Elisha Walker Jr., a Long Island business man and avid motor sports enthusiast and patron, ordered the soon to be released DB Mark III Aston Martin in 1956 to race in the States in the ‘Production GT’ category.  AM300/3A/1317 was the 17th DB MarkIII produced and was prepared by the factory to compete in the SCCA class C.  According to the Factory build sheet, 1317 was delivered to Walker via J.S. Inskip, NY on 16 May 1957 although road registered in the UK (SYX 967) presumably to minimize US import duties.  Special equipment included: 3 Weber 35 DCO carburettors (immediately changed for 3 x 40 DCO), bonnet scoop, close ratio needle roller gearbox, 4.27:1 rear axle ratio, DB3S steering wheel, alloy front callipers, Alfin rear drums, oil cooler, twin exhaust. Part of the shrewd deal Walker struck with David Brown and John Wyer was for the invaluable services of Rex Woodgate, an experienced factory race mechanic to manage the team and act as chief mechanic starting in 1958.  George Constantine, a talented amateur driver was entrusted to compete in all the rounds of the SCCA Championship. Known affectionately as ‘The Flying Greek’, George was successful in many sports car events with D-Types, Listers and Ferrari TRs. 

A total of 14 races were entered in 1957, resulting in second overall in the SCCA Championship class C and winner of the Avon International Trophy.  There were no modifications to the car throughout the season with the exception of wheels – the wires proving too fragile and solid D-Type wheels were used on occasion.

During the winter off-season the MkIII was returned to the Factory Competition Department for modifications for the 12 hour Race at Sebring.  These included the fitting of a 40 gallon fuel tank, Perspex rear window, quick lift jacking points front and rear, Borrani wheels. The engine was refreshed with DB3S production pistons, con rods and cam shafts. A Sebring number light was added to the passenger door and rear wheel ‘spats’ to comply with the Sebring regulations. 

For the Sebring 12 hour race in March 1958, three Astons were officially entered by David Brown Ltd, England. Car number 24, a DBR1/2 driven by Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks, car 25, DBR1/1 driven by Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori and this car, number 26, Aston Martin Mark III GT Coupe (1317) driven by George Constantine and John Dalton.  Sadly, none of the Astons completed the 12 hours. 

The rest of the ’58 season was quite limited for the car as Elisha had agreed to run the Factory DBR2 with George driving in all the SCCA Championship events (they finished second overall) and Rex looking after both cars.  Early in December both Astons were shipped to Nassau in the Bahamas for the end of season ‘Speed Week’ series of races.  1317 with Constantine driving scored a sensational 1st in class and 2nd overall in the Tourist Trophy race.

Early in 1959 the MkIII was sold to David Schiff who was back at Sebring co-driving with Joe Sheppard in March for the 12 Hours of Sebring. Alas, the car faired no better than the previous year and was out after one hour with head gasket failure.

Soon after Sebring, 1317 was sold to Tony Chase who entered it in Watertown, NY Concours & Gymkhana,  achieving 2nd overall. Tony re-settled in San Francisco driving the Aston across the country and used the car as his every day driver putting over 100,000 miles on it in the next 10 years. He named the car Magoo II, as his first car was a frog-eye Sprite, dubbed Magoo. Tony also competed regularly with the car and did concours (Pebble Beach four times) and road rallies. 

A gap of about 9 years followed until the car surfaced in the hands of well known Aston Martin specialist Charlie Turner in Georgia.  Charlie told Rex Woodgate about the Mark III, who in the meantime had swapped his overalls for a smart suit and was President of Aston Martin North America.  Rex’s good friend and neighbor was Dick Gross, a keen Aston man with an ex-Le Mans Ulster and a modern V8 in the garage.  In March 1978 Dick bought the car following considerable encouragement from his son Jon who was living in the UK and had a Mark III drophead. East coast AMOC concours and sprint events were entered over the next 4 years with some success. 

In 1982 Dick decided to the sell the car, Jon was not pleased, it was to be his inheritance after all.  A deal was done and Jon bought half, shipping the car ‘home’ to the UK.

The first race at Brands Hatch May 1982 did not go to plan…. the Sebring hub failure strikes again! About this time Rex Woodgate and family have also returned to the UK and a full rebuild of mechanical components was undertaken by Rex in his newly setup race/restoration business. 

It is now 30 years on and Jon has been regularly competing with MagooII, totalling over 200 competitive events during this period with vital support from Chris Woodgate, Rex’s son who has taken over the helm of the very successful Silverstone based business.  The car has current HTP papers and is as close to the Sebring specification as possible and still has all major components including the original steel cylinder head, crankshaft, rare sand cast Webers, needle roller gearbox all of which opens doors for entries in all the significant historic events.  Jon and Chris have shared the car in 2 driver events and have just completed another full season for 2013, the centenary year celebrations of Aston Martin.