Ac428 Cabrio

[Oet59]

Hello all , I would like to share a rally  visit to the USA  with my 428 convertible.
   As a car collector of hybrid cars after following this gold 428 conv for many years before I was able to buy it .
   So this rally we send it over to New York to rally it in 10 days to Miami.
   The car was standing for a long time but because of the us mechanics I thought lets give it a try , parts are easy to get there if I run into problems.
   And we made it all the way !
   My wife and I had a fantastic trip with a car that nobody nows .
   Amelia we met a guy with a 7 liter Cobra who was in the Ac club for many years and he had never know the existence of this model :-))
   I will share some pics taken last week during our trip to encourage other 428 owners to drive there cars , even on the circuit of Daytona !
   Happy 428 driving
   Alexander Oet
   Ps can anybody help to join the pictures with the mail ?[:)]

[nikbj68]

Hi Alexander, & welcome to the forum, what a great first message!
   We`d love to see & hear more about this trip, some tips on adding photos HERE:.
   Nik.

[nikbj68]

Here are some of Alexanders` photos. Click on any photo to see a slideshow of these and many more from the Tour Americal:
   
   Going at the City`s pace, NYC:
   
   
   
   Looking cool in Amelia Island:
   
   
   
   Looking Seriously Cool on Daytona Beach:
   
   
   
   Looking Seriously Quick on the Daytona Raceway:
   
   
   
   and looking EXTREMELY HOT HOT HOT after Daytona Raceway!
   
   
   
   That trip looks like it was fantastic, thanks for sharing with us!

[shep]

Hi Alexander, Wow, your car looks beautiful, and you certainly use it to the full. I had a similar HOT HOT HOT experience at Spa. We were on an ACOC International Tour, and drove a couple of quick laps of the Grand Prix Circuit at Spa in Belgium. My 428 Frua was fine until...... we came to the end of the lap, and they parked us in a stationary line! I watched the temp gauge climb, and with a bang, the bottom radiator hose let go. Every cloud has a silver lining (we had a huge cloud of steam), and a guardian angel Called Philippe Dernier driving his Ace, came to the rescue. Off we went down narrow Belgian lanes in his Ace on crossply tyres, always sideways, until we came to Truck Service Shop. It was Sunday and I thought we had no hope, but this oily figure climbed out from the enormous pit, and looked at my burst hose. He smiled and disappeared off to the stores and came back with a usable replacement. Half an hour later we were off on our way! Great memories. Thanks for sharing your photos.

[Classicus]

Hi Alexander great pics and thanks for sharing, do you have the CF/CFX number of your car....?

[Oet59]

Hi , i will Look for the Chassis Nr of the car , and also of the 428 coupe I have .
   The conv is still in his first paint , I am the second owner / driver , the first owner bought it new in Belgium by Claude Dubois , who was also the official  importer of de Tomaso and Shelby at the time in Belgium.
   The car was bought of the stand of AC Brussels new car show that year .
   The first owner took the car with him to the south of France when he retired and that's where I met him some years ago.
   I was chasing the car at least 25 years after I found out that there was an origanal 428 conv sold in Belgium.
   Since I am an hybrid car collector for many years this car was a must for me ..and she has I nice parking spot between the Iso Grifo and Bizzarrini and sorts :-)
   Also I have a fantastic memory now with the rally I drove with my wife in the states !
   In Amelia island I met an older guy who was waiting next to where I parked my car for half an hour  just to talk to me .
   Turned out he owned a 7 liter origanal cobra and did not know of the existence of the 428 frua !
   When I told him that the both cars shared almost the same chassis but that this one was hand made in Italy he almost did not believe me.
   Well , if we all drive around with our cars sometimes that will change for sure !
   Happy Ac driving to you all and I get back with the chassis nrs
   Greetings Alexander

[Classicus]

Very interesting and many thanks Alexander, didn't know you had two cars either ! Do you have any pics of the coupe and its chassis number as well  ?
   
   You might also be interested in the following extract below by John Mclellan in Part 2....
   
   http://ac428.zoomshare.com/2.html
   
   "Keith Judd was involved in long fast runs on the Continent and remembers journalist Paul Frere breaking a wishbone in Belgium during a road test in connection with the Brussels Motor Show. It was welded up and Judd drove cautiously home. Subsequent cars had braces welded across the wishbones."
   
   For the complete two Part article by John Mclellan go to the Archive and Register and click on "AC 428 Frua History" on the top bar.

[nikbj68]

Apologies for the delay, but here are some photos from Alexander of his 428s:
   
   Here, the Coupé during the restoration  by a friend of Alexander`s in Bournemouth:
   
   
   
   After, taken by Alexander in the garage in Antwerp after a fantastic restoration:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Here, the Blue convertible which Alexander sold to a friend  after buying the gold one!
   
   
   
   The gold convertible before Alexander drove the rally with it in Florida:
   
   

[Classicus]

Thanks for the great pics Alexander and Nik.
   
   DRJ 944L is CF 77 the ex Keith Moon car, but have you got the chassis number of the blue coupe as there's no trace of NJT 430H.
   
   Also the chassis number of your own gold car KFX 312 F as there's no trace of that either....
   
   Many thanks [:)]

[nikbj68]

quote:Originally posted by Classicus...DRJ 944L is CF 77 the ex Keith Moon car...

Does it still smell of chlorine? [;)]