AC 2-Litre
AC 2-Litre 2 Door Saloon of 1951
Overview
ManufacturerAC
Production1947 - 1956
1,284 produced
Body and chassis
Body style2 -door / 4-door saloon, drophead coupé, tourer
LayoutFR layout
Powertrain
Engine1991 cc I6 ohc
74 bhp (55.2 kW)/76 bhp (56.7 kW)
Transmission4-speed manual[1]
Dimensions
Wheelbase117 in (2,972 mm)[2]
Length184 in (4,674 mm)
Width67 in (1,702 mm)
Height61 in (1,549 mm)[1]
Curb weight2,912 lb (1,321 kg)

The AC 2-Litre is an automobile that was produced by AC of Thames Ditton in Surrey, England between 1947 and 1956. Two and, from 1952,[3] four-door saloons were sold. In addition, as from 1949, a small number of drophead coupés and "Buckland" tourers were produced.

The car's wetliner, aluminium cylinder block, six-cylinder 1991 cc engine was the unit first offered by the company in the AC 16, back in 1922. However, by 1947 the engine was fed by three SU carburettors, and boasted a power output of 74 bhp (55.2 kW),[4] increased again in 1951 to 85 bhp (63.4 kW) which was more than twice the 35 bhp (26.1 kW) claimed for engine's original commercial application.

The aluminium-panelled body on a wood frame was fitted to a conventional steel chassis with rigid axles front and rear with semi-elliptic leaf springs with, for the first time on an AC, hydraulic dampers.[5] Until 1951 the car had a hybrid braking system, hydraulic at the front and cable at the rear with 12 in (305 mm) drums.

The car changed very little during its ten-year production run, though the wheel size did increase slightly to 16 in (406 mm) in 1951. The AC 2-litre was outlived by its engine, which continued to be offered in other AC models until 1963.

A 2-door saloon car tested by The Motor magazine in 1948 had a top speed of 80 mph (130 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 19.9 seconds. A fuel consumption of 23 miles per imperial gallon (12 L/100 km; 19 mpg‑US) was recorded. The test car cost £1277 including taxes.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 "Second Hand car guide supplement". Practical Motorist. 6 Nbr 68: between pages 768 & 769. April 1960.
  2. ↑ Culshaw; Horrobin (1974). Complete Catalogue of British Cars. London: Macmillan. ISBN 0-333-16689-2.
  3. ↑ Production Run, www.ac2litre.com. Retrieved 28 October 2013
  4. 1 2 "The AC 2-Litre Saloon Road Test". The Motor. 20 October 1948.
  5. ↑ Robson, Graham (2006). A-Z British Cars 1945–1980. Devon, UK: Herridge & Sons. ISBN 0-9541063-9-3.
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