1958 | AC Aceca

This truly outstanding AC Aceca is one of the 169 fitted with the highly desirable six cylinder Bristol engine, and one of just 89 home market UK RHD examples. This matching numbers example left the Thames Ditton factory in October 1958 with disc brakes, overdrive and was registered UBR 135. According to the factory records, the car was supplied new by KN Rudd to a Mr Alexander living in Henley who had the car maintained by AC Cars during its very early life. The AC didn’t stay with its first owner long, it headed north to Durham for several years and in 1966 it was sold by a Mr Shaw in Newcastle-upon-Tyne to a final year Bristol University student, Richard Barnett who then kept the AC for an impressive 41 years. The long term owner moved to Bromley, Kent and became a regular customer of AC Cars and Bristol service departments and a comprehensive file of invoices from the period records are with the car.

By 1973/4, the owner decided to undertake a complete overhaul of the AC but as a great enthusiast of the great British canal, he became the driving force behind the regeneration of our inland waterways and this took precedent over the AC. Having moved to a canal side cottage close to the Gas Street Basin in Birmingham, the AC was garaged in an adjacent lock up and stored on blocks for the next 34 years. On the 23rd November 2007, realising the AC would never be completed during his ownership, the AC was sold to a fellow canal and AC enthusiast and restorer who then completed a thorough rebuild to an exceptional standard. Interestingly the Bristol engine was rebuilt to standard specification, but finding it uninspiring, the engine was given to Steve Stanton of Stanton Motorsport who rebuilt the unit with Cosworth pistons and fast road cam to give the car 140bhp at 5500 rpm.




In 2011 the AC was sold to fund a new project and came into the hands of an owner who then carried out thousands of miles of extensive European touring in the car. Between 2011 and 2015 around £17000 was spent on maintenance and upkeep to ensure the car was in the optimum condition for touring. £8500 alone was spent with Stanton Motorsport. Work included fitting a new competition clutch plate and cover and dealing with any post restoration snagging. The AC covered around 7000 miles over this period, used regularly and had proven reliability for long distance touring in Spain and France. Much maintenance over this period was carried out by Spencer Lane Jones, and the car was back with the Bristol specialists in 2017 when with its next owner who spent over £7000 on refurbishing all the road wheels, fitting uprated rear springs on the car, fitting bumpers, a new radio and modifying seat runners. In 2018 the AC was sold to the most recent owner, the cars sixth owner from new and the car has arrived with us having covered almost 10,000 miles since its completion in 2008.




UBR 135 has arrived with us in beautiful condition finished in the very striking Black Pearl with Beige trim. The condition fifteen years and 10,000 miles on since completion is impressive, the body, underside, brightwork and paintwork are all of an exceptionally high standard. The Beige interior is beautiful, the engine bay sharp, and on the road the Bristol powered engine feel strong, quick and responsive. The four speed gearbox with overdrive is a delight to use, the car handles beautifully and offers a truly exquisite driving experience. This really is a true collectors piece with provenance, extensive history and equally as impressive is its overseas touring reliability, quality of restoration and post restoration maintenance. A stunning motor car, and one we are very proud to offer onto the market.