AC Aceca

The closed versions of many great sports cars are often forgotten. And if not forgotten, they lag behind the roadster version in popularity and market value. This is certainly true of the Jaguar XKs and E-Types, the Alfa Giuliettas and Porsche 356s. Many people don't even realize there was a coupe version of the MGA, Lotus Elan or the AC Ace. Strictly speaking, the AC fixed-head coupe wasn't an Ace at all. It was an Aceca.
Visually, the Aceca and its more popular roadster sibling were quite similar from nose to scuttle, but the similarities ended there. The Aceca used a curved windscreen, much wider doors, an elegantly sloping fastback roof and downswept rear fenders that culminated in small but graceful fins. Luggage space was vastly increased by the use of a top-hinged liftgate. The car featured full-width bumpers front and rear, instead of the Ace's vestigial bumperettes.
Inside, the Aceca was more opulently finished. Although both open and closed cars were trimmed in Connolly hides and rich wool carpets, the Aceca added beautiful wooden trims for the instrument panel, glovebox lid, and the door and window sills. The rear deck was carpeted, the headliner was padded, and the door windows rolled up, while front and rear quarter windows swung outward.
Under the skin, the Ace and Aceca rolled on identical chassis, except for the rubber mounts for the coupe's differential. That chassis had started life in the workshop of race-car builder John Tojeiro. The car that caught the eye of AC's Hurlock brothers looked a great deal like a Touring-bodied Ferrari Barchetta and featured an advanced twin-tube frame with transverse leaf-spring independent suspension front and rear.
When first shown to the Hurlocks, Tojeiro's lithe roadster was powered by the 2.0-liter Bristol straight six of BMW 328 heritage. When it appeared on the AC stand at the London Motor Show in October 1953, AC's own long-stroke 2.0-liter six was under the aluminum hood. With 90 hp and 105 lb-ft of torque on tap-mated to a Moss four-speed transmission-the Ace would top 100 mph, which was quite an accomplishment for a 2.0-liter automobile at that time. The lovely Aceca coupe came along for the 1955 model year.
Within a year, both the Ace and the Aceca were available with the more powerful Bristol six in 105-hp or 120-hp form. In either tune, it came with Bristol's own transmission and was much more responsive to race preparation. It was also substantially faster. Although the Ace-Bristol roadster was a more likely race entrant, with a stiffer body structure and slicker shape, the Aceca had its advantages.
This 1958 Aceca, BEX 628, was acquired in the 1980s by New York collector Herb Wetanson, who has a penchant for postwar ACs. In 1987 the car was sent to Portland, Oregon, AC restorer Jim Feldman, who dismantled and inspected it. The engine, transmission, differential and all other components were rebuilt. Five years later, with all systems completed, it was carefully reassembled and detailed. The aluminum body was stripped and refinish-ed in black urethane paint. Red Connolly leather and new Wilton wool carpets dress the interior.
In 2002 Maryland collector and vintage racer Mark Gessler acquired the Aceca and had it prepared for racing by D.L. George Coachworks. First came a roll bar, fire extinguisher system, fuel cell and racing harnesses. The original Bristol was removed and replaced with one that had been race-prepared, and the stock chrome wire wheels were replaced with a stronger set wearing racing tires. The stock exhaust was deleted in favor of a side-exit system.
Gessler takes pleasure racing what "looks just like a concours car," mostly in VSCCA events from Lime Rock to Pittsburgh. What about when its racing days are over? All the safety equipment will come out easily and the stock engine, wheels and exhaust will bolt back on. But with the standard exhaust, the barking Bristol just won't sound the same.