1936 AC 16/70

AC 16/ 70 CYT 544 - Four seater DHC in concours condition.

AC 16/ 70 - registration CYT 544.

The story begins back in August 1936 when L341 - a four-seater DHC, Black with red wheels & red leather interior found its first home with a Mr Howell in Redditch - the story is somewhat blurred until the late 1950's when she was owned by a series of RAF pilots. Her final days in running condition took place in the Norwich area with her then owner often journeying to London in her. Around that time, it was decided that she needed a refurb & overhaul & she was consigned to a local garage for that purpose. Unfortunately, the garage soon ceased trading and when L341 was retrieved the radiator, bonnet, doors and all brightwork had disappeared!

Given that this was the early 1960's when the value of the car in this state couldn't have exceeded £15 it's surprising that she survived, however she was consigned to some sort of storage, her engine being removed for use in a VSC racer.

Turn the clock forward to the late 1970's & she was sold, complete with engine, to be used as a parts car in the restoration of a four-seater tourer. However, the project was discontinued for domestic reasons and the whole package, the four-seater tourer & L341 changed hands. Fortunately, the purchaser already had enough spares without the need to plunder L341 for parts, so within several months she was sold to a friend for restoration, this became a saga in itself, L341 being gradually dismantled and many second-hand parts acquired to facilitate the rebuild but seventeen years later no further progress had been made. She was then sold again but to a purchaser that intended to shorten the chassis & turn her into a racer. As luck would have it, this flirtation was short-lived and she found another new home with a serious purchaser in Bridgnorth, not far from her first home.

He embarked on the mammoth task of returning L341 to original condition. To this end the chassis & running gear were restored and a new ash frame with aluminium skin was constructed by a local specialist. Again, another turn of fate, the onset of ill health forced the project to be abandoned and the car sold.

This is when she was acquired by the late Graham White, Graham proceeded with the restoration, having new wings made & the engine rebuilt to fast road specification (expected to deliver in excess of 120 bhp) by Steve Hughes & Dave Harris. When Graham very suddenly & unexpectedly passed away the car was almost complete, apart from some assembly, painting and re-trimming.

Graham's wife Barbara had the unenviable task of deciding how best to move the project forward.

Graham, over the years, had managed to acquire most of the increasingly rare parts required to complete the project. With help from club members, she has managed to get L341 to a condition best described as assembled ready for final fettling and tinkering prior to partial dismantling for painting and trimming by specialists.

After a 60-year slumber L341 was driven out of the garage under its own power and became available, for acquisition by a sympathetic aspiring owner to choose their own colour scheme and take it to a conclusion. It was hoped that she would one day be seen back in running condition and attending AC events.

In 2021 the car passed into new ownership and became part of a private collection of significant pre-war motor cars, where it entered the final phase of a comprehensive restoration. This work was completed to the very highest standard and has resulted in the show-winning example we see today.

The body was refinished in its original black, complemented by a deep red leather interior, matching red carpets and a black canvas hood. The signature twin rear windows complete the elegant and period-correct appearance. The restoration also encompassed a comprehensive mechanical, brake and engine overhaul, while the interior and engine bay woodwork, chrome plating, instruments and wiring were all returned to an exceptional, showroom standard finish.

The restoration, final assembly and fettling were entrusted to a small team of highly skilled craftsmen, each with over 40 years’ experience, renowned for their work on pre-war Rolls-Royce motor cars and bare metal resprays across some of Britain’s most collectable marques, notably pre- and post-war Jaguars.

Following completion, the car was reunited with Barbara White and the AC Owners’ Club and was entered into the 2025 Concours d’Elegance in Ledbury. There it was awarded First Place in the Post Vintage Thoroughbred (PVT) class, to the great delight of its owner, AC Club members and all those involved in its restoration over the years..

The car is now for sale and comes with an extensive history file, technical file and V5C.