ringbrothers sculpts aston martin restomod with carbon fiber and 3D-printed stainless steel

aston martin DBS ‘octavia’ unveiled at the quail

Ringbrothers unveils its 1971 Aston Martin DBS ‘Octavia’ at The Quail during Monterey Car Week 2025. The build is a reworking of the British classic in carbon fiber. It marks the Wisconsin-based shop’s first Aston Martin and stands as its most technically demanding car to date, the result of more than 12,000 hours of engineering and fabrication.

designboom visited the display at the Quail to speak with the fabrication team and get a closer look at the ultra-custom one-off. Playfully referencing the British brand’s James Bond connection, the sunny space took on a 007 theme, offering shaken Vesper Martinis to visitors. The drinks were even served from a split Aston Martin body which has been converted into a small bar.

Ringbrothers unveils the Aston Martin DBS Octavia at during Monterey Car Week 2025 | image © designboom

a british classic reimagined by the ringbrothers

The Octavia began with a donor 1971 Aston Martin DBS before undergoing a complete redesign by the Ringbrothers team. ‘The owner of the Octavia owns a few of our cars,’ Ringbrothers fabricator Ryan Fielding tells designboom at the Quail. ‘He came to us and asked for a European muscle car. The first thing we thought of was an ’71 Aston Martin DBS.’

‘We had one shipped from London. We scanned it and started designing and doing some CAD work with Gary Ragle. Then we started cutting up the original.’

A fully carbon-fiber shell, an integrated structural cage, and a custom Roadster Shop FAST TRACK chassis give the car rigidity and presence. Designer Gary Ragle contributed extensively, shaping the engine bay, cabin layout, and numerous bespoke components to ensure that every surface is intentional.

the 1971 Aston Martin DBS is reimagined in carbon fiber with a widened stance | image © Ringbrothers

inside the ultra-custom restomod

‘Everything is bespoke,‘ Fielding continues. ‘Other than things like bearings or tires, there isn’t one part that someone can buy. Nothing has ever been made before for any reason other than for this car.’ Even a set of centerlock wheels, fastened by a single central nut, are custom-designed with Ragle Design and HRE Wheels.

‘All the brightwork, or trim, on the outside is all CNC aluminum, nickel-plated. All the brightwork on the inside of the car is 3D-printed stainless steel, and there is carbon fiber throughout.’

Under the clamshell hood — a hood design which wraps around the side of the fenders — can be found a Ford Performance 5.0-liter V8, topped with a 2.65-liter supercharger, bringing 805 horsepower to the road. To suit the owner’s love of driving even further, the Octavia is backed by a six-speed manual transmission.

The Aston Martin DBS Octavia’s body is finished in Glasurit’s Double-0 Silver, accented by Nuclear Olive Green details. Billet aluminum, stainless-steel elements created through additive manufacturing, and carbon fiber inserts bring a layered richness to the car’s detailing. Even small gestures, like brass-machined door handles, and window switches retained from the original, are integrated into the visual and tactile narrative.

Inside, pleated leather seats are set against a carbon fiber dashboard with 3D-printed stainless accents — especially the sculptural, see-through gearshift which could not have been fabricated any other way. Fielding emphasizes: ‘Everything you see inside this car, short of the steering column, is 3D-printed stainless steel.‘

True to Ringbrothers’ ethos, the Octavia revels in custom details that signal craft and wit together. The valve covers were machined to hold Aston Martin emblems, altered playfully to read ‘Aston Martini.’ Even the dipstick handle takes the form of a martini glass, another nod to the most famous Aston Martin driver in cinema.