1962 AC Ace - RS 5013
This particular example - chassis number RS 5013 - left the Works on 10th March 1962 bound for supplying dealer, K.N Rudd Ltd of Worthing (the home of Ruddspeed). Finished in white with green leather upholstery, its desirable specification included: a Raymond Mays aluminium cylinder head, triple SU carburettors and Laycock de Normanville overdrive (operating on 3rd and 4th gears). Road registered as '88 EPX', the AC remained with its first owner, Mr Shephard-Smith of Austin-Hoy & Co, Station Works, Saunderton, nr High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, for just a year or so before being sold to Timothy Wrey Esq of Petersham Place, London SW7 by the famous Chequered Flag garage. An advertising executive with Foote, Cone and Belding and subsequent resident of Auroville, Mr Wrey used the Ace 2.6 as a road car for some two and a half years.
Listed for sale in the September 1966 issue of Autosport magazine, the two-seater was bought by Anthony Mackay Esq and his close friend Alain de Cadenet Esq. The latter owned a sister machine (RS 5016) at the same time and according to the AC Owners Club the two cars were reputedly raced as a pair. In search of greater performance RS 5013 was returned to the AC Works where - under the supervision of Mr Hurlock - its bodywork was augmented with Cobra MKIII / AC 289-style flared wheelarches. To take advantage of its enlarged 'footprint', the car's wire wheels were widened to six-inches by the renowned tuning company J.A. Pearce. While, the adoption of triple Weber DCOE 40 carburettors brought a useful a useful boost in engine power (the Webers were a proven option having formed part of the factory's ultimate 'Stage V' tuning package for the Ace 2.6). Completing the transformation, the AC was repainted blue and had its leather upholstery dyed black.
The August 1969 issue of Autosport magazine carried another advertisement for '88 EPX'. Snapped up by renowned enthusiast and collector Paul Kunkel, the ex-racing car was used for a variety of European road trips until 1975. Taken off the road thereafter pending restoration, RS 5013 was still in a dismantled state when Kunkel died during 1999. Consigned alongside several Ferrari, Maserati and Alfa Romeo stablemates to the Brooks Olympia auction in December 2001, the AC was bought by its current (fifth) owner. Carefully pieced back together, the Ace 2.6 returned to the road during September 2006. Pleasingly original and retaining much patina, RS 5013 is understood to boast 'matching' chassis and engine numbers. Bored out from 2553cc to 2640cc (60 thou), the Ford 204E straight-six further benefits from a six-branch exhaust manifold, Raymond Mays alloy cylinder head, high pressure SU fuel pump, triple Weber carburettors, hi-torque starter and lightweight Volvo pistons.
The factory fitted Ace 2.6 bodywork has been retained complete with its Mackay / de Cadenet-commissioned modifications. The chassis number appears stamped into the bonnet, boot and door hinges and has also been written on the reverse of the dashboard. Much of the original interior trim has survived, but while the leather seats remain serviceable the carpets are perhaps best used as a pattern and thus are not currently fitted. A single removable roll hoop has been installed (though, its forward bracing means that the rear shroud was left unmolested). Treated to a Cobra specification three-quarter inch front anti-roll bar, all-round Spax adjustable shock absorbers and Avon Turbospeed tyres, the AC retains its Moss four-speed manual plus Laycock de Normanville overdrive gearbox and the aforementioned J.A. Pearce wire wheels.
We would love to hear from anyone has more information on the car or would like to add to the history please feel free to contact us here at AC Heritage.
