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Just an update on the rear screen investigation....
   
   I've been in touch with both Pilkington Queenborough and Starglass in Spain but neither firm have retained any original tooling from that era. However, both companies have offered to custom fabricate the glass but at a price. E.g Pilkington offer;
   
   •   Glass cost (heated) £465.00
   •   Tooling set £3,850
   
   The owner of the tooling would 'control' any further use and Pilkington would direct future enquiries that way. Alternatively, they offer to ammortise the tooling cost over an order for 5 off @ £900 each (tooling to be owned by Pilkington).
   
   Does anyone feel like investing in a new rear screen for their hardtop? I'm definitely up for it and if at least 4 other owners feel like investing in a spare at £900, please let me know!

The web-site and contact numbers for Old School are;
   
   http://oldschoolwindscreens.co.uk/
   
   TEL: +44 1932 873 506
   FAX: +44 1932 872 933

Hi PAHO, the printed legend reads;
   
   AC – ARMOURPLATE – Toughened
   E11 DOT 50 M272 AS-2
   43R-00083
   
   However, I don't think this will give any clue to a donor vehicle, it just seems to cover the approvals the glass complies with.
   
   Front windscreens for the Ace Brooklands are taken from the Ford Sierra Mk2 WITH heating elements. I bought a brand new one in 2015 (really low cost as you would expect from a volume donor vehicle) from the former supplier to AC Cars Ltd as follows;
   
   Old School Windscreen Services
   Old School Cafe, Longcross Road
   Chertsey KT16 0DP
   Surrey, UK
   Their Product Ref/ Catalogue No. 3543/924/PILK
   
   Shortly after I collected it, would you believe it, someone ran into my Ace and cracked the windscreen! I actually had a replacement supplied by the body shop via National Windscreens (a mobile windscreen fitter in the UK) and still have the spare I bought. I am sure you will be able to source a Sierra Mk 2 windscreen locally, but I would have thought Old School will be able to pack and export to Sweden if required.

Hi Mark IV, thanks for your reply! I am expecting the glass to have been custom made so will try and find a 'best fit' or go perspex for now.

I have a later dashboard Ace V8 and had cause to go in and out of my centre console regularly! I have developed the following technique. 1.) Take a blunt scraper (end of plastic ruler is ideal) and gently lever out the left hand console air vent. Mine separates from the hose by a push fit male/female pipe connection (looks to be AC made i.e. aluminium with nice welding) 2.) Push the pipe back into the hole and then insert your left hand to gently ease out the right hand air vent - separate from hose by undoing jubilee clip. 3.) Insert left hand clutching stubby cross head screwdriver, through left hand vent aperture 4.) Insert right hand through right hand aperture to feel for two cross head self tappers that retain the top of the wooden section of the console. 5.) Blindly unscrew each self tapper just enough until the wooden section becomes free at the top (try not to unscrew all the way out as it will aid reassembly) 6.) Pull the console forward and lift out at the base 7.) Undo the electrical plugs for backlights and switches 8.) Unclip the heater control cables to remove the complete panel.
   
   I found that the fan relay and fuse are actually 'off piste' and secured in the vicinity of the auxiliary fuse box by cable ties (as are the heated screen relays). It is certainly not listed as a fuse location in the owner's handbook (although the heated screens are).
   
   You may find it easier to pull out the radio first and have a look behind with a torch to see if you can see the relay and flying fuse - mine is located towards the left hand side. If you can 'hook' them out with something it may be possible to probe the fuse with 'buzzer' without removing the complete console. Alternatively, I have had some success by removing the glovebox (2 screws but clearly visible this time!) and looking with a torch. Whichever method will induce some interesting (involuntary) in car yoga positions - have a mobile phone handy in case you need to be rescued!
   
   Not sure if this is how your car is put together but it may help!

Hi David, my heart goes out to you. I too have a late series Ace V8 bought by a previous owner from AC Cars just after the Frimley fire, and finished privately (DE1102). The blueprinted niche line 4.6L quadcam ran like a bag of nails, poor starting, stalling in traffic, pinking, flat spots, stalling on the over run; horrible! Like you, in the absence of any OBD outputs I set about renewing various things (TPS, Idle valve, EGR and DPFE sensor, COPS and plugs, temp and lambda sensors, in-tank fuel pump etc etc). The last place I looked was the ECU. When I did, I found my car fitted with an aftermarket unit by British company 'DTA Fast'. It's an S80PRO unit. They sold me a USB cable for a laptop hook up and I downloaded their software and manuals for free. I found that my ECU had only a rudimentary set of values in the ignition and fuel maps and no refinements such as over run fuel cut off. Just about enough to get the engine to run. After much experimentation, I now have the engine running like a dream and ready for a final tune up by the professionals on a rolling road. In hindsight (!) I wished I'd looked at the ECU first before amassing a whole load of spare parts. I don't know if my story is relevant to your situation but a look in that direction is highly recommended. Best of luck and I hope you solve your problems one day soon!

It's been a long time (since the rock n roll) but I'm pleased to be back on the road......
   
   
   
   Many lessons learnt about the insurance industry but, probably the most important one, is to get an 'AGREED VALUATION' for your car. That way, the insurance company has less ability to devalue it thus allowing the 70% 'repair-to-value' ratio kicking in that much earlier to write it off.
   
   Let's just say I had a bit of a battle to get them to authorise the repair; but some things are worth fighting for.....
   
   
   
   Many, many thanks to our kind registrar, John Abel, for supplying a replacement bumper. John also supplied a replacement NOS composite bonnet too. But I'm glad we managed to repair the original with its' distinctive power bulge. (The bonnet has gone back in the pot for some other unfortunate owner, should they they suffer the same fate!)

quote:Originally posted by Nev
   
Oh #%~*!!!  Any idea of who did that?  Can the panels not be repaired? They are composite/fibreglass.
   

   Funnily enough that was exactly what I said at the moment of impact Nev!
   
   The other car was a Jag XF that suffered only minor grazing!
   
   
   
   We exchanged insurance details in the time honoured way....
   
   Yes, both Neil Fisher and Steve Gray have kindly tendered their services but John Abel has some composite bonnets and bumpers in stock to get me back on the road sooner. I'll look to get the damaged panels repaired at a later date and hope to post a pic of my Ace when fully repaired. Watch this space.....

I had occasion to replace the rad on my 4.6L composite recently, due to damage sustained last year when breaking a lower ball joint (see separate posting)
   
   I managed to bag the last Ace radiator in stock at RedLine (a rare article indeed) but did look around at some alternatives. The main problem I found, was that none of the stock replacements seem to have the four welded fixing brackets located at 170mm (6.75") measured down from the top, two each front and rear, with (what are supposed to be) round fixing holes in them.
   
   
   The closest aftermarket rad I could find was http://www.carbuildersolutions.com/uk/aluminium-radiator-693mm-x-458mm-cobra-dax compared to the Ace radiator dimensions of 703 (27.75") x 435 (17.125") x 60mm (2.36"). Some of the aftermarket Mustang rads measure up to 95mm (3 3/4") in thickness, which may cause a problem with accommodating the electric cooling fan. However, the Mustang 1993 unit does look pretty close http://www.cjponyparts.com/flex-a-lite-aluminum-radiator-manual-5-0l-1979-1993/p/RADA14/ I would certainly be interested to know the actual spec of Mustang rad supplied to AC Cars and am guessing the fixing brackets were added in house.

I've discussed ball joint designs with some other Ace owners and discovered that earlier Brooklands Aces were fitted with a different modification to the transit stock ball joint. I've had some more ball joints machined to emulate this design shown here on the right
   
   This design continues to use a parallel machined shank but now features a scalloped slot along one side to accommodate the pinch bolt (rather than a groove machined around the whole circumference). Here are the two machined ball joints ready to fit
   
   This design leaves a lot more metal in place and should, theoretically, be much stronger. My CNC shop achieved a smooth finish and ensured all edges were radiussed, to avoid any stress cracks developing. According to another owner, in excess of 90k miles were achieved on this design. I'll have these fitted as soon as possible and look forward to reporting back! Now to machine some rack end stops to Wally's description.....

Thanks Wally can you remember the material you used for the spacers, nylon perhaps or aluminium? I have the old Volvo 740 rack to experiment on. Your help really invaluable, thanks!

And here are some pictures of the fitment on the hub carrier. The proximity of the hole to the upright section won't allow a nyloc nut above, hence the need for a pinch bolt arrangement.
   
   
   
   
   
   I spoke with Neil Fisher whom confirmed that my car has the recall fitment and that this design had been adequately SVA crash tested to be fit for purpose. However, he did concede that the steering geometry was such that, under full lock the wheel angle was very acute, and could exert undue force on the lower ball joint. I hit the pot hole quite hard and it's not unknown for other vehicles to suffer suspension damage in this way. However, I am looking into ways of restoring strength to the ball joint and would greatly value any suggestions.

Here is a picture of the post machined article as supplied by Redline
   
   

Many thanks ACOCArch this is wise advice. I have some more pictures to add this one being the stock Transit ball joint, pre machining
   
   

2nd time lucky? The link seems to work on preview - here we go...[http://shawlineassetmanagement.co.uk/PhotoAlbumsPro/Album_nr9w4l/Ball3.JPG?cache=0.6975180204026401/img] It's interesting to note Wally's comments on his reply to my Steering Rack post. We found no spacers installed on the rack fitted to my car, to inhibit the lock. Consequently, the wheels do rub on the suspension at full lock. Now, when reversing under full lock, the front wheels can 'scrub' across the ground exerting quite high forces on the ball joint. My garage and I are now thinking that this is where the damage may have been done. I am hoping to fabricate some kind of preventer stops to limit the lock (when I can find some time!) and meanwhile try to avoid using full lock! Footnote: just wanted to point out that my particular Ace is one of the last 'project' cars that was about 80% completed at the works, then privately finished and SVA tested.