Offered for sale by the Hurlock family 1910 AC Sociable Registration no. KT 8655 Chassis no. 9726 *Historic early AC three-wheeler *Purchased by Derek Hurlock in 1967 *Displayed at AC Cars' headquarters *Exhibited at the National Motor Museum and Brooklands Museum *Eligible for the Pioneer Run Footnotes: Having abandoned plans to produce a 20hp touring car, John Weller turned his not inconsiderable design talents to something more mundane: a three-wheeled commercial delivery vehicle that would suit the needs of his businessman backer, John Portwine. Called the 'Auto-Carrier' this timber-framed device was powered by a single-cylinder, 636cc, air-cooled (by fans) engine mounted beneath the driver's seat and driving the rear wheel, via a two-speed epicyclic gearbox, by chain. Steering was by means of a tiller, with goods carried in a box between the front wheels. Introduced in 1904, the Auto-Carrier was an immediate success, being a quicker and more efficient means of transporting goods around towns and cities than either horses or bicycles. Weller's versatile little commercial vehicle was bought by individual retailers as well as many major chains and department stores, some of which operated fleets of them. A passenger version - the Sociable - arrived in 1907, a second seat replacing the goods box. It was at this time that the name was abbreviated to 'AC' using the Art Nouveau-style lettering forever associated with the marque. A three-seater followed and then the definitive version with side-by-side seating for the driver and a single passenger. Exported widely throughout the British Empire and beyond, the Sociable was for many people their first experience of powered transport. Many private owners entered their Sociables in the popular reliability trials of the day, and one was even timed at 47mph at Brooklands. Hard hit by the prevailing economic recession, AC Cars went into liquidation in 1930 and was bought by the Hurlock brothers, Charles and William, proprietors of a successful road haulage business which also sold and serviced cars and lorries. The Hurlocks had purchased the AC premises in order to obtain more space for their existing businesses; it was never their intention to become car manufacturers, yet in October 1933 AC was back at the London Motor Show. After the Second World War Derek joined his father William and brother Charles in running the family firm and AC would remain in the Hurlock family's control until the company was sold to a new owner in 1986. Derek Hurlock discovered this AC Sociable in Kent in the 1960s. Offered for sale by the Hurlock family, the vehicle comes with an old-style logbook, issued in 1967, recording William Derek Hurlock as owner and noting 'Registered under the Motor Car Act 1903 on 21st August 1916'. The engine capacity is given as 214cc. The vehicle also comes with a VCC Certificate of Dating (no. 1103) stating that it was manufactured in 1910. Formerly displayed at AC Cars' headquarters and showroom, 'KT 8655' was later displayed at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu for many years and more recently has been exhibited at the Brooklands Museum. The hood was renewed while the AC was at the NMM. There is a photograph on file showing the Sociable at AC's HQ together with a letter stating that it was first owned by W Padgham & Co of Ashford, Kent and used for trade purposes only. The vehicle last ran some years ago but was running when laid up for museum display. As an Edwardian-era three-wheeler, this historic AC Sociable is eligible for the Sunbeam Motor Cycle Club's popular Pioneer Run. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com