Allard Motor Company
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Allard Motor Company Limited was a London-based low-volume car manufacturer founded in 1945 by Sydney Allard<ref name=TT>The Times, 13 April 1966, Obituary.</ref> in small premises in Clapham, south-west London. Car manufacture almost ceased within a decade. It produced approximately 1900 cars before it became insolvent and ceased trading in 1958.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Before the war, Allard supplied some replicas of a Bugatti-tailed special of his own design from Adlards Motors in Putney.<ref name=TT/>
Allards featured large American V8 engines in a light British chassis and body, giving a high power-to-weight ratio and foreshadowing the Sunbeam Tiger and AC Cobra of the early 1960s. Cobra designer Carroll Shelby and Chevrolet Corvette chief engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov both drove Allards in the early 1950s.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Pre-war Allard SpecialsEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} The first Allard cars were built to compete in "trials" events – timed rally-like events on terrain almost impassable by wheeled vehicles. Built in under three weeks,<ref name=Twite-p57>Template:Harvtxt</ref> the first Allard was powered by a Ford flathead V8 in a body mainly pirated from a Bugatti.<ref name=Twite-p57/> The V8 was moved backward in the chassis to improve traction.<ref name=Twite-p57/> The car used the American engine's high torque to great effect in slow-speed competition.<ref name=AllardperMCSwithNG>Template:Cite book</ref> It debuted at the Gloucester Cup Trials, and later won the Template:Convert event at Southport Sands.
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After a time the front beam axle was converted to independent front suspension. Leslie Ballamy's rather crude method was to cut the beam in half and mount the halves as swing axles and these swing axles were used on nearly all later Allard specials.<ref name=Twite-p57/>
Further Allards were soon built to order. Allard's brother, Leslie, was a customer, while racer Ken Hutchinson purchased a Template:Convert Lincoln-Zephyr V12-powered version.<ref name=Twite-p57/> It led to the pair forming a team, dubbed Tail Waggers, to race the car, which proved quite successful, including setting a new record at the Prescott hillclimb.<ref name=Twite-p57/>
In 1937, Allard began producing modified Fords<ref name=Twite-p57/> (in much the same way as the Chevrolet brothers had in the U.S.), selling them for £450 each.<ref name=Twite-p58>Template:Harvtxt</ref> By the outbreak of war in 1939, twelve Allard Specials had been built. Sydney Allard's planned volume production was pre-empted by work on Ford-based trucks during the conflict. By the war's end, Allard had built up a substantial inventory of Ford parts.
Post-war modelsEdit
The Allard Motor Company was founded in 1945, setting up in Clapham High Street, London.<ref name=Twite-p58/> Using its inventory of easy-to-service Ford mechanicals built up during World War II and bodywork of Allard's own design, three post-war models were introduced with a newly designed steel chassis and lightweight body shells: the J, a competition sports car; the K, a slightly larger car intended for road use, and the four seater L. All three were based on the Ford Pilot chassis and powered by a fairly stock Template:Convert Template:Convert sidevalve V8 with a single carburettor and 6:1 compression, driving a three-speed transmission and low-geared rearend, for superior acceleration.<ref name=Twite-p58/> Front suspension was Ballamy swing axle, rear Ford solid axle.<ref name=Twite-p58/> They were bodied in aluminium by Allard's friend Godfrey Imhof.<ref name=Twite-p58/> Sales were fairly brisk for a low-volume car, and demand was high for cars in general, which led to the introduction of several larger models, the drophead coupe M and P.
Allard used "J" for the short-wheelbase two-seaters, "K" for two- or three-seat tourers or roadsters, "L" for four-seat tourers, "M" for drophead (convertible) coupes, and "P" for fixed-head cars. As models were replaced, subsequent models were numbered sequentially.<ref name=Twite-p58/>
JEdit
J1Edit
Built from 1946 to 1947, the J1 was released as a two-seater competition car together with the K1 touring two-seater and the L- Type touring 4-seater. The J1 was a starkly trimmed and equipped 2-seater competition car on a Template:Convert wheelbase.<ref name=Twite-p58/> Powered by a Template:Convert Template:Convert overhead valve Mercury V8, the J1 had a top speed of Template:Convert, limited by the low rear axle gearing.<ref name=Twite-p58/> Only 12 were produced and went only to buyers who would rally them. They had good ground clearance and the front wings were removable.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Copies driven by Allard himself, Maurice Wick, and others, and was a successful racer.<ref name=Twite-p58/> Imhof won the 1947 Lisbon Rally in a J1 powered by a Marshall-supercharged version, while Leonard Potter took the Coupe des Alpes that year.<ref name=Twite-p58/>
J2Edit
Sydney Allard soon saw the potential of the economically more vibrant – but sports car starved – U.S. market and developed a special competition model to tap it, the J2. The new roadster, weighing just Template:Convert,<ref name=Twite-p59>Template:Harvtxt</ref> was a potent combination of a lightweight, hand-formed aluminium body fitted with new coil spring<ref name=Twite-p58/> front suspension, fitted with inclined telescopic dampers,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and de Dion-type rear axle,<ref name=AllardperMCSwithNG/> inboard rear brakes, and Template:Convert, Template:Convert Mercury flathead V8, with the option of an Ardun hemi conversion.<ref name=Twite-p58/> The J2 had a disturbing tendency to catch fire when started.<ref name=Twite-p59/>
Importing American engines just to ship them back across the Atlantic proved problematic, so U.S.-bound Allards were soon shipped engineless and fitted out in the States variously with newer overhead valve engines by Cadillac, Chrysler, Buick, and Oldsmobile. In that form, the J2 proved a highly competitive international race car for 1950, most frequently powered by Template:Cvt Cadillac engines. Domestic versions for England came equipped with Ford or Mercury flatheads. Zora Duntov worked for Allard from 1950 to 1952 and raced for the factory Allard team at Le Mans in 1952 and 1953.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>
Available both in street trim and stripped down for racing, the J2 proved successful in competition on both sides of the Atlantic, including a third place overall at Le Mans in 1950 (co-driven by Tom Cole and Allard himself<ref name=Twite-p59/>) at an average Template:Convert, powered by a Cadillac V8.
J2s returned to Le Mans in 1951, one co-driven again by Cole and Allard, the other by Reece and Hitchings; Reece jumped an embankment, while the Allard car broke.<ref name=Twite-p60>Template:Harvtxt</ref> They had no more success in 1952, both cars failing to finish.<ref name=Twite-p60/>
Of 313 documented starts in major races in the 9 years between 1949 and 1957, J2s compiled 40 first-place finishes; 32 seconds; 30 thirds; 25 fourths; and 10 fifth-place finishes.<ref>All Results of Allard racingsportscars.com, accessed 29 December 2018</ref> Both Zora Duntov and Carroll Shelby raced J2s in the early 1950s. Ninety J2s were produced between 1950 and 1952.<ref name="A-Z">Template:Cite book</ref>
J2XEdit
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In an effort to extend a line growing obsolete in the face of advances in sports car design, Allard introduced an 'improved' model in late 1951, the J2X (extended). The chassis remained unchanged from the previous J2,<ref>Lush, Tom. Allard: The Inside Story </ref> but in an attempt to improve handling, the front suspension's rear attaching radius rods were redesigned with forward ones, which required a forward cross member and extending the nose past the front wheels. This, in turn, allowed the engine to be moved forward Template:Cvt,<ref name=Twite-p60/> yielding more cockpit room. The nose was lengthened some Template:Cvt to accommodate the change.<ref name=Twite-p60/>
In standard form, the spare wheel was carried hidden on top of the rear-mounted fuel tank, but either version could carry one or two side-mounted spares. This allowed the use of a 40 gallon long distance fuel tank.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Arriving later, during a time when sports racing car design was developing rapidly, the J2X was not as successful in international racing as the J2, as it was not as competitive compared to more advanced C- and D-type Jaguars, alongside Mercedes, Ferrari, and Maserati works entries. Thus, it headlined less often in major international races and of 199 documented major race starts in the 9 years between 1952 and 1960, J2X's garnered 12 first-place finishes; 11 seconds; 17 thirds; 14 fourths; and 10 fifths.
One J2X chassis was given custom magnesium-alloy bodywork by Essex Aero.
JREdit
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This 1953 car was a lightweight specialist racer, powered by a Cadillac engine claimed to produce Template:Convert. Entered at Le Mans that year, the Allard/Fotheringham-Parker car suffered a broken rear suspension, while the Duntov/Merrick car also retired.<ref name=Twite-p60/> This was the marque's last effort at Le Mans.<ref name=Twite-p60/> Seven cars were built in total, with the last car finished in 1956.
KEdit
K1Edit
Built from 1946 to 1948, the K1 used a Template:Convert wheelbase and was powered by a tuned version of the Template:Convert V8, with 7:1 compression, producing Template:Convert.<ref name=Twite-p58/> The frame was made up from stamped steel channel sections by Thomsons of Wolverton specially for Allard. Side rails and cross members were designed to fit the Allard trailing link, transverse leaf independent front suspension and live rear axle. Production totaled 151 and fitted with the same engine options as the J1 the K1 could reach Template:Cvt.
K2Edit
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The K2 is a 2-seater sports car produced from 1950 to 1952.<ref name=Sedgwick/> It was offered with Ford and Mercury V8s in the home market and with Chrysler and Cadillac V8s in the USA.<ref name=Sedgwick/> 119 were built.<ref name=Sedgwick/>
K3Edit
In 1952, Allard adapted the Palm Beach in a K3, an attempt to offer a more civilized variant of the J2 and J2X models seen at the track. Exported to America as a potential "Corvette slayer" Dodge dealers had been clamoring for, it featured one of the most powerful engines of its era, the Template:Convert Chrysler hemi engine, fitted with a pair of 4-barrel carburetors.<ref name=RM>Allards sold at RM Sothebys rmauctions.com, accessed 29 December 2018</ref><ref name=RMam14>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Essentially an up-enginged, rebodied Palm Beach, it failed to find a niche in either market in spite of its performance. Today the exceptionally rare automobile can fetch the better part of US$250,000 at auction.<ref name=RM/> 62 examples were built, of which 57 were delivered to the United States.<ref name=RMam14/>
LEdit
The L is a 4-seat roadster, produced from 1946 to 1950.<ref name=Sedgwick>Sedgwick, Michael, and Gillies, Mark. A-Z of Cars 1945–1970 (Haymarket Publishing Limited, 1986), pp. 14 & 15</ref> It was on a Template:Convert wheelbase and available with a choice of Template:Convert Ford V8 or Template:Convert Mercury engines.<ref>1948 Allard L-Type, www.conceptcarz.com Retrieved 31 December 2015</ref> The top speed is estimated to be Template:Convert. Priced at a little more than £1000, 191 were produced.<ref name=Twite-p60/><ref name=Sedgwick/>
PEdit
P1Edit
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Known more often than not simply as the Allard 3.6-litre Saloon, the P1 was a five-seat, two-door sports saloon produced between 1949 and 1952. The cars used Ford engines and transmissions, and included a "Sports" model. In 1952 an Allard P1, driven by Sydney Allard himself,<ref name=AllardperMCSwithNG/> along with Guy Warburton, won the Monte Carlo Rally. Tom Lush was the navigator.
The P1 was the choice of professionals who wanted something different and was quite popular with doctors and solicitors in its day. Some 559 were produced during the model's run. Today it is believed fewer than 45 remain worldwide.
P2 Monte CarloEdit
The P2 Monte Carlo was a 2-door saloon variant of the K3, produced from 1952 to 1955.<ref name=Sedgwick/> It utilised a wood frame with aluminium panels on a 112-inch wheelbase and was offered with 3.6-litre Ford Pilot V8 and 4.4-litre Mercury V8 engines.<ref name=Sedgwick/> 11 were built.<ref name=Sedgwick/>
P2 SafariEdit
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In an attempt to further extend its line, Allard adapted its P1 saloon to produce the 8-seater, wood-sided, V8-engined, P2 Safari Estate. It too found weak sales, with 13 examples being built in total.<ref name=P2S>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
MEdit
The M appeared in 1948, remaining in production until 1950.<ref name=Twite-p58/> It was a drophead coupé.
ClipperEdit
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The 1953 Clipper was an attempt to cash in on the era's burgeoning microcar market. A tiny glass-fibre-bodied car powered by a rear-mounted 346 cc Villiers twin-cylinder motorcycle engine, it claimed to seat three people abreast with room for two children in an optional Dicky seat. About 20 were made.
Palm BeachEdit
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Allard introduced the Palm Beach roadster in 1952. It had a Template:Convert wheelbase,<ref name=Twite-p60/> it was powered by either a Template:Convert Ford Consul inline four or Template:Convert Ford Zephyr inline six.<ref name=Twite-p60/> Priced under £1200,<ref name=Twite-p60/> the MkI was built until 1958. It sold poorly.<ref name=Twite-p60/> A Mark II was introduced in 1956, with more modern bodywork.<ref name=Twite-p60/> It could be had with Template:Convert Zephyr or Template:Convert Jaguar XK120 inline six.<ref name=Twite-p60/> The split front axle was replaced by torsion bars and coil springs were fitted in the back.
P4Edit
Car designer Chris Humberstone licensed the Allard name from Sydney's son Alan Allard in the 1990s. He developed the J2X-C prototype racer, powered by a 3.5 liter Cosworth V8 engine and a transmission also grafted from an F1 car.
Short of money, Humberstone allegedly attempted to work a deal with Toyota, which would have seen examples of the first-generation Lexus LS400 be rebadged and sold as Allards to help build attention and capital for the J2X-C racer. According to sources from the time, the deal between Allard and Toyota was allegedly proceeding well, but fizzled and ultimately fell flat for unknown reasons.
The Allard P4 follows the same formula as another re-styled Anglo-Japanese hybrid, the Sterling 825, with Allard handling the design aspects while Lexus covered all the performance essentials. That meant the P4 was powered by the LS400's 4.0 liter V8, which delivered 250 horsepower to the rear wheels. The exterior styling still retained a robust Lexus flavor. Still, Allard designers tried to make it somewhat different thanks to a revised front and rear fascia, basketweave wheels, and a red and black interior. Unfortunately, the P4 did little to help the J2X-C program, which collapsed after the car failed to meet its performance targets and the company itself liquidating during development.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
DeclineEdit
Insufficient research and development meant that Allard failed to keep up with cheaper and more technically advanced cars. The Palm Beach was essentially a year behind its competitors, the K3 failed to live up to expectations, and the Safari Estate could not find a market.
By the mid-1950s Allard was struggling to remain solvent, and with the market weak due to a late-1950s US recession, the company went into administration in 1957, when manufacture of cars came to an end.
The company also offered disc brake conversions for the Ford Anglia.<ref name=Twite-p60/>
In 1961, the company offered a dragster, the Dragon, powered by a Shorrock-supercharged 1.5 liter Ford, and was distributor of the superchargers, later also taking over production of them.<ref name=Twite-p60/>
Allard's son, Alan, marketed the Allardette 105, 109, and 116, using the straight-four-cylinder engine from the Ford Anglia and other Ford models.
In 1966 Sydney Allard died on the same night a fire destroyed the Clapham factory and some of the Allard Motor Company factory records. The factory site in Clapham, South West London, is now a development of social housing apartments, and the showroom and workshop in Putney is now a Howdens Joinery trade products showroom.
Marque RevivalEdit
In 2012, a new Allard company was established called Allard Sports Cars Limited.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This company has produced a period correct continuation chassis 3408 of the JR,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and announced the development of a new J8 model in 2017.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The company officially reopened its business and began production in September 2018.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>