AC Frua
Encyclopedia
The AC Frua or AC 428 is a British
GT
built by AC Cars
from 1965 to 1973. With an Italian body, British chassis, and American big block V-8 it is a true hybrid. It is also extremely rare, with only 81 cars built in total: 49 coupé
s (known as fastbacks), 29 convertible
s, and 3 special bodied.
The Frua is often confused with the very similar looking Pietro Frua
designed Maserati Mistral
. However, only the front quarter windows and door handles are shared. The convertible version of the car featured in the final series of The Avengers
where it was driven by both the characters John Steed
and Tara King
.
427 Mark III race-bred coil springs chassis extended by 6 inches (150 mm). Chassis were built at the AC plant in England
then shipped to Frua's workshop in Italy
where the body was fitted and then sent back to England to have the power train and trim added. The cost was huge and the cars could not be sold at a competitive price. Unlike similar cars such as the Iso Grifo, Iso Rivolta
, and Monteverdis
and De Tomaso
s of the period, the AC Frua features fully independent racing based coil spring suspension.
The AC Frua was never fully developed because AC Cars lacked the financial means. The car's main drawback, common to similarly engined big-block U.S.
muscle car
s of the period, is a tendency of the huge V-8's heat to bleed into the cabin. This design flaw can be overcome by using modern insulation on the firewall and under the floor.
Chassis construction was similar to most Italian supercars of that era, with square and rectangular tubing connecting the steel body to the frame. Though the 4 inch (100 mm) tubular chassis allowed both coupé and convertible versions to be immensely rigid, the design was intricate and prone to rust. The bonnets & boot lids were fabricated from aluminum.
The AC Frua competed with Ferrari
, Lamborghini
, and Maserati
models. Built over a stretched AC Cobra 427 chassis, the car had immense performance; the big-block Ford FE engine
had larger capacity, more torque and more power than similar Italian cars, but in a car of similar weight.
John Mclellan said in his book "Classic ACs, Auto Carrier to Cobra" that Derek Hurlock once said to journalist Mike Tailor: " I like the 428 because it fits my image of a true GT Car". He also quoted the magazine Autocar
which said the following about the AC 428: "Like anything exclusive, especially from craftsmen, it costs a lot of money. For this you get one of the fastest cars on the road, guaranteed to make an impression anywhere, and backed by a small company that cares. This one AC that joined that select company of very fast, very luxurious touring automobiles which moved effortlessly from current model to collector's piece".
Mclellan's Autocar
quotation comes from the closing paragraph of a road test report published in 1968. The test was of a 428 coupé, and recorded a maximum speed of 141 mph (227 km/h) along with a 0 - 60 mph (97 km/h) time of 6.2 seconds. The acceleration time was fractionally better than the magazine's testers had achieved with an Aston Martin DB6
, but the Aston Martin was comfortably ahead on top speed. The AC's overall fuel consumption for the test came in at 15.6 mpg (18.1 l/100 km), roughly 15% better than the heavy Aston Martin. The AC 428 coupé sported a recommended UK retail price of £5,573 (including automatic transmission), to the manual transmission Aston Martin DB6's £4,460 - itself roughly twice that of a 4.2 litre Jaguar E-Type
roadster at £2,225.
Due to the rarity of the car, body parts can be very difficult or impossible to obtain. However, all mechanical parts are available through Ford or various Cobra suppliers. The car is extremely reliable and maintenance is easy and relatively inexpensive compared to other exotics of the period because of the Ford powertrain and AC Cobra suspension and chassis.
Towards the end of the production run a couple of prototypes for an extended range were produced. There was a four door version of the coupe and a more streamlined version of the convertible that included electrically operated "pop-up" headlamps. Neither were developed due to the precarious state of the company finances.
A few of the coupes have been destroyed in the past and converted into Cobra replicas— but as pricing has been rising steadily in recent years, this practice has stopped. It is now much cheaper to buy a Kirkham rolling chassis to build an exact Cobra replica than to butcher an AC Frua.
More information and reviews on the AC 428 can be found here
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
GT
Grand tourer
A grand tourer is a high-performance luxury automobile designed for long-distance driving. The most common format is a two-door coupé with either a two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement....
built by AC Cars
AC Cars
AC Cars Group Ltd. formerly known as Auto Carriers Ltd. is a British specialist automobile manufacturer and one of the oldest independent car marques founded in Britain...
from 1965 to 1973. With an Italian body, British chassis, and American big block V-8 it is a true hybrid. It is also extremely rare, with only 81 cars built in total: 49 coupé
Coupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
s (known as fastbacks), 29 convertible
Convertible
A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away having windows which wind-down inside the doors, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle...
s, and 3 special bodied.
The Frua is often confused with the very similar looking Pietro Frua
Pietro Frua
Pietro Frua was one of the leading Italian coachbuilders and car designers during the 1950s and 1960s.-Early years:...
designed Maserati Mistral
Maserati Mistral
The Maserati Mistral , named after a cold northerly wind of southern France, was the successor to the iconic 3500 GT, it was also the first in a series of classic Maseratis to be given the name of a wind. It was offered both in Coupe and Spyder form...
. However, only the front quarter windows and door handles are shared. The convertible version of the car featured in the final series of The Avengers
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
where it was driven by both the characters John Steed
John Steed
John Steed is a fictional character and the central protagonist on the popular British series The Avengers and The New Avengers, played by Patrick Macnee and Ralph Fiennes in the movie....
and Tara King
Tara King
Tara King is a fictional character of British 1960s adventure television series The Avengers, played by canadian actress Linda Thorson. Sixth partner of agent John Steed , she appeared in season 6 of the series , playing 33 episodes. She is Emma Peel successor...
.
History
The Frua is built on an AC CobraAC Cobra
The AC Cobra, also known colloquially as the Shelby Cobra in North America, is an Anglo-American sports car that was produced during the 1960s.-History and development:...
427 Mark III race-bred coil springs chassis extended by 6 inches (150 mm). Chassis were built at the AC plant in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
then shipped to Frua's workshop in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
where the body was fitted and then sent back to England to have the power train and trim added. The cost was huge and the cars could not be sold at a competitive price. Unlike similar cars such as the Iso Grifo, Iso Rivolta
Iso Rivolta
Iso Rivolta was an automobile and motorbike manufacturer in Italy, predominantly active from the late 1940s through the early 1970s. They are known for the iconic Isetta 'bubble car' of the 1950s, and for a number of powerful performance cars in the 60s and early 70s.-History:Iso Rivolta was...
, and Monteverdis
Monteverdi (car)
Monteverdi was a Swiss brand of luxury cars created in 1967 by Peter Monteverdi and based in Binningen on the southern edge of Basel, Switzerland.-History:...
and De Tomaso
De Tomaso
De Tomaso Automobili SpA is an Italian car-manufacturing company. It was founded by the Argentine-born Alejandro de Tomaso in Modena in 1959. It originally produced various prototypes and racing cars, including a Formula One car for Frank Williams' team in 1970. The company developed a reputation...
s of the period, the AC Frua features fully independent racing based coil spring suspension.
The AC Frua was never fully developed because AC Cars lacked the financial means. The car's main drawback, common to similarly engined big-block U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
muscle car
Muscle car
Muscle car is a term used to refer to a variety of high-performance automobiles. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines muscle cars as "any of a group of American-made 2-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving." Usually, a large V8 engine is fitted in a...
s of the period, is a tendency of the huge V-8's heat to bleed into the cabin. This design flaw can be overcome by using modern insulation on the firewall and under the floor.
Chassis
Performance
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
, Lamborghini
Lamborghini
Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., commonly referred to as Lamborghini , is an Italian car manufacturer. The company was founded by manufacturing magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963, with the objective of producing a refined grand touring car to compete with established offerings from marques like...
, and Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
models. Built over a stretched AC Cobra 427 chassis, the car had immense performance; the big-block Ford FE engine
Ford FE engine
The Ford FE engine is a Ford V8 engine used in vehicles sold in the North American market between 1958 and 1976. A related engine, the Ford FT engine, was used in medium and heavy trucks from 1964 through 1978. The FE filled the need for a medium-displacement engine created by the discontinuation...
had larger capacity, more torque and more power than similar Italian cars, but in a car of similar weight.
John Mclellan said in his book "Classic ACs, Auto Carrier to Cobra" that Derek Hurlock once said to journalist Mike Tailor: " I like the 428 because it fits my image of a true GT Car". He also quoted the magazine Autocar
Autocar
Autocar is a weekly British automobile magazine published by Haymarket Motoring Publications Ltd. It refers to itself as "The World's oldest car magazine".-History:...
which said the following about the AC 428: "Like anything exclusive, especially from craftsmen, it costs a lot of money. For this you get one of the fastest cars on the road, guaranteed to make an impression anywhere, and backed by a small company that cares. This one AC that joined that select company of very fast, very luxurious touring automobiles which moved effortlessly from current model to collector's piece".
Mclellan's Autocar
Autocar
Autocar is a weekly British automobile magazine published by Haymarket Motoring Publications Ltd. It refers to itself as "The World's oldest car magazine".-History:...
quotation comes from the closing paragraph of a road test report published in 1968. The test was of a 428 coupé, and recorded a maximum speed of 141 mph (227 km/h) along with a 0 - 60 mph (97 km/h) time of 6.2 seconds. The acceleration time was fractionally better than the magazine's testers had achieved with an Aston Martin DB6
Aston Martin DB6
The Aston Martin DB6 is a grand tourer made by British car manufacturer Aston Martin. Produced from September 1965 to January 1971, the DB6 had the longest production run up to that date of any Aston Martin model...
, but the Aston Martin was comfortably ahead on top speed. The AC's overall fuel consumption for the test came in at 15.6 mpg (18.1 l/100 km), roughly 15% better than the heavy Aston Martin. The AC 428 coupé sported a recommended UK retail price of £5,573 (including automatic transmission), to the manual transmission Aston Martin DB6's £4,460 - itself roughly twice that of a 4.2 litre Jaguar E-Type
Jaguar E-type
The Jaguar E-Type or XK-E is a British automobile, manufactured by Jaguar between 1961 and 1975. Its combination of good looks, high performance, and competitive pricing established the marque as an icon of 1960s motoring...
roadster at £2,225.
Due to the rarity of the car, body parts can be very difficult or impossible to obtain. However, all mechanical parts are available through Ford or various Cobra suppliers. The car is extremely reliable and maintenance is easy and relatively inexpensive compared to other exotics of the period because of the Ford powertrain and AC Cobra suspension and chassis.
Towards the end of the production run a couple of prototypes for an extended range were produced. There was a four door version of the coupe and a more streamlined version of the convertible that included electrically operated "pop-up" headlamps. Neither were developed due to the precarious state of the company finances.
A few of the coupes have been destroyed in the past and converted into Cobra replicas— but as pricing has been rising steadily in recent years, this practice has stopped. It is now much cheaper to buy a Kirkham rolling chassis to build an exact Cobra replica than to butcher an AC Frua.
More information and reviews on the AC 428 can be found here
| AC Frua Technical Data | |
|---|---|
| Chassis | "AC Cobra AC Cobra The AC Cobra, also known colloquially as the Shelby Cobra in North America, is an Anglo-American sports car that was produced during the 1960s.-History and development:... 427 Mark III" four inch (100 mm) tube frame extended by 6 inches (150 mm). Front engine, rear drive. |
| Engine | Iron "big block" Ford FE 428, some models fitted with higher performance crossover bolted Ford 427 engine (side oiler). Hydraulic lifter, Autolite or Holley four barrel carburetor. (Specifications can vary substantially between each car). |
| Bore & stroke | 104.9 X 101.2 mm, 10, 5:1 compression. |
| Capacity | 428: 7014 cc, 427: 6965 cc. |
| Power | 428: 345 hp @ 4,600 rpm, 427: 385 hp @ 5600 rpm |
| Torque | 428: 642 N·m (473.5 ft·lbf) @ 2,800 rpm, 427: 624 N·m (460.2 ft·lbf) @ 3200 rpm |
| Transmission | Fully synchronized 4-speed Ford Toploader transmission (close-ratio) or 3 speed automatic Ford C6 transmission Ford C6 transmission The Ford C6 transmission was a heavy-duty automatic transmission built by the Ford Motor Company between 1966 and 1996. It featured three forward speeds and reverse, and was built around a Simpson planetary gearset.... . |
| Steering | Rack & Pinion. |
| Front suspension | Fully adjustable independent suspension with double triangular wishbones, coil spring hydraulic telescopic shock absorbers. |
| Rear suspension | Adjustable independent suspension with double triangular wishbones, coil spring hydraulic telescopic shock absorbers. |
| Differential | Salisbury, limited slip. Ratio: Automatic 2.88, Manual 3.08. |
| Brakes | Four discs power assisted "Girling" 3 pistons, dual remote servo assistance. |
| Body | Coach-built steel body over extruded rectangular and square tubing. |
| Measurements | 4470 mm (176 in) X 1727 mm (68 in) X 1245 mm (49 in); Wheelbase 2413 mm (95 in). |
| Unloaded weight | 1430 kg (3,153 lb) |
| Maximum speed | Manual Transmission: More than 245 km/h (152.2 mph), 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph): 5.4 s (Autosport Magazine); Automatic Transmission: 220 km/h (136.7 mph), 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) 5.7 s. |
| Fuel consumption | 17.2 L/100 km |
| Production life | 1965 to 1973 |
| Number of cars built | 49 coupes, 29 convertibles and 3 special bodied cars. |