Details
1972 AC 428 CONVERTIBLE
COACHWORK BY FRUA
Registration No. SPD 268L
Chassis No. CF75
Engine No. 1123R8KR
Engine: Ford V8, 7014cc overhead valve, hydraulic tappets, 345 bhp at 4,600 rpm; Gearbox: three speed automatic; Suspension: independent, anti-dive, anti-squat front and rear using unequal length wishbones with semi-trailing arms to rear, coil springs; Brakes: four wheel disc. Right hand drive.
The AC 428 Convertible made its debut at the London Motor Show in 1965, presented alongside a Mark III 289 Cobra. It was plain to see that it shared the running gear and power plant of its cousin, with the vast, 7 litre, cast iron block engine producing some 345 bhp at 4,600 rpm. Not surprisingly, performance was formidable, even though the majority of the 428's built had automatic transmission; 145 mph was quite achievable and road holding was equally good.
A departure for the Thames Ditton company was the choice of Frua of Turin to style and build the bodies for the new car and an immediate likeness could be compared with the Maserati Mistral, which was also penned by Frua. The original plans had been for a production run of 150 or so cars, including convertibles, before choosing a UK source of production for the bodies. However, as events turned out only 50 models had been built by the Spring of 1969. Frua were themselves compromised by labour difficulties in Italy and the subsequent oil crisis of the early 1970s killed off the model.
Chassis number CF75 is one of the later cars and an original right hand drive convertible which has been in its present, private ownership, since 1989. During this time the car has travelled just a few hundred miles although was entrusted to Autokraft at Brooklands, the AC factory, for a full tune-up in 1990. Bills are available for this work and the car has subsequently been kept in a dry garage and occasionally used on fine days. The condition of the panelwork is excellent with a bright red paint finish in equally fine order and complemented by an excellent black leather interior. The car stands on triple-laced wire-spoke wheels which are correct for the model and it has a black hood. The engine bay is clean and tidy and is in satisfactory condition, as one would expect. This example of the convertible 428 shares garage space with other post-war performance cars including another AC and a Ferrari and is, itself, an excellent example of a very rare model.
The car has a long MoT and is sold with an accompanying file of paperwork.
COACHWORK BY FRUA
Registration No. SPD 268L
Chassis No. CF75
Engine No. 1123R8KR
Engine: Ford V8, 7014cc overhead valve, hydraulic tappets, 345 bhp at 4,600 rpm; Gearbox: three speed automatic; Suspension: independent, anti-dive, anti-squat front and rear using unequal length wishbones with semi-trailing arms to rear, coil springs; Brakes: four wheel disc. Right hand drive.
The AC 428 Convertible made its debut at the London Motor Show in 1965, presented alongside a Mark III 289 Cobra. It was plain to see that it shared the running gear and power plant of its cousin, with the vast, 7 litre, cast iron block engine producing some 345 bhp at 4,600 rpm. Not surprisingly, performance was formidable, even though the majority of the 428's built had automatic transmission; 145 mph was quite achievable and road holding was equally good.
A departure for the Thames Ditton company was the choice of Frua of Turin to style and build the bodies for the new car and an immediate likeness could be compared with the Maserati Mistral, which was also penned by Frua. The original plans had been for a production run of 150 or so cars, including convertibles, before choosing a UK source of production for the bodies. However, as events turned out only 50 models had been built by the Spring of 1969. Frua were themselves compromised by labour difficulties in Italy and the subsequent oil crisis of the early 1970s killed off the model.
Chassis number CF75 is one of the later cars and an original right hand drive convertible which has been in its present, private ownership, since 1989. During this time the car has travelled just a few hundred miles although was entrusted to Autokraft at Brooklands, the AC factory, for a full tune-up in 1990. Bills are available for this work and the car has subsequently been kept in a dry garage and occasionally used on fine days. The condition of the panelwork is excellent with a bright red paint finish in equally fine order and complemented by an excellent black leather interior. The car stands on triple-laced wire-spoke wheels which are correct for the model and it has a black hood. The engine bay is clean and tidy and is in satisfactory condition, as one would expect. This example of the convertible 428 shares garage space with other post-war performance cars including another AC and a Ferrari and is, itself, an excellent example of a very rare model.
The car has a long MoT and is sold with an accompanying file of paperwork.