Number of cylinders: 6
Engine capacity: 1.971 cc
Manufacturer: Metropole Classics BV Meubellaan 1 6651KV DRUTEN, NL 0031653328817 http://www.metropole.nl [email protected]

AC Ace Bristol

When AC Cars rolled this left-hand-drive example off the production line on 30 October 1957, finished in an elegant silver-and-blue livery, no one could have foreseen that the car would take part, three years later, in the most demanding endurance race in the world. Today we present an Ace Bristol that stands out among examples of the model, both for its racing history and for its carefully preserved documentation.

In the late 1950s, the Ace represented AC's answer to the growing demand for light, fast sports cars: a tubular chassis with independent suspension, paired with the robust six-cylinder Bristol engine that gave the car its distinctive character. Before this example took part in its most significant event, it had already proven itself on the French rally circuit, competing in the Beaujolais, Dieppe, and Touraine-Normandie.

In 1960, Jean Rambaux and Pierre Boutin entered this Ace, then registered as '1445 ER 76' and carrying race number 57, at the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The car held on for fourteen hours and one hundred thirty laps, covering more than 1,750 kilometers, before an engine failure brought the race to a premature end. What sets this Ace apart from comparable examples today is that its bodywork and chassis still bear the marks of that entry: the quick-fill fuel cap, the distinctive split windscreen, the auxiliary lighting, and the aerodynamic cover ahead of the grille are all original Le Mans modifications that have been preserved. The plastic side screens, the bespoke soft top, and the original wheels also remain with the car, although it currently runs on lighter alloy wheels. The original engine was replaced over the years by the current type 100D 784 ST2 unit.

A document included in the file records eight successive owners, allowing the provenance of this Ace to be traced with confidence. Maintenance was entrusted for many years to Auto Techno Sports in Le Mans, and the corresponding invoices form part of the documentation, including those from an extensive restoration completed in 2015 at a cost of €20,027. In May 1990, when registered as '9802 JR 94', 'BEX365' also appeared in the magazine Auto Rétro, in a feature on the AC marque and the Ace; this issue too is included in the documentation. The car currently carries French registration.

The result of all this care is an Ace Bristol that today presents in superb condition and, as one would expect from such a meticulously maintained example, performs flawlessly. With its powerful Bristol engine and its demonstrable Le Mans history, this car represents one of the most desirable forms in which the model is offered. Built in 1957, this Ace Bristol also falls within the period recognized for eligibility by the modern Mille Miglia, placing this legendary regularity rally, too, within reach of this car.

Interested, or have questions about this Ace Bristol? Please feel free to get in touch for further documentation, photographs, or a viewing.