John Goldsmith never planned to be an Aston specialist. He qualified as a submariner in the early '70s and used to tear around in a Downton-modified MGB. Then, at a party, his friend Rhys Williams persuaded him to part with 2000 GBP for DB4 Series V Vantage, one of only six fitted with a 12-plug GT engine. "I was on my way to buy a V12 E-type, but I was hooked once I'd seen the Aston", recalls Goldsmith.
The car required an engine rebuild, however, which Goldsmith did himself with the help of a mate. His hobby became a business and, as word spread, more Aston Martins in need of repair came through the workshop door. "In those early days", he adds, "the cars didn't have the value they now have and we saw some shocking welding and body repairs that we had to put right".
Goldsmith also helped drivers to track-prepare their cars, all with the right safety mods, and knew how to get the best performance from their Astons. When parts became tricky to source, Goldsmith and Young started to remanufactured many of the most difficult to find: "Newport Pagnell would often wait until they had enough back orders before starting a production run of some parts. In the meantime, owners had to wait, which we felt was unacceptable. Right now, there is a shortage of new single-plug heads and we are able to support our customers from our second-hand parts stock that has been built up over many years".
As well as accident repair and servicing, G&Y has an impressive restoration record. It has recently finished the ex-Innes Ireland DB2/4, one of only two Bertone-bodied convertibles made. Also nearing completion are a California Sage DB5 barn-find and the ex-David Saville-Peck Rawlson Costello CanAm racer that Gold-smith acquired in bits in '98.
Across the yard, with master craftsman John Stapleford of JJS Engineering, there's a DB4GT Zagato recreation and a DB6 that came in as a wrecked coupe and will leave as a short-chassis Volante.
"We do whatever is needed to get as near to a perfect finish as we can", says Goldsmith. "You don't know what you have until a car is dismantled and we often end up having to replace much more on a vehicle that looked fine when it drove in".
In the engine-building room, Jow Thornhill is assembling a race 'six' fitted with Cosworth pistons and many other upgrades for a DB6. It will be fully tested on the firm's dynamometer before installation.
Other jobs include an E-type in for historic rally prep for its lady owner and an MGB GT V8 that needs an axle and front-suspension overhaul. Over in G&Y's storage facility is the 'Quicksilver' DB5, the only one made with straight head-lights similar to those of a DB4.
The final cog in the Goldsmith and Young wheel is circuit tuition by Goldsmith's ARDS-qualified wife Gillian, who was a Ford works driver in the 1970s and has been competing ever since.
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