Tojeiro Bristol 1953

[Sick Cylinder]

Skilled club racer Cliff Davis decided to move up to the 2 litre class for the 1953 season. He commissioned John Tojeiro to design a chassis for Bristol's 2 litre straight six engine. Bodied in aluminium by Eric Hall and Bill Rich, the car was road registered as 'LOY 500'. Well balanced and fast, the Tojeiro-Bristol had a magnificent season and even won the support race at the Dutch Grand Prix beating the 2 litre Maseratis. Davis suggested to Tojeiro that the sports racer could form the basis of a production model and thus earn some money. Learning that AC Cars Ltd were looking for a project, Tojeiro took 'LOY 500' to the firm's Thames Ditton factory for evaluation. The Directors were impressed and could see a future in the design. Suitably evolved it debuted at the London Motor Show as the AC Ace (John Tojeiro being paid £5 per car in royalties). As most people know, Shelby fitted a Ford V8 engine in an AC Ace to form the Cobra. So this car was the father of the AC Ace and the Grandfather of the AC/Shelby Cobra.

NB Full details on that fabulous and very technically advanced straight six, hemi-head Bristol engine are given in the thread about the AC Ace Bristol - click the link near foot of page.


1953 Race Results for 'LOY 500'
Goodwood Easter Meeting Fourth Handicap race - 1st place
Goodwood Members Meeting - May Race 3 - 1st Place
Silverstone 16th May Race 4 - 10 lap sports car race under 2500cc - 1st place
Race 6 - 3rd placeCrystal Palace May Bank Holiday meetingSports Car Scratch Race - 1st Place
Snetterton June Race 2 - 4th place
Zandvoort - June - Dutch GP support race 1st place
Snetterton July Race 2 - 1st place
Goodwood July Race 4 - 2nd place
Silverstone NSCC August Race 6 - 3rd place
Charterhall 15th August 2 ½ litre sports cars - 2nd place
Brooklands Memorial Trophy Won by Cliff Davis
Goodwood Nine Hours August 9th place
AMOC at Snetterton September Sports Cars up to 2000cc - 1st place
Crystal Palace September Sports cars 1.5 - 2.5 litre race - 2nd place
Oulton Park September1.5 to 2.5 litre race - 2nd place
Castle Combe October Over 1.5 litres - 5th place

Don't forget to also like the son of this car - the AC Ace Bristol:

https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/threads/ac-ace-bristol-father-of-the-ac-shelby-cobra.300550/

Don't forget to also like the grandson of this car - the Shelby Cobra MK 1:

https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/threads/shelby-cobra-mk1-1962.302857/

 

[omgsean1]

Hmm... Small engine block in a Cobra... Very interest, I'll favorite it now.

 

[StarLight]

I saw a while ago this car on a TV documentary .... very nice car.
You got my vote.
👍

 

[swynder]

This beeing the grandaddy of the Cobra it could sure use some more recognision.

 

[Sick Cylinder]

The car in action! It was sold in 2012 by Bonhams and is maintained in race ready condition - I am sure the owners would be honoured to have it included in the game as this would bring awareness of this historic car to a wider audience.