AC Buckland Restoration - Started

[Richard Hutchings]

Hello All,
I recently started stripping the AC Buckland which I purchased quite a while ago.  I have at last found suitable premises in which to do the necessary work, after planning permission being refused for a garage at home.  This took many months of architects haggling with the council without success. Anyway, after starting removing bits a few weeks ago, I thought that the front seats look different to all the photographs I had been looking at and later read in one of the many articles I had from earlier auctions, that the front seats fitted to my car are from a Triumph Herald.  So, the big question is, does anyone know of a pair of Buckland seats for sale.  Condition is not critical because I have to restore the rest of the interior.  Even a couple of frames would be alright.
I think there is a lot more I do not know about the car at the moment.  One of my concerns is regarding the hood, for which I only have a damaged frame.  I would like to see a Buckland sometime, to take some photographs of details I don't know.  I have only ever seen one and it was a pale yellow on show at the NEC many years ago.  I did attend the Classic Car Show at the NEC in November last year, but there wasn't a Buckland on the AC stand.
It would be great to hear from anyone who could help with the front seats, hood or just any information on these rare cars.
Cheers,
Richard Hutchings

[dsjw1]

Richard welcome to Buckland ownership. I put together a Facebook group dedicated to the marque here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/484529341714874/?ref=share

You will find a wealth of information along with many owners some of whom have undertaken restorations or have some ongoing (guilty as charged). It is a friendly group and I can promise your questions and asks will not go unanswered. I'm more than glad to help connect you to fellow owners or provide anything i can for you. There were two extremely well done restorations that started to show in 2019 so the process is well documented.

I look forward to connecting with you!'

As a side note my Grandad built the Buckland at Buckland Body Works and was intimately involved in its design.


David Wightman
1950 AC Buckland
1951 AC Buckland

[GSouthee]

Good luck with the Buckland hope it goes well, they are a nice car.

Are the seat not the same as the 2 litre saloon, the only Buckland I saw seemed to have the 2 litre seats, But then it was a long while ago.

Gary

[AC-Crankcase]

Good Morning Richard,

The seats of a Buckland are not the same as a 2 Litre (see Attachments.)  They are similar to the later 4 Door seats but the adjustment mechanism is different.

The 'Buckland' in the picture is in the Thames Ditton records as a 2 Litre Sports which means the body may have been built by ACs not Bucklands but I believe the designs are the same?

All the best,
Tom

[scud]

Hi Richard,

I have a car in reasonably advanced state of rebuild. More than welcome to come and see it in south Bucks. I can't imagine the seat frame would be too tough to replicate/fabricate. Mine is believed to be a Thames Ditton 2 litre sports as opposed to a genuine Buckland, but pretty sure the seats are the same in all the vehicles I have seen.

Good luck,

James

[Richard Hutchings]

Hi,

Thanks to all who replied and for the help, encouragement and photographs.  I tried to reply to each individually, but it seems that is not possible on this forum, though my knowledge of this type of thing and computers in general is quite limited.

I have a pair of AC two litre saloon seat frames which I will use if nobody comes up with original Buckland seats for sale.  It seems, from the photos I have looked at that the Buckland seat backrests are almost like a bench seat and the two bottom seat cushions almost meet in the middle, over the gearbox tunnel.

Thanks again for the response and I will no doubt be posting more questions as the restoration continues.

Regards, Richard

[dsjw1]

Richard thanks for joining the Facebook page. Post the question in there too. You will get significant response  I promise. I'm more than happy to take pics of my Buckland seat if you still need some further reference. lol forward to hearing more about yours. Can you share your chassis number? Thanks!!

[ted]

Richard, please keep the club at large updated with your Buckland restoration project. The BEST way to do this is to email the editor (contact details in ACtion) with some images and words (doesn't have to be much) and he will include them when/where there is room in the mag. We need more 2ltr / Buckland content generally so anything will be welcome. The club has been accused of "under-valuing" these cars (personally, I'm not sure how this conclusion can be made), but the main content of the magazine is generated by owners/drivers so it's up to all of us to write in with our adventures in our ACs. Good luck and I look forward to hopefully meeting you at an ACOC event in the future.

Ted Shepherd
AC Owners' Club Awards and Trophies