1950 Allard

This 1950 Allard J2 is one of approximately 90 examples built between 1949 and 1951 and was special-ordered for a California SCCA member in July 1950 through Moss Motors in Los Angeles. Specified without an engine, transmission, wheels, tires, electrical equipment, or instruments, chassis 1738 was dispatched to Moss Motors in a crate in August 1950. The car is said to have been fitted with a Mercury flathead V8 by its original owner, who subsequently piloted it in the 1951 Pebble Beach Cup. It was repowered with a 331ci Chrysler FirePower V8 prior to being purchased in late 1963 by the seller, who trailered it from St. Louis to Massachusetts before embarking on a refurbishment. The seller then campaigned the car in SCCA vintage competition between 1966 and 2000, after which it received a refurbishment of its aluminum body. Accolades since achieved by the car included AACA National First Junior and Senior prizes, an Amelia Award at the 2007 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, and AACA historic race vehicle certification. Finished in maroon, the car is equipped with a three-speed manual transmission, a De Dion rear axle, finned aluminum drum brakes, chromed wire wheels with dual side-mount spares, and tan leather interior upholstery. This J2 is now offered with historical documentation, photos from the 1960s refurbishment, invoices from a 1988 engine rebuild, and a clean Massachusetts title in the seller’s name. Introduced around 1950, the J2 model was developed by Allard as a lightweight sports racer targeting the US market. Construction incorporated a steel ladder frame fitted with aluminum bodywork featuring a louvered hood and front cycle fenders. US-bound examples were typically sent overseas without engines, while other cars were fitted with Ford or Mercury flathead V8s at the factory. Originally delivered in red, this example’s bodywork was removed from the frame and refurbished in the early 2000s. Work is said to have included fabrication of a replacement hood, trunk lid, and doors, as well as repairs to portions of the aluminum affected by galvanic corrosion followed by a repaint in its current shade of maroon. Features include a hood scoop, padded leather hood straps, and Brooklands-style windscreens. Chromed wire wheels are said to be Jaguar E-Type units that were installed along with Allard hubs after the seller’s acquisition in place of a previous disc-wheel setup. Michelin X tires measuring 7.60-15 are mounted at each corner as well as on matching dual side-mount spares that were also added by the seller in the 1960s. Hydraulic brakes feature finned aluminum drums with inboard rear units. The cabin is configured in right-hand drive and was reupholstered during the 2000s refurbishment with tan leather over the seats and cockpit perimeter. Features include black latch-and-link lap belts, a cowl-mounted bullet-style rearview mirror, and a fire extinguisher. The banjo-spoke spoke steering wheel wears a St. Christopher badge on its hub and sits ahead of a machine-turned dash fascia that houses a 6k-rpm tachometer, a 120-mph speedometer, and auxiliary gauges. The five-digit odometer shows 6,600 miles, approximately 4,400 of which have been added by the seller. The 331ci Chrysler FirePower V8 features overhead valves, hemispherical combustion chambers, twin dual-barrel Stromberg carburetors atop an Edmunds intake manifold, twin SU fuel pumps, and Hunt electronic ignition. The engine was rebuilt between 1988 and 1989 by B&C Automotive Machine in Mansfield, Massachusetts, and according to the seller the compression ratio was lowered to facilitate use of pump gasoline. One of the fuel pumps was replaced in 2022 during preparation for the sale. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a Ford three-speed manual transmission that is said to have been rebuilt in fall 2021, at which time the clutch was replaced. Suspension comprises a front swing axle, a De Dion rear end, and coil springs at each corner. A 1964 letter to the seller from Moss Motors founder Alan Moss, the West Coast distributor for Allard in 1950, details the original order, delivery, and early history of the car. The car’s order and dispatch information from Allard Motor Company is shown in the photo gallery below. Also shown are invoices for parts purchased from Allard in the 1960s and photos from the seller’s 1960s refurbishment as well as photos and results from the car’s appearance at the 1951 Pebble Beach Cup. AACA Certified Competition Race Vehicle badge number 040/24B is affixed to the dash, and a 2008 letter from the AACA below notes the car’s certification. According to the seller, additional accolades earned since the early 2000s refurbishment include a 2005 AACA National First Junior, a 2006 AACA National First Senior, an Amelia Award in its class at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, a 2007 AACA Grand National First, and the Road & Track “ Car We Would Most Like To Drive” trophy at the 2007 W.K. Vanderbilt Concours. Included below are a summary of the car’s history and a 2012 Antique Automobile magazine article written by the seller, who is the US representative for the UK-based Allard Owners Club. The Massachusetts title is listed as a duplicate.