Lot 242: 1968 AC 428 Convertible

The concept of Italian styling coupled with American V8 horsepower was well established by the late 1960s, and no doubt influenced AC Cars’ decision to re-configure its fire-breathing Cobra sportscar as a luxury Grand Routier. A Cobra MkIII coil-suspended chassis was extended by 6” in the wheelbase and despatched to Italy to be clothed in elegant steel coachwork by Pietro Frua, the result looking not unlike the latter’s Maserati Mistral. The first car, a two-seater convertible, was completed in time for the 1965 Earls Court Motor Show, while the following year’s Geneva Salon saw the launch of an even more sensational fastback-styled coupe. Although the 428cu in (7-litre) Ford Galaxie engine that gave the model its name produced less power than the Cobra 427’s, the 345bhp on tap was capable of delivering all the performance that customers desired. Shrugging off the car’s 1,416kgs weight and seemingly unhampered by the automatic transmission, as fitted to the majority of cars, this stupendous engine enabled road testers to record sub-six-second 0-60mph times and 0-100mph times of around 14.5 seconds, with a maximum speed in excess of 140mph. Hampered by an inflated price - the 428 cost considerably more than the contemporary Aston Martin DB6 - production never attained Cobra levels, just 51 coupés and 29 convertibles being made between 1966 and 1973. This rare and exclusive AC 428 Convertible with automatic transmission was previously German registered, having been registered ‘MOP 605F’ in the UK during the late 1980s/1990s. The engine was rebuilt in the UK in 1990 (bills available) before the car was sold to a private collector in Germany. The car was purchased there by the vendor for DM165,000 in 1999 and re-commissioned in the UK earlier this year. Finished in black with matching leather interior and equipped with Wolfrace alloy wheels, this most elegant, Italian-styled, Anglo-American Granturismo represents excellent value for money.