Anyone own an AC Ace car

[kobrabob]

Anyone on the forum own an AC Ace? These are the cars the AC continued to make after the Cobra run. The '68 model was called an AC 428 and powered by a 428 Ford engine. Later cars had small blocks and lately they had a 5.0 Ford engine.

See pics here:

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/s...r=10262&stype=

bob

[Jim Maxwell]

I don't own one, but I have lusted after a 428 convertible , many times. Great set of pictures. Thanks for sharing your stuff with us! I know of an AC Greyhound nearby that is truly a barn car for the last 40 years, in pretty good shape. I also have original paperwork on an AC Bristol for the original owner, if I can ever find Him. The US AC club has been of no help. They want me to send the stuff to them, and they will send it when the owner is found . I don't think so. I ''l hold on to it until I can send it directly to the right person. Any other ideas?

[Mark IV]

the Ace you picture was not sold in the USA. These did not go intoproduction ("production" to AC is less than 25 per year) until the early '90s. I have driven several in the UK including the version powered by the Lotus Type 918 twin-turbo V8. The last iteration of the car had the chassis and body built in South Africa by Hi-Tech Auto (Superformance) and shipped to the UK for finishing. Alloy body and stainless steel monocoque chassis that was designed by Ford when they controlled AC. It was a great car, a real GT "gentlemans express" but could not be built at a profit due to the management at AC and the fact that Ford intended to supply much production tooling that evaporated when Ford pulled out. When Autokraft (Brian Angliss) controlled AC the Ace was shown at the Detrot Auto show in 1995 but never US certified.

The cars AC built after the Cobra were the "AC 289" or alco called the AC Mk III, a "427 Cobra" body/chassis with and wire wheels on a narrow-hip style body. The "AC 428" was a stretched 427 chassi with a body by Frua in Italy and a 428 PI engine with eithwer 4 speed or a C6. Niether were produced in any real qauntity.

The AC Mk IV was NOT built by AC but rather under license by Autokraft. These are the cars that have the Mustang 5.0 V8.

There was also three stretched cuope version of the Ace using the old Aceca name. I drove a 4.6 Ford 4 cam powered version and it was great. Shame that the Lubinsky era ownership turned AC into a joke.

Rick

[cobrajeff]

Nice job on the pictures in your gallery - thanks for sharing. I find the vintage posters and the Cobra parts pictures very interesting.

regards,

Jeff

[kobrabob]

Thanks Jim and Jeff. And thanks Rick for the AC update.
I collect literature and have some brochures and postcards from AC from recent years but didn't know much about them. I know that there are AC 428 car(s) in the USA cause I'm sure I saw an ad for one (or more) in Hemmings. Definately there are AC Mk III cars which regularly show up for sale everywhere.

Bob

[pderouss]

MkIV

I notice from your gallery that you have what looks like a supercharged MkIV. I would be interested to hear more about it as I have one too. As there were very few built in the Lubinski era we represent a rare breed.

[Mark IV]

..the "Superblower" you see was our demo, my company was the AC agent in the USA for a time. The car you see was imported under a temporary bond and sadly had to be returned to the UK as it could not meet all the US standards. Mr. Lubinsky reneged on our agreements and discontinued the Ace and Aceca for which we had orders.

As you are probably aware AC was run into the ground by the managment and hung a lot of people out. Call Duncan Hamilton and catch their take on the Lubinsky way of doing business.

I have been to the works several times and had the pleasure of driving many of the cars from Ace to Aceca.

Rick

[pderouss]

MkIV.

Interesting.

I know other dealers over here who were not pleased with the Lubinsky business methods. I dealt direct with him and was very carefull to ensure he met his committments - which, in fairness to him, he did. I believe he is now in Australia.
The business is now owned by Price (Superformance etc). Hopefully ne will be able to keep the marque going - albeit on a relatively small scale. Having survived for nearly 102 years it would be a shame to see them dissappear.

I have been familiar with the Ace since it was first developed by Angliss and appeared on the Ford stand at the British Motor Show back in 1992. In my view it was (like all AC's) beautifully built but never had the looks to compete in the price range (80,000GBP) that it was offered at. The Aceca suffered from the same problem.

Did you ever see the Mamba? This was a Coupe version of the Cobra with faired in front light and a staight 6 Ford Australia engine. It got close to looking right but some of the panel intersections did not work well. I presume it will never now see production.

Last time I was at the factory they were putting a 4.6 SOHC Mustang engine into a CRS Cobra. Surprisingly enough it was the standard engine from the Mustang GT - not the Mustang Cobra version or better still the supercharged one from the F150 Lightning.

[Jeff Frigo]

1969 AC 428

CONV (Frua-29 mfg) 1968-73 428/345 V8
Fair: $23,000 Good: $36,000 Exc: $48,000 Show $57,000

COUPE (Frua-51 mfg) 1967-73 428/345 V8
Fair: $17,000 Good: $24,000 Exc: $36,000 Show $40,000