1957 - 1961 AC Ace Bristol
Provided by Hemmings

High: $65,000
Average: $45,000
Low: $20,000

The first Ace Bristol was not a product of AC Cars, Limited, but rather was the work of English race driver Ken Rudd, who shoehorned a Bristol six into his Ace. The factory immediately saw the performance possibilities of Rudd’s creation and adopted the design for production, with the result that a more powerful Ace was available without the cost of building from a clean sheet design.

Previously, the Ace had used AC’s venerable six-cylinder, two-liter overhead-cam unit that dated back to 1919. The Bristol engine originally powered the prewar BMW 328 sports cars. Featuring triple carbs, push-rod overhead valve actuation by a series of complex linkages, a very long stroke and semi-spherical combustion chambers, the 1,971cc six was a free-revving, highly tunable powerplant that led the AC Ace to numerous sports car wins and championships, particularly in SCCA racing in America.

The sophisticated chassis design and excellent engine were complemented
by one of the most ravishing body designs ever to grace a postwar British sports car. Inspired by Ferrari’s lovely 166 Barchetta and first seen as the Tojeiro sports racer, the Ace would go on to become the AC Cobra, with little body modification. Its all-aluminum construction made the entire car exceptionally light—in fact it was 400 pounds lighter than a contemporary MGA! In all, it was an exquisite, if expensive, package costing more than a Jaguar XK-140 roadster of the time.

Sales of the Ace were hardly world-record beating with just 466 produced in eight years. But the Ace and the equally handsome Aceca coupes were good earners for AC cars, which had never been a volume producer but had always built interesting automobiles ever since their beginnings in Edwardian times in the quaintly-named town of Thames Ditton, outside of London.

A good number of Aces were exported to the U.S. and they occasionally can be found for sale in the pages of Hemmings and at vintage car auctions. But unless the car is very shabby and needy, the Aces for sale today won’t be cheap. Cars in #1 to #2 condition easily top $50,000 and, due to the scarcity of spare parts for both engine and body, buying a very good one is the preferable way to go even if you’re equipped to tackle a restoration yourself.

When checking one out, watch for chassis damage from old racing accidents, as many Aces spent lots of miles on road courses beating more powerful opposition. Rot and rust in the body is not a concern, of course, but check for hidden damage that has been covered by the plastic surgeons. Finding competent craftsmen to repair the very flat sides of an AC’s fenders is no easy task, and if they’re not restored absolutely precisely, they’re not going to look at all well.

With all these caveats you should be ready to start your quest. If you are fortunate enough to find an excellent example you will have a car with timeless good looks, sparkling performance, rarity, wonderful road manners and nationwide eligibility to go vintage sports car racing, if that’s your secret ambition. No matter how you use it, a good Ace should bring you immeasurable vintage motoring pleasure.

Specifications 1957-61 AC Ace Bristol
Base price: $4,799
Base weight: 1,685 pounds
Body: Two-passenger aluminum-paneled roadster
Frame: Twin tube ladder type
Wheelbase: 90 inches
Suspension: (f/r) Independent double wishbone with transverse leaf spring
Brakes: Front disc/Rear drums
Engine: OHV inline six, 105 to 130 bhp @ 4750/5750/6200 rpm; 1,971 cc
Transmission: Bristol-built four speed, floor shift