1956 AC ACE-BRISTOL Venezuelan Racer

• 1955 AC Ace, Chassis no. AEX 95

• Originally painted Ivory with a Red interior

• Sold new to Juan Fernandez of Caracas, Venezuela

• The first of just four AC-engined Aces imported into Venezuela

• Dispatched from AC’s Thames Ditton factory on 19th September 1955

• Originally equipped with AC Engine no. CL 2194

• Details confirmed by the AC Owners Club in a letter from Alex Grenfell, AC Ace Registrar.

• Uprated by Nigel Winchester of Winchester Motorsport with a Bristol 2-litre engine to 1956 AC Ace-Bristol ‘Ottolina’ specification.

• Invited to compete at Goodwood Revival and Goodwood Members’ Meeting

Racing in Venezuela in the 1950s and the Ottolina Car

With a change of regulations under President General Marcos Perez Jimenez in 1955, the racing scene in Venezuela burst into life. All the great marques – Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin and Mercedes – were present, with all the great drivers of the time, including Fangio, Moss and Hawthorn, piloting these great cars. These were not to be purpose-built circuit events – there were then no such venues in the country – but hardcore road-races and hillclimbs modelled along the crowd-pleasing, death-or-glory lines of the recently banned Mille Miglia and Carrera Panamericana.

Venezuela was a global supplier of oil, and with it came great personal wealth for those involved. Being highly competitive in the under 2-Litre Class, AC sports cars gathered silverware. And so wealthy, amateur racers turned to local businessman, Juan ‘Jack’ Fernandez to help them secure one. He was responsible for importing AC cars into Venezuela, bringing in the first Ace, AEX 95 for himself in 1955. Being a racing driver himself, he was in the best position to represent the burgeoning brand.

In 1956 he took delivery of three of the new 2-litre Ace-Bristols, which he took to the workshop of German garage owner Karl Pentz for aerodynamic modifications by way of a lower air intake and cowled lights to increase the car’s straight-line speed. The most famous car campaigned by Fernandez’ CADV team, was owned by Renny Ottolina and painted ivory. Ottolina, a talk show host and amateur racer, enjoyed much success with the car in Venezuela during 1956 and 1957, racing at the front of the 2-litre class and usually only headed by the purpose built 2-litre sports racing cars from Ferrari and Maserati. Local circuits included Circuito Le Trinidad, La Montana, Valencia, Maracay and Pedro Garcia.

For 1957 the Caracas 1000km Grand Prix for Sports Cars was the penultimate round of the World Sports Car Championship, and the race attracted the great drivers of the time - Moss, Hawthorn, Brooks, Hill, Collins, Behra, Gregory - and works teams, the strongest entries being Ferrari and Maserati. In qualifying, Renny Ottolina and co-driver Fredy Brandt brought the Ace-Bristol home in 21st place, a very respectable position given the opposition.

After the race Ottolina sold the car and it was eventually parted out and written off in the 1980s.

Chassis AEX 95

Chassis AEX 95 departed AC Cars in Thames Ditton in September 1955, being shipped straight to Venezuela to its first owner, wealthy racer Juan ‘Jack’ Fernandez. The first of just four AC-engined Aces imported into Venezuela, this was Fernandez’ first AC Ace and delivered in ivory with a red interior.