Years earlier than Carroll Shelby had the concept of cramming a giant American V8 engine in a British roadster a chap named Sydney Allard was constructing vehicles in Clapham, England and doing a lot the similar factor. The distinction is that Allard offered his vehicles with out a particular engine, permitting consumers to choose the particular V8 engine they needed of their automotive.
These vehicles, referred to as Allard had been very profitable in racing in the early Fifties each in the US and worldwide competitors. These vehicles had been pushed by notable drivers together with the aforementioned Carroll Shelby, Tommy Cole, Sydney Allard, and Bill Pollack. He constructed a quantity of totally different fashions over the years however the one most take into account his crowning achievement was the J2X.
The Allard L2X was Sydney’s try to enhance the automotive that was shortly changing into out of date on account of advances in sports activities automotive design from Companies equivalent to Aston Martin, Jaguar and Ferrari. The J2X, the X standing for prolonged featured a entrance suspension’s with redesigned rear attaching radius rods which allowed the engine to be moved ahead 7.5 in making it higher balanced and enhancing inside room. This stored the vehicles from Allard aggressive for a bit longer and J2X vehicles would obtain 12 first-place finishes; 11 seconds; 17 thirds; 14 fourths; and 10 fifths in 199 complete racing occasions.
The Pick of the Day is one of these storied sports activities/racing vehicles, a 1954 Allard J2X situated at a vendor in St Louis, Missouri. (Click the link to view the listing)
They describe the automotive effectively stating that it’s chassis quantity 3209 and is one of simply 9 complete Allard cars exported new to Canada, and the sole J2X exported there. The automotive is alleged to have initially been painted Beige with Red upholstery and Crimson wire wheels.
This J2X was exported on May 15, 1953 to Canada through rallyist and importer Alec Budd of Budd & Dyer in Montreal, Quebec and offered new to Quebec resident David Gurd who then offered it to restaurateur Richard Mauron of Toronto, Ontario, an MGs racing driver throughout the early Fifties. Mauron’s raced the automotive at the 1955 Canadian National Exhibition, damaging the proper entrance after which offered the J2X in favor of a 300SL Gullwing. This Allard’s subsequent proprietor was Downsview, Ontario resident Fred J. Hayes, who had the automotive repainted first Red in 1955 after which Black in 1956. Mr. Hayes would promote the automotive on the market in the January 1956 concern of Road & Track journal with the advert studying “ALLARD J2X. One of the last produced, mileage under 5000, condition original and immaculate, modified Cadillac engine, Jaguar gearbox, wire wheels, side mount spare.”
The automotive went unsold and Mr. Hayes retained and raced it till 1957. According to a interval {photograph} printed by the Allard Register, Fred Hayes set quickest time with 3209 at the 1956 Rattlesnake Point hill climb. Other interval racing occasions for 3209 whereas underneath Mr. Hayes’ possession embody an outing to Harewood Acres in Jarvis, Ontario – the ex-RCAF coaching base.
The subsequent proprietor of 3209 was Dave R. Pidgeon, a resident in Oakville, Ontario and nephew of film actor Walter Pidgeon, who labored in Toronto at the time and reportedly used the Allard as his every day driver on sunny days. Photographed for the October 1959 cowl of Canada Track & Traffic journal, 3209 was supplied on the market by Mr. Pidgeon in the journal’s July 1961 concern, who described the automotive as a “CADILLAC-ALLARD J2X – Superb track and road car. Particularly suited to hill climbs, as featured on CT&T cover, October 1959. Maintained in top condition. Engine set up by Detroit Racing Equipment with 4 2-throat carburetors, solid valve lifters. Corvette 4-speed transmission. Finished in bright blue, red leather. Not suitable for beginners or those with a “heavy foot.”
In January 1962, Mr. Pidgeon offered the Allard for a reported $2,000 to Ontario resident Al Sands, who would preserve the automotive for greater than 50 years, ultimately promoting the automotive to a fellow Ontario, Canada-based Allard fanatic. In tribute to Mr. Sands, the new proprietor drove the J2X in the 2018 Hockley Hill Climb, held in Southern Ontario’s lovely Hockley Valley, with the former proprietor’s ashes fittingly alongside for the trip.
The vendor goes on stating that this automotive was sorted and maintained by the most up-to-date proprietor in readiness for driving enjoyment as initially supposed. They go on to state that this J2X stays in any other case unaltered and as beforehand owned by Mr. Sands.
This J2X incorporates a 331 cubic-inch Cadillac OHV V-8 engine, geared up with twin Holley 4-barrel carburetors and finned alloy rocker covers, paired with a Jaguar 4-speed guide gearbox. They add that the Metallic Blue paint end stays good and glossy. Accents embody painted wire-spoke wheels and the splendidly patinated, pink leather-trimmed seats.
They shut their advert stating that the automotive is properly detailed and offered, calling it an trustworthy Allard J2X with excellent historical past.
A J2X like this one is one of these vehicles that could be a veritable Swiss Army Knife. You can race it at any classic occasion, take it on nearly each tour in the world, and in addition present it at the greatest concours occasions. It is a uncommon automotive with a complete of solely 83 complete constructed. With an asking worth of solely $345,000 it represents fairly a bit of automotive for the asking worth.
To view this itemizing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
