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Ak Miller and his V8 powered Ace-Bristol--did Ak really beat Shelby to the punch?

Discussion in 'Shelby History and Miscellaneous Topics' started by bitzman, Jun 21, 2012.

  1. bitzman

    bitzman Well-Known Member

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    Way back maybe a half century ago I met Ak Miller, who at that time
    was a performance consultant to Ford traveling with the Cobra Caravan. He told me that he had put a V8 into an A.C. Ace before Shelby.
    I forgot now what size or make engine, I think if it ws before '62 the 260 or 289 didn't exist yet. I found a picture on the net of an Ace Bristol (recognizable because of the "mustache" shape of the grille surround) at Bonneville with a long snout sprouting out of the grille (could only be described as a funnel shape in aluminum about 4 ft. long). I guess he set a record with it but with what engine? And the guy who took the picture says it was in '62 or '63 so that couldn't be "before the Cobra. I liked Ak and consider him a genuine war hero (frostbite in the Battle of the Bulge) but wonder if he was exaggerating that he gave Shelby the idea.

    PS I think he later put a Devin body on it, plus put a Ford falcon fornt suspensio, a Board WArner T-10 and a Chevy aluminum radiator but that was all '62 or later
     
  2. mrmustang

    mrmustang Well-Known Member

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    The following is all based on records from the original AC owners club from the 60's:

    "The AK Miller Ace was originally powered by a AC Engine (not BEX-327 as you might think), the details of the NOT so small changes that took place instigated by Mr A K Miller were briefly covered in ACtion Vol 14 Number 2. Where extracts from Mr A K Millers letter to Randy Smith the ACOC Club Secretary. Please note this letter was dated Jan 20th 1964.

    Ron Sykes had a letter published in ACtion Vol15 number 4 page 3.

    Last but not least, HotRod Magazine April 1969 had a article & picture."

    The car of course mentioned is BEX-327 and we know of a second car modified much later on that has chassis number AEX125.



    Bill S.
     
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  3. bitzman

    bitzman Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the quick answer. Do you think Ak had
    a Ford 260 cubic inch-powered AC Bristol before
    Shelby put the 260 in the first Cobra in Sante Fe Springs?
    I noticed later in the Bonneville picture that the front of the car has a 260painted on it and
    the racing number writ large on the door is 289 so that makes me think he had a 260 first. The question is
    whether Ford knew of him before Shelby and gave him a 260 as a significant figure in the hot rod community. But if they did,
    why did they give Shelby only a 221 incher at first? Maybe they weren't sure how much power the car needed or could take.
    Anyhow it sounds like after Ak got to messing with changing the suspension, he pretty much eliminated the chance
    of bringing the car back to A.C.Bristol form or has that been done?
     
  4. mrmustang

    mrmustang Well-Known Member

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    Maybe you should post a picture, perhaps the picture you are looking at for clarification:laf:
     
  5. 56ace

    56ace Well-Known Member

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    Bill,
    Can you clarify the last statement in your post? I do not believe BEX327 was the car Ak modified, and I am not sure what the reference to AEX125 is.
    Thanks,
    Jay
     
  6. mrmustang

    mrmustang Well-Known Member

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    Jay,

    There are AC owners group archives that make mention of BEX327 being modified by AK, then there are further reference by the new (at that time) owner of AEX125 being the car modified by AK. Neither articles do I currently have access to at this time but I am working on gaining access (actual vintage articles are in California, and I am on the east coast) for further clarification.

    Bill S.
     
  7. 56ace

    56ace Well-Known Member

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    Bill,
    Thanks for the clarification. From what I have read (a reprint of Ak' letter to the ACOC) Ak's car was a factory Sebring car which would be different than BEX327. If you have info on BEX327 being the Ak car I would be very interested in reading what was said as Ak's car was supposed to been extensively modified and turned into the Devin powered Cobra raced at Pike's peak and the body was discarded. Since BEX327 is alive with what appears to be its original body, I would think they are 2 different cars. As for AEX125, I own it, and while I thought it may have been Ak's old car (and maybe that is what you have read), after reading Ak's letter, I do not think that is the case. AEX125 was changed over to 289 power in the '60s, but I have been unable to determine exactly when and by whom.
    Back to the original question, the first V8 powered Ace that I am aware of was the Corvace and it was raced against Shelby in the late 50's. It had a small block Chevy and the creator planned to build more, but never proceeded with it. The creator has commented that Shelby took and interest in his car after a race and gave it a good look over. There were also other V8 modified Aces prior to the Cobra, but most used the Buick/Olds 215 V8 and Dave Guthrie is one who actively raced a 215 powered Ace. BEX327 is an interesting case as it shipped from the AC factory without an engine and supposedly was powered by a small block Chevy from the beginning, but I am not sure if that has been confirmed.
    As for Ak's car at Bonneville, here is a poor picture of it, but it may be the one Wally is looking at.

    Jay


    akcaronly.jpg
     
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  8. bitzman

    bitzman Well-Known Member

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    The earlier engine swaps

    Good thing there is others on the AC-with-American-engine trail. I think A.C. had thought of the 215 cu. in. V8 aluminum Buick engine but by the time they reached that conclusion, Rover had beat them to it. As far as the Chevy powered conversion, Chevrolet was so loathe to supply engines to other sports car makers that they ignored Bizzarrini who built a fine racing car in the iso Grifo A3C that could have beat the Cobras at Lemans. I think it all boils down to this--true, Ak amply demonstrated that a small block Ford could fit into a AC Bristol with room to spare but Ak didn't approach A.C. after he had done it. He was maybe thinking of selling other AC owners on the conversion. Shelby , knowing what Ak did, was thinking bigger---if he could get A.C. to supply the cars new, and Ford to supply the engines new and he put them together, he'd be an automaker. I even think Ak was as well known as Shelby and that would explain how he got a 260 cu. in. Ford V8 before Shelby. Maybe Ford was spreading the engine around the hot rod circles.
    Ak though he was a Ford performance consultant (answering letters from readers) was prone to four letter words, so might not have been as good a spokesman as Shelby who had the whole cowboy image going.
     
  9. bitzman

    bitzman Well-Known Member

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    I recently saw an Ace coupe very clean and original on the outside, with a beautifully installed Ford V8, I am pretty sure 289. The owner even had a faded AC decal on the valve cover to make you think it came from A.C. that way. The owner owns lots of real Cobras so I think he was just driving this around to shake people up, and of course now A.C. Aces will go up like Cobras did.
    As far as Ak he was tougher than tough, had survived the Battle of the Bulge in WWII, and raced an American built hot rod called the Chariot of Steel in an Italian road race but Shelby himself referred me to him in person to ask tech questions when I was at the auto show so I think Ack could talk without too many bad words. I agree with the poster, that Ak had the knowledge but back in Dearborn they thought Shelby made a more promotable performance advisor, sort of a Roy Rogers-Hopalong Cassidy kinda guy
     

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