1958 AC Aceca Bristol Coupé
A fastback roofline with an integrated hatchback made this GT version of the Ace roadster one of Britain’s first sporting cars with practical rear access. The Aceca debuted in 1954, and by 1956 buyers could specify the more powerful Bristol engine option that transformed the car’s character.
The Bristol straight-six displaced 1,971cc and traced its lineage to the prewar BMW 328 engine. Rudolf Schleicher’s clever cylinder head design featured hemispherical combustion chambers with inclined valves operated by pushrods rather than overhead camshafts, using two rocker shafts positioned above each valve bank. This configuration produced about 125 horsepower and pushed the lightweight aluminum-bodied coupé to 116 mph, with 0-to-60 times of roughly 9.3 seconds.
The Aceca-Bristol weighed approximately 2,044 pounds (927 kg) and rode on a twin-tube ladder frame with all-independent suspension using transverse leaf springs. Front disc brakes became available in 1957 and were standard by 1958. A four-speed manual gearbox with optional overdrive delivered power through wire wheels.
Production totaled just 169 Aceca-Bristols between 1956 and 1963, making this elegant GT exceptionally rare today.
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