Now this might be the ugliest Aston ever made, but it’s actually a precious classic going under the hammer at Historics at Brooklands on June 2, expected to fetch between £65,000 to £85,000. It’s a 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1 3-litre ‘barn find’ and it has a rather fascinating story. It has spent more than 34 years of its life in a chicken shed, and you can tell that by looking at it. But that’s the beauty of this car and the current owner decided to keep it in that condition. They have restored the engine though.

The engine has been rebuilt with 9.5 to 1 Omega Pistons with new liners, polished crankshaft, new mains and big ends, new chains, gaskets, valve guides and many more new parts besides.  The petrol pumps have been replaced and the petrol tank was removed, cleaned and replaced.

1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1 sotry:

Previously owned by a farmer who took the car as payment for a bad debt in 1973, the grand tourer has since been cooped up in a chicken shed for 34 years, being driven only once when the farmer and five friends drove to a local barn dance soon after buying it.

Having thoroughly enjoyed themselves, they piled into the Coupé and roared home, but overloaded with passengers and driving somewhat enthusiastically, the farmer scared himself and consigned the car to his shed, never to drive it again.

The current vendor – who purchased the car in 2007 – vowed to retain as much of its rustic ‘barn find’ charm as possible by choosing to keep the paintwork as found.  Under the bonnet however, a £20,000 restoration retains the original sports appeal of a car capable of 118mph when it was launched.