1961 AC Aceca-Bristol

This 1961 AC Aceca is one of 169 examples built with power from a Bristol inline-six and was purchased out of Colorado by its current owner in 2003. Chassis BEX740 subsequently underwent a multiyear refurbishment that included repairs to its aluminum bodywork, a repaint in silver, and a re-trim of the interior in black leather. Power is provided by a replacement Bristol Type 110 inline-six that breathes through triple Solex carburetors and is mated to a four-speed manual transmission with overdrive. Additional features include front disc brakes, four-wheel independent suspension, 16” chrome wire wheels, and a push-button radio. This Aceca is now offered on dealer consignment in Sonoma, California, with invoices from 2003-2015, a partial toolkit, and a California title that lists the car as a 1961 ACA.

The Aceca debuted at the 1954 London Motor Show as a closed-roof development of the AC Ace that had been unveiled at Earl’s Court a year earlier. The Aceca shared its roadster counterpart’s tube-frame chassis and aluminum body construction, but with ash wood opening-panel frames and fiberglass bulkheads under coachwork featuring a fixed roof and a hatchback rear door along with touring-oriented appointments. Both variants were initially offered only with an AC engine, which was later joined by the option of powerplants by Bristol and Ford.

Previously finished in green, this example was stripped to bare metal before repairs were performed to the aluminum panels and steel and wood framework in areas of the fenders and rocker panels during work by Symbolic Motor Car Company in La Jolla, California, in the mid-2000s. The body was subsequently finished in its current shade of silver, and the continuation of the refurbishment by Edmunds Automotive Restorations in Sonoma, California, included the replacement of the window seals. Features include tubular bumpers with guards, Lucas tri-bar headlights, front fog lamps, a front-hinged hood with rear louvers, a driver-side fender-mounted mirror, a roof-mounted antenna, tail fins, and an external fuel filler cap.

Chrome wire wheels were installed in 2008 and are secured by two-eared knock-offs. Coker Classic tires measuring 5.50R16 and showing 2022 date codes are mounted at each corner, while a matching spare housed in the trunk wears Avon rubber. Stopping is handled by hydraulic disc brakes up front and finned aluminum drums at the rear, and the brake system was overhauled by British Car Company in Corte Madera during the 2000s refurbishment.

The left-hand-drive cabin was re-trimmed during the 2000s refurbishment and features black leather over fixed-back bucket seats with color-coordinated door panels and carpeting. Features include wood accents over the doors and dashboard, lap belts, roll-up side windows, front and rear quarter vent windows, a dashboard-mounted rearview mirror, a lockable glovebox, and a push-button radio.

The wood-spoke Moto-Lita steering wheel sits ahead of Smiths instrumentation including a 130-mph speedometer, a 6k-rpm tachometer, and gauges monitoring coolant temperature and oil pressure. The five-digit odometer shows 54k miles, approximately 1,100 of which have been added under current ownership. A clock and gauges monitoring fuel level and amperage are situated to the driver’s right.

The Bristol inline-six is an evolution of Bristol’s version of the pre-war BMW M328 engine and features an aluminum cylinder head with hemispherical combustion chambers and two rows of inclined valves operated via pushrods driven by a single in-block camshaft. According to the selling dealer, the replacement Type 110 engine is believed to have been sourced from an AC Greyhound, and it is unknown if it retains the type’s original 2.2-liter displacement. The triple Solex carburetors were overhauled during the 2000s refurbishment, and electronic ignition was added during work between 2012 and 2014. Additional work between 2012 and 2015 included rebuilds of the water pump and starter and the addition of a battery cutoff switch and trickle charger.

Power is sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission with an overdrive unit that was overhauled during the work between 2012 and 2014, which also included replacement of the clutch cylinders. Independent suspension incorporates transverse leaf springs and tubular shock absorbers at front and rear, and the suspension system was overhauled during the 2000s refurbishment.