F. G. ROSSITER'S A.C.-SPECIAL

F. G. ROSSITER’S A.C.-SPECIAL F. G.

F. G. ROssiter’s special A.C. which tied with a Frazer-Nash for first places in the unblown 3-litre racing and 4-litre sports classes at this year’s Blackwell Hill Climb, is basically a 1925 A.C. Six. Three carburetters are used, as on certain modern A.C. engines. A re-designed o.h. camshaft and new connecting-rods are used, and the compression-ratio is 81 to 1. Alterations were carried out

on the lubricating arrangements. Certain 1929 chassis parts were incorporated, the power-unit moved back in the frame necessitating a shorter carden-shaft, and the clutch slightly modified. The front quarter-elliptic springs were strengthened. The gearbox, Which remains in the hack axle, has a standard 4.5 to 1 top ratio. A sheet steel body was built fOr the car. The speeds attained are : 1st 30 m.p.h., 2nd 56 m.p.h., top 90 xn.1).11. At the last Shelsley meeting Rossiter clocked 50.4 and 50.59 secs., on his two runs, finding the A.C. rather over-geared. In practice he was unofficially clocked at 47.1. secs., doing 55 m.p.h. in second gear to within seventy-five yards of the S-bend. A.C.s have long been renowned for lightweight construction, and this revised example

weighs )4 cwt. Prior to Rossiter’s appearance, the last Shelsley ascent by an A.C. was in 1921, when j. A. Joyce took the narrow single-seater up in 53.2 sees,—.which car is illustrated in the now rare first volume of the ” Brooklands Gazette.” These notes are taken from an out-of-the-ordinary and well-produced book ” Action,” written for the A.C. Company by R. de Y. Bateson. Copies are obtainable free on mention of Moroi: SPORT. Two modern A.C.s have recently found owners in the U.S.A.