Vehicle Description
-Vineyard Green with Black leather interior, Black carpeting, Black
convertible top and weather equipment as well as an unrestored
factory hard top, 4-Speed Manual, Original LHD and United States
delivery, Recent mechanical restoration.
One of ACs most prominent post-war sports cars, the athletic and
sleek Ace was first presented in 1953 and was purportedly the most
photographed car of the 1953 London Motor Show. The thoughtfully
engineered and lightweight tubular chassis with four-wheel,
independent suspension, and a spartan aluminum two-seat roadster
body was an immediate hit. Initially powered by AC's 80 horsepower
two-liter straight-six, Ken Rudd, owner of the tuning shop
Ruddspeed of Worthing, UK, convinced the AC factory to install the
significantly larger, more powerful 120 hp Bristol engine beginning
in 1957. These new Bristol engines were easily tuned, producing
more power for both the road and the track. The new Bristol-powered
Aces ran successfully at Le Mans between 1957 and 1962.
Approximately 680 AC Aces and Ace Bristols were produced prior to
being used as the platform for the famed Ford V8-powered Shelby
Cobra, hence earning the AC Ace its well-deserved nickname of the
Cobra's "older brother."
This AC Bristol left the factory on 21 November 1957, delivered to
Precision Autos of Houston, Texas. Further history shows early
ownership with, Mr. E. Arthur McClish of Palo Alto, California.
1980 found the AC with Mr. Walter A Feldmann, Hillsborough,
California. The AC was later sold to Mr. David Maron, France and
sent back across the Atlantic, reportedly in need of engine repair.
Under Maron's ownership, the original damaged engine, 100D 734 was
replaced with 100D2 941. This engine which remains in this car to
date. In 1989, well-known and respected collector and vintage racer
Tom Mittler, Mishawaka, Indiana acquired this AC Bristol, it was
returned to the United States and where it enjoyed further long
term ownership and care.
During 2016, the car was sent to Abingdon West Ltd. Of Fallbrook,
CA where it was subject to a thorough mechanical review. A few
years later in 2019, the car received a further restoration by Fast
Cars Ltd. of Redondo Beach, CA.
Having been purchased by Autosport Designs in 2022, this AC Bristol
has remained within the ASD collection. Most recently, we enjoyed
over 1,200 YouTube - documented miles with this AC during the 2023
California Mille, where it performed flawlessly. Upon its return to
New York - Autosport Designs, we decided to refresh the cosmetics
with a complete repaint, please see photos.
Mechanically it has received a fuel system-tank overhaul, new tires
and service-maintenance to ensure it is ready for immediate road or
vintage rally use within the ASD collection or if sold to its next
owner-custodian.
This Ace-Bristol is offered with a factory instruction handbook,
records, documentation, tonneau cover, side curtains, convertible
top, as well as its unrestored factory hardtop. It is turn-key and
ready and eligible to be used on some of the worlds best motoring
events.