Messages

46

General Forum / Re: AC factory records - Did they make mistakes?

« on: June 02, 2018, 20:16:18 »

Sorry I should be clear.  The car is actually AEX672 with engine CL 2356-W.  This engine, by factory records, should be in AEX 661. Both car's were delivered at the same time to BC Sports Cars in Canada.  AEX672, according to the register, should have engine CL2362W

So we would be looking at an Ace to Ace engine change.

B.P. Bird the information you just gave is excellent reference material by the way. 

47

General Forum / Re: AC factory records - Did they make mistakes?

« on: June 02, 2018, 15:57:53 »

So would it help to do a forensic examination on the car?  Would there be tell tale signs in the bay on an engine that has been switched? 

48

General Forum / AC factory records - Did they make mistakes?

« on: June 02, 2018, 13:38:35 »

I am representing an Aceca that plausibly has the correct engine.  The story is below.  How likely is it that the factory made a mistake?  Anyone have any other stories of the factory listing the car engine incorrectly?  Would there be tell tale signs if an engine was changed out for another?

AEX672 is known to have retained its correct AC engine since 1958, numbered CL 2356-W. It should be noted that AC production records of the period were not always strictly accurate, and sometimes changes occurred between the printing of the production records and assembly of each specific car. In this case, AEX661 and AEX672 were built sequentially for export to BC Sports Cars, and the engine present in AEX672 was supposedly intended during production for AEX661. The intervening cars were all Bristol-powered, and AEX661 is presently fitted with a Bristol unit. Since none of the prior owners of either car swapped engines, and it is doubtful that BC Sports Cars swapped engines between the two cars, the engines were most likely installed at the factory in the wrong cars, particularly since “matching numbers” was not such a concern back then. In short, AEX672 was almost certainly born with engine CL 2356-W.

49

General Forum / Re: Aceca registrar

« on: June 02, 2018, 00:35:48 »

At the Simeone Museum if you mention something needs to be done to Dr. Simeone it's your new job.  Like, Wow those rows and rows of books really need to be organized - flash forward to weekends organizing books.

I could actually put all of the records on a database.  I set one up for Arnolt-Bristol's - a file for each car by serial number with sub files for history, pictures, documents, etc.  And it can be accessed by anybody that has permission.  Maybe there could be co-registrars.

Perhaps I have said too much already!

50

General Forum / Re: Aceca registrar

« on: June 01, 2018, 15:02:12 »

Found Geoff's contact info.  Thanks!

51

Ace, Aceca & Greyhound Forum / Re: AE 01 to auction

« on: June 01, 2018, 15:00:59 »

Good luck with the sale of the car.  I am not a fan of auctions but if I had to choose one to work with it would be Bonham's.  Great car.

52

General Forum / Re: Aceca registrar

« on: June 01, 2018, 13:50:45 »

I'll be the new Registrar! 

53

General Forum / Re: Aceca registrar

« on: June 01, 2018, 01:14:56 »

Is it Glen Burbage by any chance?  I am on the road as well.  Thought I had his e-mail but it is not coming up.

54

General Forum / Aceca registrar

« on: May 31, 2018, 22:26:29 »

Can someone give me a contact e-mail for the Aceca registrar?

Thanks,
Kelly

55

Ace, Aceca & Greyhound Forum / Re: AE 01 to auction

« on: May 27, 2018, 23:20:46 »

Was is there no write-up about the car's history?
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/24876/preview_lot/5166551/

56

Ace, Aceca & Greyhound Forum / Re: Info on BEX 154?

« on: February 15, 2018, 03:45:41 »

Keith,

I will try to find both books thanks.

I spent eight hours in our research center today and I found a lot of good stuff.  I am posting three pictures.  They are pictures of pictures so the quality may not be all that great but they were a wonderful find located in a collection of photographs donated to us by a photographer of the era.  I will include his name in future posts to give him credit because he was quite prolific documenting Watkins Glen, Lime Rock, hill climbs on the east coast, etc.

Oddly enough out of 100's of pictures only one driver was identified, Evelyn Mull.  I don't know who the men are but that can be determined through cross referencing.  LATER.

The rest of the day I spent scouring the SPOKESMAN, the SCCA's Philadelphia Region magazine.  This monthly magazine covered all of the SCCA's events on the east coast in juicy, gossipy detail.  You can tell by reading the event account's just how close a lot of these racers were.  And there are stories about Arnolt-Bristol's at Sebring that confirmed a suspicion I always had.  But enough of this.  It is going to take me a good day to organize my notes and scan pictures in order to post them on the site.  I will get to that in the next few days.

I just want to post one excerpt from an article and then I am done until I can get to this in earnest.  It is from an article in the Spokesman on the 1957 Chamberland National Championship races.  This was the ladies race.  "... The other cars finished in the order expected.  Suzy Dietrich in the other Porsche 550 finished second with Peggy Wyllie coming third in the Lotus.  Evelyn Mull driving her A.C. was very good as usual but looked rather lonesome, driving all by herself behind the really fast cars and ahead of everything else."

For the record the sixth race for D and E Production cars was completely dominated by AC Bristols.

Much more info to come.  Maybe this should have its own thread as it will not just be BEX154 related.

57

Ace, Aceca & Greyhound Forum / Re: Info on BEX 154?

« on: February 14, 2018, 01:06:24 »

Tim,

Ever since I read Fast Women The Legendary Ladies of Racing by Todd McCarthy I have dreamed of finding that car.  I did do some research on my own with scant success. But you just supplied a good lead, the museum in Florida, for me to follow.

When the car sold in the 90's was it a private sale or through an auction?

Evelyn at first followed her husband to weekend races but very soon found herself behind the wheel of some incredible cars.  She was a natural.  She and her husband bred horses near Philadelphia. They were towing sports cars in the horse trailer.  Wasn't long before the horses were given the boot and racing cars became their shared passion.

If you have the names of either of the last two owners and the answer to the question about how the sale was conducted that would be very helpful. 

Kelly

58

Ace, Aceca & Greyhound Forum / Aceca with Ford Engine Wanted

« on: December 15, 2017, 17:48:23 »

I think this says it perfectly.  It was sent to me by the owner of an Apollo ...
   
    "The difference between an Apollo and an Allard is that the Apollo will go around corners and stop. If your client has never raced or driven an Allard he is in for a big surprise."
   
   Allards are known to be very difficult cars to drive.

59

Ace, Aceca & Greyhound Forum / Aceca with Ford Engine Wanted

« on: December 14, 2017, 16:33:39 »

Yes.  I saw your posts on the site.  Not a fan of a client buying a car without an inspection and he was adamant about a coupe - which of course this is not.  Fingers crossed it works for him.
   
    I did not represent that sale but I know a few guys that thought they got a "steal" on BAT or at an auction and unfortunately it turned out to be a steal all right but they weren't the ones doing the stealing.
   
   Never, ever buy a car without an inspection.  It boggles the mind that someone would drop over 100k and not even know if they like the way the car handles.  Or if it has mechanical issues.

60

Ace, Aceca & Greyhound Forum / Aceca with Ford Engine Wanted

« on: December 14, 2017, 00:04:11 »

Client decided on an Allard K3 - thanks for all the help.