AC Cars. It's History Part 1. 1901-1958

1918: Full production commenced with two-seater, four cylinder car which sold for £225.00. In that year the works expanded to the site of the old balloon factory on the High Street, Thames Ditton. 

In 1919 John Weller started his design of a new overhead cam 6 cylinder engine. The Weller designed motor would be produced in some form up to 1963, possibly the second-longest-lived production motor after the Volkswagen Boxer.

1921: Showrooms and offices in London’s Regent Street were opened and the racing driver Selwyn Francis Edge, ‘S.F.Edge’ joined the board of directors. Weller & Portwine resigned. Edge became Chairman and AC Cars Limited was formed. The products of this company were desired by many motorists, for the cars had amazing performance, body styling and choice of colours. Success in both competitive and ordinary motoring proved the AC slogan at the time ‘The First Light Six-and still the best’

1922: The name of the company changed to AC Cars Ltd. Edge brought the company outright for £135,000.

Of all the AC’s competition achievements they were especially proud of the completion of a hundred miles in one hour, with a special AC record breaker, powered by their four-cylinder, four valve per cylinder engine. Mr J.A. Joyce drove the car at Brooklands in the November and completely shattered all the light car records, the fasted lap the last at 104.85 mph.

 1923: In June 1923 Mr J.A. Joyce set a record of 8.28.seconds in an early AC four cylinder light car on Test Hill at Brooklands. He was to go on to record a time of 7.75 sec in 1925!

In 1927 the company was re-registered and known as AC (Acedes) Ltd.

1928: Seven models were now on offer, ranging from the Aceca two-seater coupe to a long wheelbase coach built saloon. The output of AC six-cylinder engine increased from 40 to 56hp. The AC Car Company was at the time one of Britain’s largest automobile manufactures.

1929: With a decline in sales and the world economic recession -AC Cars Limited, along with many others of the period went into voluntary liquidation.

1930: William A.E. Hurlock and his brother Charles F. Hurlock purchased the AC Car Company. The Hurlock family had no need for the Ferry Works and all interests transferred the High Street. No new cars were produced, but servicing facilities remained. Pressure from satisfied AC Customers persuaded the new directors that there was a future for limited production of hand-made cars for the specialist market. Throughout the ‘thirties’ the AC six-cylinder engine served faithfully in achieving tremendous results in events such as the RAC and Monte Carlo Rallies. With showrooms in Park Lane London the Company was prosperous and stable.