From a deceased estate; current owner 50+ years; last running about two years ago; original Anzani engine; bespoke coachwork based on an AC prototype; interesting history file; a lovely project for someoneLong before AC Cars became world famous for the legendary AC Cobra of the 1960s, they were renowned for building elegant and surprisingly quick light cars.

When racing driver SF Edge took the helm in 1921, AC cars were soon breaking endurance records at the Brooklands track in England and the Montlhéry circuit in France, an AC even becoming the first British car to win the Monte Carlo Rally in 1926.

Despite this success, they were built in very small numbers, tailored to well-heeled customers under the slogan ‘The Savile Row of Motordom’.

The Empire was a variant of the AC Model 12, manufactured between 1920 and 1927.

As AC’s famous John Weller-designed 2-litre 6-cylinder engine was still under development, the Empire was powered by a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder, side-valve engine suppli...