1962 AC Ace Bristol

In 1953, AC Cars Ltd. introduced its brilliant Ace. Utilizing a design by John Tojeiro that included a lightweight tubular chassis, all independent suspension, and an open two-seater body built with elegant hand-formed aluminum coachwork, the Ace became highly regarded as one of the most sophisticated British sports cars of its era. The arrival of Bristol power elevated the model’s competition credentials further. In 1956, the BMW-designed Bristol inline six-cylinder engine was made optional for the Ace. A more advanced design, the Bristol engine provided over 20 additional horsepower than the AC engine and made the Ace a top competitor in its class.

This very special, late-production AC Ace Bristol was ordered directly from AC Cars Ltd. by the Southern California-based amateur racer Gil Ranney. The car was built with a factory-installed roll bar, racing windscreen, dual fuel fillers, blanked headlights, and deleted tubular bumpers. Taking delivery in late 1962, Ranney raced BEX 1213 with success in SCCA events at venues including Riverside Raceway, Santa Barbara, Dodger Stadium, and Roswell, New Mexico. Though he sold the car in 1967, Mr. Ranney retained drafts of his original communication with the AC factory, along with importation and licensing details, service invoices, and numerous period photographs. Importantly, this precious documentation has since been reunited with the car.

BEX 1213’s next custodian was Carl W. Bloom of Santa Ana, California. A number of original receipts and registration cards dating from his ownership are on file. Bloom placed the AC in storage in the late 1960s, where it remained undisturbed and largely forgotten until discovered intact in 2012, with just 5,100 miles on its odometer. News of the discovery soon reached the current AC cars club registrar. It came as a surprise, as BEX 1213 was never recorded in the factory ledger, with a blank space appearing between cars 1212 and 1214. As one of the final five Ace Bristols built, the factory was quite busy at the time ramping up production on Carroll Shelby’s new Cobra.

In 2012, the AC was acquired by the consignor and it was soon entrusted to David Zumstein at Abingdon West Ltd., who methodically inspected BEX 1213 and returned it to running order, carefully preserving its originality, including the coachwork, interior components, seat belts, and factory-wrapped leaf springs. Additionally, it retains its original vinyl, two-piece cockpit tonneau, jack, spare, tool roll, and grease gun. The Ace Bristol has since been maintained by noted Cobra specialist Mike McCluskey and found success in preservation class exhibition at major concours and completed the 2019 California Mille co-driven by Cobra legend Allen Grant.

For the first time in its history, BEX 1213 is being offered publicly. Its initial build to competition specification underscores its importance as an undeniable link between the AC Ace and the Shelby Cobra. A Southern California car since new, it retains an impressive degree of originality and the wonderful aesthetic of a lovingly preserved period race car.

Known for its enviable power-to-weight ratio, superb handling characteristics, exciting, timeless styling, and event eligibility, this astonishingly well-preserved AC Bristol is poised to thrill its next owner with incredible adventures.