AC 2 Litre.
I bought this old photo recently, printed on A.M. (Air Ministry) paper for some reason. It shows an AC 2 Litre saloon, of the type built at AC's Thames Ditton works from 1947, until the final car rolled out of the doors in 1958. This car, registered MPF 348, originates from Surrey so could well have been a factory demonstrator or test car. Note the slight double exposure going on in this photograph!
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Just under 1,300 chassis were produced by AC during this period, most being fitted with 2 door (4 doors would be an option later) or dhc coachwork. The front end styling is very reminiscent of certain postwar Lagondas, and also the XK Jaguar of 1948, although the AC pre-dates the sporty XK - was the AC's styling an influence for William Lyons and his designers therefore? AC Cars are better remembered now for the later Ace/Aceca/Cobra sportscars, and also the pale blue invalid carriages that used to be dotted around the country a few years ago. Cars such as the 428, and the 2 Litre saloon featured here, are usually only recognised by the confirmed petrol head, and as such are a rare sight at most general classic car shows.
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The AC 2 Litre was a high quality automobile in it's day, yet understated when compared to similarly spec'd motorcars - in the same way that Bristol and perhaps Lanchester cars focused on producing a quality machine, without resorting to styling frippery and unecessary ornamentation. The net result of this quality construction is that it can cost a pretty penny to refurbish a poor example now, especially if the wooden framing or well appointed interior appointments have suffered. The financial outlay in restoring a badly deteriorated example, as with many well-appointed luxury cars of the day, will often far exceed the final value of the finished car, something well worth bearing in mind when viewing a very down-at-heel example.
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For anyone planning to run or restore an AC 2 Litre, I'd recommend viewing this informative website, which goes into great detail about the car's specification, production changes, and the difficulties of running one of these ACs on today's roads.
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Return to Old Vehicle Photos Page 7.
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