1957 AC Ace-Bristol
- Engine
- 1,971 cc Bristol inline-six, rebuilt with forged crank and pistons, reportedly over 120 bhp
- Colour
- Rouge Iris (iridescent red)
The AC Ace-Bristol chassis BEX 266 was assembled at Thames Ditton and dispatched on 6 March 1957, making it one of very few examples delivered new to Hawaii via Motor Imports of Honolulu. Notably, it is the last Ace-Bristol by chassis number to have been built with the extended boot lid. Retaining its original Bristol 100D 595 engine, the car was subsequently acquired as an unfinished project and fully restored, receiving a bare-metal repaint in the factory colour Rouge Iris, a rebuilt engine with uprated internals, and a new white leather interior.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold €224,000 (≈ $246K)
- 1957-03-06 →Factory deliveryMotor Imports, Honolulupartial documentation
Dealership in Hawaii that received the car new from the factory. Believed to be among only a handful of Ace-Bristols delivered to that state.
- 1973 →Acquisition unknownPrevious owner from 1973partial documentation
Held the car for decades with the intention of fully restoring it, but the project was never completed. The car passed to family members upon their death or departure.
- Date unknownInheritanceFamily of previous 1973 ownerpartial documentation
Inherited or came into possession of the incomplete restoration project, subsequently selling it to the current European owner.
- Date unknownPrivate saleCurrent European ownerpartial documentation
Purchased the car as an unfinished project from the prior owner's family and commissioned a full restoration, including bodywork refinishing in factory Rouge Iris and an engine rebuild with performance components.
Competition
- 1957SCCASCCA E-Production Championship1st (championship title)
Bristol-powered Aces claimed this title three consecutive years running from 1957 through 1959.
- 1957Le Mans 24 Hours2nd in class
One of a string of strong class results for Ace-Bristols at Le Mans during this period.
- 1958SCCASCCA E-Production Championship1st (championship title)
Second of three straight E-Production titles for Bristol-engined Aces.
- 1958Le Mans 24 Hours2nd in class
- 1959SCCASCCA E-Production Championship1st (championship title)
Third consecutive E-Production title, after which the class was elevated to D-Production.
- 1959Le Mans 24 Hours1st in class, 7th overall
Best Le Mans result for the Ace-Bristol; achieved in the same year Carroll Shelby won the overall event.
- 1960SCCASCCA D-Production Championship1st (championship title)
First of two successive D-Production titles for Bristol-powered Aces.
- 1961SCCASCCA D-Production Championship1st (championship title)
Second consecutive D-Production championship win.
Maintenance & restoration
- —Restoration
The original bodywork was detached from the chassis, stripped, and refinished in the correct factory shade of Rouge Iris. The cabin was retrimmed in white leather with red carpets, a red soft-top, and a matching tonneau cover.
Work was commissioned by the current European owner after acquiring the car as an unfinished project.
- —Engine rebuild
The Bristol 100D 595 engine was overhauled with a specially forged steel competition crankshaft, Arrow connecting rods, forged pistons, and a blueprinted cylinder head, raising output to reportedly over 120 bhp.
Original engine unit retained throughout; rebuild focused on performance enhancement rather than replacement.
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