Testimonial-AC Ace AE40 had ‘disappeared’ for 40 years – 20 years in a London lock-up, 10 years in Germany and 10 years in the Mille Miglia Museum at Brescia, Italy….where I found it and acquired it in 2015. It is the only Ace ever to have done the Mille Miglia race (1956) and has outstanding race provenance with the Rudd Racing Team and driver Michael Anthony who won the 1958 Belgian Sports Car GP at Spa from Jim Clark and three works Porsches, making it one of the most important Ace’s existing today. Although complete, it was in poor condition and was a non-runner.

The Brooklands Motor Company was the obvious choice for a total rebuild – they know AC’s inside out and have the original jigs and fixtures as well as the body bucks and an experienced team who understand these cars perfectly.

On stripping the car, the true extent of what needed to be done to return it to outstanding period correct condition became apparent – a new bodyshell, a huge amount of work to the frames, not to mention rebuilding the engine, gearbox and transmission, suspension, brakes and steering, and all the ancillary items such as electrics, instruments and trim.

Steve Gray added huge value by helping to get the period specification absolutely correct for the FIA inspector and HTP papers and sourcing many hard-to-find original parts to replace after-market parts that had been fitted.

Full rebuilds are always expensive and take time, but for the right car it is the only way – straight out of Steve’s shop the car was shipped to Goodwood to compete in the 2016 Revival Lavant Cup – the first ever time that it was run up, finishing 15/30. It then won the Gymkhana Cup with a win at the 2016 AC Owners’ Sprint at Goodwood and most recently after showing at the Salon Prive Concours, returned to Italy in May 2017 to compete in its 9th Mille Miglia where it finished 198/450 – not bad for a car straight out of rebuild and a testimony to Steve Gray and his very fine team at the Brooklands Motor Company.

Mark Aldridge
October 2017