1969 AC 428 Coupe - Manual

The AC 428 made its debut at the London Motor Show in 1965. Derived from its cousin the Cobra, it shared a similarly excellent chassis and unbeatable 7-litre Ford V8 engine, the latter endowing it with quite formidable performance. Coachwork was in the Grand Touring style, courtesy of Frua in Italy, and was offered in coupe or convertible form. The 428 aimed, of course, to steal customers from Ferrari, Maserati and Aston Martin. Had it not been so costly it may well have done so, for in terms of speed and comfort it certainly outshone its rivals. Unfortunately its price put it in the same bracket as these thoroughbreds and since the AC badge did not hold the same prestigious mystique, sales were very slow in coming. Eventually, after a mere 58 coupes and 28 convertibles had been sold, this highly exclusive model bowed out of production under the onslaught of the oil crisis.This quite superb example was first registered to a Mr Barry Jacobs of Surrey on 24th June 1969. The original buff log book details the mere five owners since new and confirms that this 428 was delivered new to the UK. Believed to be one of only six manual examples originally manufactured, 'YPF428G' offers bills, receipts and MoT test certificates dating back to the 1980s. These include services invoices for an engine rebuild in 1988. More recently, the current owner has overhauled and rebuilt the braking system and maintained the car in sound mechanical order. The body has certainly been painted, most likely in the 1980s, and remains in good order. With recent 428 prices increasing rapidly, this example represents excellent value for money in a climate that sees only a limited number coming onto the open market and even fewer in manual specification.