Vehicle Description
Allard Motor Company was founded in the aftermath of WWII by Sydney
Allard, a London garage owner who was also known for being a rather
bold and courageous racing driver. Prior to the war, Allard built a
handful of cars for trials competition on bespoke chassis that
utilized cheap American horsepower that ranged from the Ford V8 to
a Lincoln V12. His first cars were successful enough to sell about
a dozen examples before the war. After the war, Sydney Allard
wasted little time getting back to building cars. In 1946 he
announced the arrival of the K1, a 2-seat roadster with a
box-section chassis, live rear axle, transverse leaf springs and
the signature split-axle front suspension designed by Les Ballamy.
As a natural by-product of Allard's war-time business repairing
Ford military vehicles, power came from the ubiquitous Ford
"flathead" V8, with the option to fit the more powerful Mercury
version coming soon after. Many cars would be equipped with the
ARDUN overhead valve conversion, as its creator, Zora Arkus Duntov
served as a technical advisor and works driver for Sydney Allard
prior to going to General Motors where he became the savior of the
Corvette. Allard had indeed found an ideal formula, as 151
customers came knocking to buy the K1. Following up on the K1 was
the K2 of 1950, sharing the same basic architecture but with vastly
improved handling via coil-springs that replaced the leaves on the
split front axle. The K2 also featured revised styling, with the
attractive pentagon grille and signature oval portholes in the
bonnet making their first appearances. Power came via the tried and
true Ford V8, with Cadillac or Chrysler OHV V8s offered as an
option. Most cars would utilize Ford power as it was proven and
easily tuned to make more than enough power for the chassis. The K2
was popular with American audiences, though it sold in fewer
numbers than its predecessor - ultimately just 119 were built from
1949 to 1952. Finished in attractive primrose yellow with black
wings, this is a sterling example of the rare and desirable Allard
K2 Touring. This particular car comes to us via long term ownership
in a large and diverse collection, and it presents in very good
condition with a well-preserved older restoration. Little is known
of the car's earliest history, though a series of accompanying
photographs show it in approximately the early 1980s, as it was
discovered in an unrestored but complete state. Photos show it was
a sound and original car to begin with, requiring minimal bodywork.
Photos depict the disassembly, repairs and the subsequent finished
product in the handsome livery it wears today. The K2 now presents
in handsome order, with good quality paintwork and finishing. The
body remains straight with excellent door and decklid fit, and
includes a full set of weather equipment in black canvas. A few
touchups can be found, which is to be expected considering the time
since its restoration, and the finish has taken on a pleasing
character with just a very slight patina. It rides on correct
color-keyed steel wheels with blackwall crossply tires and Allard
dog-dish hub caps. Power comes from a Ford Flathead V8 with period
upgrades that include Offenhauser cylinder heads, Offy tri-power
intake and a trio of Stromberg 97 carburetors. The engine
compartment is tidy and very nicely presented, and the engine runs
well, sending power through a three-speed manual gearbox. The
chassis and undercarriage appear clean and sorted, with a very good
driver-quality level of detail. It has seen limited use recently,
so a light refresh of the mechanicals would be recommended prior to
any serious events. The interior is basic and purposeful, trimmed
in black leather with off-white piping. Seats are in very good
order, with a pleasing broken-in character to the leather. Door
panels, carpets and dash covering are all in black and appear in
excellent condition. Black canvas top and side curtains fit well
and are in excellent order. The original instruments appear in good
condition and a genuine Bluemels Brooklands steering wheel rounds
out the correctly restored cockpit. Of the 119 K2s originally
built, just 87 are known to exist according to the Allard Register.
These rare and desirable cars offer tremendous enjoyment with their
mix of burly American power and a lively English chassis. Thanks to
its broken-in character and robust, reliable flathead V8, this
Allard K2 would be an excellent choice for rallies and driving
events the world over.