Forgive me, cobra fans, but much as I admire Carroll Shelby’s creation, I prefer its forerunner, the AC Ace. And that’s why I’m delighted to note that the classic Ace is back in production as the Ace MK11, distributed in North America by Autosport Designs, Inc. The bodies are hand-formed from aluminum using the original wooden bucks and jigs, and are wrapped onto an original-style steel chassis. Power comes from a 2.5 liter straight-six engine producing 125 hp, mated to a 4-speed gearbox with overdrive. The interior is identical, other than a later-style steering column. So why do I take the Ace over the Cobra? Nostalgia partly, for my first exposure was at a hillclimb where a Bristol-powered version raced to victory. After which, the Ace’s purity of design combined with the sweet sound of an inline-six was enough to make me a fan forever. Welcome back!
April 2nd, 2006
Sweet Six and the Classic Ace
by admin | Posted in AC Cars | 1 Comment » |
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I share your views on the overlooked marques. Shelby’s Cobra is legendary and gets all the glory while the Ace is viewed as a donor vehicle, if one could be found. But for those who don’t want to die going sideways over a guardrail at 140 miles per hour, it makes a lot of sense.
April 20, 2006 @ 9:56 amI’ve owned a host of Javelins, pre-Chrysler Jeeps, Renaults and now, God-forbid, a six-cylinder 62 Fairlane that I am NOT going to drop a V8 into. They’ve all been adequate to fantastic vehicles and need some champion to remember them. They don’t have the monetary value of a hemi Cuda but they were fine cars in their own right.
Keep it up and remind people in North America that classic doesn’t just mean V8 Detroit iron.
Rick