125 bhp, 1,971 cc D2-specification Bristol six-cylinder engine, four-speed manual gearbox with overdrive, independent front and rear suspension with transverse semi-elliptic leaf springs. Wheelbase: 90"

- A Bristol D2-powered, LHD example

- Engine rebuilt by specialists Phil Reilly & Company

- Three Tour Autos and other racing events completed; FSVA paperwork

At the 1954 London Motor Show, AC debuted the handsome Aceca coupé variant of the Ace roadster, with greater refinement, sophistication and attention given to passenger comfort. With its fully independent suspension and AC-built six-cylinder engine, the hand-built, aluminium-bodied Aceca provided remarkable handling and spirited performance. In 1956, Bristol’s 1,971 cc “six” was available as an option, and with its hemispherical combustion chambers and inclined valvetrain, this derivation of BMW’s stellar pre-war 328 engine provided even greater performance and unlocked the true potential of the AC chassis.

Bristol-powered variants did extremely well in competition, with the Ace-Bristol completely dominating America’s SCCA E- and D-Production classes between 1957 and 1961. Class wins at Sebring in 1958 and 1959, along with a sterling class win at Le Mans in 1959, surely caught the attention of overall winner Carroll Shelby, who later developed his famed Ace derivative, the Cobra. Contemporary road tests unanimously praised the car’s balance and sublime handling and claimed that most drivers would certainly run out of skill before reaching the Aceca’s own limits.

The 1960 Aceca offered here, chassis BEX 739, is an original left-hand drive example, equipped with a Bristol six-cylinder engine in D2 high-performance tune and a set of Weber carburettors. Soon after acquisition by the current owner in 1998, the electrical system was re-wired in the UK by Neil Davis Racing (NDR). The well-known Bristol experts at California’s Phil Reilly & Company rebuilt the engine in the USA, and the gearbox was rebuilt in the UK during 2009 and fitted with overdrive. A great example with three separate Tour Autos and other competition outings to its credit, this Aceca is also complete with FSVA papers.