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AC Cyclecar at the exhibition "The First Motors of Russia" in the Special Purpose Garage Museum (2023)

The underpinnings of this car is the only known surviving four-wheeled AC Cyclecar. The model had a front-mounted AC Sociable single-cylinder engine, a centrally mounted  countershaft with epicyclic gearbox, a chain drive to the rear axle and no differential.  Only one rear wheel was driven.

Whilst in the Crimea the example shown was back-fitted with a BSA twin-cylinder engine. A correct AC engine has been sent to the current owner but has not yet been fitted.

This particular car,  and the model generally, have been extensively reviewed in ACtion, including the  April 2012, September 2013, and June 2021 issues.

Auto-Carrier Delivery Van #6

An interesting photograph! However, some of the information is not correct. Extensive research has shown the first appearance of the Auto-Carrier was in December 1906. The wheels on the example in this  photograph date it much later - probably around 1910. The earlier models all had wire wheels. The signwriting of the company details is not clear but would help clarify the date.

After many years absence, on 3rd August 2022 AC was again included in the 'Autocar' magazine 'New Cars A to Z'. This includes a summary specification and price range.

Three variants of the Cobra are listed, 140 Charter Edition, 378 Superblower, and Series 1 Electric.

A kerb weight of 1100kg is given for all three models. 

Published price range is £89,500 to £145,000

Rating is 4*, the key for which reads as 'Very Good. Very competitive in key areas, competitive in secondary respects.'

The general comment reads: 'Can't match modern supercars but is pure driving indulgence'

I do not know the publisher's criteria for inclusion in this listing.

John

I have a question. What is the difference between Ace, Aceca, Magma, Aero versions?

The model name 'Aceca' is perhaps the most mysterious of any adopted by AC Cars and their associated companies. The word, a palindrome, is not listed in any known dictionary and was first used by AC some seven years before the 'Ace' model name.

Although 'Aceca' was used by AC as a model designation from 1925 the earliest known use of the name was in May 1924 when AC Cars Ltd and SF Edge were granted Patent 216283 concerning aspects of car body design.

The innovation in the patent was for the gap between a sloping windscreen and a vertically-sliding door window to be filled by a fixed triangular panel. The triangular section could be attached to either the door or the windscreen frame. The closest thing in more modern cars are the front quarterlights.

Throughout the period 1925 to 1930 all ACs featuring this 'entirely new departure of coach building' were given the model name 'Aceca', or described as being fitted with the 'Aceca Coupé' body.

The fixed triangular panel is clearly visible in the car for sale which, on the basis outlined above, would be designated an AC Aceca.

Incidentally, the Royal AC 16-66hp which, in 1926, driven by the Hon Victor Bruce and Mr Bill Brunell, became the first British car to win the Monte-Carlo Rally, had an Aceca Coupé body.

To this day, debate continues about the pronunciation!  A sign above the AC Stand at the 1954 London Motor Show declared the correct articulation to be 'A Seeker'!

A full account of the model name Aceca, including the patent, was published in the April 2015 edition of ACtion.

A very interesting car for which there is no photograph or other record in the Archive.

As outlined by 'Jonto' and 'Old Crock', there are similarities to the 'Montlhery' model shown in the 1926 AC sales catalogue, but also significant differences. There are also some similarities to the body on Tom Gillett's 1925 24 hr/2000mile record car which, presumably, AC's Montlhery model was named after.

One point to add - following the demise of AC Cars Ltd in late 1926 the new company, formed in 1927, took the name AC (Acedes) Cars Ltd. Thereafter, as far as I can establish, the cars carried  the 'Acedes' badge on the radiator.  Sometimes, but not always, the 'AC' and 'Six' badges were also included.  Taken at face value, that would date this car 1926 or earlier. 

More details about these two companies are summarised in ACtion Archives of March and November 2018.     

Dear TTM and Bertalanffy,
Re speedo calibration, not sure if this is the case with the AC Ace but on many cars there is a  number in small print somewhere on the speedo face. This relates to the speedo drive gear ratio. If our theories are correct then, for cars with the same axle ratio the same number should be on both mph and kmph speedo faces.

Speedo needle bounce is quite common with cable-driven analogue instruments. As the cable rotates it alternately binds and flips causing the speedo needle to bounce. Ultimately, the cable will break.
First check is to ensure the cable follows a smooth path with no kinks.
Beyond that I find that an occasional very sparse lubrication of the cable with a light grease  helps. To prevent the outer cable liner from swelling, ensure any lubricant is suitable for plastics. Make sure too the instrument stays lubricant-free! 
John

Although far from being expert in the AC Ace-Bristol I have read the original handbook for that model, and the AC Cars Ltd published workshop manual for the Bristol engines and gearboxes, both of which are held in the Archive. As far as I can tell:

a. Throughout, the handbook defines only the 100D2 engine, and includes no designation for the gearbox type;

b. The workshop manual cover defines the 100C, 100D and 100D2 engines, and the BWCR9 and BWCR12 gearboxes. Internally, the workshop manual defines the 100 D2 engine, but not the gearbox type. Nor is there any differentiation in the instructions therein between each type of engine and/or gearbox.

c. For completeness, the AC Cars handbook for the Greyhound does show different gearboxes for the 100D2 and 110 Bristol engines but, again, does not show the gearbox type.

Re the speedometer,  it is not clear whether the inaccuracy you mention is simply down to kmph v mph or something more fundamental. At great risk of stating the obvious:

a. The optional final drive/rear axle ratios  offered by AC Cars will  make a pro-rata difference to speedo accuracy and I would expect each optional rear axle ratio  to have a specific speedo drive gear ratio. No data have been found about this in either the handbook or the manual.

b. Any change in rear tyre section from the 1950s standard section could affect speedo accuracy. It is the rolling radius of the wheel/tyre combination which is of interest.

c. For any one axle ratio, for converting from a kmph speedo to one displaying mph is it not the case that only the speedo dial face is different?

Sorry, not a great deal of help!!

Good luck

John

See AC 3000ME post above.
As far as I can tell the AC 428 and AC3000ME badges were made to the same Fattorini drawing. The 3000ME has at least 6 badges of this size fitted - 1 on each wheel centre and 1 on each door.
The ACOC's  AC 3000ME spares coordinator may have some available.
Good luck!

The early car in the photographs and the much later car with the tanks in the front wings are indeed visually similar in the hood and side windows.

The earlier car may well be ELX 855, the second Two-Litre Drophead and the first LH drive  example. The first Drophead, L852, was recorded in the Factory Ledger as an experimental car.

Although ELX 855 was first registered early in 1949 the saloons in that section of the Factory Ledger were all mid 1948. This could explain the windscreen treatment on the car in the photographs, which was also used on the earliest Saloons.

Interestingly, some Dropheads, including the first two, were recorded in the Factory Ledger as 'Drophead Coupe', whereas others were simply 'Drophead'. Purely conjecture on my part, but could use of the term 'Coupe' be identifying the 'Cabriolet' style cars?

John

A great find! It never fails to amaze me where ACs were sold in that period and earlier, and that they keep turning up!

Further to Tom's description above, the AC Two-Litre - based models included a Cabriolet version of the Drophead. This had cant rails over the doors, rear side windows and a different hood.  It is not known how many of this model were made, there being no cars  recorded as such in the Factory Ledger.

The Cabriolet in the period photographs, below, is a very early example of the Two-Litre, having completely divided windscreens and a chrome embellishment running across the scuttle and up the divide.

From the photographs on e-bay, the Drophead in New York has white-on-black instruments and no sidelight pintles. My parent's 1949 saloon - not identified but possibly L1085 - had both. Also, the windscreen wipers were controlled by a large black knob on the centre-top of the dashboard. Does anyone know when these features were changed?

The full range of AC Two-Litre based cars were described in the ACtion Archives of May, June and July 2017. These included a few 'woodie' estate cars and, in Denmark, a couple of 7-seater taxis!

John

The AGM papers include a form for the nomination of new Honorary Members. The form includes the criteria for Hon Membership agreed by the ACOC Council.
If you wish to nominate someone, request you complete the form and e-mail it to John Spencer by 29th June.
After the AGM, all nominations will be submitted to the ACOC Council, with whom the power of appointment of Honorary Members rests.

Sadly, much of the information on the reference site is not correct.  The early history of AC Cars, from 1899 to 1922, is summarised on page 18 of the January 2018 ACtion, and the period 1922 to 1926 is reported in detail in the March 2018 edition. A further article to complete the picture to 1930 is currently being prepared.

Later articles, currently being researched, will cover the introduction of early vehicles. On completion of this, the company history heading this website will be updated.

If you would kindly add your full name and affiliation to your profile I will be pleased to e-mail you an article, including photographs, about the early AC Invalid Carriages.

John Spencer
ACOC Archivist

The original from AC Thames Ditton described by Bryan Moseley is correct except that the pitch was 7/16inch. The chain and probably the chainwheels were Renold manufacture. The double-acting damper was much the same as a Holroyd (later owned by Renold) patent from the 1950s.

As noted by Bryan, life expectancy is considerable, dependent only on regular gearbox oil changes and a magnetic plug to prevent gear fines from clogging the damper pistons.

The original was a proper Triplex chain. My understanding is that Renold stopped manufacturing this and at some stage AC Scotland fitted 3 single row chains in lieu. This led to disasters  - one row took the load and broke, following which the remaining rows continued to try and keep the machinery turning with the broken bits in the chaincase!

Following AC Scotland's demise, the Brian Angliss era  AC Cars at Brooklands re-designed the chainwheels to accommodate a 3/8inch pitch Triplex chain. Note, the larger 1/2inch pitch chain could not be fitted into the chaincase. The damper was unchanged. The Company had some made as spares. These worked well although they are somewhat noisier and the noise is at a higher frequency (due to the shorter chain pitch).

These spares were all sold. The ACOC through its then spares subsidiary Acedes Spares Ltd had ten more sets made.  These utilised all of the 3/8 pitch Renold chain recovered by Brian Eacott from AC's Brooklands stores and new chainwheels made to the same AC Brooklands drawings. These are a straight swap for the original setup, needing only a slight easing of the inside wall of the chaincase at  the gearbox input end and very careful alignment of the two chainwheels.

A few sets are still available through Brian Gilbart-Smith. Please contact him for availability and prices. 

Does anyone know where this unique car is now? There are many interesting questions about the engineering of the Alfa engine and other components which remain unanswered.

John