Difference between revisions of "AC Cars"

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[[image:ac.cobra.1999.arp.750pix.jpg|thumb|250px|1999 AC Cobra 427]]
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[[image:ac.cobra.1999.arp.750pix.jpg|thumb|250px|1999 AC Cobra 427]] '''AC Cars Group Ltd.''' is a British specialist car manufacturing company and one of the oldest independent car marques in Britain. Based in [[Weybridge, Surrey]] (see also [[British motor industry]]). It began as Weller Brothers in [[1901]], becoming Autocarriers Ltd in [[1909]] and using the 'AC' logo. The company moved to [[Thames Ditton]], Surrey in [[1911]] and grew into a substantial car manufacturer. In 1930 the company was bought by the Hurlock family. In [[1953]] the firm began production of the [[AC Ace]], a lightweight chassis with a [[Bristol Cars|Bristol]] six-cylinder engine the car raced at [[Le Mans 24 Hours|Le Mans]] in [[1957]] and [[1958]]. When the company lost access to the Bristol engine in [[1961]] the owner, Charles Hurlock, was approached by [[Carroll Shelby]] to use a [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] [[V8]] in the Ace chassis, producing the [[AC Cobra]] in [[1962]]. The Cobra was a dangerously over-powered roadster, and is commonly blamed for the introduction of the 70 mph [[speed limit|limit]] on British [[motorway]]s. Although a major factor in the decision, after being caught doing 196 mph during a test run
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'''AC Cars Group Ltd.''' is a British specialist car manufacturing company and one of the oldest independent car marques in Britain. Based in [[Weybridge, Surrey]] (see also [[British motor industry]]).
 
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It began as Weller Brothers in [[1901]], becoming Autocarriers Ltd in [[1909]] and using the 'AC' logo. The company moved to [[Thames Ditton]], Surrey in [[1911]] and grew into a substantial car manufacturer. In 1930 the company was bought by the Hurlock family.
 
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In [[1953]] the firm began production of the [[AC Ace]], a lightweight chassis with a [[Bristol Cars|Bristol]] six-cylinder engine the car raced at [[Le Mans 24 Hours|Le Mans]] in [[1957]] and [[1958]]. When the company lost access to the Bristol engine in [[1961]] the owner, Charles Hurlock, was approached by [[Carroll Shelby]] to use a [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] [[V8]] in the Ace chassis, producing the [[AC Cobra]] in [[1962]]. The Cobra was a dangerously over-powered roadster, and is commonly blamed for the introduction of the 70 mph [[speed limit|limit]] on British [[motorway]]s. Although a major factor in the decision, after being caught doing 196 mph during a test run<sup id="fn_1_back">[[#fn_1|1]]</sup>, a recent spate of accidents in foggy conditions also helped the introduction of the limit<sup id="fn_2_back">[[#fn_2|2]]</sup>. The Cobra was sold to Ford in [[1965]] and production of the original ended in [[1969]].
 
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They also built a three wheeled microcar, which, also, had an aluminum body.
 
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The company was sold to Ford and Autokraft in [[1986]] and became AC Car Group. The group was sold again in [[1993]] and went into receivership in [[1996]] but was rescued from administration, as AC Car Group Ltd, and continued car production. Later the factory was sold and slimmed down and later opened up in [[Frimley]] in [[2001]]. There the activity was concentrated on repairs, restorations and the production of the MkII and MkIII 289 and 427 FIA Roadster.  In October [[2004]] the factory in Frimley closed down and was moved to [[Guildford]].
 
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In [[2005]], AC Cars relocated to [[Malta]] and announced plans for expansion.  The first new vehicle chassis was shipped in May.  A new company, AC Cars Manufacturing (USA), will begin operations near [[Bridgeport, Connecticut]], next year.
 
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== Mechanical details ==
 
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ACs were available with two body styles and two engine/transmission combinations (in addition to the microcar).  These engines each had about two liters displacement, but different bores, strokes and powers.  The best known engine is the [[Bristol]], the design for which was taken from [[BMW]] during or after [[World War II]], and which was built by [[Bristol Cars]] for its own cars, and sold to AC.  This had two sets of push-rods and two sets of rocker-arms opening the exhaust valves to allow a cross flow "hemi" combustion chamber in a compact space.
 
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The other engine was AC's own single overhead camshaft product, which had a longer stroke and less power but was cheaper and lighter, putting the car in direct competition with Porsche.  It is difficult to guess why the rear-heavy Porsche has been the more successful of the two.
 
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''[[Road and Track]]'' reported on a satisfactory Chevrolet V8 conversion before the Ford "Cobra" V8 version appeared.
 
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The body styles were the Ace roadster and the Aceca coupé.  All bodies were aluminum.
 
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The rear suspension was independent with upper and lower leaf springs, like the front of a [[Panhard]].  This was changed when the Ford V8 was used.
 
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When the original and 427 Cobra projects ended, Shelby produced Cobras with Mustang bodies and AC built its own American V8 engined cars.
 
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For historical reference one should look at [[Allard]].
 
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== References ==
 
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* {{ web reference | title=Pond Hopping: Ambitious AC plan calls for U.S. factory, three new models | URL=http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102537 | work=AutoWeek | date=June 13 | year=2005}}
 
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==External links==
 
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*[http://dmoz.org/Recreation/Autos/Makes_and_Models/AC/ Category] on [[DMOZ]]
 
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*[http://www.3wheelers.com/ac.html AC cars on 3-wheelers.com]
 
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[[Category:British automobile manufacturers]]
 
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[[de:A.C.]]
 
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[[nl:AC (auto)]]
 
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[[no:AC Cars]]
 
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[[sv:AC Cars]]
 
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=== Notes ===
 
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<cite id="fn_1">[[#fn_1_back|Link 1:]] </cite> ''The AC Story'' [http://194.109.245.185/cobra/articles/acname.html]
 
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<cite id="fn_2">[[#fn_2_back|Link 2:]] </cite> ''When was the 70 mph motorway speed limit introduced in Britain?'' (www.speedlimit.org.uk) [http://www.speedlimit.org.uk/faq.html#SEVENTY]
 

Revision as of 16:57, 18 January 2006

File:Ac.cobra.1999.arp.750pix.jpg
1999 AC Cobra 427

AC Cars Group Ltd. is a British specialist car manufacturing company and one of the oldest independent car marques in Britain. Based in Weybridge, Surrey (see also British motor industry). It began as Weller Brothers in 1901, becoming Autocarriers Ltd in 1909 and using the 'AC' logo. The company moved to Thames Ditton, Surrey in 1911 and grew into a substantial car manufacturer. In 1930 the company was bought by the Hurlock family. In 1953 the firm began production of the AC Ace, a lightweight chassis with a Bristol six-cylinder engine the car raced at Le Mans in 1957 and 1958. When the company lost access to the Bristol engine in 1961 the owner, Charles Hurlock, was approached by Carroll Shelby to use a Ford V8 in the Ace chassis, producing the AC Cobra in 1962. The Cobra was a dangerously over-powered roadster, and is commonly blamed for the introduction of the 70 mph limit on British motorways. Although a major factor in the decision, after being caught doing 196 mph during a test run

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