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  #1  
Old 05-08-2024, 07:58 PM
cmac2012's Avatar
Renaissances Dude
 
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Location: Redwood City, CA
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The AC Bristol

About six months ago, I saw one of these for the first time, a fellow living in my fair city had one at a weekly auto geek meet up behind a coffee shop.

At first, I wondered if it was from a kit as it didn’t have the huge flared fenders of the Shelby item or many of the kits for that matter. The hood was open and I saw that it was not a V-8, it was a DOHC 6. Then I spied a tag that said “Bristol” and had an OMG moment.

The owner is quite the collector. Has the number of exotic Ferraris as well. He and I hit it off, he was telling me the other day that he’s getting frustrated with the engine and was wondering if he might sell it. I told him I thought it was a keeper, that it would make him royalty at the auto concourses. He hasn’t taken it to one yet, he did take it to a cobra meet up and had a good reception. And I don’t wonder, this car is major history in physical form. He said there were several other ACs but they had V8s.

Quote:
The engine wasn’t actually a Bristol design, its origins lie in pre-WWII germany where it was developed by engineers at BMW for the BMW 328 sports car – a successful race car in its own right. Bristol got access to the design and tooling as war reparations and used it extensively in their vehicles until they turned to American V8s in the 1960s.

This would be the model that resoundingly won its class at Le Mans in 1959, coming in seventh overall behind six 3.0 liter cars.
https://silodrome.com/ac-ace-bristol-car/

I don’t think he’s done a lot of work on it yet, he did have to carefully clean the three air filters with a special solution, and then ran them through an old dishwasher. Not sure if something could be fabbed for a new material replacement for the NLA air filters, no surprise on that.

The annoying issue now is trouble with starting. It has a choke control, a pull out knob, as well as another control, perhaps a primer of some sort. He likes to drive it locally, brings it down to the meet ups now and then.

I wish I had some good advice for him on this. I suspect there are restorers around who would know what to do.

Looks a lot like this one, same color, has some blistering on the bonnet, gives it more authenticity I guess.



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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Last edited by cmac2012; 05-08-2024 at 08:31 PM.
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  #2  
Old 05-08-2024, 09:02 PM
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Good read, thanks cmac.
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  #3  
Old 05-09-2024, 12:52 AM
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My pleasure. This auto meet up has been a cornucopia for me. Two different guys have Morgan’s, one guy has a BMW M1. I didn’t know what it was before this, it looks like it’s in the Ferrari mid engine genre, comes from the early 80s, has an in line 6.

And then at the first meet up this spring, the same guy with the AC showed up in a Ferrari Lusso (!?). And he’s a real down-to-earth guy.

Me having the cherry 300D really helped to gain me entry into the scene.
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Old 05-09-2024, 02:25 PM
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The Bristol used Zenith/Solex carbs. Zenith is part of Burlen Group, which also manufactures SU. And yes, still in business supplying the restoration trade. They can help with his carb-related issues:

https://zenithcarb.co.uk/shop

These are constant depression carburetors, meaning that venturi vacuum is maintained at a constant level by a diaphragm that expands or contracts the cavity above the jet in response to airflow. The fuel/air ratio is regulated by a tapered needle, which rises or falls in the jet with the diaphragm. Problems can be caused by modern fuels, because E85 has a lower stochiometric ratio than straight gasoline, requiring a change of needle taper to richen the mixture. So simply changing to non-ethanol fuel may help.
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Old 05-09-2024, 03:59 PM
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Good information and food for thought, thank you.

Not sure, but I doubt that he’s running E85. It’s not that easy to find around here. I don’t think it’s easy to find stuff without the 10% either. I’ll look into it.
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Old 05-10-2024, 11:53 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cmac2012 View Post
Good information and food for thought, thank you.

Not sure, but I doubt that he’s running E85. It’s not that easy to find around here. I don’t think it’s easy to find stuff without the 10% either. I’ll look into it.

Sorry, I must have been inverted when I wrote that. I meant E10.
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Old 05-10-2024, 08:14 PM
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Ah, makes sense.

For a while, we had HP diesel available at state subsidized fueling islands leased from various stations. About five in the bay area, several in Sacramento and LA as well. Now it looks like they have another semi advanced diesel, I should look into it. At the same islands E85 is available. The price is low, I suspect you’re paying for net BTUs.
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  #8  
Old 05-11-2024, 06:01 PM
t walgamuth's Avatar
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Location: Lafayette Indiana
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That is a nice car. I believe they had straight six ford engines either before or after the Bristol. The Bristol is properly the ac cobra prequal. The Bristol motor is actually a BMW (under license?). I'd take it in a hot minute. The styling is a copy of the Ferrari barcetta I believe.
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..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.
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Old 05-11-2024, 07:37 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by t walgamuth View Post
That is a nice car. I believe they had straight six ford engines either before or after the Bristol. The Bristol is properly the ac cobra prequal. The Bristol motor is actually a BMW (under license?). I'd take it in a hot minute. The styling is a copy of the Ferrari barcetta I believe.
They built a coupe on the same body, called the Aceca. One of the very first true sports sedans. Personally, I think hard top cars always look better than the rag top equivalent. Aceca was no exception:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_Aceca
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Old 05-12-2024, 02:23 PM
t walgamuth's Avatar
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Me too. Open cars are good when its not raining.
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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.
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  #11  
Old 05-12-2024, 04:47 PM
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If I had a 12 car garage, all indoor, my 11th or 12th car might be an E30 convertible. It is so rare that I really want to be in one. Mild evenings, after sundown is about it. I hate having the sun in my eyes, and I’ve known friends with convertibles and had to help them struggle to get the damn top to work during the rain.

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