Where they come up
Acecas surface through the major classic auction houses, specialist marque dealers, private sales, and — very usefully — within the AC Owners' Club, where cars often change hands among enthusiasts who know their history. Because so few exist, casting a wide net and being ready to travel, including internationally, is often necessary.
Do your homework before you view
Learn the car before you see it: get its chassis number and check it against the AC Owners' Club register and this Archive's Registry, read the history file in advance if you can, and understand which variant and specification matters. Knowing what "right" looks like for that particular car is half the battle.
The pre-purchase inspection
This is the step you do not skip. Commission a recognised AC or Bristol specialist to inspect the car — chassis, ash frame, aluminium, engine, running gear and originality — before you commit. The cost of an inspection is trivial against the cost of the problems it can uncover on a hand-built car of this age and value. Ideally, drive the car or have the specialist do so. Before you view, read Understanding the body — the aluminium, steel and ash of the Aceca is where the biggest hidden costs lie.
Completing the purchase
Confirm that the registration document, the chassis and engine numbers, and the seller's right to sell all align. Agree what is included — original tools, spares, hardtop, history file. If the car is coming from abroad, establish the import and export requirements and costs in advance, as rules for moving historic cars between markets have become stricter. Take your time over the paperwork; on a car like this, a careful purchase is a large part of a happy ownership.