AC SOCIABLE 

AC of Great Britain built the small AC Sociable car from 1908 to 1914.

History

Best known to car enthusiasts for the Cobra sports cars, the AC marque was launched with a much humbler vehicle. John Weller and his financial
backer, John Portwine, started manufacture of a three-wheeled delivery vehicle in 1907, which they named the Autocarrier. Weller had previously
shown an advanced four-cylinder Car under his own name, but it never went into production.

The Autocarrier, on the Other hand, was a great commercial success, and examples were sold to a large number of tradesmen, and well-known firms such as the Great Western and London & South Western railways, Associated Newspapers and Carr's Biscuits.

The name AC Sociable was given to the passenger version which came in 1908. It had the same 5/6 hp single-cylinder air-cooled engine as the Autocarrier, with two large front wheels, two-speed epicyclic gearbox and chain drive to the wheel.

The frame was of wood, with a steel cradle to carry the engine.
Three styles Sociable was made originally as a tandem two-seater, with the driver at the Tear, but soon the more popular side-by-side layout was adopted, with tiller steering. A third model combined the two arrangements, with the passengers in front and the driver behind them.

The price was a modest £190, though a number of items were extra, including a hood at six guineas and a horn at 15/6d.
The Sociable was entered in a number of sporting trials for light cars and cyclecars.

SPECIFICATION

• Engine: vertical; single cylinder; 90 x 102 mm,
• Transmission. two-speed epicyclic gearbox.
• Suspension: front, semi-elliptic leaf springs;rear, quarter-elliptic leaf spring.
• Brakes: hand brake on rear wheel (frontwheel brakes optional extras).
• Dimensions: wheelbase, 60 in (152.4 cm);track, 43.7 in .
• Max speed: 35 mph/55 kmh.