A.C.Cars Ltd ID Plate

[WHDSpencer]

   I have a 1965 Gordon Levy Racing built Factory Five COBRA with a A.C.Cars Ltd Thames Ditton, England ID Plate on the COBRA body.
   The Plate has the following identification:
   Chassis   FFR1373K
   Engine    M-6009-B50
   
   This COBRA and engine was built by Gordon Levy Racing. Although it has been fully documented. What does this ID Plate Really indicate.
   THanks
   William Spencer
   Waldorf, MD 20602

[westcott]

Hi William,
   
   the plate you are talking about is available for order at almost every "Cobra parts" supplier or online store. It indicates that someone bought the lookalike plate for a Factory Five Racing Kit and stamped in the required chassis and engine number, not more.
   
   Uwe

[rstainer]

Uwe is spot on. AC Cars chassis tags, whether made for AC or after-market suppliers, tell us nothing of the origin of the car unless the car itself has 'continuous history' as a car since original manufacture.
   
   If it has continuous history since original manufacture by Factory Five, it's a Factory Five. If it has continuous history since original manufacture by AC (either under the Shelby contract or for sale through AC's agents), it's an AC.
   
   RS

[WHDSpencer]

Thanks for the Replies. I have full documentation on this COBRA which was built by LEVY RACING. Information included in some of the records show a
   connection between AC and LEVY. There is some documents dating back in the 1930's that indicate LEVY Racing was working with AC as a North American
   distributor.  I am just trying to validate the life of this COBRA which I purchased from a MECUM Auction in California.

[Mark IV]

Levy Racing that built this car was certainly NOT the "AC Distributor" in the US in the 1930s. Gordon Levy was not born yet!

[jrlucke]

Factory Five's own website says "The Factory Five Mk4 Roadster is the world's best-selling, best-engineered, and best-performing replica of all time." SO basically it is a component car with a reproduction AC ID tag designed to look like a Cobra (with a notation that "Cobra" is a registered trademark of Ford Motor Company).

[A-Snake]

quote:Originally posted by jrlucke
   
Factory Five's own website says "The Factory Five Mk4 Roadster is the world's best-selling, best-engineered, and best-performing replica of all time." SO basically it is a component car with a reproduction AC ID tag designed to look like a Cobra (with a notation that "Cobra" is a registered trademark of Ford Motor Company).
   

   
   Factory Five began building replicas in 1995. They had no association with AC Cars whatsoever.

[TLegate]

What you have is a Factory Five replica and a piece of metal with 'AC Cars' stamped on it. I've got a stack of those in my desk drawer. Sadly, that don't make my desk a Cobra. (Although I sometimes pretend, late at night...it's the absinthe y'know...)
   
   Happy motoring! :)

[Mark IV]

quote:Originally posted by TLegate
   
...it's the absinthe y'know...)
   
   
   

   
   Trevor,
   
   So you have upgraded from the ironmonger's alcohol you were drinking?

[TLegate]

Lord M:
   
   Only because you cut off my supply! I was becoming immortal :(

[aaron]

How have you managed to fit so many replicas in your drawer Trevor ?

[TLegate]

Big drawers....