AC ACE Instruments
This page covers the 'Quest' to create a full set of original AC ACE instruments - it is a tall order and requires dedication.
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AC ACE original instruments are hard to find. Matching the Smiths instruments exactly is a tall order. You'll find some that are close but not identical. So, what to do? Our plan is to get as close as we can and have the gauge recalibrated and the face reprinted. There are specialist companies that do this. Click on the suppliers below for Smiths Guages.
Speedograph Richfield are our preferred choice. They get back to you straight away, answer emails, schedule work and give pretty accurate time lines. Their prices are also reasonable when you consider the work involved. They are refurbishing and converting all of the instruments I have collected for this AC ACE project. After several emails and calls to Speedy Cables I gave up as they never responded or returned calls. I hear their work is excellent but it is really hard work getting to talk to them about what you need doing in the first place. 
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Above is a pdf you can download of the instruments in an AC Ace. Below you can see the 3 pictures, Speedometer, Rev Counter and the gauges and switches.
Great gauges. As far as I can tell they can get an exact match to original Smiths gauges especially for AC Cobra - not really for AC ACE.
Another good guage refrurb operation worth a call.
Speedy Cables can do almost anything. A great starting point. I would call them as they don't answer emails.
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Restoring The Time Clock in the AC ACE Speedometer
Very few suppliers will take on the time clock you find in the AC ACE Speedometer. On previous restorations I used a chap called John Ostick at JDO Instruments. His work is excellent, he is super quick and he tests the clocks before they back out to customers. John is refurbishing my clock. He also carries out all sorts of Instrument work. It pays to have a good look at his website. Once finished, it will go to Speedograph Richfield who are recalibrating the MPH gauge and reprinting the dial face to show the correct 120MPH for the AC engined ACE. The Bristol Engine cars we rated 130MPH.
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Scott and the guys are always worth a shout if you need a refurb on an instrument. If they can't help they will say so. If they have a useful tip they will share the knowledge. Great guys all round.
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Speedometer above is for an AC ACE Bristol engine rated at 130MPH. The Speedometer below is correct for the AC engined AC ACE rate 120MPH.
The Rev Counter. Note the warning light in the 6 '0'clock position. As far as I can tell, the orange lens is not original for the ACE and has been put in afterwards. I hear that the originals just had the light behind with no lens and were useless. This owner has used an amber lens to make it more useful. I could be wrong! You can use a TR2 or TR3 rev counter and get the face reprinted and the instrument recalibrate. Ideally, if you can find an old Riley rev counter it is the correct shape and has the warning light. This would take the recalibrated TR2/3 internals as the Riley RPM workings are in reverse. The warning light is also available from an early Austin Healey. The picture below is an original AC ACE rev counter and you'll notice that there is NO amber lens.
Our Ac Ace Speedometer before restoration
A restored AC ACE Speedometer / For Bristol Engine - not ours (£750 asking price on Ebay)
I did find one of these at Beaulieu an the asking price was £500. Unrestored and as seen. It was rated for 140MPH and was from an Aston Martin.
My Notes AC Ace Instruments and switches
I put these notes together as a guide for who I was shopping at Beaulieu International Autojumble. The notes are incomplete and as I get the correct gauge and switch part numbers I'll post them here and update the text. I'll also post pictures off the finished dials and how we put them together if they were made from several gauges to make one complete and accurate one.
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Speedometer – Black face – White Numbers and Letters – Chrome Bezel
SMITHS Obscured first part of model number. 505/60 1260 Rated 130MPH Made in (Left side) England (Right side of clock) |
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Tachometer – Black face – White Numbers and Letters – Chrome Bezel
R.P.M X.100 SMITHS 112 101 00 2 : 1 ‘Made in England’ below Orange warning Light Red Band Arc Between 45 & 50 |
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Water Guage – Black face – White Numbers and Letters – Chrome Bezel
Model Number at Top WATER (Letters)) 0-100 rated in C SMITHS (Bottom) Made in England (Very Bottom) |
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Oil Guage – Black face – White Numbers and Letters – Chrome Bezel
Model Number at Top OIL (Letters) 0-100 rated in LB/ SMITHS (Bottom) Made in England (Very Bottom) |
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Fuel Guage – Black face – White Numbers and Letters – Chrome Bezel
Model Number at Top FUEL (Letters) Rated E | ½ | F Note the quarter mark from the ‘F’ is not equ-distant to the quarter mark to ‘E” SMITHS (Is above the word Fuel) Made in England (Very Bottom) |
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AMP Guage – Black face – White Numbers and Letters – Chrome Bezel
Model Number at Top + other very small writing AMPS (Letters) Rated +/- 30 Unknown word (Very Bottom) |
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Panel Light Switch
Black/Plastic/Bakerlite? Off/On with white arc PANEL (Written on switch in white) Operation – twist – suspected rehostat switch Pictures - Rheostat |
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Wiper Switch
LUCAS PRS7 TWO SPEED WIPER SWITCH PART NUMBER 31568 (HNO version is later 1958) 11 TERMINAL SWITCH Black/Plastic/Bakerlite? N R P (white lettering- Correct for early AC engined ACE) Operation = 2 speed 
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Ignition & Lights
Black/Plastic/Bakerlite? OFF S H (white lettering)Position Top LUCAS (white Lettering_ Position: Bottom Operation – Key for ignition on Lamps: Off/Sidelights/Headlamps Picture shows our ignition/light switch for our AC Ace project above an origional one. The aftermarket replacement on the top has a black surround/backing that protrudes the chrome bezel. This will have to be shaved back to keep it looking origional like the one below. |
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Starter Button
Black/Plastic/Bakerlite? Chrome Bezel Operation – Push to start Picture on teh right shows our starter button for our AC Ace project and an origional one below. |
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Our Amp Guage
Here are some pictures of the Amp Gauges we will destroy to try an make a single Amp Guage that works and is correct.
The AMP Guage below is correct for the AC ACE other than it not having a chrome case. The face is correct as it is rated +-30AMPS. Needle pointing down and with the period arrow head pointer. If you plan to use an alternator of some description and not a dynamo, this AMP gauge will be useless. You would need a volt meter. On previous cars, I have bypassed the AMP gauge so all it does is light up. You can hide a USB/12v accessory port and many of them come with a volt meter built in.
Our Fuel Guage
Here are a couple of pictures of our fuel gauge. Sourced on eBay from America. The type of gauge and needle are ACE correct gut the facia is not. This will need to be printed. The gauge also needs an ACE chrome bezel.
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Base instruments to refurb and build our complete set of AC Ace gauges
AC Ace Rev counter (Tacho)
This has been the toughest guage to get hold of and attempt a build. We have a TR3 Rev counter. Apparently this can be reclibrated?? The issue has been around the light at the centre/bottom of the guage. I have found one but it does not have the lens. My guess is that one can be made quite easily. The guage I found was stated as being from an early Austin Healey?? So the plan is:
TR3 Guage - Recalibrated and new face printed.
Austin Healey Guage - Donor for warning lamp. Can't help thinking these could easily be 3D printed?
Early 50' speedo - This will probaby be used for the case (It has the lamp holder) and certainly the needle. Chrome bezel to be used off TR3 Guage.
TR3 Guage - Recalibrated and new face printed.
Austin Healey Guage - Donor for warning lamp. Can't help thinking these could easily be 3D printed?
Early 50' speedo - This will probaby be used for the case (It has the lamp holder) and certainly the needle. Chrome bezel to be used off TR3 Guage.
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Since writing the above, another RPM gauge has come my way and I can't believe my luck. This gauge was fitted as standard to a 1950s Riley. It has the indicator warning light in the right position and the case is correct as it has the warning light holder. Amazingly this also has the retaining bracket and last but not least, it has the all important correct needle. Click on any of the pictures to see a larger one.
AC ACE Instrument References
AC ACE Rear Dash Wiring References
AC ACE Wiring Harness available from AutoSparks.
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You can visit AutoSpakes HERE. HARNESS SET - AC ACE PART NO.931 AC 6-Piece Harness Set. Cars with AC Engine and Relay Flashers £348.00 inc VAT
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Our Restored and rebuilt AC ACE Instruments and Switches
The was our white faced speedo from our Ac 2 litre. Re faced and recalibrated by Speedograph Richfield.
Lamp holders for the small gauges.
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After you have restored your gauges they will need illumination. To find original bulb holders is almost impossible. It took me 6 hours at the Beaulieu International Autojumble 2017.
I did get lucky though. If anyone is in the same boat as me then now having seen them I would probably fabricate them as it would not be too difficult. The bulb holders are also the guage retaining brackets and there are a few types. Here is what I have found. Type 1 in the picture is from a French guage. The owner of the guage gave me the bracket free of charge – Merci! This bracket is especially useful as the original ACE Amp meter does not have the single or double rods that connect to the retaining bracket. This bulb holder clamps around the guage and then has 2 screw bolts that tighten up to the back of the dash. I am on the search for the missing screw bolt for mine. You’ll notice the bulb is shielded on 3 sides to prevent light spill behind the dash. Type 2 & 3 are the more conventional types that fit most of the Smiths and Jaeger gauges. The difference between them is the bolt holes that retain the bracket. One has a single hole and the other, two, for the different gauges available. You’ll notice that these bulb holders are not shielded so it will be trial and error to see how the best illumination can be achieved with the least light spill. Technically you could position the bulb in any quadrant of the guage circle on the single bolt hole variant. The double bolt holed version gives you 2 options for bulb position - Top left as looking at the guage face on or bottom right. You could always use 2 brackets if you were feeling a little devil-may-care and illuminate the guage from the top and the bottom. Knowing that the double bolt hole is limited to bulb position might be the datum for how all the other bulbs are placed in the instrument panel. Type 4 is another shrouded type and this came with our water guage. Again, the positions are limited due to double bolt holes. The bulb brackets take a conventional Lucas bulb holder and use the screw-in type bulb. I paid £2 each for the brackets as a rough guide of what to pay if you see them. 
The picture on the right is from an Austin Healey. Maybe a good place to start looming for the bulb holder brackets and worth remembering!!!
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Instrument reference. AC ACE with AC Engine.
