AC Aceca – AEX607 | radicalmag classics

Half a rainbow

In 1953, AC Cars had created a truly extraordinary car in the form of the Ace. Its history is well known (and can be read here), and it then also became the basis for the Cobra. In 1954, AC went one better, showing the coupé version, the Aceca, at the Earl’s Court London Motor Show. Like the early Aces, the Aceca was initially equipped with the in-house six-cylinder engine, a tough boy that had its origins well before the Second World War; 151 examples were equipped with this very reliable AC engine, which was used until 1963. This also applies to this example, delivered on 17 April 1956 to the USA, at that time still in Rouge Iris with a grey interior. Not much is known about its subsequent history, but it is certain that by 1979 it was white – and in the same year it came into the possession of James Carr. He kept the Aceca for 31 years, had it restored in the late 80s and then in 2009, and last had it painted in dark blue. Since 2012, the vehicle has been in the collection of the Academy of Art University, and the odometer shows 32,409 miles.