200 GPD Ace Bristol

[James Eastwood]

Hello ACOC Forum,
   
   My name is James Eastwood,and I am putting our Ace Bristol 200GPD (ex Bill Shaw 1961) back into a reliable road going state, having been out of use for several years. We've owned the car since the 1970's, it was used by my father in the 70s and 80s, but was only seldom MOT'd in later years as other Vintage car projects too priority.
   
   I am undertaking the majority of the work myself and have a background preparing a Healey Sprite for Sprint and Hill Climb, whilst also working at Ford Motor Company. As I move forward I'm going to have a raft of historical and technical AC Ace Bristol questions to ask, so firstly am I in the right forum for these questions ??
   
   Many thanks indeed for your help, James

[BE774]

Welcome James. Good to hear of an Ace being resuscitated.
   
   You are in the right place here...
   
   Do you have a General Instructions (Owner's Handbook)? If not, the Club has them for sale. Also, have you a Bristol Engine Manual?

[James Eastwood]

Many thanks, I have the Owners Manual and will have a look to see if we have the Bristol Engine Manual. I'm not doing any major engine work at present but have used the Owners Manual for resetting tappets, cleaning the fuel filter, solving some leaks, re-building the water pump, timing ignition etc..
   
   What I do need some help with is;
   1) A wiring diagram ('58 Ace Bristol RHD).
   2) Advice with which company in the UK to approach for a single hoop roll-over with removable forward facing diagonal. I spoke to Safety Devices and sent pictures and sketches but no reply as yet.
   3) Help sourcing a spare set of 2nd hand 16" wheels. (I've read the tyre thread and have decided to go with the road legal Dunlop Racing tires 16x550, as period looking tyres that has good grip).
   4) I bought a set of Whitworth tap and dies, however they are more coarse than the hardware on the car. Can some one advise on the correct thread type I need for general nuts and bolts round the car, as opposed to the engine which I know uses some more unique threads like the BSC head nuts. (Yup that took a while to work out!).
   5) Advice on who in the London/Essex UK, area that can rebuild the Solex carbs (I am an SU man!). Preferably some one cost effective who I can meet face to face to discuss the job with.
   
   Many thanks indeed, any help from any forum members with any of the questions would be greatly appreciated.
   
   James, BE475.

[BE774]

I would contact Gower and Lee for Solex carb spares and rebuilds, in the Watford area 01923 247300, in the first instance. http://www.gowerlee.dircon.co.uk/rebuild.html
   
   Autosparks do a new loom at a very reasonable price, if yours is suspect. I was very happy with mine.
   
   The threads may be BSF.
   
   The Club had reprints of the Engine and Gearbox Workshop Manuals a while ago.

[administrator]

The Bristol engine manual and what wiring diagrams we have are on the Ace Articles Page in the website members' area.

[James Eastwood]

Many thanks, I will endeavor to find my way over to the Ace Articles Page.
   
   Getting the Roll Hoop made and fitted is probably my longest lead time job, if anyone has any advice on a UK company which may have a pattern for this, it would be extremely helpful!
   
   Thank you, James

[BE774]

You could talk to Classic Autos in Hertfordshire, I believe they have race-prepared many Aces. 01923 262994

[James Eastwood]

Thanks for help, progress as follows;
   
   1) I have successfully navigated across to the Wiring diagrams, with Bobby Langley's help for the ACOC members area Log On.
   2) Classic Auto were able to help with my Roll Hoop question. I spoke to Nick (Aubrey's son) who shared the name of the company they use for Roll Over bars, whilst also having a useful conversation about hard tops and racing screens etc.. :-) .
   3) No leads on 2nd hand wheels yet.
   4) Car hardware is indeed BSF, I measure some threads - I now have taps and dies on order.
   5) Carb rebuild - I have emailed Gower & Lee - thanks for the name.
   
   Is there a 'how to' guide for attaching pictures to the forum posts?
   
   James Eastwood
   
   I also measured some of the hardware on the car it is indeed BSF, I now have these taps and dies on order.

[administrator]

Attaching photos:
   
   1.  Open a free account at photobucket.com
   2.  Upload your photo - you may need to resize it first.  800 x 600 is a good size ("Document Small" in some descriptions).
   3.  Open the photo in your photobucket library and on the right are 4 links.  Click on the bottom one (IMG) and it will flash Copied
   4.  Paste the link into your Forum post where you want the photo to appear
   5.  You don't have to do the next step but if you don't the link as well as the photo will appear.  If you do this you only get the photo: delete the first part of the link which will be something like and the last part .  The link now starts and ends with [img].
   
   We have now established that this Forum software doesn't support the direct attachment of photos.

[taffe9]

Hi James, I have a couple of sets of second hand 16'' wheels from various ace/aceca if you are still looking. Email me for further info. Good luck with your project.

[James Eastwood]

Many thanks, I have sent email.
   James E.

[James Eastwood]

Hi ladies and gents.

My work on BE475 continues and it's now at Classic Autos having some of the less than perfect period body repairs corrected. My impression is that some of these were fairly rapidly completed to get the car mobile and painted, ready for a further outing. We set outselves the task of keeping the patina whilst cutting out the 'ugly'. I think we found a ballance which is realy diffecult, becuase your initial reaction is 'lets do everything'. In my mind it would simply be impossible to do everything and keep the history.

Anyhow, as we get nearer to painting I have a questions, is there a list of RAL or similar paint codes for the Ace colours? I believe the car is currently Svecia Red, which is the colour I'd like to repaint it in.

Thanks James

[James Eastwood]

2nd pic

[James Eastwood]

3rd pic

[James Eastwood]

4th pic