Vehicle Description
Put yourself in the shoes of a character in BS Levy's The Last Open
Road; a young man at Watkins Glen in the 1950s. A plethora of
sounds are heard in the distance: small German flat-fours, posh
British sixes, but the rowdiest of them all is an American V8
stuffed into one of Sydney Allard's finest works, the J2. It was
common to see Allard's racing at any of America's historic tracks
such as Watkins Glen, Sebring, or Road America, often winning and
for good reason. Before achieving fame with racecars, Allard began
by supporting the war effort by maintaining British and American
military vehicles-a prelude to his future endeavors. After V-Day,
Sydney Allard saw a new opportunity in road racing. His initial
creation, the J1, set the stage for the J2, creating a car that was
lower, leaner, and more streamlined than its predecessor. The J2
featured a de Dion rear axle, large Alfin drum brakes, and a
revised version of Allard's signature split front axle, designed by
Les Bellamy. Sydney Allard's timing was perfect, as the American
sports car racing scene was gaining momentum, with buyers eager for
competitive, race-ready cars. Ninety-four J2s were built and
shipped to America, all without an engine and transmission, but
they were designed to accept a range of V8s. The introduction of
Cadillac's powerful new overhead valve, 331 cubic-inch V8 was the
prime choice of the best racers. With 160 horsepower in stock form
and the potential for much more, the Cad-Allard dominated open road
racing in the 1950s, regularly winning in both America and Europe.
It took several years for European competitors to catch up with
Allard's success, and for a time, the J2 was the dominant force in
racing. The Anglo-American J2 is an icon of motorsport history and
remains Allard's most successful racing car of all time. We are
privileged to offer one of the most unique J2s to be produced, 99J
1733, with a well-documented life. Washington DC dealer Jack Pry
ordered the car new June 19th, 1950, and specified that the car be
fitted with the little-known factory option of wing fenders in the
style of K2's. The fenders are longer, slimmer, and less bulbous
than K2 fenders, with the headlights located in-between the nose
and front of the fender, instead of recessed in the fender. To fit
the fenders to the car Allard had to redesign portions of the front
end, which proved costly. According to Allard historian Tom Lush,
the factory ultimately deemed the modifications to 1733 too
expensive to produce another with the option, thus 1733 is the only
Allard J2 produced with wing fenders! Pry received the car a few
months later on September 13, 1950 and shortly after the J2 was
fitted with a 331 Cadillac. The dealer ordered the car for Perry
Boswell of Upper Marlboro, MD, but upon receiving it, it was said
he didn't care for it. His time with 1733 was very short and the
car was sold to Lt. Jerome Saubers, who was stationed in the DC
area serving in the Air Force. They were a popular choice amongst
servicemen, so it's no surprise Lt. Saubers purchased one.
Additionally, under his ownership, an electronic tachometer was
added to the car, which can no doubt be attributed to his time as a
pilot. He frequented SCCA events and owned the car for just over a
year, then sold it to Battelle Memorial Institute in November of
1951. Not much is known about Battelle's usage of the car, but
according to the history file accompanying the car, it was used as
a "test bed vehicle for top-secret sports car development." The
project was underwritten by the Murray Body Co., a company that had
much involvement in the American automotive industry. Battelle kept
the car for two years exactly, as in November 1953 the Allard was
sold to an unidentified buyer. While this buyer is unknown, we can
construct a rough timeline of ownership of about twenty-three
years. The next custodian was Joe Cady Jr in Peoria, Illinois,
sought to restore the car but never got to it and left the car to
decay, in an open-sided shed for over twenty years. In 1986 Fred
Bohart, Cady's neighbor, purchased the car and stored it in his
garage briefly, and in the meantime put up an ad in the Chicago
Tribune. The most recent owner acted quickly upon the ad and
purchased 1733 on 6 June 1986. 1733 was in a dire state;
restoration was the only option to save this one-off J2, and
beginning in the late 1990s, an intensive restoration began. Bob
McKee, known for Can Am racecars, restored the chassis. While
there, the rear end was modified to accept a Halibrand quick change
center section, that was built to incorporate a Corvette
limited-slip feature. Meanwhile, Boyd Racing Engines of Norman, OK,
rebuilt the 331 Cadillac. Additionally, vintage Hildebrand valve
covers, valley cover, and oil filter housing were fitted during the
restoration. Impressive dyno numbers followed the rebuild, as the
engine was bored out to 342 cubic inches. Two period-correct Carter
WCD carburetors feed the engine, and the J2 has been upgraded to a
Muncie Rock Crusher four-speed transmission. Accompanying the sale
of the car is an alternative induction system, featuring a vintage
SCOT supercharger with three, 2" SU carburetors, a custom manifold,
and a bonnet designed to accommodate the supercharger. Finished in
silver grey, the color is complemented by grey Rudge-Whitworth
wheels fitted during Saubers ownership, which it still wears today.
The exterior presents as better than new, and the same as period
photographs, such as Watkins Glen in 1950. Meanwhile, the interior
was restored to a fantastic red leather. During the restoration,
1733 was converted to right drive; the level of detail in the
conversion is phenomenal, with every switch, dial, and knob
expertly placed to match period photos. Allard owners are genuinely
passionate about their cars, and with only 82 J2s accounted for in
the Allard Register, it is rare to find such a beautifully restored
example available on the open market. Chassis 99J 1733 is in
magnificent condition, having won numerous awards at many respected
concours around the country. It is an excellent illustration of the
car that launched the careers of Carroll Shelby and Zora
Arkus-Duntov while igniting the passion for sports car racing in
America. Offers welcome and trades considered. For additional
details please view this listing directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7770-1950-allard-j2-roadster/
