While browsing the classifieds, we stumbled upon this 1957 Aston Martin. We love AM barn finds and have featured a few over the years, so we figured this one deserved a mention too. It was supposedly parked sometime in the seventies and was just recently pulled out. After a tune-up, it runs, but is still in dire need of a full restoration. The quarter-million dollar asking price puts it out of reach for all but the most well-heeled of us, but it sure is fun to dream. Take a look at the ad here on Hemmings or continue reading for more photos.

Here it is, in all its dust and dramatic lighting effects glory. We understand the excitement of getting to view a car in its “as found” condition, but I have a feeling that most collectors would like to see it all cleaned up too so they can access what it is going to need. Remember that old advice of “never buy a car in the rain or at night”? Well, maybe we should add, “never buy a car directly out of the barn”! Then again, when you have this kind of money to spend on a project, does it really matter?

This newspaper from 1973 was found in the car and the plates are dated the same – proof that the car was parked sometime shortly after. Normally, we would all clean the trash out of our cars before trying to sell them, but for some reason in this situation, it just adds to the story. The trash provides hints about the car’s past and previous owners, so I think the seller was smart to keep everything with the car. Now, I dont want to hear about any of you buying old magazines off of eBay to stick in your cars before selling them!

Under the hood you will find a 2.9 liter inline-six that was based off the 2.6 liter engine that W.O. Bentley himself designed. The engine was good enough to power various Lagonda and Aston race and production cars over a 10 year period before being replaced. With dual SU carbs and single-exhaust this one was good for about 162 horsepower. This Mark III wasn’t a muscle car and it wasn’t really a sports car by definition. It was a fine driving machine though that was both handsome and functional.

That’s right, we called it functional. With an opening hatch and fold-down back seat, you could actually haul things in the back. This was a true man’s car! Can’t you just picture an avid outdoorsman loading his dogs and guns into the back before setting out on a bird-hunting trip? Ok, maybe that won’t happen today, but with cargo room and a back seat, they weren’t as impractical as you may have thought. Could this have been the first hot hatch?

Not only was it a looker, but the accommodations were decent too. The nicely worn red leather seats may appear inviting, but unless the seller has cleaned the inside better than they did the outside, we doubt you will want to sit in there. Mold and rat’s nest are not exactly inline with what you want to project when you own an Aston Martin. Much of the mystic surrounding these cars is mythical though. Nothing in here is really any better than that found in a much cheaper MG.

Hopefully, I don’t receive too much backlash for the last statement. Admittedly, Aston Martin and MG were on much different levels in in terms of quality, price, and prestige. Obviously, if money were to object, we all know which one we would pick. Still, it is hard to ignore the fact that much of this car’s value lies in it’s storied past. David Brown, Stirling Moss, and yes, even James Bond all had their hand in making Aston Martin what it is today. We doubt this one is that great to drive, but boy, you gotta feel cool behind that wheel!