Cobra History - Real and Replica

[tarmacscratcher]

Originally Posted by runt

Thanks Denis, Tarmacscratcher, Rich, and yep, the Legate book must be purchased!

Paul/runt.:thumb:

The book is brilliant, good pictures and even a section about replicas. Well worth it.
http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/show...ghlight=legate

[hawk289]

Hi,

Yep, I can confirm that the early cobra's and only the early cobra's used the Salisbury axle as found on the Jag E-Type. This had the inboard brakes as requested by Shelby, but droped fast once the oil seals melted. So went outboard.

Another interesting fact, the AC Ace has an IRS axle but it is built into the chassis, the Ac Aceca has a seperate IRS axle like the Jaguar one. This is quite rare, they did this as the first Ac Aceca was so noise with the same chassis design as the Ace. Anyway another small point, both came out in 1955(ish).

John.

[runt]

Originally Posted by hawk289

Hi,

Yep, I can confirm that the early cobra's and only the early cobra's used the Salisbury axle as found on the Jag E-Type. This had the inboard brakes as requested by Shelby, but droped fast once the oil seals melted. So went outboard.

Another interesting fact, the AC Ace has an IRS axle but it is built into the chassis, the Ac Aceca has a seperate IRS axle like the Jaguar one. This is quite rare, they did this as the first Ac Aceca was so noise with the same chassis design as the Ace. Anyway another small point, both came out in 1955(ish).

John.

Thanks John, when we were kids playing in the streets, 1965 ish, there was an Aceca parked regularly at the kerbside! Don't think I've seen one since, such a pretty car.. worth now?

Paul/runt.:thumb:

[hawk289]

Hi,

I'm very lucky I have an Ac Ace and Ac Aceca (currently being restored), the aceca is as you say very pretty. I look at both cars and it is amazing to think one is 50 years old and the other is 49 years old.

I should bring the Aceca to an Cobra Replica event, most people do not know about Aceca's and they are so much rare than a cobra (only 72 RHD in the world). The price in the last few years has gone through the roof, a few years ago you could pickup a really nice Ac Aceca for around 10-12,000, now you would look at £55-85K for a really nice example, some poor ones can be got for £16-20K, but the restore will set you back £40-50K due to the manual work required. I got both mine before they went stupid on price's.

The thing about it I really love an AC related car, Cobra, Replica, etc. I have no feeling about original / replica, just love the history. Read far too many books on the subject.

John.

[hawk289]

Ok, guys, here we go, just if anyone is interested in knowing what an Ac Aceca looks like, this is my car before restoration, nearly complete.

John.

[slogger]

Originally Posted by hawk289

Ok, guys, here we go, just if anyone is interested in knowing what an Ac Aceca looks like, this is my car before restoration, nearly complete.

John.

Very nice!:thumb: Same lines as the Aston DB2 and 2/4. 1950s sports cars.

[runt]

John, your post echoes my sentiments completely, AC always represented 'English sporting thoroughbred' to me, when the replicas evolved and improved it allowed the average enthusiast like myself into the driving seat, 'I love 'em all', that Aceca is SO nice, could study it for hours! Staggered by today's value, but of course it's like everything else, bought baked beans for 10p a tin last week, hard as bullets from a blunderbuss, back to Heinz I guess..

Paul/runt.:thumb:

[hawk289]

Paul,

The problem is finding the people to work on old cars where the body is "wrapped" to the chassis. Since most of the work has dried up and sent abroad. You could probably say that only 6-8 people still exist that know how to restore an Ac, I'm very luck I know a couple of them and they are brilliant and near my house.

It is strange I belong to the Ac Owners club and the Cobra Replica club, I find both interesting and very useful. Also I run the web site for the 289 register, so you could say I'm involved in all clubs that have AC related cars in the UK. It is shame a few of the Ac Owners make comments that "p*ss me off" about replica's. I wish we could all afford original cars, but we can't that is life.

I think anyone who owners or builds or restores any replica/original Cobra's, Ace's, Aceca's, etc is keeping the history going for others. Just think when the EU have had their ways, replica's could be worth a lot of money. Look at today's replica prices, they are going up, not down and they should. Why well they are bloody good cars, getting my Hawk through the SVA was brilliant and better than restoring the Aceca / Ace.

Anyway, back to cars

John.

[shadow]

John, funny you should mention the Aceca, My friends dad has had one for a while, and I keep bugging him to get the restoration finished!
Needs a lot of work though.

[runt]

John, Steve, yes these fabulous cars are such a lovely period piece, and please do bring one to a CRC meet! A craftsman's restoration , but SO worth doing. Fascinates me that you had the choice of those 3 different sixes, bet the Zephyr unit was a heavy old lump? Assume body was ally, shape so charismatic.:thumb:
As to that AC owner's club view of replicas, well everyone adores the original cars, but there are many stunning replicas around and so many talented people and you'd think everyone would recognise this.
Thanks again for info.

Paul/runt.