ways than one.
The DB5, immortalized on screen by Sean Connery’s James Bond in Goldfinger and Thunderball, was more than just a car. With its iconic silver birch grey paint and spy gadgets, it became a symbol of sophistication and adventure. Only 1,022 DB5s were ever produced between 1963 and 1965, and Williams’ model was even rarer—a Vantage, one of just 39 in the world.
Williams enjoyed his prized possession throughout his 20s, but as life’s responsibilities took over—including a job opportunity in the Middle East—the DB5 was relegated to storage. Eventually, it found its way onto the family driveway, where it was left exposed to rain, wind, and, amusingly, the curiosity of local children. “The neighbours' kids used to bounce on the bonnet and we used to tell them off,” Williams’ wife, Susan, recalled to BBC. “And then one was jumping on the roof thinking, ‘does it work?’ because he'd seen the Bond film and thought it was going to come up.”
As the years ticked by, the car’s condition deteriorated dramatically. Rust set in, and the once-glamorous vehicle became a shadow of its former self. Yet even in its sorry state, Aston Martin valued the car at £500,000, a testament to its rarity and enduring allure. Offers to buy the car poured in, tempting the couple with the prospect of a tidy windfall. But, as Susan put it, “Money comes into it and reality, and sitting at the kitchen table he said 'what do you think?' And I said, 'well, you'll never get another one.' So he said, 'no, we're keeping her.'”
Determined to restore the DB5 to its former glory, Williams and Susan made a bold decision. They “saved and sacrificed” to amass £400,000—the cost of a full restoration at Aston Martin’s prestigious Buckinghamshire works, according to BBC. The process was anything but straightforward. Technicians began by removing a mouse nest from inside the vehicle before embarking on a meticulous, 2,500-hour journey to repair extensive corrosion and revive the car’s original features, including its gleaming silver birch grey paint.
The Williamses became regular visitors to the Newport Pagnell workshop, watching as the team of experts carefully brought the car back to life. Aston Martin’s historian, Steve Waddingham, explained the scale of the challenge: “It would almost be easier to build a brand new car, but to actually repair and put new sections into a very heavily corroded car like this one took an awful lot of skill and patience.” But the effort, he insisted, was worth it. “It's such an overwhelming car to be in the presence of—the smell of it, the feel of it, the noise it makes. They are very special and you cannot get out of your mind those various famous film scenes.”
After four years of painstaking work, the DB5 emerged from the workshop looking every bit as dazzling as it did on the silver screen. For Williams, the moment he slid behind the wheel again was nothing short of magical. “It's unbelievable. My girl's back and up and running,” he told CBS, his joy palpable. He took his first drive in the restored car in over 45 years, and the experience surpassed even his highest expectations. “It must be better now than it was when it came out of the factory originally. It was mind-blowing. I wish they could do a number on me to make me look 27 again. I definitely feel 27 today,” he told BBC.
For Susan, who had previously only sat in the car when it was being towed, the restoration offered her first proper ride in the legendary vehicle. “The sound of her was wonderful,” she said, grinning at the memory. “And then when we were going a bit faster I thought, 'Yeah, go a bit faster. Let's see what she can do.'”
Despite fulfilling a lifelong ambition, Williams is clear-eyed about the realities of owning such a rare and valuable car. “You're limited to where you can take it and leave it,” he admitted. “And the weather affects it. I don't want to be taking it through big puddles of water, and I've neglected it once. I'm not going to do that again.”
Now valued by Aston Martin at £1 million, the DB5 is more than just a collector’s item—it’s a family heirloom, a testament to perseverance, and a living piece of cinematic history. Williams has no intention of selling, despite the considerable offers. “I want to keep it in the family,” he told CBS, echoing Susan’s earlier sentiment that some things are simply irreplaceable.
For car enthusiasts and Bond fans alike, the story of John Williams’ DB5 is a reminder that sometimes, the most extraordinary treasures are hiding in plain sight—waiting for the right moment, and the right hands, to bring them back to life.
