Vehicle Description
A.C. has a long tradition of building sporting motorcars, dating
back to the early 1920s. The company's roots go back to 1908 as
Auto Carriers, where they produced motorized vehicles for tradesmen
and delivery purposes. In 1921, new management arrived and A.C.
Cars Ltd was founded, with great emphasis put on racing and record
breaking in order to build the brand. Success came quickly with the
first British victory in the 1926 Monte Carlo rally. Production of
various sporting saloons and touring cars trickled on through WWII,
when the works produced a variety of wartime products, making a
very handy profit along the way. In the early 1950s, with saloon
sales dwindling, A.C.'s owners decided a new direction was needed.
They partnered with a young designer named John Tojeiro who was
making a name for himself in sports car racing with his tubular
framed, alloy skinned race cars. Tojeiro was brought on board to
design a new sports car that utilized A.C.'s own inline six, as
well as the Bristol-sourced 2.0 liter inline six. The Ace roadster
was first shown at the 1953 Earls Court Motor Show with production
versions arriving one year later. In 1955 the pretty Ace roadster
was joined by the two-seat fixed-head Aceca coupe. The beautiful
coupe, like the roadster, could be optioned with either the AC or
Bristol engine and it proved a worthy competitor in amateur GT
racing. Production of the Aceca was very low, however, with just
349 built over a nine-year period before A.C. shifted focus to
their most famous car to date, the sensational Cobra. This striking
AC Aceca coupe is one of just 48 built in 1959 and is one of just a
handful originally equipped with the A.C. inline-six cylinder
engine. It is a handsome car that has been carefully prepared for
event use, while still remaining in beautiful show-worthy condition
and entirely streetable. The paintwork pays homage to the famous
Ecurie Ecosse team livery, with its rich blue accented by a white
band around the bonnet and white roundels on the doors. Paint
quality is excellent, particularly for a rally car, and the
detailing is outstanding. Brightwork is limited to bumpererettes,
window trim and lamps, all of which appears in very good order. The
car sits purposefully on a set of wide-rim 72 spoke wire wheels,
painted in dark gray as would be appropriate for a racing car of
the period. Proper black wall tires give the right look and allow
the brilliant handling of the Tojeiro chassis to shine through.
Side exiting exhaust and a huge, polished Monza-style fuel filler
completes the look. The cabin follows closely with original, having
been restored to a high standard while incorporating the necessary
safety features for serious rallying. Safety enhancements include a
subtly integrated roll cage with side-entry bars, period seats with
four-point harnesses, on board fire suppression system and
regulation exterior electrical shut-offs. All of the modifications
have been done with a subtle, period correct feel that does not
detract from the appealing beauty of the Aceca. The seats are
trimmed in red leather and red panels line the interior and cargo
hatch.� Carpeting is limited to the central tunnel, with bare alloy
floors lending a purposeful feel. A beautiful three spoke wood
wheel faces original instruments, and a series of additional dials
keeping watch on all vital functions. As with the exterior, the
interior is purposeful, beautifully crafted and ready for sporting
duty. A.C.s inline six may date back to the 1920s, but it was a
remarkably versatile engine that produced over 100 horsepower in
standard trim by 1959, and remained in production until 1963. This
example has been carefully uprated for rally duty with a trio of
big S.U. carburetors outfitted with velocity stacks along with an
alloy radiator, electric fans, an alternator, and gorgeous custom
tuned exhaust headers. Performance is outstanding and the engine
sounds positively glorious breathing through those big carbs and
the raspy exhaust. Not only is this a proven and exceptional event
car, having competed at the 2015 Copperstate 1000, (among other
events) it has also been shown at prestigious concours such as the
Concours d'Elegance of America at St. John's. This rare and
beautifully restored A.C. Aceca is a magnificent all-rounder that
is ready for enjoyment.