1971 AC 428

In the mid-1960s, AC Cars began transforming its Cobra sports car into a luxury Grand Tourer, displaying a two-seater convertible at the 1965 Earls Court Motor Show and a fastback-styled Coupe at the Geneva Salon a year later. Production of the AC 428 Frua lasted from 1967 to 1973 with just 81 examples built, comprised of 30 convertibles and 51 fastbacks.

The Cobra MKIII coil-sprung, fully independent suspension was extended by 6 inches in the wheels and clothed with elegant steel coachwork by Pietro Frua, with a similar design to Maserati's Mistral. The boot lid and bonnets were fabricated from lightweight aluminum. The chassis was built at the AC plant in England and then shipped to Italy where Frua fitted the body before sending them back to England to have the powertrain and trim added. The chassis was rather conventional with rectangular and square tubing connecting the steel body to the frame. Its wheelbase measured 95 inches, its length of 176 inches, and its width of 68 inches.

The model was named in reference to its 428 cubic-inch (7-liter) Ford Galaxie FE engine which produced less power than the Cobra 427's. Nonetheless, with 345 horsepower on tap and an overall weight of 1,416 kg, the AC 428 was capable of sub-six-second 0-60mph times and 0-100mph times of around 14.5 seconds, with a maximum speed in excess of 140mph. The majority of the cars were equipped with automatic transmissions, which complemented the grand touring persona.

The 428 cubic-inch V8 engine produced 345 horsepower at 4,600 RPM and 475 lb-ft of torque at 2,800 RPM. It had 10.5:1 compression, hydraulic valve lifters, and either Autolite or Holley four-barrel carburetors. Some examples received the higher performance cross-bolted main Ford 427 engine which produced 385 horsepower at 5,600 RPM and 460 lb/ft of torque. Transmission options included a fully synchronized four-speed close-ratio Ford Toploader unit or a three-speed Ford C6 automatic. Steering was by a Rack & Pinion and the differential was a Salisbury unit with a 2.88 drive ratio for automatics and 3.08 for manuals. Four-wheel power-assisted disc brakes provided the stopping, with Girling 3-pistons, and dual remote servo assistance. A fully adjustable independent suspension setup with double triangular wishbones, coil springs, and hydraulic telescopic shock absorbers was located at the front and rear.

The AC 428 Frua was stylish, elegant, and luxurious with performance that rivaled the supercar elite of the day. Its Achilles Heel was the steep price which was roughly twice that of a Jaguar E-Type and more than an Aston martin DB6.

by Dan Vaughan

Fastback Coupe
Chassis number: CF60
Engine number: 1092K11KR

This 1971 AC 428 Fastback is powered by an overhead-valve Ford V8 engine fitted with a four-barrel carburetor and delivering 345 horsepower at 3,400 RPM. There is a four-speed C6 automatic transmission (one of approximately 62 of the 80 cars equipped with the Ford C-6) and disc brakes. It has been in the same ownership for over two decades and received a restoration in 2015 and most recently in 2021. It has a silver exterior finish over Black leather upholstery and rides on triple-laced chrome wire wheels. There are approximately 32,000 miles on the odometer.

The known provenance of this vehicle dates back to 1985 when it was imported from Switzerland via the Belgian port city of Antwerp by Portland, Oregon's Jim Feldman. Its current owner first saw the 428 in November 1985 and eventually acquired it in July 1997.

by Dan Vaughan

AC Cars built the AC 428 (also known as the AC Frua) was produced from 1965 through 1973 with 81 examples produced. 49 were fastback coupes, 29 were convertibles, and three were given special bodies. The cars were built on an AC Cobra 427 Mark III chassis that was extended by 6 inches. The chassis's were built by AC Cars and then sent to Italy where they received their coachwork from Frua. After that work was completed, they were sent back to England where they were given their power train and trim. Power was from a big-block Ford FE engine that gave the car a top speed of 141 mph and a zero-to-sixty time of just 6.2 seconds. The transmissions were either a fully synchronized 4-speed Ford Toploader close-ratio transmission or a three-speed Ford C6 gearbox. Four-wheel 'Girling' 3-piston disc brakes with dual remote servo assistance were fitted at all four corners.

by Dan Vaughan

An extremely limited edition model, the AC Frua was designed by Pietro Frua, rather than Caroll Shelby, like most AC cars. The 'Frua' name was chosen accordingly and featured a huge seven-liter big-block V8 from the current Ford Mustang. A British 'GT' car of the 1960s and early 1970s, the Classic AC Frua was also known as the AC 428. Only eighty-one models were ever built from 1965 through 1973, 49 of them fastback Coupe's, 29 Convertibles and 3 special bodied.

The Italian-bodied AC 428 was built on the classic AC Cobra 427 Mark III race-bred coil spring chassis elongated by 6 inches. The 428's chassis were constructed at the AC plant in England before being shipped to Frua's Italian workshop. The body was fitted before returning back to England where the power train and trim were added. Unfortunately, the cost behind this was extensive and cars couldn't be sold at a competitive price. Due to a lack of financial means the AC Frua was never fully developed. One of the biggest disadvantages of the Frua was the V8's tendency to bleed heat into the cabin.

The AC Frua featured fully independent racing-based coil spring suspension, unlike comparable vehicles of the period like the classic Iso Rivolta, Iso Grifo, Monteverdi's, and classic De Tomasos. The 428 shares a similar look with the Maserati Mistral (also designed by Pietro Frua) and is often confused, though only the front quarter windows and the door handles are the same.

Similar to Italian supercars of the time, the chassis construction featured square and rectangular tubing that connected the steel body to the frame. The tubular chassis was 4 inches in length and made both the coupe and convertible quite rigid. The intricate design was, unfortunately, susceptible to rust. Both the hood and trunk lid was constructed from aluminum. The transmissions were either a three-speed Ford C6 gearbox or a fully synchronized 4-speed Ford Toploader close-ratio transmission. Fitted to all four corners were four-wheel 'Girling' 3-piston disc brakes with dual remote servo assistance.

Created to compete with Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Maserati models, the AC Frua was powered by the big-block Ford FE engine, which featured larger capacity, more power, and more torque when compared to comparable Italian cars. The Frua was built over a stretched AC Cobra 427 chassis. The snappy little sports car was recorded with a maximum speed of 141 mph and could achieve 0-60mph in just 6.2 seconds. It was estimated to have an overall fuel consumption of 15.6 mph, which was around 15% better than the Aston Martin DB6.

Weighing around 3,153 pounds, the AC 428 was produced from 1965 to 1973. The AC 428 had a recommended UK retail price of £5,573, which was nearly twice the cost of a 4.2-liter Jaguar E-Type roadster, priced at £2,225. Several prototypes for an extended range were produced near the end of the production run. Though never produced due to an absence of finances, the AC Company produced a four-door version of the coupe, along with a more streamlined version of the convertible that featured electrically operated 'pop-up' headlamps.

Sources:

http://ac428.zoomshare.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_Frua

http://www.supercars.net/cars/4754.html

http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/page/ac-428

by Jessican Donaldson