1971 AC Frua

The AC Frua is certainly one of the rarest and underrated automobile of the 1960’s and early 1970’s. Built by AC Cars from 1965 to 1973, only 81 cars were built ( 49 coupes, 29 convertibles and 3 special-bodied). Chassis which were based on the famous AC Cobra 427 but extended by 6", were buit at the AC plant in England then shipped to Pietro Frua's shop in Italy where the body was fitted and then sent back to England to have the power train and trim fitted. The cost was huge and the cars could not be sold at a competitive price. A.C. Royal Roadster 1924 A.C. 16/70 Sports Drophead Coupé 1935 1999 Cobra Replica AC Cars Group Ltd. ... 427 AC Shelby America CSX 4109 Cobra Signature Series #3 of 4 Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Shelby Cobra Shelby Cobra redirects here. ... Pietro Frua (1965) Pietro Frua (May 2, 1913 - June 28, 1983) was one of the leading Italian coachbuilders and car designers during the 1950s and 1960s. ...

Construction was similar to most Italian super cars of that era with square and rectangular tubing connecting the all steel body to the frame (with the exception of the aluminum trunk lid in the convertible). The design was intricate and prone to rust. Because of its huge 4” tubular chassis, the car was immensely rigid in both coupe and convertible versions.

The AC Frua was never fully developed because AC Cars lacked the financial means to do so. The main problem which is also common to the big blocks American muscle cars of the period is a tendency to dissipate the heat produced by the huge engine inside the cabin. But this flow can be overcome by using modern insulation on the firewall and under the floor. A.C. Royal Roadster 1924 A.C. 16/70 Sports Drophead Coupé 1935 1999 Cobra Replica AC Cars Group Ltd. ... The Pontiac GTO is a classic example of the muscle car. ...

When thinking about that era’s performance automobiles, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and AC cobra come to mind. The AC Frua can more than match the cars mentioned above (exept the AC Cobra). Built over a stretched AC Cobra 427 chassis, the “Frua” is a race car in sheep’s clothing. In stock form the car has immense performance, especially when compared to let’s say a 60’s Ferrari or Lamborghini. The Ford FE engine has more than twice the capacity, torque and about 100 more horsepower in a car that has a similar weight. Reliability is basic Ford which light years over Italian and British exotics. Ferrari is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. ... The official Automobili Lamborghini logo Lambo redirects here. ... The Ford FE engine was a Ford V8 engine used in vehicles sold in the North American market between 1958 and 1976. ...

Although body parts can be very difficult to find, all mechanical parts are available through Ford or various Cobra suppliers. So maintenance is easy and relatively inexpensive compared to other exotics of the period.

With a little tweaking the beast can be made as quick as or even quicker than a Cobra because of its increased aerodynamics and the chassis is more than able to handle even insane amounts of power. Five hundred horsepower is relatively easy to achieve with the 428 motor and the 427 "side Oiler" motor can easily achieve in excess of 600hp on “pump gas” (91 octane). With this type of power the car is easily the fastest road going automobile of that era.