AC 3000ME Info of Modified Cars

Information on modified AC 3000ME's

In 1981 the world famous Italian styling team "Ghia" started to design and build a concept car for Ford as a potential Rally car naming it the" AC Ghia" . It used the mechanical package of an AC 3000ME.

There plans never got off the ground with only one being built. It used a standard 3000ME chassis which was not shortened by 8" as some say, rather the car was 8" shorter..

There was talk of the car going into production using Ford backing with 500 per year being rumored.

The origional car was in silver, then changed to black

The single concept car was sold by Ford at Christies, Dearborn on16th June 2002 where it made £23500.

About the same time Ford took another AC 3000ME and this time stretched into a concept car named Quicksilver, this concept was a 4 door, 4 seater with mid-engine.

The car remind some people of the Citroen GS range.

The single concept car made was sold by Ford at Christies, Dearborn on16th June 2002 where it made £45825

We have been told that since the auction the car has been coloured Red.

In 1981 Shelby modified an AC 3000 ME believing that an affordable mid-engine car would sell well in the USA.

Business partners Steve Hitter and Barry Gale imported an AC 3000ME, which they decided would be fitted with an American engine and gearbox to meet the US emissions standards.

When General Motors delayed providing an engine, Steve Hitter arranged the help of Carroll Shelby who had at the time been hired by Chrysler as a consultant on a new line of performance cars. Shelby helped the team obtain a 2.2ltr turbocharged four-cylinder K-Car engine. Although the car showed promise, Chrysler management declined to support the project and only a single AC Shelby was built. The Car is in the Petersen Car Museum being advertised for sale at one time for $50000

AC 3000ME Chassis number 129, Reg Number: VPC634X: Manufactured at Thames Ditton, this car was the personal transport of Andrew Hurlock who was then the Managing Director of AC cars, . When manufacture switched to Scotland the car was used as a development vehicle for the proposed Mark 2 which was a project undertaken in conjunction with Alfa Romeo.
The development engineer was Aubrey Woods of BRM fame who designed many modifications to overcome the problems associated with the Mark 1. These included a complete re-rigging of the suspension using Alfa parts and wheels, Koni self-levelling shock absorbers, a complete Alfa control unit, pedals, steering, CV drive shafts and ventilated disc brakes.
Hewland designed a modified gearbox giving individual selectors, extensive use of tapered races and Hyvo chain drive with Weller tensioner using a separate chain case. Originally a 2500cc V6 Alfa engine, race prepared by John Dooley, was fitted however it was never raced and a 164 Alfa engine was subsequently installed. The car is painted in Red with Black trim and when sold by H & H for £8000 by auction it had only three registered keepers from new - AC. at two addresses and the private owner and vendor who had bought the car from AC.

A replica AC 3000ME was modified for racing in the Supersports series and was seen at Knock Hill in 1990.

It uses a spaceframe chassis with a Ford BDA Cosworth Engine and Hewland box.

The history of the car and its owner was printed in a magazine article in the February 1992 edition of Cars and Car Conversions (CCC)

From the pictures the exhaust looks perfect to keep you hands warm when adjusting the tappets!

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