1955 AC Aceca BOSS 302

The vendor, who is very well-known to us and has probably forgotten more about classic cars than we ever knew in the first place, bought the car a few months ago and spent over £9,000 having it expertly fettled by the Project Workshop team at Bicester.

He has owned two Ace Bristols, one LHD and one RHD (as one does), but having decided that one was probably sufficient he sold the LHD car and took the Aceca in part exchange.

Built in 1955 the car was one of the earliest off the production line and, according to the AC Register, it was probably the 34th car built.

It was exported new to the Netherlands (the original Dutch registration was TD-63-47), hence the LHD configuration and an odometer calibrated in kilometres.

We found a photograph of this very car online and, after engaging Google translate to help us with the Dutch language, we learned that the then pale blue car was a familiar sight in Amsterdam in the 1970s, when it belonged to English businessman Leslie Hurle Bath, who lived in the Netherlands and founded the model car brand, Replicars.

The next we hear of it is in the USA in 1999, when it was purchased from the legendary ‘Fantasy Junction’ garage in San Francisco and sent off to West Virginia specialists.

That destination matters because West Virginia and environs has been very much the spiritual home and source of knowledge and expertise on performance customisations since the days of bootlegging, Bonnie and Clyde and, quite possibly, Boss Hogg.

At this point, like many other Acecas and Aces, the original engine was removed and replaced by something rather more potent and Cobra-like.

Under the bonnet - sorry, hood - you’ll find a seriously beefy Ford ‘Windsor’ small block ‘Boss’ 302 H.O. 5-litre engine sourced from a 1993 Mercury Cougar.

This is the same engine that featured in the ‘Boss’ Mustangs of the period and was originally developed for the Trans-Am road racing series.

The ‘Boss’ name was applied as an homage to Ford’s then CEO, the splendidly monikered Bunkie Knudsen.

This car’s restoration and build took three years to complete and was done by the very best specialists in the US to an exceptionally high standard.

We’ll give you the full details in the ‘Mechanical’ section, but the key take-out is that the performance upgrades extend far beyond the engine – to the extent that this truly awesome car is properly mechanically sorted and it handles, corners and stops like a true thoroughbred.

It feels totally ‘built to the hilt’, as our American cousins would say, and is as light, well-balanced and nimble as it fast, loud and powerful.

It takes off like a nervous whippet at a Civil War re-enactment display, has more torque than Fred Dibnah’s traction engine, and makes a noise like an electrical storm over the Eiger.

And it does all of this with levels of composure, assuredness and engineering integrity that really set this Aceca apart from lesser examples.

We don’t know what it was up to (not much, we suspect) between 2002 when the work was completed and its arrival at a UK port in a shipping container in 2021.

The car presents very handsomely from every angle and the dark blue paintwork and contrasting ‘Shelby’ white stripes leave you in no doubt that this is no ‘ordinary’ AC Aceca coupé.

The bodywork is straight and true, and we found no dinks, dents, creases or ripples of any consequence anywhere.

The shiny chromed wire wheels are excellent, as is the chrome-work elsewhere on the car.

The tyres seem to have plenty of life left in them.

There are a few light swirly scratches atop the front wings, on the bonnet and on top of the n/s/r wing, where we also found a small split to the paint.

There are a few scuffs and some chipped paint on the edges of the rear wings where they face the doors.

A small strip of rubber trim is loose around the n/s/r light cluster.

The condition inside is equally impressive and is possessed of an understated class and style that are entirely appropriate to the car’s era, prestige and exclusivity.

The black vinyl seats are untroubled by any nicks, holes or creases that we can see, although the squab cover on the passenger seat needs to be re-fitted over the foam cushion.

The door cards are in fine fettle, save for a bit of loose trim inside the driver’s door storage cubby, and so too are the light grey carpets and the grey fabric headlining.

All of the wooden sections on the door cappings, dashboard and steering wheel are beyond reproach.

Ditto the instruments, dials, knobs, switches and other controls.

There are a few scuffs and nicks to the edges of the instrument binnacle.

The rear storage area is fully carpeted and in good order.

It contains a spare wheel, tool roll, jack, fire extinguisher and soft cover.

The following is just some of the work done during the car’s journey to becoming what you see today.

• Ford ‘Windsor’ small block ‘Boss’ 302 H.O. 5-litre engine sourced from a 1993 Mercury Cougar
• Four barrel Edelbrock performance carburettor
• Ceramic coated exhaust manifolds
• Ford Tremec five speed manual gearbox allowing 70 mph at 2,000 rpm
• Vented disc brakes on all four wheels
• Dayton 5J centre-laced 60 spoke chrome wire wheels
• ‘IN Racing’ SPAX front shock absorbers
• Solid bronze-bushed front suspension
• Twin stainless steel side exhaust
• Stainless steel radiator
• Stainless steel header tank
• ACCEL electronic ignition
• Electric fan
• Air conditioning

The very full engine bay is shiny, clean and dry.

The car’s undersides appear to be possessed of oodles of structural integrity and we’ve seen nothing to make us tut or raise an eyebrow.

Even though there are some sizeable gaps in the car’s history, the vendor has done a fine job of hunting down information where it’s available.

He has put together three files of history and information, including photographs of the restoration and build between 1999 and 2002, and there are copious bills, invoices and receipts relating to work done in the States and various parts ordered from the best AC parts specialists in the UK.

We particularly like the strapline used by Ed’s Muffler Inc, of Ripley, West Virginia – “We Bend the Best”.

Splendid.

The recent £9,000 + spend with Bicester Heritage included a comprehensive service, new clutch slave cylinder, new and/or refurbished wheels bearings, hubs and drive shafts, a new battery, a repaired wiring loom, overhauled suspension, brakes and rear axle, and new bronze bushes.

The car comes with a clear HPI report, a V5C and an MoT (with no advisories) that’s valid until 14.2.25.

If you’re in any doubt about just how good this car is (and how well regarded it is within the classic car business), you should get a sense of it when we tell you that it was invited to join some truly exalted automotive company as part of the 'Blue Collection' at the recent Blenheim Palace Salon Privé.

For reasons that will remain shrouded in the mists of time, Carroll Shelby never worked his performance magic on the Aceca.

Now, one way to rectify this, of course, would be to put a coupé roof on an original Cobra.

But given that good ones are now north of £1million, you might want to consider spending around a tenth of that on the car that Shelby could, might and arguably should have built had he ever got round to it.

We like everything about this extraordinary car.

We think you will, too.

We’re confident to offer this fine car for auction with an estimate of £85,000 - £95,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am- 12pm or 2pm-4pm. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.