1956 AC Aceca-Bristol

BEX 678roadUnited Kingdom

Engine: 1,971 cc inline-six Bristol D2-specification, 125 bhp
Colour: Black lacquer

The AC Aceca-Bristol is the closed-coupe counterpart to the Ace-Bristol, powered by a 1,971 cc Bristol six-cylinder engine derived from the pre-war BMW 328. This example retains its original, numbers-matching engine and carries a documented ownership history through four enthusiast custodians in the northeastern United States. Following a full factory refurbishment at AC Cars in Thames Ditton, the car became widely regarded as one of the finest surviving examples of its type, and it placed second in class at the 2015 Misselwood Concours.

Ownership

—Auction sale
Sold US$209,000
RM Sotheby's catalogue lot →
Date unknownFactory delivery
Peter Winston
partial documentation
Son of prominent New York jeweler Harry Winston; used the car as a daily vehicle in Manhattan for several years before selling it.
Date unknownPrivate sale
Tom Hickey
partial documentation
Well-regarded sports car racer from Cambridge, Massachusetts; had the car fully restored by AC Cars at the original factory, then displayed it widely at New England sports car gatherings. Sold due to serious illness.
Date unknownPrivate sale
John Moir
partial documentation
Noted AC marque collector and long-term custodian; acquired the car from Hickey and is cited as a source for the early ownership history.
Date unknownPrivate sale
Current owner
partial documentation
Long-standing AC Owners Club member who acquired the car from the Moir collection roughly two years before the catalogue was written; entered it at the 2015 Misselwood Concours.

Competition

2015
2015 Misselwood Concours
2nd in class
Entered by the current owner; described as having been popular with spectators at the event.

Maintenance & restoration

—Restoration
AC Cars
Complete factory refurbishment carried out by AC Cars at their Thames Ditton works, returning the car to original specification.
Commissioned by Tom Hickey; the car was shipped back to the United Kingdom for the work and returned to the United States afterwards.
—
Mechanical
Fuel system and carburettors cleaned, brakes renewed, and the car recommissioned following a period of reduced use.
Condition assessed by an RM Sotheby's specialist, who confirmed the car was ready to drive.

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