History

AC came back to the market after the Second World War with the staid Two-litre range of cars in 1947, but it was with the Ace sports car of 1953 that the company really made its reputation in the post war years. Casting around for a replacement for the ageing Two litre, AC took up a design by John Tojeiro

John Tojeiro

John Tojeiro , affectionately known as Toj, was an engineer and racing car designer, whose innovations helped to revolutionise car design in the 1950s and '60s....

 that used a light ladder type tubular frame, all independent transverse leaf spring suspension, and an open two seater alloy body that was made using English wheel

English Wheel

The English wheel, in Britain also known as a Wheeling machine, is a metalworking tool that enables a craftsman to form compound curves from flat sheets of metal such as aluminium or steel. The process of using an English wheel is known as Wheeling...

ing machines, possibly inspired by the Ferrari Barchetta of the day.

Early cars used AC's elderly two litre, overhead cam, 100 bhp, straight six engine (first seen soon after the end of the First World War) which gave a top speed of 102 mph (164 km/h) and 0-60 mph (96 km/h) in 13 seconds. It was hardly a sporting engine, however, and it was felt that something more modern and powerful was required to put the modern chassis to good use. Thus, from 1956, there was the option of Bristol Cars

Bristol Cars

Bristol Cars is a manufacturer of hand-built luxury cars headquartered in Patchway, near Bristol, United Kingdom. Bristol have always been a low-volume manufacturer; the most recent published official production figures were for 1982, which stated that 104 cars were produced in that year...

' two litre 120 bhp straight six engine with 3 downdraught carburettors and slick four speed gearbox. Top speed leapt to 116 mph (186 km/h) with 0-60 (96 km/h) in the nine second bracket, and response was much sweeter and modern. This was replaced in 1962 with the 2.6 litre Ken Rudd 'Ruddspeed' engine, adapted from that used in the Ford Zephyr

Ford Zephyr

The Ford Zephyr was a car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United Kingdom. Between 1950 and 1972, it was sold as a more powerful six-cylinder saloon to complement the four-cylinder Ford Consul: from 1962 the Zephyr itself was offered in both four- and six-cylinder versions.The Zephyr...

. It used 3 Weber

Weber carburetor

Weber is an Italian company producing carburetors, currently owned by Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A., in turn part of the Fiat Group.The company was established as...

 or SU carburettors and either a 'Mays' or iron cast head. This set up boosted the car's performance further, but it was not long before Carroll Shelby drew AC's attention to the Cobra, so only 37 were made.

In the final years of production, some Ace models were fitted with the MKII Ford Zephyr

Ford Zephyr

The Ford Zephyr was a car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United Kingdom. Between 1950 and 1972, it was sold as a more powerful six-cylinder saloon to complement the four-cylinder Ford Consul: from 1962 the Zephyr itself was offered in both four- and six-cylinder versions.The Zephyr...

 2.6 litre straight-6 engine. These Ford engined models had a smaller grille which was carried over to the Cobra.

Overdrive was available from 1956 and front disc brakes were an option from 1957, although they were later standardised. With the engine set well back in the chassis, the Ace handled well and was successful in competition.

Joining the Ace in 1954 was the Aceca

AC Aceca

The Aceca is a closed coupé from the British AC Cars company, produced from 1954 until 1963. The car originally had an AC engine but the similar Bristol-engined Aceca-Bristol was also available alogside the original from 1956 to 1963 when production of the engine ceased...

 hard top coupé, which had an early form of hatchback rear door but used the same basic timber framed alloy body.

Road test

The British Motor magazine tested an AC engined Ace in 1954 recording a top speed of 103 mph (165.8 km/h) and acceleration from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 11.4 seconds and a fuel consumption of 25.2 mpgimp.

The test car cost £1439 including taxes.

Motor Sport

The car raced at Le Mans in 1957 and 1958. Few cars with this provenance have survived and are extremely valuable. They can range from $100,000 or more for an unrestored car, even one in pieces, to in excess of $400,000 for a restored AC Ace.

AC Cobra

When Bristol ceased building their 6-cylinder engine in 1961, AC's owner, Charles Hurlock, was approached by Carroll Shelby

Carroll Shelby

Carroll Hall Shelby is an American retired automotive designer and racing driver. He is most well known for making Mustangs for Ford Motor Company known as Mustang Cobras which he has done since 1965...

 to use a Ford

Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...

 V8 in the Ace chassis, producing the AC Cobra

AC Cobra

The AC Cobra, also known colloquially as the Shelby Cobra in North America, is an Anglo-American sports car that was produced during the 1960s.-History and development:...

in 1962. Production of the Ace ended the same year. The AC Cobra came in small block and later big block configurations. It was Ford's big block 427 "side-oiler" that led to the car winning the GT class at Le Mans

Le Mans

Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...

 in June 1964. At the time, the AC Cobra 427 was the fastest "production" car in the world.

AC Brooklands Ace (1994 - 2000)

The Ace name was reintroduced in 1994 with a radically new design. The new Ace offered an option of a 305 hp Ford V8 "Quad Cam" or a Lotus

Lotus Cars

Lotus Cars is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars based at the former site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and fine handling characteristics...

350 hp engine. The car has features such as air conditioning, full hide interior and GPS navigation.