Overture
Hi, I’m Nigel Ellway, Malcolm’s lunatic friend and proud owner of ROJ.
This is me, looking very young, at the wheel of BMT 216A - 007’s Aston Martin DB5, taking it VERY carefully through its paces!
It may seem strange that someone who cannot legally drive due to eyesight equivalent of a very shortsighted bat should own two Aston Martins. But that’s just it. Little boys when denied something just want it even more!!
I’ve always been a bit of a petrol-head, so a few years ago I signed up at the college of NW London and did a course in classic car restoration. I was taught to weld, fabricate, paint and trim by some of the most qualified craftsmen in the country.
My first project was a 1974 Vanden Plas 1300 owned by my wife. All I was going to do was repair some rust around the headlamps. (I was just going to….!) I ended up rebuilding the whole front end, replacing the sills and three doors!
I bought my first AMV8 from the production company that made Channel Five’s ‘Dream Machine’. It had proved too much for them, so of course i thought it would be a doddle for me…..
The past year I spent a (not) small fortune on parts and repair sections, but then I found ROJ.
All my life I have hankered after a 007 Aston, and here was ROJ. Bristling with bogus gadgetry. More Bean than Bond. But I had to have it!
I now have enough bits to build two cars, but after considering a race project, prudence over-came. (No, Prudence is not my wife) and I shall sell off the bits I don’t need.
Over the next 12 months We shall strip ROJ to his chassis, rebuild using the factory repair sections, galvanise and paint, so keep an eye on this blog as it will be the official record of the renaissance of ROJ.