The best time of his life
Charles McDonald later said that it was the best time of his life, in 1960 and 1961. The American had started his racing career with a triumph; at the end of 1959, with a guarantee from his father, he was able to afford this AC Ace, BEX1003. In 1960 and 1961, he won a total of 12 races with it, was on the podium many more times, racked up class victory after class victory, and also beat Ferrari 250 TRs with his little English car. In 1962, McDonald had to join the military. After his return to civilian life, he drove the Ace as a ‘daily’ until 1972. Then he put it away because there was a problem with the oil pressure. In 1999, McDonald began a complete restoration of BEX1003, which cost him four years and around $100,000. After that, the car was driven regularly, and it was only in 2017 that the American sold his beloved English car, 58 years after he bought it in Santa Fe. Oh yes, and it’s important to note that this was many years before a certain Carroll Shelby realised that the AC Ace was a very useful tool.



VIN: BEX1003
Engine: 100D2 881 (original)
Auction: Broad Arrow, Amelia Island 2025, estimate 300’000 to 400’000 Dollar.
































We have the history of the Ace: here. And of course we also have a collection: here. And then we have the archive.
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