Allard Cars

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Allard | Pre War British Sports Cars



The Allard is one of the few examples of a home-built "Special" which eventually went into the production stage with success. Sidney H. Allard, well-known trials exponent, determined to build a trials car of his own which would meet and beat the works-supported cars which were completely mono­polising the awards lists.

He fully realised the folly of building a type of vehicle which, in the event of mechanical breakages, would require to have bits specially made, resulting in heavy upkeep and long delays whilst repairs were being effected. He therefore decided to modify a standard vehicle, which had a sufficiently good power-to-weight ratio to ensure a lively performance. In actual fact, the original Allard Special was based on a 1934 T.T. Ford V8, which Allard first used in the 1935 "Gloucester," and won the North-West London Cup with it. When the car appeared in the Coventry Cup trial of the following year, it was scarcely recognisable, and it was entered as an Allard Special for the first time. The original open four-seater body was scrapped in favour of a venerable Grand Prix Bugatti two-seater affair, complete with famous Bug tail.

The Ford chassis was considerably shortened, and the driver tended to sit over the rear wheels, in to what would become known as the "Allard-boy" posi­tion. Unfortunately, the calculations regarding the tailoring of the Bug. bonnet were a trifle out, so that there was quite a con­siderable void between the radiator and the commencement of the bonnet. Later in the year, Allard won the very tough Lawrence Cup trial, and the Allard Special had come to stay.

Independent front wheel suspension by Leslie Ballamy was added for 1937, and while the intention was to make the system more efficient, many drivers lamented the way the wheels would “dither” about – and this tended to strike terror in the hearts of the onlookers. However, the Allard Special was such a successful trials chariot that when other drivers approached Allard to build them cars, he decided to go into production in limited numbers. Adlards Motors, Ltd., was the parent firm, and in due course Allard cars found their way into the hands of many noted drivers. Guy Warburton acquired the original Allard Special, and early cus­tomers were Ken Hutchison and F. D. Gilson. Hutch's car was powered by the VI2 Lincoln Zephyr engine, a most fearsome machine requiring skill such as only people of the stamp of Hutch could possibly display.

Noted Allard exponents were God­frey Imhof, Jim Appleton, M. Wick, Ken Burgess, Len Potter, G. N. Mansell, Ken McAlpine, Len Parker, and, of course, Sid and Leslie Allard. The first three comprise the Candid Provocatores team of white Allards. When Hitler intervened, Allard cars were virtually monopolising the awards lists in the large-car classes, challenged only by a few other Ford specials. When trials were resumed in 1946, it was soon obvious that the Allards would be difficult to beat. Hutchison, this time in a V8-engined machine, won several events in a row, and it was actually a headline in the motoring Press when he failed to win a premier award.

Allards were purchased by many of Britain’s trials experts who realized that, in order to win, they needed the best type of machine available, and at the time, there was no denying that the Allard was the finest trials car yet evolved. Allard were also making a bid for the high-speed touring market, and were turning out machines with ultra-modern bodywork, and an outstanding road performance.
Many modifications were implemented on the pre-war designs. Lockheed hydraulic brakes were adopted, a Ford pattern centrifugal clutch was used, the chassis and suspension redesigned, and open and closed coachwork made available.

After the war the company became the Allard Motor Co., Ltd. - and were in the good graces of the Ford Motor Co., Ltd., to the extent that the cars were very largely assembled from vital components from Dagenham, which meant that there was never any difficulty in obtaining spare parts.
Allard Tailwagger
Ken Hutchison displaying the very independent suspension on his Allard dubbed "Tailwagger" in a pre-war Wye Cup Trial.
1939 Allard 3.6 Litre V8 Sports
1939 Four Seater 3.6 Litre Allardd V8 Sports 4-Seater.
1946 Allard 4 Litre V8 4 Seater Sports Tourer
1946 - 1947 4 Litre Allard V8 Four-Seat Sports Tourer.
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