1956 AC Ace Roadster

The AC Ace was designed by British artisan racer John Tojeiro. It made its racing debut at the 1953 London Motor Show and entered production with AC soon after. It was Britain's first postwar sports car with fully independent suspension. Among its list of accomplishments were five successive Sports Car Club of America championships from 1957 through 1961, a Second in Class at LeMans (1957-1958), and First in Class and seventh overall at LeMans in 1959.

In 1956, the power was enhanced with the newly available BMW-derived Bristol 2.0-liter six. This particular example, BE 172, retains its original engine, number 100D 520. It was dispatched on July 26, 1956, to Peter Gourlay of Guildford, Surrey, who sold it to Derek Morris, who retained it for 51 years and used it daily early on in his stewardship. He later drove it on trips and rallies through the United Kingdom and Europe. He stopped driving his Ace in 2006. After his death, BE 172 passed to a new owner before coming into the care of its current (U.S.) owner in September 2011. Before coming to the States, it was refurbished as necessary, including new leather seats, carpeting, and door pockets fitted to the interior.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2016