We’re all pretty familiar with AC Cars, the 120-year-old concern that provided the AC “Ace”, the sports car with the where-with-all for Carroll Shelby’s world-renowned AC Cobra. Whereas the Ace and the Cobra pretty much sucked all of the air out of the room, AC was responsible for some other spectacular cars like this 1956 Aceca (pronounced A-Seek-A). Let’s look at this current Philadelphia, Pennsylvania resident over. It is available, here on eBay for a BIN price of 135,000 – there is a make an offer option too.
Based on the Ace, the Aceca (never a good idea to use a name that’s not immediately pronounceable), was produced from 1954 to 1963. I’m far from an expert on British cars but this touring model is one that has completely flown under my radar. Crafted from aluminum and attached to a tubular frame, this Aceca is lightweight, tipping the scales at only 2,100 lbs. Production volumes vary according to source, but the seller’s claim of 328 sounds about right. One of the delineating factors of the Aceca is its powerplant, some used an AC engine, while others employed a Bristol powerplant and are known as an Aceca-Bristol.
Having had numerous owners, this AC was completely restored in 1991 and was resprayed in its original silver hue. The listing states that California was this Aceca’s home for a while but regardless, the listing reads as if this car’s multiple owners took great care of it. The restoration entailed complete paint removal and either the refurbishing or replacement of various parts. For being a 30-year-old redo, this Aceca is impeccable!
In 2012, the matching numbers 120 HP, 2.0 liter, in-line six-cylinder Bristol AEX engine was pulled and sent to AC in the UK for a complete rebuild. The internal improvements made were of some significance, particularly, the compression ratio was increased for additional power. The seller provides no description of this car’s running and driving aptitude but there is no reason to suspect that it’s not spot-on. A four-speed manual transmission connects the Bristol powerplant to the rear wheels.
Besides the quality leathers used, the best aspect of a vintage British automobile are the Smiths instruments, they are all business, simple, legible, and classic! And of course, those employed in this Aceca are perfect right along with what looks like walnut trim. The black upholstery and cranberry carpet color combination contrast beautifully with the silver exterior. The only demerit that I can give this AC is the driver’s side carpet, it appears to be pretty shredded – a surprise on an automobile finished out to this level.
The conundrum of ownership is always apparent with a car like this AC Aceca. It would be cool to own and drive, but piloting a $135,000 car, finished to this level, is not without its risks. That said, you have to admire someone like Jay Leno who claims that one of his best-known qualities is taking a 100 point restored car and driving it down to about 80. Well, at least he enjoys his collection and he can certainly afford to do it. If this AC were mine, I couldn’t just store it and occasionally give it a loving gaze, I’d have to take it out for a regular go, how about you?
You might want to change the headline on this,where you call it an
“Acela”.
These are totally cool cars.I’d much rather have this than a Cobra,
if I were going to keep it.
A while back,I came across an English Ford Zephyr Zodiac in the
local wrecking yard that had many parts that were like brand new on it.
Since it was towed in for the local police department,they couldn’t sell
it. I ended up getting it on the condition that I return the shell (with ID #-
back to the yard.
The engine was mostly there,& looked like someone had done
a fair amount of work on it.Since these use that (basic) engine,I ended
up selling it to Jim Feldman in Portland,Oregon,who used to run a restor-
ation shop out of his house.These are known as 206E blocks.
I got a few bucks out of it,& it was saved,rather than being scrapped
( the engine).
Ooops, thx, fixed.
JO
Those same 2.5L Zephyr Six engines were also fitted in some AC Greyhounds. I fitted triple carbs to my Zephyr engine and it went like a scalded cat. Destroyed two differentials while doing it but while they lasted it was a blast! As for the “so called” difficult pronunciation it is pronounced ASS EE CA.
This is not a Bristol powered AC. That the the AC 6 cylinder engine in there and the AEX serial number confirms that it was made with one. Significantly less power and value, but still a very sweet ride.
Good catch! Since the Bristol engine was first employed in 1956, I went with the assumption that’s what was in place. Further research indicates that both engines were used from ’56 on.
JO
Aceca spelled backwards is Aceca.
I’ve always called this an “ Ace-ca”. Thanks for enlightenment!
I bet Mr. Leno is interested. These are rare and beautiful.
I saw the Bond car in thumbnail/opening pic. Close to the DB5 w/a quick glance. Just done in that ‘oh so brit style’, great to see 70 yrs later. The Italian had ITs own, etc. Now (to me) they all look alike (well, w a y less ofa specific countries’s flavor). world car ~
I agree, one of the most beautiful cars I have ever seen.
The design is very similar to the DB3 and the hatch copied later in the E-type.
These are very good rally cars, will get a lot of entries. Good value compared to Aston Martin DB2/3.
Would be more desirable but a good bit more expensive with Bristol engine. AC unit goes back to 1926, so should be reliable by 1956!
Shoul have checked! Apparently the engine was designed in 1919!
I bought AEX 127 years ago in Clearview Washington, paid an unbelievable $1500.00 for it. Had the ACE 6 in it and was yellow at the time. doubled my money at the Portland swap meet.. Hahahaha.. go figure
Skibum, I currently own AEX127, do you happen to have any old photos or history?
I was an apprentice mechanic in 1973 at BMCD in Seattle and we got an Aceca in as a barn find to get it running again. I got to tend to the brakes. May well have been your AEX127 – how many in Washington state? Anyway, lovely car with beautiful lines.
Never saw one of these before. Thought it was something else when I saw the front end picture. Thing is, to me the hood looks disproportionately long in relation to the cabin area when viewed from the side.
It’s an interesting car, hope it stays on the road in the future.
I got an Aceca body with a wrecked 57 AC Ace-Bristol we rebuilt. We didn’t end up needing it for the front/rear body repairs, so I sold the coupe body/doors/deck lid for $1K. https://i.imgur.com/xRqI8wR.jpg
What James Bond’s little brother drove.
“Bond, Ed Bond”. Its missing something. He didnt get very far in His Majesty’s Secret Service, but did fairly well selling Hush Puppies.
Very nice and cool, no engine photos? i wonder if that red is a original color for the interior. I hope it sells.
The fourth image is one of the engine.
JO
I went straight to Ebay, for some reason the engine photo is not there for me?? But yes i see it here now. Thanks.
This car is stunning from top to bottom. What a joy to see these cars after all the decades of use since it was first built.
Just to clarify what some people have been sort-of touching on around the edges: there were THREE engines used on the Aceca. AC’s own Weller engine dating back 102 years to 1919, was the base engine between ’54 and ’60. The unique, overhead valve Bristol engine, which transformed Aces and Acecas into potent club racers, was optional between ’56 and ’60. In 1960 the Bristol Aeroplane Company announced it would no longer be building its BMW-derived motor, designed in two phases, between 1936 and ’37. This placed AC Cars Ltd.in a tough spot because its own engine was long-in-the-tooth and had reached the end of its development. Before Carroll Shelby came along, English racing specialist Ken Rudd told AC that he could modify the English Ford Dagenham 2.6 Zephyr motor for fitting into AC cars, including the Aceca. Thus in 1961 a handful of Ruddspeed AC Acecas were built (RS and RSX prefixes), but were not a sales success because the Zephyr unit was viewed as an ordinary engine that wasn’t quite worthy of pedigree sports cars such as the Ace and the Aceca…and not many people were willing to pay E Type Jaguar money for them either.
Fell in love with an Aceca for sale in Palo Alto in 1963. I ended up buying a more practical Mark 12.4 Jaguar. Did not have enough money to maintain. An Aceca (Bristol?) sold a while back at Fantasy Junction for beaucoup dollars. The aluminum bodies were fragile,dented easily. The one that got away had a purple paint job
Car sos anyone?
How many other cars do you see? Aston Martin, Triumph TR3, AC Bristol, Jag XKE coupe.
Lbpa18 mentions the Aceca being what James Bond’s little brother drove. This is obviously a tongue-in-check reference to the fact that the AC Aceca looks like a small Aston Martin DB-4/5, although the AC preceded the Aston’s design by almost a decade.
Well, believe it or not, there is a very direct connection between 007 and the AC Aceca. No, there never was an Aceca in a James Bond film and one was never mentioned in a Bond novel. So what is this Bond connection? In 1955, one year after the Aceca appeared and one year before the Bristol engine became an option, none other than Ian Fleming himself bought himself a new navy blue AC Aceca. He was very, very impressed by the looks. Think about it for a few seconds. Whether in Great Britain, America, Europe or elsewhere, production cars in 1955 ALL looked so rounded and “old-fashioned”. The Aceca looked already like a 1960s sports car. It still has a timeless aura to it.