New AC MkVI Gullwing

[Chafford]

Here's the link to the online version of the 'Octane' article:
   
   http://www.classicandperformancecar.com/news/octanenews/238744/ac_mkvi.html
   
   And a few photos of the Mk VI from the same article:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

[nikbj68]

WOW...This must mean there are 2 of them, at least!
   The MkVI that was at Brooklands was registered MEI 06012.
   
   Of course, designs change from time to time, and it was only a few years ago that the 'AC Mk6' was intended to look like this,
   when manufactured in Connecticut and Malta:
   

[AKL 1333]

no this are red german dealer number plates with 06...., you can put them on every car you want, so it can be the same car.

[nikbj68]

quote:Originally posted by AKL 1333no this are red german dealer number plates with 06...., you can put them on every car you want, so it can be the same car.

   Aaah, thanks for that, Jürgen. So it is THE MkVI rather than 'a' MkVI!

[Chafford]

quote:Originally posted by Alan Faulkner-Stevens
   I recently took my CRS to the Octane photoshoot and had an opportunity to view the MkVI. There were an excellent number of variants of the Cobra marque from an early MkII up to a Superblower and my CRS. There were also two new superb 427 cars built by AC heritage. It was very obvious to all who looked that the shape of the larger bodied AC cars, that each had a continuity in shape and form from the beautiful aluminum 427 cars, to the Lightweights/CRS and Superblower models and back to the CSX car.  Each of these genuine cars also had the most impeccable overall finish.

   
   Not forgetting the original COB and COX cars!
   
   I'm not sure about the continuity /genuine argument - there was a 12 year gap between AC stopping production of the 289 Sports and Autokraft starting production of the MkIV. Just as the early MkIV was an Autokraft badged as an AC, so the MkVI is a Gullwing badged as an AC! And the very earliest Autokraft efforts weren't even AC badged!

[REV]

[/quote]
   Not forgetting the original COB and COX cars!
   
   I'm not sure about the continuity /genuine argument - there was a 12 year gap between AC stopping production of the 289 Sports and Autokraft starting production of the MkIV. Just as the early MkIV was an Autokraft badged as an AC, so the MkVI is a Gullwing badged as an AC! And the very earliest Autokraft efforts weren't even AC badged!
   [/quote]
   
   Strangely a certain car from the 70's wasn't badged, but nobody ever doubts that the "246 Dino" was a Ferrari.
   
   The MKIV is in a different league and has far more pedigree than what is currently being proposed. My car for instance was produced while the Hurlocks were still involved with AC, and produced with there blessing and licence.
   
   I have to say its a very, very strange statement from you.

[AKL 1333]

You can see it in this way, but this is only the half of the truth, the MKIV is made on the original toolings, sometimes by the the same men with the original technics of the 60th Cobras, it is powered by Ford and its also Made in England, the only difference is that its made in Brooklands, just ten miles from Thames Ditton and that the Owner of the company was not Mr. Hurlock, it was Brian Angliss. In my opinion that is not comparible with the MKVI or the MKV. They are completly different from the CSX or COB cars.

[henryst]

quote:Originally posted by AKL 1333
   
You can see it in this way, but this is only the half of the truth, the MKIV is made on the original toolings, sometimes by the the same men with the original technics of the 60th Cobras, it is powered by Ford and its also Made in England, the only difference is that its made in Brooklands, just ten miles from Thames Ditton and that the Owner of the company was not Mr. Hurlock, it was Brian Angliss. In my opinion that is not comparible with the MKVI or the MKV. They are completly different from the CSX or COB cars.
   

   There were no ex-AC panel men at Autokraft, to the best of my knowledge. Only one ex-Thames Ditton man was employed, Gene Carter, who did tube bending and welding. Many of the body bucks were indeed ex-AC, but some were new. Two AC employees came to Autokraft when ACs (20th Century) were packing up, one to finish wheelchairs, one to run the 'AC' stores. A nice chap called Brian. Many Autokraft men were ex-Panther.
   It should be remembered of course that Autokraft used the AC name legally for a while, after which they were for a time joint owners of that company with Ford (who I believe had a majority shareholding) and the Hurlocks, so continuity was maintained. The Hurlocks sold up soon after.
   Peter

[Chafford]

The Mk VI does look very much like a Dax, and considerably different from the CRS which in my opinion is a better looking car:
   
   
   
   

[Clive Sutton]

The 'Mark V1' and the 'continuation Heritage' appear to have one common theme ; royalties for Lubinsky's company for use of the AC brand.  Had the Kimber project gone forward there would have been a third 'genuine AC' in the shape of the Smart roadster. There lies a similarity with the great Carroll Shelby who takes royalties on 'Shelby continuation ' and production Fords ! Taking the unfortunate stewardship of the brand to one side there is clearly room for a 'genuine continuation aluminum bodied car' as Mr Gray apparently has some of the original factory templates and a long history with AC's so one would presume that he can stick the AC moniker on his cars ( subject of course to paying suitable fees for the brand!). Although I ought to have a jaundiced view following the MAlta Mk V debacle, I also believe that a modern AC should exist and if the Gullwing people are properly funded then the GM LS3 motor is an excellent unit aand combined with the stated specification the car could be successful. Perhaps they should pay less royalties for the badge and put the car out at around £70K..  What is of course of interest to any potential customer is how the new car fairs against the established replicas and by that I mean essentially the Superformance and the Gardner Douglas. The latter has already been using the GM power unit and is more in character with the Mk V1 . From what I understand Lubinsky refused to allow a direct comparison with the 2 key replicas which eventually will happen (provided of course some Mk V1 cars actually arrive in the market place.!)  In the meantime we have now sold our remaining Mark V's after having them in stock for over 2 years and we will continue to be active with genuine and replica Cobras and AC's . In my view at around £70K there is a ready market for a car such as one of these as a weekend car.We have a database of people who enquired about the MarkV when we first had it but were never able to offer them a funcitonal car. We are looking into producing our own high quality car in the UK in association with proven specialists. Ironically as the 'UK distributor for AC we still have had no formal word on the Mk V1..
   
   
   
   

quote:Originally posted by nikbj68
   
Ok...Several points to address here!
   Aaron, yes. I take it all back. Well, no actually.[:p] My opinion that 'AC' wouldn`t be able to build another car successfully still stands, BUT I said that before it was clear that the respected German company would be building the MkVI on their proven replica platform.
   
   John Owen was at the ACOC 60th Anniversay meeting with Alan Lubinsky & Jurgen Mohr,although I don`t think they ventured down the hill from the AC Heritage centre where a Mercedes replica & the MkVI were on display) and looked well and at ease, not at all Gollum-like!
   
   Jurgen Mohr was pleasant to chat with, explaining to me many(too many for me to keep track of!)of the improvements and developments made to what was originally the Dax Supertube upon which his respected replica is based. Now making their own uprights & wishbones, using a 'vastly' superior diff, sat nav, traction control, aircon, even the door latches are of their own making; Jurgen Mohr has my respect and I certainly wish him well.
   
   Having seen the MkVI put through it`s paces at Mercedes Benz Brooklands track, it certainly appears to perform well, but you could build 2 very nice Dax` for the same money, or have a Gardner Douglas with the same engine, or a Kirkham and change...[]
   

[nikbj68]

quote:Originally posted by Clive Sutton...What is of course of interest to any potential customer is how the new car fairs against the established replicas and by that I mean essentially the Superformance and the Gardner Douglas. The latter has already been using the GM power unit and is more in character with the Mk V1...

   And add to that list the Dax, to which the MkVI is most closely comparable in many ways! The Superformance is not exactly established over here, despite their reputation & popularity in the U.S.
   One interesting comparison I can make between the MkVI & the Gardner Douglas is how they breathe.
   They both use the same LS motor, but Gullwing chose to site the MkVI`s air intake above a panel which would appear to cut off the supply of nice fresh, cool air, whereas GD have chosen to draw air in from the nose:
   
   (click pics for larger images)

[Chafford]

quote:Originally posted by nikbj68
   

quote:Originally posted by Clive Sutton...What is of course of interest to any potential customer is how the new car fairs against the established replicas and by that I mean essentially the Superformance and the Gardner Douglas. The latter has already been using the GM power unit and is more in character with the Mk V1...

   And add to that list the Dax, to which the MkVI is most closely comparable in many ways! The Superformance is not exactly established over here, despite their reputation & popularity in the U.S.

   
   And not forgetting the Hawk built aluminium Kirkham - probably closest to the original of all the current cars and a beautiful car in 289 form.
   
   

[nikbj68]

quote:Originally posted by Chafford...And not forgetting the Hawk built aluminium Kirkham - probably closest to the original of all the current cars and a beautiful car in 289 form...

   
   Oh I was absolutely NOT forgetting the HawKirk...just comparing apples and apples. I was in that very car on Tuesday(thanks, Trevor!)and it just IS. It looks, feels and smells right in every way.[8D]
   I must admit, if I had somewhere between £50-100k to spend on a 'weekend ride', it would be a Hawk/Kirkham FiA, or if it could be done in budget, a 39PH replica, which Hawk already do in their own guise...
   Oh dammit, I will do an extra line on this week`s Lottery![:I]

[1984MkIV]

What I really miss is the discussion, if these cars are the true descendents of the Cobra.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Michael

[TLegate]

Michael
   
   A Shelby Cobra is a Shelby Cobra I guess - some were built in the 1960s and some were built yesterday. Some of the original cars suffered from - errrm - 'indifferent' build quality as did some of the more recent attempts! But not the bodies supplied by Superformance I hasten to add. (And that Series 1 in the background was not a success, as has been well documented, though it remains the only 'Shelby' that was built from scratch, not based on an existing model.)
   
   In terms of quality with more than a passing resemblence to the original cars, the Kirkham is the best of the descendents. In the theoretical 'blindfold' test, you'd be pushed to tell that Hawkham apart from a '60s original. I had an awful drive to the meeting, struggling along the M25 in a truly horrendous cloudburst, roof up and driving blind for far too long (!!) but the drive home was just the best once I was on the country roads, top down and just cruising happily along, minding my own business. Luvverly! It's also worth pointing out that no two Cobras drive the same anyway, as was discovered by somebody who recently drove fifteen original cars in one day. Variations in tyres, shock absorbers, diff, engine tune, carbs and a host of other details make every car unique.
   BUT the Gardner Douglas shown above is an equally interesting variation on the Cobra theme. I don't think of it as Cobra, just a very nice sports car in its own right, the ideal tool for blatting across Europe in a degree of comfort while returning circa 30mpg from its unstressed 6-litre engine. What's not to like? It just echoes the classic coke-bottle shape of the Cobra but has taken its own branch on the tree of Cobra evolution. And for around half the price of a certain 'competitor'!?