In February, before the current shutdown due to the global Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Classic Motor Cars (CMC) based in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, started work on restoring one of the world’s most exciting concept cars, the legendary Aston Martin Bulldog.
The car was designed by Aston Martin in the late 1970s, and shown to the public for the first time at the end of 1979, to show off the capabilities of its new engineering facility in Newport Pagnell. Its current owner has sent it to CMC for a full nut and bolt restoration, after which the plan is to run the car at over 200mph and then take it on a world tour.
Nigel Woodward, Managing Director at CMC says: ‘Being given the opportunity to restore this car is a real accolade. On 27 February, just two days after we had unveiled the car to the press, we set about stripping it down. There has been huge interest from around the world and we thought that we would be able to get on with the 18-month restoration and regularly share the progress with the media. However, that was not to be and we had to stop work a few weeks later.’
He adds: ‘However, we wanted to show what progress we had made and how far we had got prior to the lockdown, so we are releasing a series of pictures over the next couple of months to bring people up to speed. In the meantime, the break in restoration has allowed us to do even more research on the car. The initial publicity received from when we announced the restoration has resulted in people sending us a number of historical pictures we had not seen before. These will help us when we get the restoration underway again.’
Is the Editor of the Parkers website and price guide, formerly editor of Classic Car Weekly, and launch editor/creator of Modern Classics magazine. Has contributed to various motoring titles including Octane, Practical Classics, Evo, Honest John, CAR magazine, Autocar, Pistonheads, Diesel Car, Practical Performance Car, Performance French Car, Car Mechanics, Jaguar World Monthly, MG Enthusiast, Modern MINI, Practical Classics, Fifth Gear Website, Radio 4, and the the Motoring Independent...
Likes 'conditionally challenged' motors and taking them on unfeasible adventures all across Europe.
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I remember this car featuring in the motoring magazines back in the day. I thought it’s looks “challenging” then, and they remain so today. IMHO at least. Will there be enough interest in it to justify a world tour I wonder? A concept car from almost fifty years ago is unlikely to mean overly much to today’s AM buyers.
I remember Car magazine doing a big feature on the Bulldog when it first appeared. At the time it looked futuristic, but now it’s more like something from Thunderbirds.
Fit only for the crusher even when it first appeared !!
clearly not a car fan, and considering what tripe we were all driving 50 years ago, this was stunning, remained stunning and is still stunning, how many cars could do 200mph back then let alone now, from a concept half a century old.
There’s a profile of this in The Cars That Time Forgot.
Considering they had so much trouble with the Lagonda I’m surprised they tried another high-risk car so soon after, especially as DeLorean were running into trouble at the same time with a similar car.
please DO NOT compare this car with the Delorean, that was a mish mash of parts from millions of companies, this is Aston through and through, and still looks stunning today.
OK apart from the gullwing doors & futuristic looks I presume they were far apart.
Giles Chapman book is good but a talbot tagora? I would not exactly call that forgotton
Yes It’s a good read.
Considering the Tagora hardly sold here I would count it as forgotten.
Then again it mentions the Datsun Sunny 120Y which sold over 2 million.
Why is everyone so negative? It’s a piece of motoring history.
I remember seeing this car on a beaver tail in South Kensington in 1978. Stunning looking car. Would it be the first mid-engine Aston?
Aye. Stunning like a bolt gun.
It’s back! On BBC Breakfast today.