AC Mk IV...the general consensus?

[t walgamuth]

Sounds nice!

[Mark IV]

AK number?

[xb-60]

Sounds like a good one.
Please post some pictures when you have it in your garage.
IMO, nothing cooler than a non-S/C bodied/striped car (except for an FIA car )

Cheers
Glen

[olddog]

With a lot of knowledgeable Mark IV people in this thread, I have to ask:

So many complain about the low powered 5.0 Mustang engine that came in these cars. It is fairly easy to drop a 347 storker EFI engine in producing 425 Hp. Now the car would no longer be under-powered, and it can easily be returned to the original condition, by putting the original engine back in. Nothing is cut up or permanently modified in the process.

Now to the question.
Are these cars so valuable, that they must stay untouched to prevent them from loosing value?

I understand an untouched anything at a collectors auction is worth twice as much as the identical car with high performance mods and a $30,000 perfect paint job. But is a Mark IV really collectible and worth keeping original un-touched?

This is not a sarcastic post. I am honestly curious as to what the answer is.

[PGC1877]

I only have the VIN ending in "085". Would that indicate AK1085?

As for modifications, value and collectability, I've owned around 130 cars in my lifetime and have learned that stock and original is best for resale. Then there are no explanations necessary to prospective buyers. I also learned a long time ago that you make money on cars on the buy not the sell...

As to the collectability of the MK IV, all I can say is I could have bought a similar MK IV(s), 5 years ago for a lot less money. I was going to buy another Ferrari or SPF MK II with 300 bhp and a glass body instead I bought this 200 bhp alloy bodied car with a more direct connection with AC (perhaps being a former Ace-Bristol owner influenced that decision).

Having said all that a stainless dual exhaust with headers, a set of aluminum heads and a Holley Sniper EFI system would go nicely on this AC!

[Mark IV]

Yes,

That would be AK1085 and I sold that new. I will look to see if I have any documents left. Some of my files were lost in a move, but I do have some. I think 1085 was our demo car and first sold to a dentist in the Cleveland, Ohio area. I had no further information on it past the first owner.

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by olddog

With a lot of knowledgeable Mark IV people in this thread, I have to ask:

So many complain about the low powered 5.0 Mustang engine that came in these cars. It is fairly easy to drop a 347 storker EFI engine in producing 425 Hp. Now the car would no longer be under-powered, and it can easily be returned to the original condition, by putting the original engine back in. Nothing is cut up or permanently modified in the process.

Now to the question.
Are these cars so valuable, that they must stay untouched to prevent them from loosing value?

I understand an untouched anything at a collectors auction is worth twice as much as the identical car with high performance mods and a $30,000 perfect paint job. But is a Mark IV really collectible and worth keeping original un-touched?

This is not a sarcastic post. I am honestly curious as to what the answer is.

To many stock and original holds the value best. A modified car will sell but only to someone who wants/appreciates the modifications so the potential market tends to be smaller.

Here is a MK IV I sold new with a neat story attached: https://www.timemachineauto.com/about-us.html

[t walgamuth]

If it were mine, I'd probably do bolt on mods keeping the original parts for resale. I wouldn't make money on the mods but I'd have fun with the car.

For a dealer the smart way is stock.

[AC Ventura]

Originally Posted by olddog

With a lot of knowledgeable Mark IV people in this thread, I have to ask:

So many complain about the low powered 5.0 Mustang engine that came in these cars. It is fairly easy to drop a 347 storker EFI engine in producing 425 Hp. Now the car would no longer be under-powered, and it can easily be returned to the original condition, by putting the original engine back in. Nothing is cut up or permanently modified in the process.

Now to the question.
Are these cars so valuable, that they must stay untouched to prevent them from loosing value?

I understand an untouched anything at a collectors auction is worth twice as much as the identical car with high performance mods and a $30,000 perfect paint job. But is a Mark IV really collectible and worth keeping original un-touched?

This is not a sarcastic post. I am honestly curious as to what the answer is.

In answer to your question, the higher the state of modification, the more proportionally difficult to sell, an already difficult to sell car, becomes. Certainly in the UK.
Is it a true collectible? Probably because it was produced by AC Cars Limited and is a faithful 427 under the skin. And that all aluminium skin, that took each 2300 man hours to make, was actually beaten out on the same tooling that AC produced Shelby’s original cars on. The quality of engineering is simply superb.
Is it worth preserving untouched? Well that depends on the owner, whether 225 hp gives him enough enjoyment and what he can realistically do about it.

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by AC Ventura

skin, that took each 2300 man hours to make, was actually beaten out on the same tooling that AC produced Shelby’s original cars on.

Brian loved to tell that story. 1) the time was WAY less. 2) The 427 bucks had been binned by AC so the MK IV was built on fiberglass forms that Autokraft built. They DID have the Ace, 289 and FIA bucks but the MK III were long gone at that point. That in no way reduces the quality of the MK IV.

[AC Ventura]

Originally Posted by Mark IV

Brian loved to tell that story. 1) the time was WAY less. 2) The 427 bucks had been binned by AC so the MK IV was built on fiberglass forms that Autokraft built. They DID have the Ace, 289 and FIA bucks but the MK III were long gone at that point. That in no way reduces the quality of the MK IV.

Hey Mk IV, thanks for the update to published knowledge and no sacasm intended. Sounds like you actually visited the AC factory in England and personally knew Brian Anglis. In that case, do you know where he is now?

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by AC Ventura

Hey Mk IV, thanks for the update to published knowledge and no sacasm intended. Sounds like you actually visited the AC factory in England and personally knew Brian Anglis. In that case, do you know where he is now?

Yes,

My wife and I visited Autokraft and two of Brian's three UK homes (he had one on Guernsey as well) and Brian was a guest in our home as well. Mr. Angliss emigrated to New Zealand and is incommunicado as regards Autokraft/AC. I have not spoken with him since the 80's. Other people I know who were close to him have also been unsuccessful in contacting him.

[PGC1877]

Well, AK 1085 has been picked up on the snowy Maine coast and appears to be in good order. It's headed to Rhode Island as I write this for a physical and a detailing and then we'll see what happens...the tires are 4 years old and it has a set of three eared K/Os but the Autokraft hex nuts and original Goodyear spare are still with it. Otherwise, it appears and is said to be totally original.

[Old Phart]

Congrats on your purchase! You will love driving it. As was said before, you could make mods that are easily taken back to stock.

I've had mine (1185) since 1991, purchased from the original owner, who called the UK and special ordered the AC with no side marker lights. He was also given the choice of carb or EFI. He told me they were now using EFI, so he picked the carb version.

I also made some MKIII mods, a GT40 crate engine, and kept all stock parts.

Now has over 31K miles and climbing, or should I say, driving.

So, show us some pictures of your new AC!

[PGC1877]

Photos uploads of a Mark IV in the snow seem to fail although the jpeg size is below the stated limit...