Vehicle Description
American sports car enthusiasts owe more to British engineer Sydney
Allard than they may know. Operating out of his small London garage
business, he became famous for his successes in trials competition
in the 1930s, driving his own creations that were usually powered
by Ford or Lincoln engines and featuring Leslie Ballamy-designed
split-axle independent front suspension. During WWII, Allard
serviced and rebuilt mainly Ford military vehicles and by the time
the war was over, he had amassed a large array of spares and an
extremely well-equipped shop. Faced with a pile of surplus engines,
he expanded his offerings from trials cars into road going cars
with the K1 of 1949. The K1 featured a box-section chassis,
Ballamy's innovative front suspension, live rear axle and an
attractive two-seat steel body. Power came via British-built Ford
or Mercury V8 engines, with the Mercury being the performance
choice thanks to its 95hp output. Some of those engines were
offered with the Ardun OHV conversion developed by Zora-Arkus
Duntov, a man who was Allard's technical advisor and who went on to
become the father of the Corvette at Chevrolet. With the K1 and
subsequent models, Allard made quite a splash in the fledgling
American road-racing scene. Open road racing was gaining popularity
in the USA, as WWII veterans were returning home with sports cars
purchased in Europe and were seeking a suitable place to exploit
their performance. Allard was there to provide affordable sporting
cars that could return serious performance and win races-
particularly the famous Olds and Cadillac powered J2 and J2X.
Allards went on to become a mainstay of early sports car racing in
America. At places like Pebble Beach, Watkins Glen and
Bridgehampton, Allards came to dominate high-speed open road races
and they inspired the likes of Carrol Shelby, Jack Griffith, and
others to shove big Yank V8 engines into nimble British chassis.
This fascinating 1950 K1/K2 is believed to be the only example of
its kind, ordered directly from Allard by an American enthusiast.
Thanks to comprehensive documentation that dates back to the
original order, we can see that the first owner ordered a new K2,
with its revised styling and improved chassis. But shortly
thereafter, the order for the K2 was canceled and he instead
requested an older K1! Allard obliged, though the car was actually
built on the superior coil-sprung K2 chassis, and fitted with
specially made, backdated K1 bodywork. The car was delivered in the
�States via John Forbes Agency of Boston, Massachusetts. From there
it is believed it was disassembled and stored in the late 1950s,
until it was subsequently sold in 1972. The Allard was gradually
rebuilt over a 30 year period and, in 2003 was professionally
restored to the state in which it presents today. Finished in an
attractive color scheme of silver paint over a pewter-grey cockpit,
it presents in beautiful condition today. The quality of the paint
work is outstanding with excellent levels of finish work and
detailing. The car sits proudly on a set of black steel wheels with
correct Allard dog-dish hubcaps and period appropriate blackwall
bias-ply tires. Chrome on the bumpers and prominent grille is in
excellent order. The silver paint highlights the beautiful curves
of the K1 body, especially from the rear three-quarter view. The
spartan cabin is trimmed in pewter-gray leather and gray carpeting.
The leather is in very good order, showing only minor creasing from
use, with an inviting patina. The four-spoke Brooklands-style
steering wheel is leather wrapped for additional grip, a handy
feature when burying your right foot in the carpet. Instrumentation
is simple and tidy, with original Smiths gauges placed in the
center of a nicely restored wood dash panel. Under the hood is a
1947 Mercury 59A flathead V8 engine, rated in period at 85 hp,
though now producing significantly more thanks to an overbore to
295 cubic inches, beautiful Edelbrock heads and a trio of Stromberg
97 carburetors. An alternator has been fitted for reliable running
day or night, and an electric fan keeps engine temps in check. This
attractive and well-sorted Allard K1/K2 is an outstanding choice
for vintage rallying or show, and its presentation, history and
bespoke nature make it a standout even among the rarified company
of other Allards. The sale of this fine automobile includes
comprehensive historical documentation, a selection of original
tools and a fitted tonneau cover.