AC Cars Aceca Price Guide

The AC Aceca is the fixed-head coupe version of the Ace, and it holds a quiet distinction in automotive history: it was only the second production car to feature a hatchback, after the Aston Martin DB2/4. The Aceca combined the Ace’s tubular chassis and aluminium construction with an elegant fastback roofline that made it a genuine grand tourer.

The Car

Launched at the 1954 London Motor Show, the Aceca shared the Ace’s Tojeiro-designed tubular chassis, transverse-leaf independent suspension, and hand-formed aluminium body over steel tube and ash framing. At 895kg it was 115kg heavier than the Ace. Three engine options were offered: AC’s own 2.0-litre OHC six (90bhp, 151 built), the Bristol D-Type six (105 or 125bhp, 169 built), and the Ford Zephyr 2.6 in Aceca 2.6 form (8 built). The Bristol-engined Aceca-Bristol could reach 120mph. The interior was trimmed in leather with red carpets in the traditional British GT manner.

Buying

The Aceca is rarer than the Ace and commands comparable prices. The Bristol-engined cars are the most sought after. The hatchback rear is practical and distinctive. Check the tubular chassis for corrosion and the ash framing for deterioration — the coupe body traps moisture more readily than the open Ace. The eight Ford-engined Aceca 2.6 models are among the rarest production ACs.