Rare 1990 Lea-Francis Ace of Spades Has Been Sitting for 32 Years, Will Sell at No Reserve

It was 1962 when Lea-Francis Cars Ltd was bought by Midlands engineer and entrepreneur Barrie Price. Price then began work on a hand-built new car in 1976, which was to be a Lea-Francis Nostalgia type tourer powered by a Jaguar running gear, similar to the models Lea-Francis was known for in the 1930s.

A few years later, in 1980, Price and his friend, the late Peter Engelbach, decided to produce a new car. Together they worked to create the unique "3-litre Sports," which had a ladder-type box-section chassis and a hand-crafted aluminum body. A longer version was presented during the 1992 Motor Show, resurrecting the name Ace of Spades.

In total, five Ace of Spades were built to order with either a short or long chassis configuration. The interiors included leather seats, wood veneers, and polished aluminum accents and were powered by a 3.4-liter Jaguar XJ6 engine. Classic Car Auctions is offering the sixth and last specimen, chassis #5506.

With an all-aluminum body and a 4.2-liter Jaguar engine, its build was suspended in 1990. Thus, it has remained unfinished for 32 years. A letter of provenance from Barrie Price detailing his plans to sell the vehicle, as well as a brass plaque confirming the chassis and engine numbers, are included with the car.

The Ace of Spades will be sold at no reserve, on September 25th, at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire. The evaluation for the car is £10K to £15K (which is around $13K to $20K). More information on this rare gem can be found in classic car expert David Harper's new video, in which Mr. Price himself makes an appearance.