02GF74
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| posted on 5/6/07 at 01:50 PM |
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AC cars
a couple of questions about AC cars.
1. What was the body work made from on the origianl AC cobra? (aluminium or fibre glass).
2. About 20+ yrs ago there were these light blue three wheel invalid cars, had handlebars for steering, I seem t recall seeing t he AC badge on them -
same company or is my memroy playing tricks?
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UncleFista
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| posted on 5/6/07 at 01:53 PM |
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Dunno about question 1, but yes, AC did make some of the bodies for the infamous
"Invacar".
I grew up in the 70's where at every football match on TV, there were 3-4 of 'em parked by the pitch 
One of my favourite sayings is "Invacar blue" as a slightly derogative comment on a light blue car 
Tony Bond / UncleFista
Love is like a snowmobile, speeding across the frozen tundra.
Which suddenly flips, pinning you underneath.
At night the ice-weasels come...
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02GF74
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| posted on 5/6/07 at 02:16 PM |
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yep ^^^^ that's the one
quote:
but on the 31st March 2003 these vehicles will become illegal to own and drive on the British Highways. Government service agents are
currently crushing around 50 Invacars per month until there are no more left.
What a waste!!! why on earth should they be made illegal? explains why I have not seen one for years and years.
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 5/6/07 at 02:34 PM |
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Something to do with the fact that they would fall over at the slightest zig-zag... as proved by Stirling Moss, I believe!
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goodall
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| posted on 5/6/07 at 02:43 PM |
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aluminium the corbras body pannels were made from. fibreglass was still too much of an unknown in those days and many people were makeing it four
times thicker than it needed to be
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DarrenW
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| posted on 5/6/07 at 02:44 PM |
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Interesting site
http://www.virtualgaz.com/invacarpage.htm
I like this quote
Steyr-Puch 500cc or markedly nippier 600cc 2cyl. 4-stroke aircooled. With 19.3 h.p. for the 500cc at 5000rpm, the book top speed is 60mph. However (as
the Go-Karters will tell you), a bit of know-how and a bigger Weber carb will have you pushing 80mph with a prevailing wind on a downhill stretch if
the doors don't blow off. By all accounts, steering and the drum brakes are purely ornamental at speeds above 45mph but don't forget
though, with the variable stop-go Salsbury transmission pulley system, the electrically started Invacar can achieve this warp speed in reverse as well
!
80mph with ornamental brakes!!!!
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donut
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| posted on 5/6/07 at 03:09 PM |
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AC Cobras were all ally untill recently where there is a plastic option.
Those blue invalid cars The old ones) were indeed made by AC as they were not making enough money building sports cars. They also made those trains
you sometimes see on sea fronts giving trips to holiday makers.
My grandfather used to work for AC back in the 50's. He was a sprayer working on the AC Ace which later became the Cobra after Shelby got his
paws on it. I never knew my grandfather which is a shame as the Cobra is my fave car ever and i think me and him would have got on rather well.
[Edited on 5/6/07 by donut]
Andy
When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andywest1/
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Fred W B
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| posted on 5/6/07 at 04:30 PM |
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Donut, with that story, you have to build a Cobra. Hopefully someone is still around who can tell you what your Granddads favourite colour was, so you
can paint your car the same?
Cheers
Fred W B
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Paul (Notts)
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| posted on 5/6/07 at 06:02 PM |
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As well as the invalid cars AC made their own 3 wheeler from 1952 - 1958 called the AC petite
and no its not blue its turquoise
[Edited on 5/6/07 by Paul (Notts)]
[Edited on 5/6/07 by Paul (Notts)]
[Edited on 5/6/07 by Paul (Notts)]
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wilkingj
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| posted on 5/6/07 at 06:59 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
Something to do with the fact that they would fall over at the slightest zig-zag... as proved by Stirling Moss, I believe!
Complete Cobblers. My father had one, damn good bit of kit. Only as unstable as the pratt behind the tiller bar (no steering wheel). Steering was a
bit like a triumph herald, good turning circle, and not to be done at speed.
My Dad went all the way to Southern Bavaria (and back) in his to see a Specialist Dr about his Multiple Sclerosis.
'ol bugger told me he had 70mph out of it down the autobahn. Also never to tell my mum
Now that was in the late 60's, and they were tin / metal bodied and not Fi-Glass then.
197cc Villiers 11e Dynostart engine. ie the dynamo was used as an electric starter.
4 gears, twistgrip throttle on the tiller bar. Clutch was either a brake lever on the tiller orlike my dads was on the back and forwards gear lever
with a 4 bay "E" arangement. where fingers on the "E" was the clutch movement.
Cracking little car.
Coo... brought a tear to my eye... my dads been dead 17 years.
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 5/6/07 at 07:28 PM |
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I remember seeing Stirling Moss (I think it was him) on a news story many years ago - he test drove one, and ended up with the car on its side.
Maybe he drove it wrong - but not cobblers, as it did happen in front of assorted news cameras.
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