To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' Arizona event, 17 - 18
January 2019.
Estimate:
$250,000 - $300,000
- One of 63 AC roadsters built in 1960
- Displayed by Bob Grossman at the 1960 New York Auto Show
- Two-year restoration completed in 2014
- Currently fitted with a Cobra V-8 engine
- Featured in Rinsey Mills' marque volume AC Six-Cylinder Sports
Cars In Detail
In late 1956 AC began offering an uprated engine option for the
company's handsome Ace roadster, a two-liter inline six built by
Bristol to the specifications of a pre-war BMW racing motor. The
resulting Ace-Bristol became extremely popular with SCCA
competitors, dominating the E-Production class for a short time.
British privateer Ken Rudd sealed the model's renown with a
10th-overall finish at the 1957 24 Hours of Le Mans in a
factory-prepared Ace-Bristol. Less flamboyantly bodied than the
Shelby Cobra that appeared in 1962, yet still a consummate
race-winning model, the Ace Bristol remains a favorite today with
enthusiasts of important competition roadsters.
Claiming important early auto show use and a recent restoration to
high standards, this striking Ace Bristol is one of just 63
roadsters built in 1960. Chassis no. BEX 1146 was originally
finished in white paint and distributed to the U.S., where it was
initially used as a show car by the famed racing driver and sports
car importer Bob Grossman. It would be displayed on his stand at
the New York Auto Show in April 1960.
It is believed that the AC was fitted with a Ford 289-cu. in.
engine sometime in the late 1960s or early 1970s, as it is
currently configured. In 1974 the roadster was acquired by a New
Jersey-based enthusiast, and it remained in his care for 32 years
until being sold to Gary Singer of New Mexico in 2006. In 2012, Mr.
Singer sold the Ace-Bristol to the consignor, and he immediately
set about a two-year frame-up restoration in which every mechanical
and cosmetic consideration was addressed. The coachwork was
refinished in a very elegant shade of dark green.
Following the restoration's completion in 2014, the consignor drove
the AC in several long-distance events, including the Copperstate
1000 as well as the Going to the Sun Rally in Montana. The roadster
was also presented to much adoration at the Amelia Island Concours
d'Elegance in 2017.
With intoxicating period details like the AC fuel-filler cap,
un-flared fenders, a wood-rimmed steering wheel, and wire wheels,
this beautiful Ace should strike the fancy of any marque aficionado
or enthusiast of noteworthy British competition models. The
roadster is ideal for event use or display at local concours
d'elegance and English car shows, offering a distinguished
complement to any collection.To view this car and others currently
consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at
rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/az19.
