1958 AC Aceca - Classic Sports Car with Racing Stripes

1958 AC Aceca, originally uploaded by smenzel.

The Aceca (pronounced "A-See-Ka") is a closed coupe from AC Cars, produced from 1954 through 1963. The similar Bristol-engined Aceca-Bristol was also available starting in 1956. Both were hand-built GT cars in the British tradition, with ash wood joining steel tubing in their construction. One notable feature was the hatchback at the rear, making the Aceca only the second car, after the 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4, to incorporate this element.

The main difference between the Aceca and Aceca-Bristol was the engine. Both were straight-6es, but the Aceca shared its 90 horsepower 2.0 L engine with the lighter AC Ace, while the Aceca-Bristol used a 125 hp "D-Type" 2.0 L unit sourced from Bristol Cars. The Aceca-Bristol was also available with a milder "B-Type" Bristol engine of 105 hp. The Bristol specification added $1000 to the Aceca's $5,400 price tag in the United States.

151 Acecas and 169 Aceca-Bristols were built when production (and all of AC Cars) halted in 1963.