1935 Aston Martin Ulster Le Mans

For sale Brooklands Cars Ltd, a stunning 1935 Aston Martin Ulster Le Mans.

Chassis no. F4/ 447/ S, Engine no. F4/ 447/ S, restored by Ecurie Bertelli in 2007/ 2008. 

1935 Le Mans 24 Hours finisher, 15th overall and 7th in the Rudge Cup.

Aston Martin's Ulster represented the ultimate development of the marque's pre-war sporting cars. Introduced in 1934 as a production replica of the works cars that had achieved a clean sweep of the class podium at the RAC Tourist Trophy, it combined a highly developed 1½-litre overhead-camshaft engine with lightweight, doorless two-seater coachwork. With approximately 85 bhp and a guaranteed top speed exceeding 100 mph, the Ulster offered remarkable performance for its day. Just 31 were produced, of which approximately 28 are believed to survive.

F4/ 447/ S was completed on 1 June 1934 and registered as WD 8011 that September, being delivered new to Richard Gardner of Rugby. Unusually, it was fitted with a chrome radiator, a feature shared by only one other Ulster, the car associated with Prince Bira.

Its competition career began at the 1935 Le Mans 24 Hours, where Gardner shared the car with Alfred Beloë. Carrying race number 30, F4/ 447/ S survived an excursion onto a bank that damaged the front axle and resulted in a lengthy pit stop. Despite the setback, the pair completed the 24-hour race in 15th place overall and seventh in the Rudge Cup, averaging approximately 107 km/ h.

The car's subsequent history is unusually well documented. Gardner sold it by 1938, after which it was acquired by Lord Bruce Dundas and laid up during the Second World War. Following Dundas's death, the car remained off the road until 1953, when it was purchased by Basil Scully and taken to Massachusetts.

Scully retained the Aston for an impressive 33 years, repainting it green and campaigning it extensively in VSCCA hill climbs and time trials. In 1986 it passed to Hugh Palmer in the UK and, three years later, to Simon Draper, the Virgin Records executive and Aston Martin Owners Club competitor. Draper continued to use the car in competition while preserving its original character, including a victory in the 1991 St John Horsfall Trophy at Silverstone.

In December 2005, F4/ 447/ S was acquired by Alan Beardshaw, who commissioned a comprehensive restoration by renowned pre-war Aston Martin specialists Ecurie Bertelli between October 2007 and May 2008. The work prioritised safety and reliability while retaining original components and much of the car's period character. Restoration invoices are retained in the history file.

The bodywork remains particularly evocative, retaining dents visible in photographs taken at Le Mans in 1935. The dashboard and front-wing extensions also preserve important period details, while paint samples discovered during the restoration were used to establish the car's present colour.

Following the restoration, the Beardshaw family continued to campaign the Ulster, including participation in the 2009 Mille Miglia Storica and Aston Martin Owners Club events.

In February 2023, F4/ 447/ S passed into new UK ownership. It has since been serviced and race-prepared by Blakeney Motorsport, with new tyres, an oil catch tank and fire extinguisher, together with attention to the radiator, ignition system and carburettor. The car has been issued with its VSCC buff forms and has returned to competition, including VSCC races at the Oulton Park Gold Cup and Silverstone, as well as meetings associated with the Bentley Drivers Club.

The accompanying history file includes copies of the original chassis cards, the Chiltern Cars bill of sale to Basil Scully, period photographs—including images taken at Le Mans in 1935—Ecurie Bertelli restoration invoices and a specialist inspection report.

With genuine Le Mans history, matching chassis and engine numbers, a well-documented chain of ownership, sympathetic restoration and continued historic competition use, F4/ 447/ S represents a particularly authentic example of Aston Martin's legendary Ulster. Rarely offered for sale, it combines significant period provenance with the eligibility and preparation to be enjoyed at the world's leading historic motoring events.