Description
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1961 AC Aceca Bristol
Chassis Number: BE817
Registration Number: PAE 33
Recorded Mileage: c. 73, 000 miles
- The third from last Bristol-engined car
- Uprated 154bhp fast-road engine
- Fitted with overdrive
A hardtop version of the popular AC Ace, the fastback-styled Aceca coupé, debuted at the Earls Court Motor Show in 1954. The Aceca's hatchback body was constructed in hand-formed aluminium over a tubular steel framework, while the tubular chassis was more substantially built than the Ace's. To reduce noise levels within the cabin, AC mounted all major components on rubber bushes. The result was a well-engineered, lightweight and extremely pretty GT car in the best AC tradition.
From 1956 the more powerful (up to 130bhp) 2. 0-litre Bristol six-cylinder engine became available. The Bristol ‘Six’ was based on that of the pre-war BMW 328, with an ingenious cylinder head designed by Rudolf Schleicher, incorporating hemispherical combustion chambers and inclined valves without recourse to overhead or indeed twin camshafts. Its tune-ability made the engine a popular choice for British racing car constructors, most notably Cooper. Built with near 50/ 50 weight distribution the Aceca is a beautifully handling car for its time.
This matching numbers Aceca Bristol was acquired in May of 1961 directly from AC Cars Ltd. by Patrick Eggar from South West England. The third from last RHD Bristol-engined Acecas, BE817 was ordered from the AC stand at the 1960 British Motor Show for Mr. Eggar’s wife Angela, to be finished in Guardsman metallic blue with black leather upholstery. The Eggar’s appear to have kept the car for some 18 years before passing to its second local owner in late 1979 at 35, 000 miles. A year later the Aceca was sold to a new keeper in London, then in 1981 the car went to Scotland and to the ownership of a Reggie McSpadden, who traded the car two years later with an Isaac Agnew of Darlington. Four years later the AC was sold by Paul Michaels of Hexagon in London to a Michael Peckitt of Cheltenham. Mr. Peckitt undertook a number of jobs on the car over a 7 year period, then after 6, 000 or so miles of enjoyable driving sold the Aceca to Graham Brice of Maidstone in Kent. There are two further owners recorded before BE817 joined our current owner’s collection in 2007.
Other than routine maintenance (including chassis/ steering lubrication every 500 miles), all recent major servicing work since 2008 has been undertaken by leading UK specialist Spencer Lane-Jones of Warminster. In previous ownership the Aceca has benefitted from a rebuilt engine to fast-road specification. The work was entrusted to Stanton Motorsport with the brief to improve power and torque. The crankshaft was balanced and nitrided, then built up with new Cosworth pistons and rings, a high torque cam, ceramic coated cam followers, pushrods, valves and guides, vernier cam wheel, oil cooler, and uprated clutch. A future keeper is advised that new and stronger pushrods are now fitted, they have a different co-efficient of expansion than the standard Bristol pushrod and the tappet clearance (on a cold engine) is now to be set at 0. 005 inches rather than 0. 001 specified in the Owners Manual.
Once reassembled, the engine was dyno tested for 8 hours, now showing a peak power of 154 bhp at 5, 700 rpm, with 144 lbs of torque at 4, 500 rpm (a healthy improvement over a standard 125 bhp 100D2 motor). The engine is now lubricated by Castrol Edge 10/ 60, with 20/ 50 multi-grade for the gearbox/ overdrive unit. Other sensible modifications include replacement uprated lights, the fitting of an overdrive unit, and an Aldon electronic ignition system.
An original and well sorted matching numbers example, this well prepared Aceca is ready to be enjoyed for long distance touring or light competition work.
Note: the Aceca is offered complete with a comprehensive history file including MoT certificates dating back to 1981, older registration document, invoices dating back to the 1980s, copy of original purchase correspondence from 1961 with A. C. Cars.
