Messages

Hi Philippe
   Sure you know this Hofmann's message on the net
   www.hofmanns.co.uk/car-sales/ac-ace-bristol-roadster
   I may have the January 20, 2012 Gooding catalogue where the car reportedly sold for US$ 231,000
   I'd love to know what you can learn on BEX 329
   Happy motoring
   antoineprunet@bluewin.ch

T is certainly for "Testing" or practice only.
   #38 in 1958 was the Love/Jackson Moore that came 22nd.
   It's obviously a different Ace from 38T
   Cheers

Hi Keith,
   The pics you had to have posted* by Classicus do not show BEX 653 but AEX 779, actually an Aceca with the (Bristol) engine from BEX 653. Don't ask me what happened...
   See you at Le Mans.
   *I don't understand either why it is so complicated to post a photo on this forum while it is so easy on others... A pity.

Hello Jim A
   Chassis nr. is BEX 653, last recorded with Garage de Lorraine in 1963.
   Best

Hi Tim,
   
    In euros, AEX138 at RM/Phoenix (21 Jan 201) made 136,675 € (was 192,500 $) vs 143,640 € (was 125,000 £) for AE65 at RM/London (26 Oct. 2011).
   Vagaries of the exchange rates yes. But with a slight edge for AE65 not even taking into consideration the fact that Lhd cars usually command rather lower prices than Rhd ones, IMO.
   This also confirm your saying: "they are not getting cheaper"... Bonsoir,
   Antoine

Hi Tim,
   As far as I know AE65 was SOLD £125k by RM on Oct. 26.
   Yes Houtkamp is ASKING for more but only asking.
   So in my opinion £125k is still a record price PAID so far for an Ace. Of course I refer to auction sales only.
   Incidentally was Houtkamp (who is mute on the serial nr.) the final and succesful bidder at RM's?
   Cheers,
   Antoine

Thank you so much Tim and nikbj68.
   Very attractive presentation IMHO.
   Isn't £125,000 a record price for a non-Bristol Ace ?
   Cheers

Tim,
   The Ace was indeed a late entry, in replacement to an Alfa Romeo 1900 Zagato with some issues to be solved.
   For this reason the AC (which is officially reported as sold for £125.000 all incl.) does not appear in the catalogue. but pictures might be be appreciated here.
   Thanks for your contribution.

While on the Gachnang brothers and their BEX 289, is there any confirmation that the same car's later fastback bodywork had anything to do with Drogo's shop in Modena?
   Best

Is this like flipper homes here in the US????
   [/quote]
   
   BEX404 is not new to the auction circus:
   
   Coys, London, 04/03/2002: 38,640 GBP
   Gooding, Pebble Beach, 15/08/2009: 264,000 USD
   Gooding, Amelia Island, 11/03/2011: 258,500 USD
   
   But its appearance in Classic Driver is anterior to the latest auction auction of course.
   
   Cheers

Many thanks Laurence for you most interesting precision.

Yes, Jerry, $ 217,250 included the 10% premium (but not the original engine)
   
   Also BEX 468 was auctioned at Scottsdale (Gooding), $ 258,500 premium and original engine included.

Hello Louism
   
   Sorry for my typo with VD 31156. Of course I meant VD 21156 which I had not seen before on the car at Le Mans.
   
   I am still struggling to understand how to post in this forum a photo of BEX 289 at Le Mans with plate VD 2065. (What does mean?) Anyway that change of plates does not change anything with the car.
   
   The reference to Drogo is (another) mystery to me: I have seen many photos of many Drogo cars (mostly Ferraris) but this Ace never appeared.
   
   Regarding AE 205 ex-Le Mans, I have a picture of a Japanese entry in some Mille Miglia retrospective. It is metallic green and looks like the car shown in Rinsey Mill's excellent book, on the bottom of page 136. But this forum...
   
   Regards

quote:Originally posted by Louism
   
Hello to all of us and happy neaw year !
   
   In the eight different chassis seen in Le Mans between 1957 and 62, I have a problem with BEX289.
   
   The car raced in 1960 with a special body made by Gachang brothers in Aigle(switzerland).
   
   
   
   This car then had an history in its country in the hands of Michel Bricod (numberplate GE 151776 painted in metalic blue)as far as I know.
   After Switzerland, BEX289 came in France and has been used in historic races in the early eighties (in red again with numberplate 6116 RF 64).
   And that is THE problem. If you look at a picture of the car, you will see the back is completly different from Le Mans, this transformation was made BEFORE the arrival of the car in France. Do you think this transformation has been made by Drogo as I heard ?
   
   
   
   Then I lost the car and I don't know where it is today (Tony Brancroft thinks for Germany on the AC registers made in 2002)
   
   

   
   
   
   Hello Constant and Louis M
   
   Indeed BEX 289 had been (at least partially) rebodied after Le Mans '60 when raced in France from the late 70s as shown on your photo. It was Michel Larive – from the Pau area – who vintage raced it (your photo) a lot and the car remained in the area afterwards until recently.
   
   The car was registered VD 31156 at with one Gachnang at Monza (GP della Lotteria) on 28 June 1959 (#48) but a photo I have of the car at Le Mans on the pit lame before the '60 event with its welded hard top definitely shows reg. plate VD 2065. Probably it is a sort of trade plate...  I regret I never managed to post a pix in this forum...
   
   By the way a replica of the modified bodywork (1st version) is being prepared in the UK.
   
   Best wishes

Yes of course. Please do it.