Chassis #: AE70

125 bhp, 1,971 cc Bristol 100D2-specification inline six-cylinder engine, three twin-choke carburettors, four-speed manual gearbox, four-wheel independent suspension with wishbones and transverse leaf springs, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 90"

- One of the first 50 series-production Aces built
- Correct-type Bristol 100D2-spec engine
- A fresh specialist restoration
- Well documented and well equipped

Without a doubt, the Ace stands as the signature achievement of the AC marque. The Ace prototype was introduced at the London Motor Show in October 1953, based on a sports racing car designed by John Tojeiro, with early-production cars powered by AC’s own two-litre six. With four-wheel independent suspension and a sleek body reminiscent of contemporary Ferrari Barchettas, the Ace immediately garnered praise. As written by Autosport tester John Bolster in 1954, “the machine does all the right things all the time,” continuing, “no emergency or advanced driving technique will ever catch it on the wrong foot.”

In 1956, the highly regarded 1,971 cc Bristol six-cylinder engine was made available for the Ace, effectively creating a new and separate model designation as the Ace Bristol. Initially offering 103 horsepower and rising to 125 in its ultimate D2 specification, this state-of-the-art power unit, with its overhead valvetrain and hemispherical combustion chambers, traced its origins to BMW’s pre-war 328 and continued to be very successful in racing well into the 1960s.

Bristol-powered Aces proved brilliant in competition, winning three successive SCCA E-Production championships between 1957 and 1959, followed by two D-Production championships in 1960 and 1961. The Ace Bristol also scored very well at Le Mans, where it finished second in class during 1957 and 1958. Ultimately, the Ace achieved a sterling class victory and a seventh-place overall finish at Le Mans in 1959. This fine performance left an indelible impression on overall 1959 Le Mans champion Carroll Shelby, who later created his 289 and 427 Shelby Cobra derivatives of the classic Ace.

This right-hand drive 1955 Ace Roadster, bearing chassis number AE70, is one of the first 50 examples produced of this historic sports car design. Finished in silver with its sporting cockpit trimmed with red upholstery, this car received a restoration to show-quality standards performed by marque experts in the UK and Germany. Fitted with a correct-type Bristol 100D2 six, the most powerful and desirable specification, the Ace is a very strong performer.

It is complete with documentation including a copy of the original UK logbook (Reg. no. UTU 627), ACOC correspondence and restoration invoices. Other items include a convertible top and bows, a tonneau cover, side curtains, spare wood-rimmed steering wheel, a pair of spare headlamps and a selection of small parts including a fuel-filler cap, a side-view mirror and more. Well-restored and equipped with the ultimate D2-specification Bristol engine, this Ace will provide the new owner with a great entry into a multitude of today’s classic rally events. It is an outstanding example of one of the most enduring sports car legends of the mid-20th Century.