'Skip' and His K2 Allard

By Richard Saunders – with Chuck Warnes and Otto Meijer

Back in 1959 I drove my J2 Allard (No. 2156) over 1300 miles from San Diego CA to Bremerton WA. I underwent some major surgery at that time, and after an extended recovery I was finally able to drive the J2 again.

            The young guy delivering newspapers on local roads (herding a used-up Model A Ford) noticed my J2 Allard. He soon found an opportunity to pay me a visit. ‘Skip’ Torbitt was seventeen, small in stature, and appeared a lot younger. We talked a lot about cars, and I gave him a ride in my J2. During a subsequent visit Skip announced that if I knew of any Allard for sale, to please let him know – as he decided he had to have an Allard. (I’ll never know how he convinced his parents).

            Fate stepped into this scene. A few weeks went by, and we saw an ad for an Allard in the Seattle newspaper. Skip arranged to see the car, and I was recruited as the Allard expert to accompany him on the ferry over to Seattle. We then commenced our hunt for the address through the West End streets. Then, as we entered one street a bright red K2 Allard caught my eye.

 

Read More

Amelia Island Update - Party!

Amelia Island residents and Allard owners Axel & Hanko Rosenblad have graciously offered to host a party for all Allard owners on Saturday night before the main Concours! The cocktail party will have beer, wine, soda/tea/non-alcoholic beverages, a variety of mixed drinks (but not a full bar) and 'heavy hors d'oeuvres.’ We doubt that anyone will leave hungry! The party will start at 6:30pm.

Read More

Allard Dragster ENGINE Reveal AT AUTOSPORT INTERNATIONAL 2011

By Brian Taylor, ACAG Chair

Well, sometimes I thought it would never happen, but thanks to the last minute efforts by Booth-Arons, SBS Worldwide, U S Automotive, Aurora Bearing Company, Andy Robinson, Bob Roberts, Doug Hill’s team at the museum and Chris Eames we finally had the car and engine ready for Autosport International. Phew!

Thursday January 13th was the first day of the show, which was only open to the industry. ACAG staff included Stuart Bradbury, Bob Roberts and myself. Everything was set up and ready for the 11:45 am reveal to the attendees and press of our Booth-Arons re-created 354 Chrysler Hemi engine.

Read More

J2X 3044 at RM's Arizona Auction

One of the most enjoyable parts about working on the Allard Register is finding an Allard that has been missing from our database. In this case, RM Auctions contacted us a few months back about J2X 3044. Upon checking our database, I was surprised to find that we had no ownership history for the car; the only details we had was the factory build data.

Read More

Amelia Island 2011 News


Event:
The Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance; March 11-13, 2011          

Location:            
The Golf Club of Amelia Island
4700/4750 Amelia Island Parkway
Amelia Island, Florida 32034 (45 minutes north of Jacksonville)

Website:             www.ameliaconcours.org

In case you haven’t heard, Allard has been selected as one of the featured marques at the 2011 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, along with Duesenberg and Kurtis. The main Concours will take place Sunday March 13, but several events including lectures, tours, and dinners will occur the preceding Friday and Saturday. Amelia Island is one of the premier Concours events in the world; with a unique emphasis on motor sport design in addition to celebrating more traditional automotive styling. It is an incredible honor for the Allard marque to be featured at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance and the event is sure to attract a lot of attention to our beloved cars.

Read More

The Real Allard Story. "Hang on and shut up."

-By Bob Judd

It's tempting to see these cars as holy relics; vessels of memories, style and dreams.  Emblems of their art and time.

Well screw nostalgia.  My old Allard J2, (Chassis #2121, now owned by Martin Stickley - soon to be available for viewing at Amelia Island Concours D'Elegance next March), was a wild beast you rode bareback, no helmet, no seat belt, no nothing, your butt a few inches off the pavement, the pavement visible in the spaces between the aluminum floor panels.

Read More

Allard For Sale - K3 6017

This 1953 Allard K3 was previously restored in the late 1970’s and has been stored inside for the past 25 years. Current owner purchased the carf in 2003 and has driven it on a limited basis. This BRG K3 is complete, but features a non-standard dash and steering wheel and some minor body damage on the left rear fender. The car features a Cadillac 331 engine with dual carbs, Offy valve covers, 4-speed Muncie transmission, folding top and 15” wire wheels. To learn more about this car and view the large photo gallery, click here!

New Allard Dragster Print

The restoration of Europe’s first dragster, Sydney Allard’s 1961 Allard Chrysler owned by the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, has certainly attracted support from the artistic fraternity. First it was Norwegian artist Tommy Vågen who was closely followed by UK based Paul Whitehouse. Both created paintings that were used to produce a limited number of prints - each signed by Nick Mason of Pink Floyd and Alan Allard. Canadian guitarist Ked Dieter and Booth-Arons partner Sam Eidy penned some lyrics that Ked recorded in his studio under the title Ally Blue. This is available as a download or on an audio CD. And we mustn’t forget Phil Brown who is responsible for all the Allard Chrysler Action Group (ACAG) identity on shirts and leaflets. Others are currently at work creating aspects required for fund raising and promotional material.

Read More

On the Road Again

From Lindsey Parsons...

The car recently arrived home. I have included a shot of J2X 3077 as it returned home from the rally mishap three years ago. It looks like a different car completely now. My long distaste held for chrome is definitely reflected in the new configuration. The painted wheels and internally contained spare tire give the car a much more classic look to my eye.

Read More

Allard of the Month - K2 1844

After sharing his recollections of the 1952 Watkins Glen Grand Prix, we asked Ed to tell us about the Allard K2 he has owned since purchasing it new almost sixty years ago. --Eds.

By Ed Reed

Nothing was the same. At least that’s the way it seemed trying to adjust to normal life after returning home from the Pacific after World War II. The '41 Olds 98 convertible had been sold, the music on the radio was different, and most of my time was taken up in an accelerated GI Bill program finishing up my final three years at Harvard. Amid the hectic schedule, I began attending sprint car races run on dirt tracks throughout southern New England, on weekends.

Read More