AC return to USA - Page 2

ACECA · #21 (**permalink**) 04-15-2003, 01:56 AM

Brief comment in the UK magazine Autocar last week, then checked AC Cars website for press release.

ac-cars-usa · #22 (**permalink**) 04-16-2003, 07:05 AM

" A certain amount of confusion has been created around a recent announcement about AC Cars entering into the US market. We would like to put the record straight as to the actual facts, which are:

1. A UK Company - Private Corp Ltd., has recently taken over from AC Cars all the rights to produce the range of aluminium
bodied sports cars it supplied to the Shelby Organisation in the 60' s and which he, in turn sold on as Cobra' s in various forms.

Also taken over was the factory, staff, I.P., Jigs, Fixtures and tooling for the following models.

MK I (Slabslide)
MK II (FIA Specification)
MK III (Coil sprung 427/428)

2. Chassis numbers will follow on from the last ledger
entries sequentially i.e. the next MK I & II will be
chassis No COX 2610 and the next MK III will be chassis No
3360

3. The Company will trade as AC Autocraft and has awarded the US distribution to a new Company AC Cars USA Inc., which will open it's new showroom in June of this year. A toll free number
will also be put into operation and advertising/marketing will commence in June. Pricing will be announced shortly and will be competitive.

4. The new Companies are in no way connected to the
previous owners nor their current initiatives to build modern AC's in Malta.

AC USA Inc., will be catering for those enthusiasts who really want to purchase one of the automotive icons of the 60's from the original manufacturer."

AC Cars USA, Inc.

All trade names herein are property of their respective owners

computerworks · #23 (**permalink**) 04-16-2003, 07:20 AM

ac-cars-usa..
Thanks for setting the record straight.

...now if you could sign with a name to put with your "on-line" face, I'm sure there will be some follow-on dialog and questions from the club members.

Good luck with the new venture and, by all means, keep ClubCobra posted on subsequent developments.

Ron
ClubCobra Moderator

ac-cars-usa · #24 (**permalink**) 04-22-2003, 04:31 AM

Dear Club members

In connection with the last post, I am Gabriel Diaz, mechanical engineer in design, who loves cars and is in charge of AC Cars USA, Inc.

If anybody have a question related to the legendary AC cars, can forward it to gabriel@accarsusa.com

KeithBrown · #25 (**permalink**) 04-22-2003, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ac-cars-usa

Dear Club members

In connection with the last post, I am Gabriel Diaz, mechanical engineer in design, who loves cars and is in charge of AC Cars USA, Inc.

If anybody have a question related to the legendary AC cars, can forward it to gabriel@accarsusa.com

Welcome Gabriel,

When will pricing, specifications and availability be posted?

Regards,

Keith

ac-cars-usa · #26 (**permalink**) 04-22-2003, 12:03 PM

Dear Keith,

We are working on competitive prices, which will be under US$ 100.000.- for a complete rolling car excluding only the engine, transmission and drive shaft. Everything else comeson it, including a very nice job of paint.

Right now we have an AC MK II 289 FIA in Florida and one AC MK III 427 at the factory in the U.K.

Kind regards,

Gabriel Diaz
AC Cars USA, Inc.

KeithBrown · #27 (**permalink**) 04-22-2003, 12:28 PM

Gabriel,

Thanks for the quick reply. I wish you and your organization the best of luck as the Cobra universe is definately enriched by AC's return to the US.

Regards,

Keith

ACECA · #28 (**permalink**) 04-25-2003, 05:33 AM

Gabriel, I would be careful describing AC as the 'original manufacturer', bearing in mind previous court cases between Shelby and AC/Autokraft.

jensen · #29 (**permalink**) 06-20-2003, 12:36 PM

Have AC started selling cars in the US yet?

nikbj68 · #30 (**permalink**) 08-18-2003, 12:07 PM

I know that this will ruffle a few feathers, but here goes:

It should be remembered that Carroll Shelby only dropped an engine into an existing car, the manufacturers of which were struggling to find a replacement for an engine which was no longer available.
Shelby`s team re-engineered some of the Cobra`s chassis,suspension & drivetrain to cope with the extra forces from the more powerful 260 & then 289 engines, and then came the change from 3" to 4" chassis tubes & independant suspension from transverse leafsprings.
The Chassis` & bodies were ALL supplied by AC, (apart from the Coupe bodies) so, in truth, the only truly original cars would be the ones made on the original Bucks, Formers & Jigs, regardless of the current name of the company.( I believe a few of the original employees from Thames Ditton are still involved in production...or at least were until recently.)
Carroll Shelby never made Chassis` & bodies, so the continuation CSX4000 & 7000 are effectively replicas,despite bearing the names Shelby & Cobra legitimately.(AC never 'owned' the rights to the name Cobra)Also, in theory,they shouldn`t have an 'X' in CSX, as this was AC Cars identification for 'export' cars to the USA.

OK, I`ve lit the fuse.....I`ll stand back now and wait for the Bang!

Woodz428 · #31 (**permalink**) 08-18-2003, 02:13 PM

I'm not in the loop as so many others are, but I understood that Superformance now owns AC cars........sometime in late July......

nikbj68 · #32 (**permalink**) 08-18-2003, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Woodz428

I'm not in the loop as so many others are, but I understood that Superformance now owns AC cars........sometime in late July......

I would seriously doubt that, Woodz, can you remember where you heard that? A link to a website would be nice, or scan & post a magazine article.

Woodz428 · #33 (**permalink**) 08-18-2003, 10:16 PM

No link, it was a conversation I overheard at the SPF booth. It was people involved with the Coupe showing and not some passer by or I wouldn't have mentioned it.

Turk · #34 (**permalink**) 08-18-2003, 10:22 PM

nikbj68,
What are you talking about?

TURK

Rich · #35 (**permalink**) 08-19-2003, 08:04 AM

nikbj68,

Don't care about the AC vs Shelby thing. I just wanted to say, great pictures in your gallery! Thanks for sharing them with us.

Rich

nikbj68 · #36 (**permalink**) 08-19-2003, 08:18 AM

Rich...Thanks!

Woodz...I`m certainly interested to know more, news of this hasn`t made it to this side of the pond, I wasn`t questioning your honesty, simply wanted more facts.

TURK...I was sort of replying to ACECA,CASALEENIE & PDEROUSS about the "will they be original AC`s or 'replicas' " issue, personally I don`t think they are replicas being as they are made on the original Bucks & formers, in some cases by the original craftsmen. It is a case of re-starting a production run, albeit 30+ years & 2 locations apart.
Did anyone say the Mexicans were making replica VW Beetles? OK, not the best comparison, but the first one I could come up with!

Turk · #37 (**permalink**) 08-19-2003, 08:24 AM

I am the one who is linguistically challenged, and even I know this.
It wouldn't matter who did what,, you can never do an "original" AGAIN!

Original means , original!

If Da Vinci was given a weekend pass and came back to be amongst us and painted the Mona Lisa once again, it still wouldn't be another original.

Original is the one that was done way back originally!

TURK

TimG427 · #38 (**permalink**) 08-19-2003, 08:28 AM

I was told by a Superformance rep at their Road America display that they had purchased AC cars.

nikbj68 · #39 (**permalink**) 08-19-2003, 09:05 AM

Thanks, Tim..... this is interesting!

Turk.... OK, it wouldn`t be the original Mona Lisa,but it would still be an original Da Vinci!

Do you mean to tell me that every Cobra since CSX 2002 wasn`t original `cause they aren`t THE original?
Doesn`t matter when it`s made, it`s the source of origin.

BLACKJACK · #40 (**permalink**) 08-19-2003, 09:16 AM

NIKBJ68,

I'M THE LAST PERSON TO BE INVOLVED IN THE "ORIGINAL" VS. "REPLICA" ARGUEMENT (BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T CARE) BUT SOMETIMES I JUST CAN'T KEEP MY BIG MOUTH SHUT. (A RATHER COMMON FAILING AROUND THESE PARTS).

I WOULD BELIEVE THAT YOU MAKE A VERY CREDIBLE CASE FOR THE NEW AC CARS BEING ORIGINAL. I STAND SHORT OF SAYING "COMPELLING" BECAUSE I THINK TURK MAKES A VALID POINT. (NOTE THAT I SAID "I THINK").

CERTAINLY THE NEW A.C. CARS SEEM TO HAVE A MORE SUBSTANTIVE CASE FOR "ORIGINAL" THAN ANY OTHER MARK OR CURRENT MANUFACTURER.

Y'ALL HAVE A REALLY GREAT DAY,

BLACKJACK