Having only glanced at the ad last week it seemed to be of the typically poorly informed and researched car broker type of 'Cobra' advertisement which is why our cars are so often misunderstood or deemed to be kit cars by the general public as a result of such misinformation being quoted as fact. On behalf of the owners of these fantastic cars I feel it is important to report the correct facts within the public domain as such misinformation only devalues the AC brand. Without wishing to appear pedantic (OK, OK) the factual errors are :
Did AC build the first Mk1 Cobra in 1963? That means that the 50th anniversary is this year not last year? Mk1 Cobra production began in 1962.
Frua bodied car used the same Cobra drive train underneath? Most big block Cobras in period used the 427 engine. The Frua used the 428FE unit in the main - hence the AC 428 designation.
"When Lubinsky closed the doors to the factory in 1992'' There was the Brooklands factory till 2002, the Frimley factory then the Normandy factory till 2005 - all in Surrey, UK, all Lubinsky.
Did Lubinsky only build Superblowers and the CRS cars in the UK? What about the Continuation Cobras and 'gliders' (incomplete cars sold as body/chassis units)/the factory backed Continuation 427 competition car/the Brooklands Aces completed under his reign/Brooklands Aceca/cars built for Shelby USA/the MK11 FIA cars/the two 212 SC Lotus engined cars/the Mamba prototype/the MK11 Centenary cars with the larger MK111 main chassis tubes, not to mention the cars he has had a hand in overseas (RSA Aces) since closing the UK factories?
Lubinsky's own MK1V Lightweight car was used to make the CRS moulds - it was under restoration at the Brooklands factory then Frimley afterwards as it was badly damaged by that process.
45 Mk1V Lightweights built by Brian Angliss? The factory produced c.26 of these only but the ACOC Registrar has over 80 cars recorded I believe (although these do include the AKL 'Look-a-Lightweight' cars - as the phrase was coined by the factory technicians as the specification became more like the standard MK1V after 1991).
Exact original 1960's body shape to the CRS (moulded from the MK1V Lightweight)? The Mk1V Lightweight body was not exactly 'made' from the 1960's Cobra jigs. It is a different shape on the scuttle, doors, sills, rear quarters, bonnet scoop (where applicable) with longer doors and wider cockpit. Essentially, the Mk1V bucks and patterns and the CRS are different to the original Mk111 '60's Cobra and have their own body bucks and chassis tooling.
The chassis on the CRS is made from both round tubing and box section tubing - unlike the '60s cars and the MK1V Lightweight. The box tube is easier to weld and notch out than round tube - it was all about costs.
Formula 2 racing company built the CRS bodies? Formula 2 ended in 1984 and was replaced by F3000, before being revived again in 2005/8. The CRS bodies were built by Kid Jensen Racing - F3000, not F2.
To quote an AC Cars press release from 1998 for the CRS : 'This body is the result of collaboration between AC and Kid Jensen Racing, owners of a leading Formula 3000 team. Protech Motorsport Ltd, an associated company of Kid Jensen Racing, will be building the carbon fibre pre-impregnated bodies at its Bordon, Hampshire, premises using a high temperature (120 degrees C) autoclave to ensure exceptional quality levels. The bodies, which utilise laminated carbon fibre cloth and thermoset epoxy resin materials technology taken directly from today's Formula 1 cars, will be assembled by AC in the ÚK. The craftsman's approach to the fit and finish (including the hand-stitched hood and tonneau cover) used on the Superblower will be applied.'
The quality of the bodies did vary and were a bit of a nightmare for the AC Cars paint shop to deal with - they were nicknamed the 'solvent s**t-boxes' for this reason and the carbon fibre weave could clearly be seen through the paintwork. The body joints were blended with polyester body filler.
Some further info that may be of interest :
The CRS had substandard box section spring tower material used in its construction. Flexing caused cracks in the welds. The 1960's tubular spring towers and the Mk1V's likewise, sustained higher stresses in the race environment and with 427 power.
Box section suspension wishbones (front and rear) were manufactured as a redesign by Brian Angliss for the Mk1V. The rear castings for the uprights differ from the Mk111 and the front forgings for the front uprights also are unique to the MK 1V. Very early Autokraft Mk1V's used Mk111 uprights and wishbones but not the Lightweights or CRS.
Just for clarification there are separate jigs, bucks and tooling for the Mk1V's and CRS i.e. for the chassis, body and suspension.
The CRS was produced as a viable alternative to the much more expensive aluminium bodied cars and to make top flight kit car builds pointless by price comparison. However, by this time, a decent used aluminium Mk1V car could be purchased with very low miles for the same money as a new CRS at c.£40k, making them rather second best still to the discerning AC enthusiast.
The MkV Malta built car that followed was based on the CRS chassis jig and body moulds. It failed in quality to its CRS predecessor but shared the tooling.
(EOE)