1952 Allard J2X

By on in English May 2001 issue
If hot rods had been invented in England, Sidney Herbert Allard would have been their originator. In 1936 he built a successful trials machine from Ford and Bugatti parts. His 1949 National British Hill Climb Championship came in a loud and fearsome special with four rear wheels powered by a war-surplus V8 Steyr tank engine. The first postwar production models of the Allard Motor Company, founded in 1946, featured American Ford flathead V8s, more often than not fitted with Zora Arkus-Duntov’s Ardun speed parts such as intake manifolds and cylinder heads. By the early 1950s, large American OHV V8s like Cadillac and Chrysler Hemis became available. In true hot rod fashion, Sidney wasted no time shoehorning these into his J2 and J2-X sports racing models. The first Cadillac engine obtained from the US was immediately installed into Allard’s own J2 racing car that was entered in the 1950 Tour of Sicily and, in the same year, the 24 hours of Le Mans, where Allard finished third overall. The J2 and J2-X Allard models were also extensively raced in the US in the early 1950s, scoring road racing victories in the hands of such legends as Tom Cole, Erwin Goldschmidt and Fred Wacker over the latest Ferraris and Jaguars. Handling and braking deficiencies notwithstanding, Allards scored major overall race results at Le Mans, Monte Carlo, Watkins Glen, Pebble Beach and Sebring, where the J2s finished first and second in 1950. Obviously the American hot rod idiom “There is no substitute for cubic inches” was embraced by Sidney Allard. The Allard J2-X pictured here was originally purchased by two GM engineers who installed a water-cooled three-speed HydraMatic transmission. In its British Racing Green paintwork, this Allard truly embodies all of the best attributes of an early 1950s British roadster. The fact that this Allard is a true dual-purpose street car and track racer was recently proven when Dan Marsh won his race in it at Laguna Seca, drove the car to Pebble Beach, and was awarded the prestigious Monterey Cup.

SCM Analysis

Detailing

Vehicle:1952 Allard J2X

The car shown here was sold by RM Auctions for $130,000 at the Arizona Biltmore on January 19, 2000. In my inspection notes of the car preceding the auction, I wrote that it was in #1 condition in all areas and that it sounded very hairy—hardly a surprise for a J2-X, but very satisfying mechanical music nonetheless. The pre-sale estimate on this car was $150,000-$200,000. It was superbly presented and, as the catalog said, ready for road, track or concours.

The Allard’s nickname among racers and drivers is “the blacksmith’s revenge,” and the cars make no pretense toward highly sophisticated engineering. They are, in fact, somewhat crude but quite effective devices, rather like a sledgehammer on four wheels. The front suspension, consisting of a split I-beam and coil springs, is in effect a swing axle. This causes notable camber on the front wheels, and has also caused more than one heart-stopping moment during vigorous cornering, sometimes followed immediately by an off-course excursion. Conversely, the DeDion rear end, with Allard quick-change differential and long radius rods to the chassis, did a good job of keeping the back end of the car planted where the driver desired.

Along with challenging suspension behavior, the J2-X drum brakes are a bit deficient in bringing these beasts down from high speeds. But there was certainly no cause for complaint about the power on tap. Whether propelled by a Caddy 331, like this car, or a Chrysler Hemi, what the J2-X lacked in soothing chassis behavior it more than compensated for in sheer, flat-out performance. Because of all the power on tap, the driving technique consisted of aim-and-squirt, passing the more sophisticated machinery on the straights and letting them catch up—if they could—in the corners.

Allards enjoyed a substantial spike in value several years ago when they were the featured marque at the Monterey Historic Races. It seemed everyone wanted to take some kind of Allard racing at Laguna Seca. Since then, price levels have settled back somewhat, with the J2-X and the even scarcer—and essentially as fast—J2-R models staying at the top of the pyramid.

This car seemed a very fair buy for the money. It was a fresh, correct, no-expenses-spared restoration. The HydraMatic may have affected its value, but that’s a hard call to make since it was a period modification professionally done by GM guys. For an owner going vintage racing, it might actually serve as an advantage. The Xs put out so much power that the driver might be glad to have both hands free to wrestle the bellowing bolide around corners.—Dave Brownell

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