1953 AC ACE 2.0L(AC)
  • Home
  • The build
    • AC 2L Donor Car
    • AC Ace WHEELS & Spinners
    • AC Ace Chassis Build UP
    • AC 2 Litre Engine
    • Ac Ace Gearbox
    • AC Starting Handle
    • AC Ace Steering Wheel
    • AC Ace Carburettors
    • AC Ace Instruments
    • AC Ace Hawk Body
    • AC Ace Pedal Linkage
    • AC Distributor
  • The Build 2
    • AC ACE Engine Bay
    • AC ACE Suspension
    • AC ACE Dynamo
    • AC ACE Starter Motor
    • AC ACE Cooling Fan
    • AC ACE Overriders
    • AC ACE BADGES
    • AC ACE Fuel filler Cap
    • AC ACE ALFIN Drums
    • AC ACE ACCESSORIES
    • AC ACE EXHAUST & MANIFOLD
    • AC ACE HORNS
  • The Build 3
    • AC ACE Seat Belts
    • AC ACE Dashboard
    • Dummy Leaf Spring
    • AC ACE Slave Bracket
    • AC ACE Radiator
    • AC ACE RPM Drive
    • AC ACE Fuel Tank
    • AC ACE Grease Gun
    • AC ACE CHASSIS PLATE
  • The Build 4
    • AC ACE Steering column
    • AC ACE SVA PARTS
    • AC ACE Wiper Motor
    • AC ACE Electric items
    • AC ACE Fuel Filter - Zenith
    • AC ACE Windscreen
    • AC ACE Grille
    • MGB REAR AXEL
  • Resources
    • Video Diary
    • Project Costs
    • AC Build Time Calculator
    • Hawk Cars
    • AC Hawk Projects of others
    • AC ACE REPLICAS (NOT HAWK)
    • AC Ace Reference Cars
    • AC ACE Chassis AE 01
    • AC Ace Colour
    • Ac Ace Interiors
    • Original close up details
    • AC ACE PARTS SHARING
    • John Tojeiro designer of the AC ACE
    • AC ACE People
    • DVLA Registration
  • Resources 2
    • AC ACE TECHNICAL INFORMATION
    • Our AC ACE In the Press
    • AC 2 Litre Barchetta
    • AC ACE Tojerio Prototype
    • AC Ace Brochures
    • AC Ace Advertising
    • AC HISTORY
    • Photo Shoots
    • AC ACE Chassis Dolly & Tool Trolly
    • Aluminium Under Bonnet
  • Contact
  • AC ACE Parts for sale
  • Home
  • The build
    • AC 2L Donor Car
    • AC Ace WHEELS & Spinners
    • AC Ace Chassis Build UP
    • AC 2 Litre Engine
    • Ac Ace Gearbox
    • AC Starting Handle
    • AC Ace Steering Wheel
    • AC Ace Carburettors
    • AC Ace Instruments
    • AC Ace Hawk Body
    • AC Ace Pedal Linkage
    • AC Distributor
  • The Build 2
    • AC ACE Engine Bay
    • AC ACE Suspension
    • AC ACE Dynamo
    • AC ACE Starter Motor
    • AC ACE Cooling Fan
    • AC ACE Overriders
    • AC ACE BADGES
    • AC ACE Fuel filler Cap
    • AC ACE ALFIN Drums
    • AC ACE ACCESSORIES
    • AC ACE EXHAUST & MANIFOLD
    • AC ACE HORNS
  • The Build 3
    • AC ACE Seat Belts
    • AC ACE Dashboard
    • Dummy Leaf Spring
    • AC ACE Slave Bracket
    • AC ACE Radiator
    • AC ACE RPM Drive
    • AC ACE Fuel Tank
    • AC ACE Grease Gun
    • AC ACE CHASSIS PLATE
  • The Build 4
    • AC ACE Steering column
    • AC ACE SVA PARTS
    • AC ACE Wiper Motor
    • AC ACE Electric items
    • AC ACE Fuel Filter - Zenith
    • AC ACE Windscreen
    • AC ACE Grille
    • MGB REAR AXEL
  • Resources
    • Video Diary
    • Project Costs
    • AC Build Time Calculator
    • Hawk Cars
    • AC Hawk Projects of others
    • AC ACE REPLICAS (NOT HAWK)
    • AC Ace Reference Cars
    • AC ACE Chassis AE 01
    • AC Ace Colour
    • Ac Ace Interiors
    • Original close up details
    • AC ACE PARTS SHARING
    • John Tojeiro designer of the AC ACE
    • AC ACE People
    • DVLA Registration
  • Resources 2
    • AC ACE TECHNICAL INFORMATION
    • Our AC ACE In the Press
    • AC 2 Litre Barchetta
    • AC ACE Tojerio Prototype
    • AC Ace Brochures
    • AC Ace Advertising
    • AC HISTORY
    • Photo Shoots
    • AC ACE Chassis Dolly & Tool Trolly
    • Aluminium Under Bonnet
  • Contact
  • AC ACE Parts for sale
1953 AC ACE 2.0L(AC)

The Hawk AC Ace re-creation

This page is a diary of events in our build. To see all the individual elements in the build hover over the 'Build' Sections and a drop down menu will appear. The only reason to keep this diary is to get a sense of the time taken and the milestones of the project achieved.

August 2016 - The start of it all.

Donor Car collected from Ireland and brought home
Kit orders from Hawk Cars
​A few people have been over to look at our donor car
​Started the hunt for missing parts
Ireland and back in 36 hours
Gerry Hawkridge has sent the build manuals
​Got quite a lot of advice re the engine
​The dashboard slowly comes together

September 2016

Seen the Hawk AC Ace body in the mould at Hawk Cars
​Went to Beaulieu to get parts
Went to Hawk Cars to meet up with Gerry
Spoken with Burlen SU re carbs
​Found 2 gearbox builders that can do an overdrive unit
​Found distributor rebuilder
Sourced Exhaust manifold plates
​Rod Briggs sent dynamo bracket drawings
​Talking to Rod Briggs re sourcing engine mounts
Spoken to Speedy Cables re instrument reface
​Chatted to CCK Historic re AC engine build

We managed to jump the que due to rotation at Hawk
​Sold some parts and found a few dash items
​
Gerry is only 40 minutes away. Made a plan for the build
Need to take carbs off engine block
​Need to contact to get sorted
​Need to contact to get sorted
Fitted like a glove - Thanks Mike
CES Folkestone will fabricate
I have 2 three fixing mounts the ace was 2 fixing
​The instruments are a tall order but getting there.
​CCK do incredible work - the best!

October 2016

Spent hours researching and finding instruments


Now have correct engine mounts thanks to Rod Briggs
We have all we need to create a full set of matched instruments other than the orange lens in the warning light on the RPM guage.
The engine mounts will need a sleeve as the bolt thickness is different to the AC 2 litre mounts. 

November 2016

Spent most of November meeting people and sourcing suppliers and parts
Met some great folk from the AC Owners Club. Really helpful and knowledgeable - thank you for your time.

December 2016

Nice to see my Hawk AC ACE project featured in the
​289 Register Magazine. Thanks to Phil Riley the Editor for putting it together. Phil works very hard for the Register and deserves all our support in anyway possible.
Picture

Andrew Mulhearn the administrator of the 289 Wiki has put together Tech-talks via Skype so builders can get together no matter where they are. I think this is an amazing initiative and look forward to the conversations.

Carbs have finally gone off to Burlen SU for refurb Expecte back in March 2017.Ptevious experience with Burlen tells me this will slip to June/July 2017 - and that is why I sent them off early in the build.

​Looks like I haves ourced an overdrive for the Moss box.

Have sourced the centre boss and horn push for the steering wheel with working indicator controls etc.

Colour still is an 'Undecided' as my wife will probably drive this car it needs to have her preferences:-)


2017 - Another year begins


January 2017

This month will be about organisation. I have other classic cars so they need some attention this month and February.
The AC build will be back with a vengence in February.

I'll finish up the airfilter restoration so all 3 are complete this month. I have 2 workshop dolly/platforms to make. One for the body and one for the chassis. I found having a raised dolly to build my Triumph TR on worked really well and I could easily move it around the workshop. I build it out of old pallets and plywood - wheels come off Ebay. Gearbox has been split from the engine. The Dynamo plate has been removed so we can use it as a pattern to make a blanking plate.
The dynamo brackets have been worked out in terms of manufacture.

​
I did buy a second hand trailer so I can transport engines and gear boxes - it needs a few modifications.

1st Tech-Talk via Skype this month with the 289 Register. It went really well and I love the format. I reckon all clubs should do this as it really brings people together.
Picture
Click the logo to go to the 289.register.

February 2017

A lot has happened in February. Created the CAD drawings for the dynamo brackets.

Spent a few hours with an original AC engined ACE and I can't thank the owner enough. It explained how a few things go together and made sense of quite a bit. I took plenty of reference pictures as a guide.

​I will get the air filters finished by the end of the month.
Amazingly got to see a Bristol AC ACE and took some pictures of how things go together.

Air filers finished, have started on the horns.
Have spent a bit of time clearing up the workshop and getting organised.

I have also spent quite a bit of time talking to AC Owners and sourcing parts. We are almost there on the hard to find items. Quite amazing really that it has come together so well.

​Just need to understand the suspension and mounting a little more and try to work out the slave bracket.
Bought an overdrive and spare fan. The bearing shaft in the fan housing is twisted so not sure it is useable. The overdrive needs to be mated. We'll see if this can be done!!

November 2020

Bit of a gap in reports but this is due to Coronavirus shutting the country down and life in general. I am pleased to report that the Hawk Ace is moving well.

I have been spending time with Andy at Amtech. Andy builds the Hawk chassis. The Hawk Chassis is really made for Triumph engines, MGB engines and BMW so an original AC Ace engine is a bit of a departure from the plan. As such, a lot of bespoke fabrication has been required but northing too complicated for the Hawk team. In fact, if anything, it is going together rather well considering all of the changes we are making.

The result of all of this will be a plan for anyone else thinking of using an original Ac Ace engine in a Hawk build. It has been really great to have the technical ability and knowledge of Andy at Amtech and the support  of Gerry at Hawk to make this project a reality. 

The pictures on the right show where it all is at present. A note of measurements to be taken.

The biggest issues  have been the gearbox clutch pedal as the pedal in an AC 2 litre is connected directly to the box. So this needs a hydraulic solution. 

The Radiator has mounted well but the soldered plate and hose tube needs to be redone to get a better joining angle to the thermostat housing.

​The inner box that covers the front wheel drives side needs to be reduced. As I write we are still working out by how much.

The exhausts are not such a great fit but we have a plan for this.

​To get the mechanical fan working we need to create quite a few mounting options and a hard look at the pulley configuration is needed.

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