The AC 428 is a British grand tourer built by AC Cars from 1965 to 1973, also known as the AC 428 Frua after the Turin carrozzeria that designed and produced its body. It used an extended Cobra 427 Mark III chassis and a Ford V8, and was made in 81 examples: 51 fastback coupés and 30 drophead coupés.
AC 428 at a glance
| Maker | AC Cars, Thames Ditton, Surrey |
|---|---|
| Also called | AC 427 at first; AC 428 Frua |
| Production | 1965–1973 |
| Body | designed and built by Frua, Turin |
| Chassis | Cobra 427 Mark III, extended by 6 inches (152 mm) |
| Engine | Ford 428 V8; only two cars used the 427 |
| Layout | front engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Body styles | drophead coupé and fastback coupé |
| Built | 81 cars: 51 fastback coupés and 30 drophead coupés |
| Assembly | rolling chassis in England, body in Turin, trim back in England |
| Known problems | high oil temperature and engine heat in the cabin |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only, so its figures could not be checked against a second source.
History of the AC 428
A Cobra chassis in search of a body
After the Cobra 427 failed to gain the 100 cars needed for homologation, Shelby halted production and AC began looking for projects of its own. The company decided to adapt its existing Mark III chassis and went first to Bertone, then to Frua on the suggestion of Hubert Patthey, the Swiss AC importer. The body Frua delivered is very similar to the Maserati Mistral, also styled by Frua, and the two cars share front quarter windows and door handles. The first prototype, CF 1, had an unmodified Mark III suspension, a removable metal tonneau behind the seats and originally a Ford 390 V8, later replaced by a 428. The new car was first shown in drophead form at the 1965 Earls Court motor show as the AC 427; only two cars were built with the 427 engine.
Production
By mid-1966 the car was available as the AC 428, and a fastback coupé debuted at Earls Court in 1967. For production, AC replaced the competition-oriented spherical joints of the Cobra suspension with Metalastik bushings and added side vents to the wings to release hot air from the engine bay. Each car was built to rolling chassis condition at Thames Ditton, shipped to Frua’s workshop in Turin for its body, then returned to England for the powertrain and trim. Production costs were high and the cars could not be sold at a profitable price. Derek Hurlock of AC described the 428 as fitting his image of a true GT car, one of the fastest on the road and backed by a small company that cared.
The end of production
The 428 was never fully developed because AC lacked the money. Its two most persistent problems were excessively high engine oil temperatures and engine heat reaching the cabin. Labour disputes in Italy dogged Frua and slowed the supply of bodies, and Ford warned that the 428 engine would only be available for another three years through a new UK distributor. With the 1973 oil crisis and increasingly strict American emission standards, AC decided to end production.
Design and features
- Italian styling: Frua’s body gave the car a close resemblance to the Maserati Mistral.
- Cobra foundations: the chassis was the Cobra 427 Mark III, lengthened by six inches for more cabin space.
- Big Ford V8: the 428 engine made the car one of the fastest GTs on the road.
- Hand-built in two countries: chassis, body and final assembly took place in England and Italy.
AC 428 versions
- AC 427 (1965–1966): the original name, used for the Earls Court show car; two cars had the 427 engine.
- Drophead coupé: the open version shown first, 30 built.
- Fastback coupé (1967–1973): the closed version with a sloping tail, 51 built.
- CF 1: the prototype, first with a 390 V8 and later a 428, and with a metal tonneau behind the seats.
The 428 was built on the chassis of the AC Cobra 427. AC’s other models include the AC 2-Litre, and more cars are in the AC collection.
Video: AC 428 in Dublin
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- AC 428, English Wikipedia: history, production, chassis, problems
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