Matthew Richards<\/span>BBC Wales<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n A 1960s James Bond-style Aston Martin DB5 – which became so dilapidated local children played on it – has been restored and is now worth \u00a31,000,000.<\/p>\n John Williams, 71, from Mold, Flintshire, bought the vehicle second-hand in 1973 for \u00a3985 – the equivalent of about \u00a315,000 today.<\/p>\n He last drove the car, made famous in films Goldfinger and Thunderball, in his 20s, before leaving it to rust on his driveway. <\/p>\n Mr Williams saved \u00a3400,000 for a three-year restoration at Aston Martin’s Buckinghamshire works, where experts had to remove a mouse nest before carrying out 2,500 hours of work. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n He fell in love with Aston Martins when he was given a toy car at eight, and by 19, he had saved enough money to buy one advertised in a motoring magazine.<\/p>\n But after getting a job in the Middle East at the end of the 1970s, the DB5 went into storage, and then sat on the drive exposed to the elements, and local children.<\/p>\n “The neighbours’ kids used to bounce on the bonnet and we used to tell them off,” said his wife, Susan. <\/p>\n “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.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n There were only 1,022 DB5s made between 1963 and 1965, which were given a huge boost when James Bond, played by Sean Connery, drove one complete with ejector seat and revolving number plates.<\/p>\n The DB5 Vantage in silver birch grey owned by Mr Williams is one of only 39 such models in the world.<\/p>\n Even in its undriveable condition sat rusting outside their home, Aston Martin still valued the car at \u00a3500,000, meaning the couple considered cashing in. <\/p>\n And they weren’t short of offers. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Susan added: “Money comes into it and reality, and sitting at the kitchen table he said ‘what do you think?’.<\/p>\n “And I said, ‘well, you’ll never get another one’. <\/p>\n “So he said, ‘no, we’re keeping her’.”<\/p>\n The decision was made, and they described how they have “saved and sacrificed” to pay for the three-year restoration. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n After removing the mouse nest, technicians spent 2,500 hours replacing parts, and restoring features, including the original paint job. <\/p>\n Mr and Mrs Williams made regular visits to the workshop in Newport Pagnell to follow the progress.<\/p>\n Now work has been completed, the car maker estimates it to be worth \u00a31,000,000.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Aston Martin’s historian Steve Waddingham said: “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.”<\/p>\n But he said the effort is worth it, adding: “It’s such an overwhelming car to be in the presence of – the smell of, it the feel of it, the noise it makes. <\/p>\n “They are very special and you cannot get out of your mind those various famous film scenes.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n After taking his first drive in the car for more than 45 years, John said: “It must be better now than it was when it came out of the factory originally. <\/p>\n “It was mind-blowing. I wish they could do a number on me to make me look 27 again. I definitely feel 27 today.”<\/p>\n Susan had only previously sat in the car when it was being towed after leaving storage.<\/p>\n She enjoyed her first proper trip with John at the wheel, adding: “The sound of her was wonderful. <\/p>\n “And then when we were going a bit faster I thought, ‘Yeah, go a bit faster. Let’s see what she can do.'”<\/p>\n Although John has fulfilled his lifelong ambition, he said he doesn’t expect to drive the car very often, saying: “You’re limited to where you can take it and leave it. <\/p>\n “And the weather affects it. <\/p>\n “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.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Dominic](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/90aa\/live\/d909b1a0-cee1-11f0-86df-93be622234b6.jpg.webp\")
Dominic Fraser\/Aston Martin Works<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![](\"https:\/\/static.files.bbci.co.uk\/bbcdotcom\/web\/20251120-101800-81b2dab7dc-web-2.34.1-2\/grey-placeholder.png\")
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John Williams<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n‘Saved and sacrificed’ to pay for three-year restoration<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Dominic](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/3185\/live\/c7682f70-cee2-11f0-ad7f-93b968d03d1f.jpg.webp\")
Dominic Fraser\/Aston Martin Works<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Marc](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/c914\/live\/887ed160-cb9a-11f0-8b24-8191145688b1.jpg.webp\")
Marc Bow\/Timbuktu Content<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n‘It’s such an overwhelming car to be in the presence of’<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Marc Bow\/Timbuktu Content<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n