1962 AC Ace - RS 5024

We've just been contacted by John Lucke from Washington State in the US about a Ruddspeed he used to own. In his email he says:
"In the early 1970's I owned RS5024 and the photos you have are from my ownership when I lived in San Jose CA. Somewhere the ID number has gotten listed as an RSX car but it was a RHD car originally exported to Switzerland and then imported to the US and the San Francisco area. I believe the correct ID should be RS5024.

I first saw the car sitting in a parking garage in Palo Alto CA in 1968. It was still there in 1972-73 having been abandoned. I purchased the car in 1973 from a gentleman by the name of Kerry Payne who had purchased the car from the garage in Palo Alto on a lien sale for the storage costs. (Interestingly at that time Mr. Payne also owned a now well known 427 SOHC Cobra CSX3055. The last time I saw him he was flying down the street in the Cobra with a very big grin on his face). I can't locate other photos as this point, but the carpeting was stripped from the car and at some point weber carburettor's had been added. Otherwise it was in good condition when I had it. As noted in the ACOC records, I sold it to a broker by the name of Daniel Shanahan and the last I knew of the car was when it was advertised in Autoweek/Competition Press for sale in September 1974. Unfortunately while the registry has a couple other owners noted, that seems to be the last it was heard of.

Hopefully the car will turn up some day in a barn/garage unmolested. It's sad that the car seems to have spent most of it's life sitting abandoned in a garage/barn somewhere. John". We thank John for interesting story an wonder where that car is today.

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.