MK IV replacement body panels

[linklaw]

I read an article the other night at a bookstore in either Thoroughbred and Classic Cars or Classic and Sportscar, both UK publications, that there is a body shop in Brooklands that has acquired the body bucks needed to make body panels for the AC MK IV. Does anyone on the list know about this? I'm sure there is more than one MK IV out there that has been crashed and totalled because of the lack of replacement panels.

[Mark IV]

Brooklands Motor Company.......they can supply most AC pieces. You, know, the ones that "AC" can't. There is a Mk IV in the states that was hit. Insurance company forwarded a 10K deposit for a new front clip to AC. Over a year later and no reply. Why, because AC cannot build alloy bodies, they have no facility and no staff that can do alloy. Once again A.L. strikes. The owner let the car now be totaled and he is without his Mk IV.
   Rick

[linklaw]

I spoke with the fellow whose MK IV was crashed and he told me the story. It's a shame because the car didn't really look that badly mangled, at least not from the photos he sent. I ended up buying his side curtains so I have an extra set. Do you know who has the car now? It might be worth a look if the panels are available. Based on his story and other horror stories I have read, I would be hesitant to deal with AC at this point. John

[Mark IV]

Linklaw...
   I would be interested in the side curtains. I Need a set for a friends MK IV as well as a top and bows. Please contact me at rcmuck@adelphia.net
   
   Rick

[MkIV Lux]

I can confirm: Brooklands Motor Company, Steve Gray is the owner. www.brooklandsmotorcompany.co.uk
   I had visited them in May while on my way to the ACOC International in Wales. They are specialised panel beaters, and own the AC bucks.
   
   The wrecked and totalled US MkIV is AK 1030.
   
   Regards
   Constant

[Alan Faulkner-Stevens]

Does anybody know an e-mail or contact address for the owner of the damaged MkIV in the U.S.? I would like to contact him so I could update the Registry. Please let me know
   Alan Faulkner-Stevens [MkIV Registrar]

[Mark IV]

Alan,
   I have it. It will take some searching of old files, but I do have it. I have promised a list of all the cars I imported and sold circa 1985-1987 but a recent move has me digging thru boxes and two different locations to locate the info. I will copy you on all the cars that I handled from Autokraft. Also I have several interesting items such as the order sheets we used, correspondance, etc.
   Rick

[linklaw]

Alan, the name of the owner of the crashed MKIV is Karl Sauer and he is the MKIV registrar for the SAAC (Shelby American Automobile Club).  There is contact information posted on the SAAC website, look for the email address to contact the MKIV registrar.  If you don't have any luck that way, let me know and I'll try to find his email address on my work computer. It should be interesting comparing the info he has gathered with what you have. John

[MkIV Lux]

Hi Alen,
   
   Try this address  mkivregistrar@saac.com   or possibly this one  Cobra4guy@aol.com
   
   regards
   Constant

[MkIV Lux]

Hi Alen,
   
   Try this address  mkivregistrar@saac.com   or possibly this one  Cobra4guy@aol.com
   
   regards
   Constant

[jbottini]

Originally posted by linklaw
   
I spoke with the fellow whose MK IV was crashed and he told me the story. It's a shame because the car didn't really look that badly mangled, at least not from the photos he sent. I ended up buying his side curtains so I have an extra set. Do you know who has the car now? It might be worth a look if the panels are available. Based on his story and other horror stories I have read, I would be hesitant to deal with AC at this point. John
   I ahave AK1113 , with no top or curtains, MKIV may have contacted you regarding these on my behalf. I am very, very interested in the side curtains. You didn't buy the top as well did you or can you hook me up with the crash guy in case he has a top. Jim  jamesbottini877@msn.com

[Alan Faulkner-Stevens]

For anybody with a badly damaged MkIV there are alternatives to getting the body repaired by the holder of the body bucks. At present a total loss MkIV is undergoing a complete rebody at the Kirkham factory in Poland. The vehicles chassis rails and ident numbers have all been saved but the cars aluminium body and steel supporting sub-structure were beyond salvation. The previous English owner had cut most of the damaged body off the car and in some respects made things worse. The car is being panelled in aluminium as a 427MkIII and has been noted in the AC Registry as such. For any member who may think this is not a good idea I actually support this as it saves this car. Presently base model MkIV cars in England often have insurance values in the £45000 area, this value is at least half what a new body would cost to build using the original body bucks. So a Kirkham complete body, hood [bonnet], doors, trunk [boot] plus all inner panels fitted onto a straight and repaired chassis is going to be about £25000. Of course you then have to paint the car and refit it all, but there is a fair chance the insurance company will noy write the car off as a total loss. This is probably the most cost effective way of saving a badly damaged car.
   Finally if you have a MkIV Cobra in Europe I know of two ex-Aston Martin panel beaters who produce specialised aluminium panelwork for the Aston Factory who are more than capable to repair any Cobra. On discussing this matter with them, they felt they could hand make a body for about £25000 also. Of course they do not have the bucks but if only one side of the car is damaged they are able to use the undamaged side as a pattern and then hand make the panels. A proper body repair is not rocket science but just requires a skilled panel beater, somthing England has plenty of.
   Alan Faulkner-Stevens

[Alan Faulkner-Stevens]

In addition to my last post about other alternative methods of repairing an damaged AC and current ongoing repairs I would like to make it clear AC Cars Manufacturing Ltd based in Malta have only one recommended repairer, this is Mr. Steve Gray at Brookland Motor Company. He is the only person holding all the original tooling for the cars.

[Mark-Anthony]

Hi Alan
   
   I am quite amazed at this statement of yours that Brooklands Motor Company are the Official Repairers of AC Cars Ltd in Great Britain, not that I doubt it, but I do find it more than a little puzzling.
   
   I had a very long and convivial conversation with Mr Gray of Brooklands yesterday (20 Sept 2006) and the fact that Brooklands are the official repairers of AC Cars Ltd comes as quite a shock - given that he never mentioned the fact once.  Especially surprising as we were discussing the salvage/repair of a written-off Cobra.
   
   In fact, on reflection, I have never heard that Brooklands are AC Cars official repairers in my two years as a club member/Cobra owner.  No other member has even mentioned it in passing despite the numerous conversations that I have had with many members concerning bent cars.
   
   I have never seen it mentioned in any edition of ACtion, neither in Brooklands own advertisements nor in any article, text, or caption.
   
   Nor have I ever seen this singularly potent piece of commercial recommendation printed in any issue of "Classic Car" or "Classic and Sports Car" magazines that I have read over the last 20 years (yes I know their names have changed in that time).
   
   More importantly I have never seen such a potent piece of advertising written in any of Brooklands advertisements in any of the three aforementioned magazines.
   
   This leads to only two possible conclusions:-
   
   1)  Brooklands were appointed as AC Carts ltd's Official Repairers late yesterday afternoon, or,
   
   2)  Mr Gray simply forgot to mention the fact in all of his advertising and forgot to mention the fact to any AC Owners club official and forgot to mention the fact to any AC Owners Club member.
   
   Nonetheless, despite this obvious and amusing quandary I am grateful that the Mk IV Cobra Registrar has finally told us who the Official Repairers for AC Cars Ltd actually is.  If we now want our cars repaired by AC Cars official agent (thereby preserving the car's value) we now finally know where to go.
   
   Our thanks Alan
   
   Yours
   
   Mark-Anthony Conti
   CRS Cobra chassis 22
   (PS  No its not a bloody kit car!)