The AC: A Brief History

Roadster
Chassis number: BEX1072
Engine number: 992D2

From its beginnings as makers of small, lightweight delivery vehicles at the turn of the 20th century, AC (the initials stand for Auto Carriers) turned to the production of full-size six-cylinder cars following World War I. The engine - a 2-liter six with chain-driven single overhead camshaft, inclined valves, crossflow porting, aluminum block and crankcase, and wet cylinder sleeves - was a model of engineering sophistication for its time. Its design proves so sound that it continued with progressive refinements and horsepower boosts in ACs until 1954.

The AC Ace

Based on the Tojeiro sports car, the AC Ace Roadster debuted at the 1953 London Motor Show with 4-wheel independent suspension supplied by transverse leaf springs and powered by the trusty 2.2-liter six described above. In 1955 the Bristol-built six-cylinder engine became available, and in 1956 the Ace was joined by a handsome fastback coupe called the Aceca. The Bristol-powered cars were on offer until 1961 when their engine supply ceased. By 1962 the Ace was powered by a Ford 260 V-8 at the urging of U.S. race driver Carroll Shelby, and the Ace transmogrified into AC's and Shelby's best-known creation, the Cobra.

This Car

One of only 463 AC Bristols produced, of which 241 were earmarked for export to the US, this car was in the hands of the same U.S. owner for 40 years.

Finished in its correct shade of cream with complementing medium-brown leather seats, brown carpeting, stayfast top and tonneau cover, and left-hand-drive. A very favorable power-to-weight ratio (105 bhp/1685 lbs) - thanks to its aluminum body and tubular chassis construction - gives the Ace Bristol sparkling performance while its simple, but effective, independent suspension lends its enviable road-holding qualities. Add to the highly attractive two-seat styling reminiscent of an early Ferrari Barchetta and the result is a thoroughbred vintage sports car in the best British tradition.

by Gooding & Company

by AC

Roadster
Chassis number: AEX 1194
Engine number: CLBN2476WT

The AC Ace was derived from an original chassis design by race car designer John Tojeiro and was introduced at the Earls Court Motor Show in London in October 1953.

This Ace, chassis number AEX 1194, is the last 2-liter AC-engined Ace sold by the AC factory in Thames Ditton in 1960. It was sent by sea to Vancouver on December 16th, 1960, and was then driven to Regina, Saskatchewan, arriving just prior to Christmas. It was purchased by its present owner in 1972, and apart from new paint and new interior trim, it is as delivered in 1960 with its original livery of Rouge Irise and grey leather.

Roadster
Chassis number: AEX 1181

Approximately 700 AC Aces of all engine types were built between 1953 and 1963. The original 2-liter, six-cylinder AC engine in this example offered around 100 horsepower and propelled the car from zero-to-sixty in 13 seconds and a top speed of 102 mph. Many Aces were exported to the United States, as was this car - chassis number AEX 1181 - which was recently discovered in South Bend, Indiana, having been carefully dismantled and hidden away for many years. It is shown with its original and rare factory hard top in its original metallic blue paint, the only metallic color offered by AC Cars.

Roadster
Chassis number: BEX 1054
Engine number: 100D2 944

AC Cars introduced the Ace at Earls Court in London in 1953. It featured a tubular chassis, a hand-formed aluminum body designed by Tojeiro, and powered by a 100-horsepower AC powerplant. They earned numerous race successes in 1955 and 1956. In 1957 AC offered an optional 2.0-liter Bristol six-cylinder engine which featured an advanced design derived from the BMW 328 unit, with three downdraft carburetors and offering 120 horsepower (later raised to 128 horsepower in Stage II spec). With their low overall weight, and impressive performance and handling, they proved competitive on race circuits around the world, including LeMans in 1957 and 1958.

There were four hundred sixty-six examples built with the Bristol engine between 1956 and 1962. Bristol discontinued their six-cylinder engine in 1961, followed by Carroll Shelby suggesting a Ford V8 should be installed. In 1962, the AC Ace-derived Cobra was born.

This particular example is a factory left-hand-drive model that left the factory on April 13, 1959, and was noted as having 'Stage II' engine preparation. The original owner is recorded as Dr. R. Roth of Illinois, who registered it as a 1960 model-year car. As of 1998, the car was owned by Mr. Cronin in the United States. Mr. Jim Feldman located the car in Woodside, California, in Mr. Cronin's ownership, around 2005 or 2006. In 2006 it was sold to the current owner, who funded Mr. Feldman's (an AC restoration specialist) five-year restoration without regard to cost. During the restoration, the car was fitted with a correct period Laycock de Normanville overdrive. The original six-cylinder Bristol engine, four-speed transmission, and rear end were rebuilt. The engine was rebuilt to the Stage II specifications of the original engine in components such as the high-compression head, driveshaft, bearings, pistons, and camshaft. It was given a period-correct optional aluminum fuel tank and a second fuel pump running through a second fuel line into the carburetors.

The car has 16-inch, 56-spoke, cross-laced wheels and narrow tires. There are five new wheels and original-spec Michelin X tires along with the optional disc brakes. The body was refinished in Aston Racing Green with green upholstery. There is a curved windshield that was optional on the last of the Aces. There are period-correct racing seatbelts, new webbing, new top and side curtains, and the owner's handbook.

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster
Chassis number: BEX 1146

This 1960 AC Bristol BEX 1146 was exhibited at the 1960 New York Auto Show by Bob Grossmann as pictured in Rinsey Mill's book, AC in Detail.

In the early 1960s, Carroll Shelby and others began experimenting with small block V8s in these AC roadsters. The owner of this one, as did Shelby, first installed a Ford 221 V8 and then graduated up to the 289 which is currently installed.

This AC has just undergone a two-year restoration and has participated in several 1,000-mile rallies.

The Ace was introduced in 1953 at the London Motor Show and was produced beginning in 1954 and continuing through 1963. The vehicle consisted of lightweight tubular chassis with steel boxes in the front and rear which supported a transverse leaf and lower wishbone independent suspension system. The chassis was designed by John Tojeiro. Power was initially provided by a Welleter-designed engine and was mounted in the front of the vehicle but placed back far enough to take advantage of balance. The body and design of the vehicle were inspired by the 2-seater Ferrari 166MM Barchetta (little boat) made by Touring of Milan.

During the first year of production, there were fewer than 60 examples produced. These were all Aces - convertibles. The Aceca, a hardtop variant, debuted in 1954.

Due to the vehicle's lightweight, optimal weight distribution, responsive engine and handling, and stylish appearance, it attracted much attention.

In 1956 the Bristol-engine version was introduced, replacing the Welleter-designed motor. The Bristol 1971 cc, six-cylinder engine was capable of producing 125 horsepower at 5750 rpm and propelling the lightweight car to a top speed of around 180 kph. Production of the Bristol engines ceased around the end of the 1950's and AC began using a British Ford Zephyr engine. It was a heavier engine and produced less power. There were only 47 of these 2.6-liter examples produced from 1961 through 1963.

The vehicles came equipped with front disc brakes, Girling hydraulic shock absorbers, rack-and-pinion steering, and a four-speed manual transmission.

In total, there were around 735 Aces and 326 Acecas produced. The AC Ace was the basis for one of the best-known sports cars of all time, the Shelby Cobra.

by Dan Vaughan

The oldest British car manufacturer, AC has continuously produced vehicles since 1901 and the marque carries enormous prestige. The AC Aceca, a closed coupe, was unveiled in 1954 in London and only 328 prototypes were ever produced.

Production of the Aceca Coupe commenced in 1955 and Le Mans 1957 was a lucrative one for AC, with an AC Bristol finishing tenth overall. 1958 was an even better year as a special-bodied AC Bristol finished eighth and a standard car ninth. Produced from 1954 until 1963, the similar Bristol-engined Aceca-Bristol was also eventually available in the 1956 model year. Both of these models were hand-built GT vehicles in the British tradition, and both featured ash wood joining steel tubing into their construction. Following the 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4, the Aceca was only the second vehicle to incorporate the hatchback at the rear.

The differences between the Aceca and the Aceca-Briston lay in the engines. Though both were straight-6es, the Aceca shared its 90 hp 2.0 L engine with the lighter AC Ace, and the Aceca-Bristol utilized a 125 hp 'D-Type' 2.0 L unit sourced from Bristol Cars. One was also able to purchase the Aceca-Bristol with a milder 'B-Type' Bristol engine of 105 hp. The Aceca was priced at $5,400 in the U.S. but the Bristol specification added another $1000 to the price tag. A total of 151 Acecas were produced, while 169 Aceca-Bristols were built. Unfortunately, production was halted quite unexpectedly in 1963.

Certain design specifics in the Aceca were taken from the exquisite design work by Pina Farina for the AC Company in the 1940s, these included in the front-end styling. The grille was simple, but the curves were perfectly executed along with the hood and around the headlights. The Aceca had a superbly low weight due to the tubular frame, and aluminum body panels, and aluminum engine block. Other weight-saving features were in the 16' spoked wheels and nearly perfect weight distribution in the fore/aft which also contributed to the exception handling on loose, dirt tracks. The Aceca exhibited its distinctive engineering with the front-wheel disc brakes, articulated rear half-axles, transverse 'de Dion' leaf rear suspension, worm-gear steering, curved windshield, electronic overdrive in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gear The bucket seats were also very well-designed and encased in leather in true 1950's vintage auto style.

Also very innovative for the time, the AC engine was considered to be 'an engineering marvel', patterned after the powerful Bristol aircraft engine. The engine was an inline 6, aluminum block, overhead cam, double chain drive that was fueled by 3 inline SU downdraft carburetors, that each fed two cylinders. 6 straight-out header pipes were directly opposite and these allowed the combustion gases to enter the cylinder, do one rotation during combustion and exit oppositely, straight-out, without any resistance.

Enthusiasts consider the Aceca to be a great car to drive, though it rides a bit hard, due to the stiff suspension. Cornering and steering were done quite proficiently, but some complained that it tended to oversteer, but it was still 'solid and predictable' handling. Consumers also complained about the inadequate rear mirrors, a heating system not properly suited to colder climates, and inadequate soundproofing above 75 mph.

by Jessican Donaldson