AC / Bristol / Ford 2.6 engine weight?

[dkp_cobra]

Hi,
   
   can anybody tell me the weight of the three different engines used in Ace/Aceca's? What was the weight of
   
   a) the AC engine,
   b) the Bristol engine,
   c) the 2.6 Ford Zephyr?
   
   Regards,
   
   Peter

[shep]

Hi Peter,
   
   I received your email, and have read your post above. As you likely know, the Aceca chassis and front suspension is virtually the same as the early Cobras. As such, with the appropriate springs and shocks, the 289 should not be a problem for your front axle and I presume disc brakes. The Cobra used a T10 gearbox which should fit fine with the right chassis mount, which I am sure Gerry has at Hawk. The original Aceca Diff may be a bit delicate for the 289 torque, so it may be advisable to copy the Cobra setup with a separate Salisbury Diff.
   All that said, the 289 is going to generate a lot of heat and radiator and air ducting will need careful thought. I suppose it all depends what you want to do. With the 289 it will certainly be entertaining, but is likely to be viewed as a bit of a Hot Rod. If you went back to the original engine, the car is likely to have more value should you ever wish to sell. I am a great fan of a tuned Bristol 100D2 which sings like a bird at 6k rpm! I don't have the exact weights to hand but I'd guess the AC and Bristol engines are fairly close, followed by the 2.6 which is quite a bit heavier but produces another 50 bhp. I think the 289 is a bit heavier still but not a lot, and the bonus is another 150 to 250 bhp depending on spec. If you want to race, I don't think the 289 was homologated in an Aceca, so the 2.6 is the quickest engine.
   So there you have it. Back to original for highest value, Bristol for the sound, 2.6 to win classic car races, 289 to be a hooligan! Good luck.. whatever you choose will be fun.  Andy.

[jrlucke]

The vehicle weights as I have been able to find in KG are:
        ACE   ACECA
   AC     762    890
   Bristol     894    965
   Zephyr     813   1016
   Ford 289 1050
   
   I would presume that the chassis and body weights are similar between models (excepting the frontal changes on the 2.6 and Cobra) but the differences would account for gearbox, etc. differences.
   
   John

[dkp_cobra]

Andy, John,
   
   thank you for your replies. Am I a hooligan? No, I don't think so but to be a Hot Rodder is cool [8D]
   
   The original engine of the car would be a Bristol. I am sure you are right that the re-sale value would be the highest if a Bristol would be reinstalled. But that would cost a lot of money. A overhauled Bristol engine is quite expensive. Especially compared to a standard 289.
   
   I am not sure whether there is such a big difference in resale if between a 289 on the one side and a AC resp. Ford 2.6 engine on the other side if all engines wouldn't be the original ones. Do you really think so?
   
   Currently, a Daimler 2.5 V8 engine is in the car. Maybe I should tune this one.
   
   Regards,
   
   Peter

[shep]

Hi Peter,
   
   John seems to confirm my estimates. The crank on the AC engine always looks more massive than the Bristol, so I am surprised if it is much lighter. The AC engine was used in many race "specials" in period, so it must have had a good power to weight ratio. If you ever decide to re-sell I stand by my original comment, that the original type of engine will return the highest price. I know that a Bristol would cost more, and would not have matching numbers, but most collectors accept that cars break, and a replacement of the original engine is better than a transplant! As I said, you will have fun whichever way you choose to go. I am only commenting as a bystander with a bit of experience. Thanks for taking my "hooligan" comment with a large pinch of salt, and some good humour, which was exactly as I intended. The most important thing is to have a car you can use and enjoy. Andy.

[shep]

P.S.
   I know Jonathan Bradburn has a supply of Bristol engines and parts, if that helps. Keith Lessiter may also have some contacts. Andy.