AE 46

[donrose7]

Greetings; I've owned AE 46 for some time, it was the second car imported to the US and has distinguished privateer race results and documentation from its first owner, Joe Bojalad of Pittsburgh, PA. It appeared on the cover of Autosport from the Giants Despair hillclimb and also in Road & Track. It was then know to have raced with its second owner, Jack Watkins, and I have a photo of the car on the grid in Elkins, WV circa 1958 or 59 (?). In the early 60s it was owned by racer Leon Boffo, also of Pittsburgh. The trail picks up in the 90s after a comprehensive restoration by Cobra collector J.J. Rodman who raced in the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix a number of times as well as other VSCCA and SVRA events. Still a race car, its been re-restored, body off, after a dramatic engine fire at Mt. Tremblant and back to beyond its former glory and ran without incident in VSCCA at Lime Rock in October, 2011.
   
   So the question is this: Reluctantly, due to the scary purchase of something new and expensive, the Ace should be sold. I'm compiling its history and find that I'm very thin on both Watkins and Boffo. Does anybody have any info on the car with Watkins or Boffo?
   
   I have some terrific photos, happy to send them along or attach if I could figure out how to do it. I can be contacted outside the forum at 007@donrose.com
   
   Many thanks!
   
   Don

[AC Ace Bristol]

Hi Don.
   
   Welcome to the ACOC Forum,  Have emailed you 7 period pictures of AE46, hopefully one or two are new to you. have copied email to Tim Isles the Official ACOC Ace Registrar, whom hopefully has more historic data to assist in compiling full History of AE46.
   
   In the meantime, Could you please confirm any racing numbers / events That EA46 competed in, I  might have the odd period racing picture in my unidentified Period Ace Racing file..[?]
   You never know......
   
   Good Luck with your Quest and Hopefully the next Custodian of AE46 will exercise and enjoy years of competition, as intended when she left Thames Ditton on 5th January 1955..[;)]
   
   Keith..[:)]

[donrose7]

You guys have been terrific already. Membership has its benefits!
   
   OOPS: Actually the second owner I'm looking for is Jack Watson, not Watkins...
   
   And if somebody can tell me how to load a photo I shall do so!
   
   Don

[bex316]

Here is a recent photo of AE 46 posted on behalf of Don Rose, the owner.
   
   Jerry
   
   

[donrose7]

Hey Mom - that's me!
   
   With many thanks to Jerry and the ACOC Forum.
   
   Don

[nikbj68]

Welcome, Don!
   I have to say I`m impressed with your 'adding lightness', although it did away with the lights! That`s one mean lookin` Ace!
   Here are a few more photos from Keith:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

[nikbj68]

2 more pics from Keith:
   
   More lightness...less aluminium! Serious racer needs a safe home for the Go-juice!
   C`mon, Don... that redundant filler cap must weigh a pound or 2!!!(Looks mighty purdy though!)
   
   
   
   ...And another period shot, Bojalad 1955:
   
   
   
   Great stuff!

[scud]

Saw this on Chasing Classic Cars last night (from 2013)
   
   Scud

[B.P.Bird]

Pedants corner: As AE22 and AE23 were the first Aces sold and both went to Washington U.S.A. it would seem that AE46 would be number three? Wonderful period pictures - love the 1955 Sewickley Hill Climb paddock shot. Nick will have noticed that '46 had already lost her 'Monza' petrol filler cap. There is quite a lot of early Ace racing stuff on the Autosport Nostalgia Forum e.g. http://forums.autosport.com/topic/96517-lonnie-rix-acs-man-from-savannah/page-2?hl=%2Blm5000#entry6107354

[nikbj68]

quote:Originally posted by B.P.Bird...love the 1955 Sewickley Hill Climb paddock shot. Nick will have noticed that '46 had already lost her 'Monza' petrol filler cap...

   I did indeed... that`s why I thought it should go again, in the interests of hist e orical accuracy! [;)]

[B.P.Bird]

That pic at Sewickley is intriguing in another way - the colour scheme red and, I think, white wheels. Not as she left Thames Ditton and not as in the register ? Wonder if it is the same machine. Speaking of registers it would seem that '46 is in fact number 4 to reach the U.S. It needs a scholar to write up the racing exploits of these very early U.S. Aces and their intrepid drivers - like '46 and Joe Bojalad. Perhaps someone like Nick ?

[nikbj68]

quote:Originally posted by B.P.Bird... It needs a scholar to write up the racing exploits of these very early U.S. Aces and their intrepid drivers - like '46 and Joe Bojalad. Perhaps someone like Nick ?

Writing them up I could just about manage, pulling all the info together would be quite another matter!!! [:0]