AC 3000ME

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AC
AC 3000ME, in the Thames Ditton version with black air inlets and outlets
AC 3000ME, in the Thames Ditton version with black air inlets and outlets
3000ME
Production period: 1979-1985
Class : Sports car
Body versions : Coupe
Engines: Otto engine :
3.0 liters (103 kW)
Length: 3988 mm
Width: 1651 mm
Height: 1143 mm
Wheelbase : 2300 mm
Empty weight : 1085 kg
Previous model AC 428 ( "Frua" )
successor Ecosse Signature (single item)

The AC 3000ME was a mid-engine - Coupe with 3.0-liter Ford - V6 -Motor and plastic body.

It was mainly developed and manufactured by the traditional English company AC Cars Ltd. whose beginnings go back to 1901 (beginning of work on a Four Seat Tourer , presented at the London Motor Show 1903) and which had its greatest successes with the AC Cobra in the 1960s together with Carroll Shelby and Ford.

General

Between 1979 and 1985 (without prototypes) only 104 copies of the 3000ME model were produced in small series and largely by hand. As one of the first English vehicle manufacturers to rely on the modern mid-engine concept, AC wanted to tap a larger customer base with this compact model, developed from 1973 and a more affordable retail price than the earlier expensive models 289 sports and 428 (Frua), in order to counter the increased to insist on competition based on mass production. Ultimately, however, the company failed to use the 3000ME to prevent its demise as one of the world's oldest independent automobile manufacturers.

The 3000ME was the last model, the AC in Thames Ditton in the county of Surrey produced where was already since 1911 the company headquarters, at the same time it was the last model under the guidance of the family Hurlock, who had in 1930 acquired the company. 74 specimens were built between 1979 and 1984 at the headquarters west of London not far from the legendary Brooklands race track; Another 30 visually and technically almost unchanged vehicles were produced by the newly founded company AC (Scotland) plc. 1984 and 1985 licensed in Scotland until bankruptcy .

The reasons for the economic failure were the unusually long development period of the model (six years), its very high sales price, which was necessary due to the small number of units, its - when production started - its outdated, relatively inefficient Ford engine with high fuel consumption as well as the competition and the like. a. from Lotus , TVR and Porsche .

Today the few AC 3000ME are mostly in firm hands; car enthusiasts regard it as the last “real” AC, regardless of the Cobra replicas that are still available or later attempts to revive the brand. Occasionally, used vehicles are sold in England for around £ 6,000 to £ 10,000 (around € 7,100 to € 11,800; exchange rate as of August 2009), while older AC models such as the AC Ace , the AC Cobra or the AC 428 are currently at significantly higher prices In the case of the Cobra, some can achieve well over 100,000 €

The model name 3000ME refers to the vehicle concept (mid-engine) with the letters "ME" and the number to the displacement of around 3000 cm³. In the past, AC repeatedly used model names with reference to the cubic capacity of the engines used, see above

  • for the 2-liter model (1947 to 1958; 6-cylinder in-line engine with 1991 cm³ displacement from our own production),
  • the open sports car Cobra 260 , Cobra 289 and Cobra 427 (1962 to 1968; V8 cylinder from Ford Motor Company with 260, 289 and 427 cubic inches (cu. in.), corresponding to 4261, 4736 and 6997 cm³) or
  • the luxury model 428 (Frua) (1965 to 1973; V8 cylinder from the Ford Motor Company with 428 cu. in., corresponding to 7014 cm³).

History of origin

AC Cobra 427, AC's legendary successful model from the 1960s
AC 428 Fastback Coupé, the luxury model from AC with a 7-liter Ford V8 engine that was discontinued in 1973

At the end of the 1960s, the uncompromising concept of the open, sometimes brutal AC Cobra had become obsolete; after Carroll Shelby left, only a few copies could be sold to a few enthusiasts. With the AC 428 model (convertible from 1965 to 1973 or Fastback Coupé from 1967 to 1973) AC Cars entered the sporty luxury class. Despite the elegant bodywork by the Italian designer Pietro Frua and a large-volume Ford V8 engine with mostly 345 bhp (350 PS / 257 kW) due to the high production costs (manual labor, transport from England to Italy and back) and the Cobra-influenced Brand images find it difficult to compete with its competitors, for example Aston Martin , Bristol , the Jensen Interceptor or competitors from continental Europe such as the luxurious coupés and convertibles from Ferrari , Lamborghini , Maserati or exotic vehicles such as the Iso Grifo and the Monteverdi High Speed ​​375 . Then there was the looming first oil crisis , which caused sales of large-volume luxury cars to collapse. In the early 1970s, AC was therefore looking for new vehicle concepts and models.

In 1972, at the Racing Car Show in London, those responsible for AC met the two young engineers and designers Peter Bohanna and Robin Stables, who had their mid-engine study Diablo (Spanish: 'devil') with a transversely installed 1.5-liter drive unit from the Austin Maxi presented. Both had previously worked together in the design office of the British sports and racing car manufacturer Lola , in particular on the famous T70 Mk.III model , and there they gained experience with the comparatively new mid-engine concept from racing as well as with plastic bodies and lightweight tubular space frames . Initially in their free time, they worked together as a design office Bohanna Stables Ltd. from 1972 . based in High Wycombe , Buckinghamshire designed various models for the street.

AC was so convinced of the concept of a small, sporty mid-engine coupé that, following the exhibition, they acquired the rights to the Diablo from Bohanna and Stables and agreed on a small series production of 20 vehicles per week. This was reminiscent of the approach taken by AC Cars in the early 1950s: At that time, AC acquired the rights to the Tojeiro prototype from John Tojeiro and developed it into the AC Ace model using the company's own 2-liter 6-cylinder in-line engine , the later became the basis of the successful AC Cobra model .

The mid-engine concept was interesting for AC from two points of view: On the one hand, they had already been working on a successor to the AC Ace at the beginning of the 1960s , one version of which provided a self-designed 6-cylinder boxer engine in a mid -engine arrangement - a plan that However, it was no longer operated because the development of the AC Cobra together with Carroll Shelby enjoyed priority and was both sporty and economically successful. On the other hand, the prototype by Bohanna and Stables offered the prospect of placing a mid-engine sports car between the inexpensive Fiat X1 / 9 and the expensive exotic cars such as the Ferrari Dino 246 or Lamborghini Urraco at an affordable price .

The production of the Diablo did not materialize, however, because British Leyland refused to deliver Austin engines and transmissions. AC found a replacement thanks to the previous good contacts with Ford in their V6 engines from the Ford Essex engine family . In the meantime, Bohanna and Stables have moved to the AC design office as consultants for a limited period in order to adapt the complex prototype concept to the needs of series production and to further develop the design together with AC chief engineer Alan D. Turner. At the 1973 Earls Court Motor Show , AC was able to show two (but not yet ready to drive) prototypes under the name “AC 3000” (designation without the abbreviation ME). The plans envisaged a Ford 3.0-liter V6 engine installed transversely behind the seats with a separate, self-designed manual transmission behind it , which - very unusual in modern vehicle construction - via a triple roller chain with the engine or the Clutch was connected. AC named the following year and a price "around £ 3,000 to £ 4,000" as the start of production, which met with great interest and led to over 2,500 pre-orders.

In 1974, the body design of the vehicle, now known as the AC ME 3000 , was largely completed: the basic features of the Diablo were retained, but the front of the vehicle was redesigned (bumper, vehicle lighting, front radiator); the vehicle roof has been raised slightly to improve headroom and additional ventilation openings have been added for better cooling. Yet another five years passed before series production began:

Although AC regularly showed further prototypes at the major annual vehicle fairs in London and Birmingham , it had to put off its customers repeatedly with regard to series production. The reasons were varied:

  • necessary changes to the design plans by switching to the Ford engine with a separate gearbox designed by itself (Lamborghini had also been looking for a long time for a solution for the Miura model with a transverse mid-engine, which would sensibly connect the gearbox to the crankshaft due to the limited vehicle width need to develop additional intermediate gear)
  • Problems with the unusual primary drive via roller chain (wear, durability)
  • Change from a steel tubular space frame to a monocoque platform frame welded from sheet steel , which seemed more suitable for series production
  • insufficient financial resources to be able to implement plans quickly
  • new, stricter regulations for type approval from the mid-1970s, e.g. B. complex crash tests
  • The desire of the tradition-conscious company owner Derek Hurlock to bring the vehicle to the market in a mature form in order to live up to the good reputation of the brand, but at the same time to manufacture as many parts as possible himself instead of purchasing them from outside companies (such as Reliant with the Scimitar model or TVR for the models of the M-series or the Tasmin to save time and money)

The first attempt to obtain type approval failed in the mid-1970s when the now mandatory crash test at 30 miles per hour caused the steering wheel to move five and a half instead of the permitted five inches (around 14 cm instead of 12.7 cm ) moved to the interior. AC Cars then had to revise parts of the chassis . Afterwards, the steering column only moved by one and a half inches (3.8 cm) during the second test, an exceptionally good value that ultimately proves the model's high level of passive safety . For comparison: Even the high- volume manufacturer Vauxhall needed several attempts before the contemporary Chevette passed the type test.

In 1975, AC began building up a new dealer network. In 1976, AC received around 1200 customer inquiries for the AC ME 3000 , but these were put off with a reference to series production that would take place later and a sales price that had meanwhile risen to "around £ 6000".

Start of sales and series production

Logo of the automobile manufacturer AC with letters in Art Nouveau style as it has been used - with minor changes - since 1907
AC 3000ME, here the Scottish license version from 1984/85 with air inlets and outlets painted in body color and a dismantled roof center section

In October 1978, the sale of the now finally officially began AC 3000ME mentioned model on the NEC Motor Show in Birmingham. 50 contracts were signed during the exhibition. At the beginning of 1979, the production of the first mid-engine-driven series model in the company's 78-year history began in Thames Ditton.

The selling price was now an impressive £ 11,302 (then the equivalent of 43,940 DM), which is why many former interested parties refrained from buying it. In March 1980 the selling price was raised to £ 13,300 for the standard version and £ 13,600 with leather seats and cassette radio (at that time the equivalent of 56,220 and 57,490 DM). By comparison, a Lotus Esprit S2 cost £ 14,981, a Porsche 924 Turbo £ 13,998 and a TVR Tasmin £ 12,800 at the same time in the UK domestic market . Due to the low demand, AC dissolved the dealer network in 1981 and took over vehicle sales directly from the factory. AC's expectations of selling 250 vehicles per year could not even come close, the costs could not be reduced because of the extensive manual labor. In 1978, three pre-built series vehicles (exhibition and demonstration cars) were built, 23 in the following year, and only about seven in the following year due to the recession; In 1981 and 1982 production figures remained at around eleven and nine, respectively, before rising slightly again to twelve in 1983 and 1984.

Production figures remained below original expectations in particular because the 3000ME was marketed almost exclusively in the UK; a planned export to North America - previously a major sales market for the AC Ace , AC Cobra and AC 428 models - ultimately did not materialize. Although AC had developed a left-hand drive version for the North American market and continental Europe parallel to the right-hand drive version for the domestic market , significantly stricter safety and emissions regulations were in force in the USA after production of the AC 3000ME had been delayed for years. AC was unable to meet these requirements with the 3000ME or would have required additional time-consuming and costly adjustment work and approval formalities, which AC could not or would no longer afford after the previous development costs - more than a million pounds. In addition, the then chairman of the board, Derek Hurlock, shied away from the American market due to the product liability law at the time, which he considered excessive, with horrendous amounts of damages and amounts in dispute, which in the early 1980s had prompted other smaller producers to withdraw from this market. Only five left-hand drive versions were produced at the factory, all of them in Thames Ditton.

For AC Cars Ltd. the production was no longer profitable, even after conversion into a plc. (public limited company) and move to smaller workshops within Thames Ditton. Against the background of a general recession , the owner Derek Hurlock, who had meanwhile also suffered from health problems, had production in Thames Ditton discontinued in the late summer of 1984 after only 74 vehicles.

In the same year he granted the license to manufacture the model and to use the name AC to a new one, under the name AC (Scotland) plc. operating company. David McDonald, who had built a new plant in Hillington near Glasgow and who resumed production of the AC 3000ME in 1984, was in charge of management . Chrysler (UK) had closed its Linwood plant in the area, leaving many skilled workers available. In the hope of government funding, McDonald planned to produce 400 vehicles per year with 62 employees, which would have been a success for the then fallow region. His long-term consideration was to equip the torsion-resistant and, above all, type-tested chassis of the AC 3000ME with newly designed GRP bodies in line with current tastes , but also to revise the vehicle technically.

In fact, only 30 AC 3000MEs were built in Scotland in 1984 and 1985 with a workforce of 18 , which is probably due to the continued high sales price of £ 13,881 (then the equivalent of DM 52,620). Outwardly, they hardly differed from the vehicles from Thames Ditton. Only certain ventilation grilles, which were mostly black in the original English version, were now painted in the body color of most Scottish vehicles (but not all). The exhaust system was also slightly modified. According to contemporary test reports, the quality of workmanship has remained at the usual high level.

In October 1985 the last of 30 vehicles left the Scottish production facilities before AC (Scotland) plc. has been placed under administration. The new company's funding had been inadequate, sales had remained too low, and the cost of a prototype revised version of the 3000ME had become too high.

Vehicle model details

Body and equipment

The compact and brawny looking body is made of glass fiber reinforced plastic (GRP). The design of the two-door two-seater comes from the Englishmen Peter Bohanna and Robin Stables, founders and owners of the Bohanna Stables Ltd. and AC chief developer Alan D. Turner; The latter was already significantly involved in the development of the AC Cobra (based on the AC Ace ) in the early 1960s and had, among other things, the AC Cobra Coupé (chassis no. A-98) for the works at the Le Mans 24-hour race designed in 1964, with which AC competed against the Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupés used by Carroll Shelby .

The body of the 3000ME has a slightly rising wedge shape, characteristically flared wheel arches similar to contemporary rally or circuit racing vehicles and distinctive side air intakes for supplying the mid-engine. The main body shows similarities to the contemporary design by Bertone , namely the Fiat X1 / 9 , Ferrari Dino 308 GT 4 and Lancia Stratos HF models that he designed . The bonnet has a characteristic hood to create additional space for the engine, especially the carburetor and air filter, as the Ford V6 was built higher than the originally planned engine of the Austin Maxi . Further features are the folding headlights , the wide C-pillar covering the roll bar and a standard removable roof center section which, together with open side windows, gives a Targa- like driving experience.

Comparison of various contemporary mid-engine sports cars:

  • AC 3000ME - Presentation 1973, series from 1979

  • Fiat X1 / 9 - presentation 1972, at the same time series start

  • Lancia Stratos HF - presentation 1971, series from 1973 (street version)

  • Ferrari Dino 308 GT 4 - presentation 1973, series from 1974

In addition to the battery, the fuse box and refill devices, there is a fully-fledged spare wheel and a small trunk in which the dismantled roof center section can be stowed in a special bag under the front hood of the AC 3000ME . The unlocking of the front hood, like that of the engine hood, takes place from inside the vehicle. The AC 3000ME has two tank filler necks, which are located near the almost vertical rear window between the extensions of the C-pillars on the right and left of the bonnet. Behind the mid-engine is the main trunk, which can be opened from the outside, is completely lined with carpet and has a capacity of 340 liters, which is large for the vehicle class.

AC Cars manufactured the bodies themselves.

The standard equipment included electric windows , tinted front and side windows, a multi-adjustable leather steering wheel and a radio. The vehicle was available ex works in 16 colors; Equipped as standard with fabric seat covers and carpets in black or beige, leather seats were also available for an extra charge.

Contemporary test reports praised the good workmanship for a small-series manufacturer, the high-quality materials and ergonomics in the interior, the scope of the standard equipment and - at least in view of the compact dimensions - the good space available, as well as the good clarity for a mid-engine sports car. While the mid-engine concept and the design were enthusiastically received by the press and the public in the prototype phase, interest had clearly subsided when production started: the mid-engine concept was now established, cheaper competing models on the market and the body was starting to look good The 1980s, after several years of development and the fashion trend in favor of a more angular, flat design like the Lotus Esprit or TVR Tasmin backwards.

engine and gears

Series execution

Both the prototype AC ME 3000 and the production models AC 3000ME had a standard 3.0-liter V6 twin carburetor engine from the Essex engine series from Ford, as in different capacity variants in the UK at the engine plant in 1967 Dagenham , Essex built has been. The 3.0-liter version was mainly used in the Ford Capri 3000 GT (in Germany in the Mk.1 from 1972, in Great Britain from the end of 1969), later also in the top version of the Ford Granada . It was also used as a built-in engine by various British manufacturers of small series, except for AC also for Gilbern (models Genie and Invader ), for various Marcos coupés, for the Reliant Scimitar and for the manufacturer TVR in the Coupé 3000M , the Cabrio 3000S and the Kombicoupé Taimar . In contrast to the aforementioned, the motor in the AC 3000ME was turned by 90 degrees and installed across the driver's cab as a mid-mounted motor. Basically, it needs leaded premium petrol or corresponding additives, but can be converted to run with unleaded petrol. A catalytic converter version was not created due to a lack of export to the USA; Subsequent retrofitting options are not known and would be difficult to implement due to the narrow engine compartment.

After Ford UK and Ford Germany stopped using the 3.0-liter V6 in the Capri or other models after 1981 and instead replaced it with the 2.8-liter V6 engine from the Ford Cologne engine family , AC imported the 3rd .0 liter engine from Ford South Africa.

Ford Capri I GT, from whom the engine of the AC 3000ME comes
engine 60 ° V6 cylinder (Ford Essex V6 3.0), engine block and cylinder head made of gray cast iron, 4 crankshaft bearings, pressure circulating lubrication, oil content 5.7 liters, central camshaft, overhead valves, operated via bumpers and rocker arms, 2 valves per cylinder, compression 8.9: 1, a double carburetor Weber 38/38 DGAS,
Displacement 2994 cc / 182.7 cu.in.
Bore × stroke 93.66 mm × 72.42 mm (3.69 in × 2.85 in)
power 139.9 PS / bhp 138.0 / 102.9 kW at 5000 min -1
Max. Torque 260.0 Nm / 192 lbft / 260 Nm at 3000 min -1
Top speed 193 km / h
Acceleration 0-60 mph (≈ 96.6 km / h) 8.5 seconds
Fuel consumption in practice (combined) 15.0 l super leaded / 100 km

The AC 3000ME has a transversely installed, fully synchronized manual transmission with five forward gears and reverse gear, which is interlocked with the rear axle differential and which is located to the side next to and slightly behind the engine. It is an AC in-house development; which was also assembled by AC itself. For this purpose, AC manufactured the light metal gearbox itself, while the innards (gears and shafts) were supplied by the gearbox specialist Hewland . Similar to traditional Ferrari, the shift lever on the center console is guided by an open, chrome-plated shift gate. The gears of the AC 3000ME are geared down as follows (for comparison the values ​​for the Ford Capri 3000 GT Mk.1 and 2 (from 1972) equipped with the same engine ):

Translations AC 3000ME Capri 3000 GT
in first gear: 1 in 3.242 1 in 3.16
in second gear: 1 in 1.947 1 in 1.94
in third gear: 1 in 1.403 1 in 1.41
in fourth gear: 1 in 1,000 1 to 1.00
in fifth gear: 1 in 0.835 (-)
Reverse gear: 1 in 2.901
Rear axle ratio: 1 in 3.167 1 in 3.09

The AC 3000ME was one of the first road vehicles to have a Ford engine combined with a five-speed gearbox as standard.

The power from the engine / clutch is transferred to the transmission via triple gears and a high-strength Renold triple chain with a special chain tensioner, surrounded by a new, separate oil pan made of light metal, also developed and built by AC Cars itself, as is the clutch housing.

The standard equipment also included an elaborate exhaust system made entirely of stainless steel. An oil cooler and double thermostat-controlled cooling air fans helped to prevent the engine from overheating (a common problem with mid-engine engines) even when driving slowly or in city traffic.

Contemporary test reports complained that the engine performance and the driving performance would not do justice to the purchase price and the external appearance of a super sports car; the AC 3000ME is hardly a worthy successor to the legendary AC Cobra . In addition, there were problems with the throttle response and the shiftability of the five-speed transmission with the first test copies, but these could be resolved later. The pulling power of the three-liter engine, the low maintenance costs compared to other mid-engined sports cars and the very good availability of spare parts for the large-volume engine were positively highlighted.

Turbo version

The Silverstone- based company Rooster Turbos owned by tuner Robin Rew equipped 17 of the vehicles built in Thames Ditton with turbo engines , using turbochargers from the manufacturer IHI . The power is specified in the literature as 200 bhp (this corresponds to 203 hp / 149 kW). This means that the turbo version was significantly stronger than the standard carburettor version, but weaker than the rare turbo versions of the TVR 3000M Coupé, 3000S Cabrio or Taimar with a supercharged 3.0 l developed by the TVR factory together with Broadspeed Engineering -Ford V6 engine (output 230 bhp (233 PS / 172 kW) at 5500 / min; torque of 370 Nm at 3500 / min). Acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h for the 3000ME Turbo should have been around 6.0 seconds and the top speed around 225 km / h. The turbo versions of the AC 3000ME can be recognized by the fact that they only have one tailpipe on the left instead of one exhaust tailpipe. Since vehicle fires occurred precisely with these versions, as well as the high fuel consumption typical of a turbo, many of the original turbo versions were later retrofitted - as far as possible.

A German-language test report of this rare turbo version can be found in the magazine Sportfahrer - Das Motor-Magazin , issue September 1984, there with 230 HP / 169 kW power.

Chassis and running gear

The chassis and chassis of the AC 3000ME were designed to be very advanced for their time. It has a steel monocoque chassis in the form of a tub-like platform frame (six of these are made of stainless steel, otherwise painted steel sheets with underbody protection). A front and rear subframe (made of hot-dip galvanized steel in the case of individual vehicles, otherwise made of coated steel tubes), which received the chassis components, were screwed to this. The series version thus deviated from the Diablo prototype by Bohanna and Stables, which still had a steel tubular space frame. The revised concept comes largely from the long-time AC employees Vin Davison (the very beginning of the 1950s in the development of the AC Ace starting from Tojero had helped prototypes) and the AC lead developer Alan D. Turner, composed of Bohanna and Stables.

In line with modern sports and racing cars, the vehicle has independent front and rear suspension with double triangular wishbones, coil springs and shock absorbers. The 3000ME decelerates via a hydraulic dual-circuit brake system with a brake force regulator and brake discs front and rear (initially 254 mm diameter at the front and 239 mm at the rear).

In keeping with tradition, AC Cars manufactured most of the vehicle components itself, instead of using parts from large-scale manufacturers, starting with the chassis, through the subframes, the chassis parts and right through to the brake discs. Only for the brake calipers did AC fall back on those from the brake specialist Girling ; Springs and dampers also came from established suppliers.

The chassis with the screwed-on subframe is very torsion-resistant and offered a high level of occupant protection for its time. The safety concept included doors with integrated steel side impact protection, safety door locks and high-strength hinges, stable chassis transverse walls, a powerful integrated roll bar behind the seats and in the dashboard and a safety steering column that can be adjusted in length and angle for the rack and pinion steering . The 64-liter tank is located between the driver's cab and the engine compartment - sealed off to the side and at the top in the event of a rollover.

The 3000ME was fitted as standard with five- hole Wolfrace light alloy wheels measuring 7 × 14 inches and radial wide tires measuring 205/60 VR 14.

The track width is 1397 mm at the front and 1422 mm at the rear, the ground clearance is 133 mm, the turning circle is 9.5 m with 3 turns of the steering wheel from lock to lock. 40% of the vehicle weight is unloaded on the front axle, 60% on the rear axle.

During the production period, individual chassis improvements were incorporated, for example with regard to the coordination and in the form of enlarged disc brakes (most recently: 277 mm diameter at the front, 257 mm at the rear); Among other things, this increased the curb weight during the production period for the later models by 20 kg to 1105 kg at the end with a permissible total weight of 1300 kg.

Contemporary test reports praised the modern design of the chassis, the maneuverability of the vehicle, the straight-line stability that is sufficiently good despite the small wheelbase and the unexpectedly high level of driving comfort. The relatively high weight, however, caused by the high safety standards, and above all critical driving behavior in the limit area on wet roads or during load changes (a common problem with mid-engine vehicles, here exacerbated by a comparatively short wheelbase, a relatively comfortable chassis set-up and a Weight distribution of 60% on the rear axle).

Sports activities

Ford RS200 , a spiritual descendant of the AC Ghia designed by Ford and Ghia based on the AC 3000ME and planned for racing and rally events

Unlike the AC Cobra in the 1960s or the AC Ace in the 1950s, the AC 3000ME was not used for racing at the factory. On the one hand, AC lacked the necessary funds after the long development period. On the other hand, the 3.0-liter Ford Essex V6 engine was already out of date at the start of production; Because of the complex primary drive and the special housing for the gearbox and oil pan, it was not possible to switch to another engine type at short notice. Occasionally, however , the 3000ME was modified and used by private drivers for circuit, slalom and mountain races (sometimes with more powerful Weber carburettors, turbo or even bi-turbo engines with up to 300 bhp (304 PS / 224 kW)).

AC Cars attracted further attention in the early 1980s when Ford was considering a mid-engined racing and rally vehicle and wanted to use the chassis of the AC 3000ME . In this context, the AC Ghia was created (see below). However, Ford did not pursue the plans any further when the success of the all-wheel drive front-engined coupé, the Audi quattro, became apparent. However, with the Lancia Rally 037 in the rally seasons 1981–1984, Lancia showed that rear-wheel drive mid-engined vehicles were still competitive (winning the constructors' championship in 1983). Ford UK then developed an independent mid-engined rally vehicle with dimensions comparable to those of the AC 3000ME , but with a turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder Cosworth engine and all-wheel drive, the Ford RS200 .

Unique pieces and special versions

  • 1972 Diablo prototype by Peter Bohanna and Robin Stables with the 1500 cc engine of the Austin Maxi ; the brown painted prototype with a dark brown roof is today (as well as the 3000ME Lightweight single item, the Ecosse Signature single item from 1988, a normal 3000ME and a left-hand drive 3000ME Turbo ) owned by an English brand enthusiast and collector, the original -Design model owned by another member of the AC Owners Club
  • Nine prototypes:
    • AC 3000 , 2 from 1973 (cannot be driven, chassis no.101 and 102),
    • AC ME 3000 , 3 from 1974 (chassis no. 100 to 102 (new count)), 3 from 1975 (chassis no. 103, 104 and 106), 1 from 1977 (chassis no. 108); Nos. 104 and 106 (privately owned) and 108 (now in the collection of AC Heritage , Brooklands (the vehicle depicted in the first sales brochure)) have survived; all other prototypes were dismantled, scrapped or destroyed in crash tests and driving tests
  • Chassis no. 119 from 1979: Vehicle converted by tuner Robin Rew for mountain, sprint and slalom races, often referred to as the 3000ME Lightweight or Lightweight Twin Turbo (including wider rims and tires, factory-made GRP body with greatly widened fenders, front spoiler, Bi-turbo engine (up to 300 bhp), weight saving), after partial conversion again with road approval
  • Chassis no. 129 from 1982: demonstration car owned by Andrew Hurlock, who was AC Cars' operations manager at the time ; later converted to a test vehicle for a planned Mk.2 version of the 3000ME with the change of the production location to Scotland (see below)
  • Chassis no. 156 from 1981: originally a turbocharged version, converted in Australia for near-series rally class
  • Chassis no. 159 from 1980: Ghia coupe design study named AC Ghia ; drivable but not approved for road traffic, presented at the Geneva Motor Show 1981; Design by Filippo Sapino, then 40 years old (head of the Ghia design studio since 1976) for a rally and circuit racing car planned by Ford; shorter overhangs shortened by 203 mm; Tires: Pirelli P7 in the format 225/50 VR 15 on two-piece aluminum rims; Interior of the 3000ME series vehicle; Body originally silver, later painted black (each with dark gray plastic parts); auctioned on June 16, 2002 by Ford in Dearborn (USA) via Christie's for £ 23,500
  • Chassis no. 161 from 1981: One-off AC 3000ME Shelby Special with 2.2 l four-cylinder turbo engine and 109 kW / 148 PS from the Dodge Shelby Charger from Chrysler USA and two-tone paintwork in Shelby blue and silver; originated on the initiative of the Californian businessmen Steve Hitter and Barry Gale (with their company Panteramerica they already imported De Tomaso Panteras to the USA via a Belgian middleman ) and later with the help of Carroll Shelby (who joined Chrysler at the time to provide the group with sportier To give models a more modern image); The underlying idea was to sell the AC 3000ME in the USA in larger numbers with an engine that complies with the emissions regulations there, for which purpose Hitter and Gale founded the company AC Cars of North America , based in Santa Monica, California; technical adaptations by Kas Kastner in Torrance, California (in the USA he had long been a British triumph in sports car races); with new, optically smoothed body parts, designed and manufactured by Bob Marianich and Steve Hitter; Previous attempts to contact other engine suppliers were unsuccessful (Ford USA at the time did not have a sufficiently powerful four or V6 cylinder engine; General Motors showed little interest, apparently because the Pontiac Fiero itself was pursuing a comparable vehicle concept, the presentation of which was imminent); Series production was ruled out due to a lack of support from the Chrysler concern, because the CEO Lee Iacocca wanted to consistently rely on front-wheel drive models; the vehicle is now part of the Petersen Automotive Museum
  • Chassis no. 163 from 1981: four-door, four-seat mid-engine design study by Ghia called Ford Quicksilver on the extended chassis of the AC 3000ME with a new, independent interior; drivable but not approved for road traffic, presented at the Geneva Motor Show 1982; also a design by Ghia boss Filippo Sapino like the AC Ghia from the previous year; originally silver-colored, later painted red (each with dark gray plastic parts); auctioned on June 16, 2002 by Ford in Dearborn (USA) via Christie's for £ 45,825.
  • a racing car from the Supersport series with a simulated plastic body of the AC 3000ME , competed in the Knock Hill race in 1990; only external similarities; Technology: tubular space frame from a racing car manufacturer with Ford BDA Cosworth engine and Hewland gearbox

Further development of the model and the manufacturer

After production was relocated to Scotland in 1984, AC (Scotland) plc quit . the development of a successor, initially called 3000ME Mk.2 , which - according to rumors at the time - was to be created in cooperation with Alfa Romeo . The engineer in charge was Aubrey Woods , who had already worked successfully for the Formula 1 racing car manufacturer BRM in the 1960s . The aim was to remedy the weaknesses of the 3000ME, especially in the chassis area, by using mass-produced parts, thereby reducing costs and opening up new sales channels via Alfa Romeo, including to continental Europe and North America. Based on the earlier factory demonstration car with chassis number ME ... 129, which was mostly used by operations manager Andrew Hurlock, Woods and his team designed completely new wheel suspensions using Alfa components and wheels, and KONI - Shock absorbers as well as dashboard, pedals, steering, drive shafts and internally ventilated disc brakes from Alfa Romeo, namely the models GTV 6 (1st generation) and 164 . Hewland developed a revised gearbox including a chain case with the possibility, like with a racing gearbox, to be able to quickly adapt the transmission of the individual gears to the respective needs by exchanging the gear wheels. For testing purposes, a 2.5-liter Alfa V6 racing engine tuned by John Dooley was installed, even if the vehicle never took part in races; later a 2.5-liter V6 series engine from the Alfa Romeo 164 was used. In this context, the future model name AC 2500ME was occasionally mentioned (due to the reduced displacement from 3.0 to 2.5 liters).

In 1985, AC (Scotland) announced a successor model called AC Ecosse ; In addition to the aforementioned technical changes, it had a completely new body made of glass fiber reinforced plastic, aimed at the English taste of the early 1980s. The strikingly wedge-shaped, angular body is based on a design by the English designer Peter Stevens , who subsequently became chief designer at Lotus from 1985 to 1989 and then super sports cars such as the Jaguar XJR-15 , the McLaren F1 (together with Gordon Murray ) and the MG XPower SV designed. The announced top speed of 233 km / h and the prospect of a modern design attracted attention and interest from press and customers. However, the official presentation of the prototype, which was to take place at the Motorfair automobile fair in 1985, was no longer due to the bankruptcy of the Scottish company.

Even the announced partner Alfa Romeo could no longer provide financial support, as the state-owned company was itself so financially troubled that it was sold to Fiat in 1986 . When production of the AC 3000ME ceased in October 1985, David McDonald and his young Scottish company also had to cease development work on the planned successor, the AC Ecosse .

In March 1986, the liquidator sold the rights to the AC 3000ME to a newly formed company called AC Ecosse Ltd. Later renamed as Ecosse Car Company Ltd. At the 1988 Motor Show in Birmingham, she presented the Ecosse Signature with a body made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic and a turbocharged 2.0-liter twin-camshaft engine from the Fiat group as the successor to the AC 3000ME . Due to insufficient financial resources, further development after only one prototype and one (pre-) series vehicle had to be terminated in 1989 before the actual series production could begin.

In the meantime, AC Cars in Thames Ditton had sold its historic factory premises to an investor and - now as a pure repair and maintenance company for older AC vehicles - had moved to smaller adjacent halls. The Hurlock family sold their company shares in 1986, which were eventually split up into a property management company and the rights to the name of the “AC” brand. The latter was acquired by Brian Angliss with his company Autokraft , who had successfully built replicas of the AC Cobra for years in his halls in the middle of the nearby Brooklands race track and had already acquired the rights to the name "Cobra" from Ford; The slightly revised and modernized model AC Cobra Mk.IV was created by hand . His attempt to build a modern sports car for the 1990s with the historical model names AC Ace (convertible) and AC Aceca (coupé) - temporarily with a majority stake from Ford (1987-1992) - failed after a few vehicles.

Todays situation

the AC 3000ME from the “Motoring Heritage Center” in Alexandria / Scotland, here being transported away due to the temporary closure of the museum in July 2007

Of the 104 vehicles built, more than 90 percent still exist today. Many of the current owners are united in the British AC Owners Club , which holds regular brand and model meetings (for example in Silverstone and Goodwood ) and in which the supply of spare parts and occasional reproductions are coordinated.

Today the AC 3000ME is regarded as a rare youngtimer sports car that is comparatively cheap to buy and maintain, and which draws its charm from the historical connection to the AC Cobra , its rarity and its mid-engine concept. Even among many AC owners, however, the reputation of the AC 3000ME is limited: According to many, it lacks the charismatic aura of the legendary front-engined sports cars AC Ace , AC Aceca and AC Cobra or the elegance and style of the pre-war models and the AC 428 .

Used car prices in 2010 range from £ 6,000 for a restoration item to around £ 14,000 for premium vehicles. However, availability is limited. Most of the vehicles have been in the hands of collectors for a long time.

The first AC 3000ME made entirely in Scotland with chassis no. ME ... 185 (the numbers 183 and 184 were still delivered to Scotland as "rolling chassis") had been on display at the Scottish Motoring Heritage Center in Alexandria in West Dunbartonshire near Loch Lomond since 1995 . Until its temporary closure in July 2007, this museum to the north-west of Glasgow was particularly dedicated to vehicles produced in Scotland and vehicles from the early days of motorization; housed it was in a part of the representative, for years under monument protection standing Nouveau building benefited, the beginning of the 20th century the former automobile manufacturer Argyll served as a production unit.

Comparable vehicle models

Other contemporary mid-engined / rear-engined coupés with four and six cylinders and similar power (80 kW – 125 kW):

literature

  • George Nicholas Georgano (Ed.): The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile (two volumes) (hardback) . Stationery Office Books, London 2000, ISBN 0-11-702319-1 (English).
  • John McLellan: Classic ACs . Sutton Publishing Ltd., Stroud, Gloucestershire 2000, ISBN 0-7509-2042-4 , pp. 167-175 (English).
  • Peter Hingston: The Enthusiast's Guide to Buying a Classic British Sports Car . Hingston Publishing Co., Eaton Bishop, Hereford 2008, ISBN 978-0-906555-25-5 , pp. 20 (English).
  • Mike Lawrence: A to Z of Sports Cars, 1945-1990 . Bay View Books Ltd., Bideford, Devon 1996, ISBN 1-870979-81-8 (English).
  • Trevor Legates: Cobra. The real sports car . Heel, Königswinter 1996, ISBN 3-89365-541-7 , p. 154-158 .
  • Automobil Revue catalog 1974–1984
  • Car catalog 1980–1986, 1990.
  • Heinrich Lingner, in: Motor Klassik. February 2004 edition, British classic car profiles (1958–1988)
  • Compilation of journal articles on the AC 3000ME (1973–2005) ( Memento from June 22, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) (English)

Web links

Commons : AC vehicles  - collection of images, videos and audio files

References and comments

  1. ↑ a b c d All technical data based on AC press releases from March 1974 and 1979: Factory Specifications ( Memento of June 22, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) (non-commercial website of the AC 3000ME owners, English). Accessed May 10 2015.
  2. ↑ to the model name: With the start of sales or the start of series production, the factory chose the model name AC 3000ME . In the development phase, the factory designation was usually AC ME 3000 , which some journalists and specialist book authors wrongly adopted for the series vehicles; In the early phase (1973–1975) the manufacturer also used the names AC 3-Liter and AC 3000 , AC 3000ME Chassis Numbers and Factory Terminology ( Memento from June 22, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) (English, accessed on May 10, 2015) . The incorrect spelling AC ME-3000 (with hyphen) or AC 3000 ME (with a blank space in front of the "ME") can also be found in the literature and on the Internet . Sometimes in the literature and on the Internet, the model name is also referred to as AC (i.e. with dots), a spelling that the work has given up on model names since around the end of the 1960s.
  3. ↑ Chassis number ME ... 109 (first series vehicle) through to ME ... 212 (last series vehicle in total), AC 300ME ( Memento from June 20, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) (English, accessed on May 10, 2015). In some cases, there are also different production figures in the literature and on the Internet. Differences arise depending on whether you include prototypes and special versions as well as vehicles from Scottish production.
  4. ^ AC Cars. Its history. Part 1 1901-1958. (No longer available online.) Acheritage.co.uk, archived from the original on August 31, 2010 ; accessed on July 30, 2010 (English).
  5. ^ AC Cars. Its history. Part 2 1901-1958. (No longer available online.) Acheritage.co.uk, archived from the original on December 9, 2014 ; accessed on July 30, 2010 (English).
  6. ↑ Chassis number ME ... 109 (first series vehicle) to ME ... 182 (last series vehicle from Thames Ditton), AC 300ME ( memento from June 20, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) (English) Retrieved on May 10, 2015.
  7. ↑ Chassis number ME ... 183 (first production vehicle from Scotland) to ME ... 212 (last production vehicle in total), AC 300ME ( Memento from June 20, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) (English) Retrieved on May 10, 2015.
  8. ^ Peter Hingston: The Enthusiast's Guide to Buying a Classic British Sports Car . Hingston Publishing Co., Eaton Bishop, Hereford 2008, ISBN 978-0-906555-25-5 , pp. 20 (English).
  9. ↑ AC 3000ME - motor base. (No longer available online.) Motorbase.com, archived from the original on September 7, 2008 ; accessed on July 5, 2010 (English).
  10. ↑ AC Cobra 289 - engine base. (No longer available online.) Motorbase.com, archived from the original on April 14, 2009 ; accessed on July 5, 2010 (English).
  11. ↑ Trevor Legate: Cobra. The real sports car . Heel, Königswinter 1996, ISBN 3-89365-541-7 , p. 1517 ((27 copies of the AC 289 sports model in the years 1966–1968)).
  12. ↑ Stefan Dierkes: Pietro Frua (1913–1983) - AC 428 Spider 1965. Pietro-frua.de, accessed on July 5, 2010 .
  13. ^ Stefan Dierkes: Pietro Frua (1913–1983) - AC 428 Coupé 1967. Pietro-frua.de, December 25, 2006, accessed on July 5, 2010 .
  14. ↑ a b c Trevor Legate: Cobra. The real sports car . Heel, Königswinter 1996, ISBN 3-89365-541-7 , p. 154 .
  15. ↑ Trevor Legate: Cobra. The real sports car . Heel, Königswinter 1996, ISBN 3-89365-541-7 , p. 52 .
  16. ↑ a b c Basic Car History ( Memento from June 20, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) (English) Retrieved on May 10, 2015.
  17. ↑ Trevor Legate: Cobra. The real sports car . Heel, Königswinter 1996, ISBN 3-89365-541-7 , p. 155 f .
  18. ↑ a b AC 300ME. Ac3000me.com, archived from the original on June 20, 2006 ; accessed on May 10, 2015 .
  19. ↑ Trevor Legate: Cobra. The real sports car . Heel, Königswinter 1996, ISBN 3-89365-541-7 , p. 156 .
  20. ^ AC Shelby History. Polybushings.com, accessed July 5, 2010 .
  21. ↑ Chassis numbers ME ... 109, 161, 163, 164 and 165 AC 300ME ( Memento from June 20, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) (English) Retrieved on May 10, 2015.
  22. ↑ Operating instructions p. 12 http://lodge.glasgownet.com/AC3000ME_Manual/pdf/Page12.pdf (English)
  23. ↑ a b c Magazines and printed articles on the AC 3000ME ( Memento from June 22, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) (English) Retrieved on May 10, 2015.
  24. ↑ a b c Buyers Guide ( Memento from June 22, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) (English) Retrieved on May 10, 2015.
  25. ^ Car catalog 1980–1986.
  26. ↑ Werner Oswald , Deutsche Autos 1945–1975, pp. 195 and 199
  27. ↑ Craig Cheetham, Hot Cars of the 70s: The Best Cars from Around the World , Thunder Bay Press 2004, ISBN 1-59223-142-X , p. 11 (English)
  28. ↑ Excerpt from the operating instructions of a later vehicle manufactured in Scotland. (PDF; 668 kB) Retrieved July 5, 2010 (English).
  29. ↑ Excerpt from the operating instructions of a later vehicle manufactured in Scotland. (PDF; 485 kB) Accessed July 5, 2010 (English).
  30. ^ Auto catalog 1985 and 1986.
  31. ↑ a b Details of Lightweight ME ( Memento from June 22, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) (English) Retrieved on May 10, 2015.
  32. ↑ a b N.N., in: Sports Cars Monthly. "AC 3000: What Might Have Been", September 1986 edition (English)
  33. ↑ Pictures of the vehicle: AC 300ME , AC 3000ME Factory and Production (5th photo from above). Accessed May 10, 2015.
  34. ↑ Pictures of the reduced design model: AC3000ME Meeting, Kent, May 2005 ( Memento of June 22, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) (top row, third photo from right) Retrieved May 10, 2015.
  35. ↑ Brooklands Motor Works Royal Preview. (No longer available online.) Acheritage.co.uk, archived from the original on July 22, 2011 ; accessed on July 5, 2010 (English).
  36. ↑ 1979 AC 3000 ME Lightweight Twin Turbo Spec Sheet. Race-cars.com, accessed July 5, 2010 .
  37. ↑ Details of Chassis 156 ME Rally Car. Ac3000me.com, archived from the original on June 22, 2006 ; accessed on May 10, 2015 .
  38. ^ AC 3000ME (1981). Ac3000me.com, accessed May 10, 2015 .
  39. ↑ a b c d e Information on modified AC 3000ME's. Ac3000me.com, archived from the original on June 22, 2006 ; accessed on May 10, 2015 .
  40. ^ Jon Erich: 1981 AC ME3000 (Ghia). Carstyling.ru, July 2, 2007, accessed July 5, 2010 .
  41. ↑ Len Frank in: Motor Trend. Edition May 1983, pp. 58–60 (comprehensive background report, English)
  42. ^ AC 3000 ME, Shelby. Polybushings.com, February 23, 2008, accessed July 5, 2010 .
  43. ↑ AC 300ME. (No longer available online.) Ac3000me.com, formerly the original ; accessed on May 10, 2015 .  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.ac3000me.com
  44. ^ Hemmings Motor News: Anglo-Italian Dream Machine. Cll.hemmings.com, March 1, 2006, accessed May 10, 2015 .
  45. ↑ 1983 Ford Quicksilver (Ghia). Carstyling.ru, accessed July 5, 2010 .
  46. ^ NN, in: Cars and Car Conversions (CCC), "AC / DC Racing ME replica", February 1992 edition, p. 56.
  47. ↑ Fig. Retrieved July 5, 2010 .
  48. ↑ the Blenheim gang - AC 3000 ME. ( Memento from July 23, 2012 in the web archive archive.today ) (French)
  49. ↑ http://www.peterstevensdesign.co.uk/ (English)
  50. ↑ Mike Lawrence: A to Z of Sports Cars, 1945-1990 . Bay View Books Ltd., Bideford, Devon 1996, ISBN 1-870979-81-8 (English, keyword: AC (Scotland)).
  51. ↑ NN in: Autocar & Motor. Ed. 178, 1988, p. 70.
  52. ^ Ecosse Signature. Ac3000me.com, archived from the original on June 21, 2006 ; accessed on May 10, 2015 .
  53. ↑ Octane Magazine 4/2010, p. 152.
  54. ↑ Octane Magazine 4/2010, p. 153.
  55. ^ The museum. motoringheritage.co.uk, archived from the original on July 18, 2007 ; accessed on May 10, 2015 .