Description
- A historic sports car in its most desirable Bristol engine specification.
- In-period competition history, eligible for Le Mans Classic and other prestigious events
- Well-documented ownership history and in private hands for 20 years
- Extensive professional restoration in 2015
“Of all of them, the Ace was the real sports car: it could be used for daily commuting or for long-distance trips at high speed, but it could also be driven to a race meeting, driven home again with an award – even if that race the 24 Hours of Le Mans. ” – AC Heritage, Simon Taylor and Peter Burn.
The success of Cliff Davis' sports racer prompted AC Cars to put the design into production in 1954 as the Ace. The Davis car's handsome Ferrari 166-inspired barchetta body was retained, as were John Tojeiro's ladder chassis and Cooper-influenced fully independent suspension, but the powerplant was AC's own venerable 2,0-liter long-stroke six-cylinder. This overhead camshaft engine dates back to 1919 and with a modest 80 hp (later 100 hp) on tap, the Ace provided respectable, if not excellent, performance.
In 1955, AC added a hardtop version – the fastback-style Aceca – and both models became available from '56 with the more powerful (up to 130 hp) Bristol six-cylinder engine. The 1.971 cc Bristol six was based on that of the pre-war BMW 328, which had an ingenious cylinder head designed by Rudolf Schleicher, with hemispherical combustion chambers and inclined valves without the use of overhead or twin camshafts. Instead, the single-block camshaft and pushrod valve of the earlier BMW Type 319 engine were retained, avoiding an expensive redesign. Two rocker shafts were used, one above each set of valves, giving the engine an appearance almost indistinguishable from that of a dual overhead camshaft design. Downdraft intake ports contributed to the engine's deep breathing, its tuning ability making it a popular choice for British racing car constructors, especially Cooper, in the XNUMXs.
Externally, Bristol's clone of the BMW engine differed little from the German original, the most obvious difference being the adoption of SU, rather than Solex, carburettors mid-production. The most significant changes made by Bristol's designers was their use of the highest quality materials which contributed to a significantly longer engine life. The combination of a good handling chassis and a decent power-to-weight ratio – in Bristol engine form the car could reach 120 km/h. Towards the end of production, the Ace was also available with the 2,6-litre overhead valve Ford Zephyr engine. Only 223 cars were delivered with the 2,0-litre AC engine, compared to 463 Bristol-engined cars and a further 37 Ford-powered examples.
The left hand drive AC Ace-Bristol offered here, chassis number 'BEX365', was manufactured on 30th October 1957 and left the factory in silver/blue livery. The Ace took part in various French rallies during the period, including Beaujolais, Dieppe and Touraine-Normandie, and also contested the 1960 Le Mans 24 Hours race under the leadership of Messrs Jean Rambaux and Pierre Boutin. Registered '1445 ER 76' and bearing the starting number '57', the Ace retired in the 14th hour with engine failure after completing 130 laps (1.750 km). Although no longer fitted with the original engine 100D 784 ST2, this car retains all the original Le Mans modifications to the bodywork and chassis: quick-fill fuel cap, special split windscreen, additional lights and the aerodynamic top cover for the front grille.
A document in the file lists eight successive owners. The car was regularly maintained by Auto Techno Sports from Le Mans, related invoices are present in the file. Including one for an extensive restoration carried out in 2015 at a cost of €20.027. As you would expect, this well-maintained Ace performs impeccably. In 1990, while registered as '9802 JR 94', 'BEX 365' appeared in Auto Retro magazine (May issue) in an article about the AC company and the Ace (copy available). In addition, the AC also has plastic side screens, a custom soft top and the original rims as it is currently equipped with much lighter alloy rims.
A classic of sports car design in its most sought-after form, with the powerful Bristol engine, which took part in the “1960 Hours of Le Mans” in 24.
