Thursday 20th November 2003

AC Back Again

Could the history of AC get any more complex?

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AC cars are once again in production in the UK. Assembly operations at the plant in Frimley, Surrey have recommenced following the conclusion of a supply agreement with Shelby Automobiles in Las Vegas, USA. Ten employees are now back at the factory working on the cars.

The long-term agreement calls for the annual delivery of around 50 aluminium body shells mounted on traditional steel chassis for sale in North America through Shelby’s network of more than 20 dealers. The cars will be completed at Shelby’s Las Vegas plant and branded Shelby AC Cobra. They will be available to customers from mid-2004.

It's yet another complex chapter in the history of AC. On 7th October 2003 a strategic alliance between AC Motor Holdings Ltd and Carroll Shelby International Inc. was announced. Around about the same time the Frimley operation was being closed down by. It was then being operated by 'Private Corporation Ltd' which has been running the factory since August 2002. The latest incarnation is 'AC Cars (UK)' which is a subsidiary of 'AC Motor Holdings Ltd' run by Alan Lubinsky.

A quick scan of Companies House hints at the complexity of the history of the marque. If you've got a few minutes on your hands have a search of www.companieshouse.gov.uk/info/  for AC Cars and you'll all manner of incarnations.

Further complicating matters, Lubinsky went on to reveal that AC Cars Manufacturing Ltd, another subsidiary of AC Motor Holdings Ltd, has recently concluded an agreement with the Malta Development Corporation for the commissioning of a dedicated plant in Malta. Due to open early in 2004, this will produce a new range of cars for sale in the USA, UK, Japan, Australia and ultimately in other European countries.

The first product will be a new version of the AC Ace, the car which was originally launched in 1955 and which preceded the famous Cobra model. This car, with a composite body and Shelby sourced powertrain, is expected to retail in the US at around $40,000 minus engine and transmission. Mr Lubinsky made it clear that other models, including the innovative AC Mamba coupe, would follow in due course, all of which will be sold through the new distribution channels. Further details will be available next year.

Links : AC Links

[sparkyjohn]

I hope they can make this deal 'stick' as it would be sad to see AC fail yet again.
Until recently Shelby had an agreement with Kirkham to provide aluminium bodies, presumably this has fallen by the wayside ?
Carrol Shelby International (not to be confused with Shelby Automotive International) was recently incorporated (allegedly in breach of trading rules) through a shell company "Ginseng Forest Inc" - if you thought AC's history was complex...

[v8thunder]

What happened to the Mamba and the 212S/C? Are they still being made? I liked the idea of an LPG sports car - a major weapon in the anti- eco-numpty arsenal!

[sparkyjohn]

No, the Mamba didn't get into production. There's a used 212 on the market at the moment advertised (by a usually reliable source) as 1 of 3 built.
The grp bodied cars are meant to be going back into production in Malta/South Africa/Kent/My garden shed this year/next year/when hell freezes over. It's always the same story, sadly

[RichB]

I hate to sound harsh but I have almost lost interest in the whole AC debarcle. It sems to have degenrated into a row over money between Shelby and all-others, certainky he would appear to have no real interest in seeing AC Cars survive. Rich...

[sparkyjohn]

Sounds fair. Every time CS enters into another battle it just pi55es on the legend a bit more, IMO.

[RichB]

…In fact Carol Shelby just pisses me off, he seems to forget that AC are one of Britain's oldest car manufactures, established in 1905 (or thereabouts) yet the way he goes on you would think he founded the whole damned company! The Ace and Aceca were also rather good cars, in fact I would argue a nicely tuned Ace is THE all time classic AC to own, especially since most people now assume any Cobra must be a plastic replica. So stuff that in your 11-gallon hat Mr Shelby! Rich

[t1grm]

PetrolTed said:

AC Motor Holdings Ltd, has recently concluded an agreement with the Malta Development Corporation for the commissioning of a dedicated plant in Malta. Due to open early in 2004...

If my experience of Maltese developers is anything to go by that'll be late 2006 then.

[rutthenut]

With this chequered history of companies folding, changing name and possibly moving location, I can't see how any private individual would risk putting down a deposit against a car being built by 'AC'. Notice that these cars are being built for an order from Shelby, and there is no mention of them also being made for general sale - perhaps they (AC, or Lubinsky) realise nobody would risk their money with them any more?

Also, it is widely known (believed?) that Shelby used a number of Kirkham chassis and bodies which he claimed where old units 'left over from the sixties' (with modern welding on the chassis, that was clearly untrue) and sold them with his name on them. He obviously feels, rightly so, that the (British) AC name is worth a bit more than Shelby plus Kirkham (sourced from Poland).

The fact that the quality of the Polish manufacture is easily at least as good as what was put together at Frimley is not the point...

And if the cars (ally or fibre) end up being made in Malta, what value is that British name?

[dandarez]

The text read:
A quick scan of Companies House hints at the complexity of the history of the marque. If you've got a few minutes on your hands have a search of www.companieshouse.gov.uk/info/  for AC Cars and you'll all manner of incarnations.

So I took a look. - Complexity!!

How the hell did they have a previous name of GINETTA MANUFACTURING LTD
Anyone enlighten me?

[rutthenut]

Ginetta Manufacturing Ltd?

I saw that too and wondered about the background. But I suppose Ginetta is another car firm that has 'been round the houses' over the years, so maybe the same people were involved at some time?

What might help if the director's names were known for some of the relevant companies, but that costs a couple of quid per enquiry and my interest doesn't extend to spending money on looking into this stuff.

[hurricaneharold]

sparkyjohn said:

No, the Mamba didn't get into production. There's a used 212 on the market at the moment advertised (by a usually reliable source) as 1 of 3 built.
The grp bodied cars are meant to be going back into production in Malta/South Africa/Kent/My garden shed this year/next year/when hell freezes over. It's always the same story, sadly

I think Ac built two 212s/c`s ,carbon fibre bodies,Lotus power,£70,000.00 price tag,no one was interested

[Snoggledog]

I know a nice chap who owns the only 'new' Ace that AC made. He's sad that nothing more came of the AC revival.

[hurricaneharold]

Snoggledog said:

I know a nice chap who owns the only 'new' Ace that AC made. He's sad that nothing more came of the AC revival.

Wow, is it based on the original ACE ?

[V8 GRF]

hurricaneharold said:

Snoggledog said:

I know a nice chap who owns the only 'new' Ace that AC made. He's sad that nothing more came of the AC revival.

Wow, is it based on the original ACE ?

I don't think so, depending on which 'new' Ace you're talking about there was this one in the late '90s here

or this one based on the Smart coupe

Edited by V8 GRF on Wednesday 26th December 13:33

Edited by V8 GRF on Wednesday 26th December 13:39

[Snoggledog]

The late '90s one. I've only seen it a couple of times as he doesn't take it out much. Very tasty (in an odd sort of way)

[cymtriks]

Sadly AC is as good as dead.

They haven't made much for a long time except a few concepts that didn't ammount to much and I doubt that many people would actually associate the name with cars anymore.

The harsh truth is that you cannot make a business case for a modern car when the only people who have heard of you are kit car enthusiasts, PH types or pensioners.

The same goes for most names from our heritage with the possible exception of MG (because they are still well known and have made cars in numbers recently)and Triumph (because the bikes have kept the name going).

The only way I can see them continuing is as a restoation and repair outfit for their cars or possibly providing one off bodies for other makes or for concepts. It might be possible to make few Cobras or short runs of specials off the back of such a venture but it would only be part of a bigger operation.

[aeropilot]

cymtriks said:

Sadly AC is as good as dead.

I heard from a mate in the USA that Shelby's Las Vegas Cobra operation went bust a couple of months back and there was a big closing down sale of parts, engines etc....

[hurricaneharold]

V8 GRF said:

hurricaneharold said:

Snoggledog said:

I know a nice chap who owns the only 'new' Ace that AC made. He's sad that nothing more came of the AC revival.

Wow, is it based on the original ACE ?

I don't think so, depending on which 'new' Ace you're talking about there was this one in the late '90s here

or this one based on the Smart coupe

The reason I asked,is there was talk of AC building the original Aces again,not the Aces built in the 90`s or the Smars car,but the car built in the 1950`s .I do remeber seeing a photo of an aluminium body shell out side the factory in Normandy before they went bust.

AC are now based in Malta and they have started building a carbon fibre Cobra Mk V.Three of these cars have been imported in to the UK.Apparently they were very poorly built and were not fit to be put on the road.

Edited by V8 GRF on Wednesday 26th December 13:33

Edited by V8 GRF on Wednesday 26th December 13:39