1955 AC Ace (Bristol)

• An original, home market, 1955 Ace finished in the rare factory colour of Pacific Green with a Black leather interior and registered on the 13th April in Surrey as WPL 750
• The original AC two-litre engine was replaced with the highly desirable Bristol D2 in the early sixties
• Purchased by John Gardiner of Crosthwaite and Gardiner in 1966
• A full restoration eventually commenced in 2005 resulting in one of the finest mechanically and bodily restored Aces in existence
• Complete with a provenance file containing the 'buff' logbook, photos of the restoration, some recent invoices and an MOT valid until June 2022.

The AC Ace first appeared at Earls Court in 1953 and epitomised a new era of British post-war sports car production. The owners of AC, Charles and Derek Hurlock, along with AC agent, Ken Rudd, transformed the company's reputation by taking a racing special and putting it into production, with notable stylistic influences from Italian sports cars of the era. The result was a car that delivered both on the road, and particularly on the track thanks to the input of racing chassis designer John Tojeiro. Tojeiro employed the same simple tubular ladder-type chassis with an aluminium body that he had used in his earlier specials, however, the Ace differed by being fitted with all-round independent suspension by transverse springs (the first British sports car to do so), ensuring superb handling with minimal body roll and plenty of feedback. Such was the success of the Ace chassis, it became the foundation for the mighty Shelby Cobras with over three times the power of the original 105bhp, Weller designed, six-cylinder engine. The outdated AC unit eventually made way for the more refined Bristol straight-six, which had evolved from the pre-war BMW 328. The Bristol engine was far more suited to racing, as demonstrated with some success by Cooper, and in its standard form developed 128bhp at 6000rpm. Consequently, it is the Bristol-engined Ace that is most sought after by collectors.

The Ace Bristol enjoyed significant competition success being campaigned by enthusiastic club racers, private owners and most famously by the Ken Rudd team at Le Mans in 1957 and 1958. Bristol-engined Aces were run successfully at Le Mans from 1957 to 1962 by various entrants, however, it was on a domestic club level where Ace Bristols earned their reputation as superb racing machines. In total, only 466 Ace Bristols were manufactured and they are justifiably hot property amongst collectors as very few examples become available on the open market. The AC Ace was a truly innovative piece of design and represents the foundation from which the legendary Cobra was developed.

John Gardiner, the legendary toolmaker and restoration engineer, joined Dick Crosthwaite in the sixties to form a partnership, Crosthwaite and Gardiner, that was eventually to become established as world-class providers of engineering and manufacturing services to the historic motor racing community. Their reputation has grown with all marques including Bugatti, Maserati and Jaguar and restorations on many of the most famous historic racing cars in the world.

It's no surprise then, that with a demanding growing business, John Gardiner took nearly forty years to commence a personal project and embark on the restoration of an AC Ace that he had purchased in 1966. The AC in question was an original, home market, 1955 Ace finished in the rare factory colour of Pacific Green with a Black leather interior and registered on the 13th April in Surrey as WPL 750, a registration number it still retains to this day. The 'buff' log book notes that the original AC two-litre engine was replaced with the highly desirable Bristol D2 in the early sixties, prior to John's purchase.

It was not until circa 2005 that John felt he had enough time to devote to the project and he embarked on a full nut and bolt restoration aided by the substantial resources of his company and his own (perfectionist) engineering skills. Those skills and attention to detail are evident in the result and anybody who spends time in the presence of this wonderful motor car will appreciate John's dedication and standards. The result is one of the finest mechanically and bodily restored Aces in existence and it's no surprise that it drives beautifully and is perfectly balanced on the road.

Sadly, John passed away not long after the car was finished and it was registered to his wife who now feels that the time is right for someone else to enjoy her late husband's 'pride and joy'.

It come complete with a provenance file containing the 'buff' logbook, photos of the restoration at Crosthwaite and Gardiner, some recent invoices and an MOT valid until June 2022.

When Carroll Shelby stood on the winners rostrum at Le Mans in 1959  deep in conversation with AC Ace Class Winners Ted Whiteaway and John Turner he obviously had a vision ... as they say - the rest is history.

The Ace Bristol is a car that rightfully deserves its place in the history books as 'grandfather' to the legendary AC Cobra, and this lovely classic offers the opportunity to enjoy that history whenever you fancy as well as, perhaps, quietly appreciating the skill and craftsmanship that led Dick Crosthwaite and John Gardiner to contribute to the survival of some of the world's most significant classic cars.