Spotted an AC 3000ME!

[Ari]

Driving through Bournemouth the other day and a red AC 3000ME went past the other way!

Never seen one before and forgotten they existed, it looked really good.

Anyone else seen one? Anyone own one? Are they any good?

[Quote]

Seen one at a show: never seen one in the wild. Saw a Panther Solo a couple of weeks ago - my rarest spot of the year so far.

[DickyC]

They look so much better in the flesh than in pictures. I followed their prices for a while a couple of years ago with a view to buying one - I didn't in the end but it's still on my list - and you could buy a half decent one for about £9000. The scare stories about their handling were issues connected to an ailing company's R&D budget and these problems have been solved over the years by keen owners. There was a gaggle of them at a Silverstone Classic during the period I was looking and I wasn't put off. The interior is dated but sympathetic restoration with an eye on today's tastes would solve that if you chose.

[Gompo]

I've seen a handful 3000MEs over the years but certainly a good spot.

Panther Solo? Never spotted unfortunately! Being a bit of a favourite of mine it is disappointing. One was for sale a year or so ago on Ebay, I wonder how it's getting on..

[rumple]

I dont think ive ever seen one in the flesh, loved them as a kid, always wanted one, if i remember rightly they were developed using a 1750 Maxi engine but used an Essex V6 instead, i cant remember what engine was supposed to replace that but development had to end owing to a lack of pennies.

[Studio117]

lots..

[anonymous-user]

"Lots"? That must be nearly "all"!

3000ME has become a very rare thing indeed. IIRC it suffered the same fate as Renault Spyder Sport - being eclipsed by a significantly better product from Lotus. Esprit killed the AC and Elise killed the Renault. It's been a while since Lotus achieved anyhting like that!

....but there is an even rarer AC in the form of their giant Mustang-powered MX5 - the 1990s Ace.



http://www.brooklandsace.co.uk/

[Studio117]

oh look..



Admittedly i was at the ac owners club meeting last year.

Edited by Studio117 on Sunday 26th August 10:59

[Ari]

5 USA said:

"Lots"? That must be nearly "all"!

3000ME has become a very rare thing indeed. IIRC it suffered the same fate as Renault Spyder Sport - being eclipsed by a significantly better product from Lotus. Esprit killed the AC and Elise killed the Renault. It's been a while since Lotus achieved anyhting like that!

....but there is an even rarer AC in the form of their giant Mustang-powered MX5 - the 1990s Ace.



http://www.brooklandsace.co.uk/

Wooah, I didn't even know that existed!

[stevemiller]

5 USA said:

"Lots"? That must be nearly "all"!

3000ME has become a very rare thing indeed. IIRC it suffered the same fate as Renault Spyder Sport - being eclipsed by a significantly better product from Lotus. Esprit killed the AC and Elise killed the Renault. It's been a while since Lotus achieved anyhting like that!

....but there is an even rarer AC in the form of their giant Mustang-powered MX5 - the 1990s Ace.



http://www.brooklandsace.co.uk/

One of these behind me today on the A6 from Shap to Penrith. I thought it was a modified TVR before it closed up allowing the AC badge to be viewed. The first I have seen on the road. I prefer the AC 3000ME.

[16VJay]

5 USA said:

"Lots"? That must be nearly "all"!

3000ME has become a very rare thing indeed. IIRC it suffered the same fate as Renault Spyder Sport - being eclipsed by a significantly better product from Lotus. Esprit killed the AC and Elise killed the Renault. It's been a while since Lotus achieved anyhting like that!

Massive Bump! Didn't spot this last year.....

The ME hasn't become a rare thing, it always was. They only built 106 and probably the best part of 100 are still....somewhere. Garages, sheds, somewhere. Only a few are known to be written off or broken up. That pic is from the Thames Ditton ACOC meet, a good turn out of MEs but I think we had more cars (18?) at the earlier Brooklands ACOC Centenary.

I would disagree that the Esprit is "significantly better" than an ME, certainly if you compare like for like, i.e. an Esprit S1 or S2 to the ME. Road tests of those early Esprits were no more complimentary than the ME's were. Perhaps if the design team had been allowed to add toe adjustment to the ME's rear suspension like they wanted, the roadtests could have been a lot better. Having said that, my Esprit S2 had its rear wheels set massively toe-in by the factory and they still were when I got it!

The ME failed because they took so long to get it into production that by time it was, everyone had lost interest. It was at every motorshow from 1973 - always promised to be available "next year" - and you couldn't buy one until 1979....

Here's mine at last year's LeMans Classic.

Edited by 16VJay on Wednesday 30th January 22:28

[bencollins]

anyone selling?

[16VJay]

Ben, if you haven't already, get yourself a login here:

http://www.ac3000me.com

and have a look in the MEs For Sale area. Despite being so rare, there are usually one or two for sale, one was just advertised online, might still be available.