1957 AC Aceca-Bristol
- Engine
- Bristol engine, rebuilt as part of restoration
- Colour
- Bright red with white roundels
The AC Aceca-Bristol with chassis number BE603 was completed in March 1957 and originally delivered to a buyer in Venezuela before returning to the United Kingdom later that year. Over the following decades it was used in competitive motoring events across Britain, then later in prominent North American rallies including the Carrera Panamericana and the California Mille. Acquired in 2017 and repatriated to the UK, the car underwent an exhaustive nut-and-bolt restoration by Stanton Motorsports of Berkshire at a cost exceeding £315,000, completed at the end of 2021.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold £120,750 (≈ $151K)
- 1957-03-19 →Factory deliveryJack Fernandezpartial documentation
First owner, took delivery in Venezuela; the car was repatriated to the UK the following October and registered with the plate VXW 26.
- → 1994Acquisition unknownAdrian Hallpartial documentation
Owned the car during its UK period; entered it in various competitive events including the 1991 Carrera Panamericana.
- 1994 → 2017-08-01Private saleWest Coast US collectorpartial documentation
Prominent collector based on the American West Coast who continued using the car in rallies and historic motorsport events into the 2000s.
- 2017-08-01 →Private saleConsignorfull documentation
Serial British sports car enthusiast who had the Aceca shipped back to the UK and commissioned a comprehensive restoration by Stanton Motorsports in Berkshire, costing in excess of £315,000.
Competition
- 1991Carrera PanamericanaDriver: Adrian Hall
Entered while owned by Adrian Hall; one of the car's most notable competitive outings during its UK ownership period.
- 2021-07-01West Highland Cloverleaf Rally
582-mile rally entered by the consignor, among the first events following completion of the major restoration.
- 2021-11-01RAC Rally of the Tests
Royal Automobile Club organised event entered by the consignor shortly after the Cloverleaf rally.
- —Copperstate 1000
Long-distance regularity event participated in during the West Coast US ownership period, sometime after 1994.
- —California Mille
Another long-distance regularity rally contested during the West Coast US ownership period.
- —Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival
One of several national-level historic meetings attended during the US ownership era.
- —Laguna Seca historic race meeting
Competed at Laguna Seca among various club-level race outings during the US period.
Maintenance & restoration
- 2017RestorationStanton Motorsports
Following repatriation to the UK, the car was subjected to a complete ground-up restoration: stripped to the bare chassis, engine and gearbox rebuilt, interior fully retrimmed, and bodywork repainted. Total cost exceeded £315,000.
Work was completed by end of 2021. Extensive invoices documenting the restoration are held on file. Stanton Motorsports is based in Berkshire.
Are you the owner of this car?
This car's public record is built from its auction and competition history. Register your ownership and privately add your own records to make it a verified Legacy Metrics passport — provenance that backs your car's value at sale and gives your insurer evidence to price against. Roy reviews and verifies every registration personally.