Allard J2X LeMans 3149

-Charles Warnes

In 2013 we (Colin and I) wrote a piece in the Allard Register entitled “Never Again!” – Confessions of a ‘Barn Find’ Junkie.” We concluded that story with us trading our Hemi-powered Allard K3 for an engineless, basket-case J2X Le Mans. Our stated goal was to get it on the road some time over the next few years. Now, ten years later, we want to give you an update and some back story.

Our K3 project had stretched out 22 years for a number of reasons. We started in the pre-internet days, when the worldwide search for Allard parts was a complex and time-consuming endeavor. Financial constraints also played a role, and we were sometimes ‘guilty’ of allowing career and family commitments to take priority. Colin and I had a lot of time and effort invested in our K3, we enjoyed driving it, and had no plans on ever parting with it … until we stumbled across this J2X Le Mans.

The early months of 1952 were a challenging time for the Allard Company. Their upper management (Sydney Allard, Tom Lush and Guy Warburton) was heavily focused on the planning, reconnaissance and testing two Monte Carlo Rally entrants; and Allard’s engineering department was quite involved in developing the all new, envelope-bodied JR model for 1953.

Allard ran in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1950 and ’51, and they planned to run two J2X’s in 1952. But in January FIA announced that the new envelope body rules would go into effect in 1952 rather than 1953. Thus, Allard’s JR project had to be sidelined so that two J2X’s could be modified in time to run at Le Mans.

The Le Mans bodied J2X was basically a standard Allard J2X with the same ladder frame, suspension, running gear and rear body shell. The front of the body from the door jams forward, was all new. The cowl bore a striking resemblance to a Jaguar C-Type, with the whole bonnet hinged at the front. When closed, the bonnet matched up with two lower pods that extended back to the rear wings. Those pods and the cowl were all one complex structure that, through a variety of body fixtures, was ‘married’ to the chassis frame. The curvaceous doors were unique to the J2X LM.

After the 1952 Le Mans, Allard built eleven more Le Mans bodied J2X’s – ten of which were exported to various regions of the US. Two of them went to Noel Kirk Motors in Los Angeles, where one was fitted with a Chrysler hemi, and one with Cadillac power.

The biscuit-colored Cad Allard was sold to George Sawyer, who raced it in various California venues during the ’53 season. (Coincidentally, I met Mr. Sawyer in 1999, at which time he told me that he had owned and raced an Allard J2X Le Mans back in the early ‘50’s. Who would have known that 14 years later we would own that very car.)

#3149 suffered some accident damage during the ’53 season, and got repainted to red with silver wheels. George sold the car to Dr. Frank Hodges, who raced it at Pebble Beach in ’54. Dr. Hodges then sold the car to Daniel Parker, owner of the Parker Pen Company.

As publishers of the Allard Register, Colin and I sometimes get inquiries from Allard enthusiasts and previous Allard owners. Like a 2013 email from Geoff Parker inquiring about a Cad-powered J2X Le Mans that was once owned by his father, Dan Parker. He said that Dan bought the car used in California, and he and his mother drove it back to their home in Janesville Wisconsin. Once there he raced the car in some regional SCCA races. Geoff inquired if we might be able to help him with information about the history, and possibly the location, of that car. It was an easy question for us, for we informed him of the car’s precise location – in our garage.

Subsequent owners were Jerry Dunbar in Illinois, and Jack Brownell of Milwaukee Wisconsin. Jack raced it at a few courses around the Midwest before the car suffered some race and vandalism damage. Jack then sold it to his brother Paul for $350, who kept it in storage for the next 52 years.

Our goal was to refurbish #3149 in the spirit of the post-war era, but with safety enhancements along the routes taken by restoration shops and racers. We rebuilt a mildly modified Cad engine which we matched to a wide-ratio 4-speed Borg-Warner T-10, a fuel cell, and a dual channel brake system. The differential had been modified for an open drive shaft some 60 years earlier, and we had it rebuilt with a 3.25 final ratio.

We wanted it to be a solid, safe and fun car to drive rather than a concours show car. We are not professional mechanics or coach builders - just couple guys who do a lot of our own work. We pursued a degree of finish that would deserve the respect of our peers – whether it be the local Fresno car scene or fellow Allard owners. The body bears a considerable amount of historic patina from this car’s racing days, and for now we choose to use and display it with the bare aluminum. We get a lot of positive feedback encouraging us to keep it that way.

A Family Effort...

By Lisa Stec & Anna Brownell

My husband Jim and I consider ourselves to be ‘normal people’ who associate past years with family events such as births, marriages, deaths and historical events. For example, my husband and I got married shortly after moving to Madison WI to start our new jobs. We put an addition to our house shortly after our son was born, and I gave birth to our daughter six hours after the Green Bay Packers won Super Bowl XXXI in 1997.

My parents and uncle Paul, on the other hand, have measured time by the cars they owned, raced, traded with each other, or wrecked. For example, my mom bought groceries home in an Allard J2X Le Mans when she lived in Ohio where my sister was born. My parents bought the ‘68 Mustang after my brother was born so we could have a family car. My dad subsequently sold the J2X LM to my confirmed bachelor uncle Paul for ‘pocket change’.

Uncle Paul truly enjoyed his unencumbered family status which allowed him to buy and KEEP a wide array of vehicles that piqued his interest. They included a Corvette that was his daily driver for several years, a miniscule Berkeley roadster that his friends helped him carry down to the ‘drive-in’ movie theater he had set up in his basement, and the Zephyr Land Yacht tractor. He was truly intrigued by the Allard Company and the cars they manufactured and raced. He owned three Allards during my lifetime – Fred Wacker’s second J2 ‘8-Ball’, the J2X LeMans that he bought from my parents, and my personal favorite – a green 1950 P1 saloon.

The P1’s original owner was Sir Paul Pechell, who sold it to John Desmond Cropper in 1959. Colin Frank Bridle owned it from 1962 until 1966, before selling it to Erwin Zimmerman who shipped it from South Hampton to his home in New York. Uncle Paul purchased it from Mr. Zimmerman a year later and drove it about 900 miles back to his home in Milwaukee. He drove the car quite a bit those first few years, and even raced it a few times. In the spring of 1969 he drove the P1 down to Florida for the 12 Hours of Sebring, and took it for other lengthy trips in 1970.

However, the most important trips were Uncle Paul taking my sister, brother and me to the local frozen custard shop on a regular basis. My sister and I would sit in the back seat where our feet would not touch the floor. We peeked out the back windows and proudly waved to the neighbors, with Uncle Paul hanging his right elbow out the window, always grinning as we went for dessert.

Time marched on as my brother, sister and I went to school, got jobs and started buying our own cars. The P1’s brakes stopped working, so Uncle Paul parked it in his garage. No one started the car for a number of years, and it eventually languished on for 30+ years. Paul took some teasing about owning three non-functioning Allards, but he remained ambivalent about that. As the proud owner of three Allards – he admitted to being more of an aficionado than a mechanic.

Over the years Uncle Paul accumulated many car enthusiast friends. One local collector in particular, Ron Schneider, convinced and helped him get the J2 ‘8-Ball’ running. He enjoyed driving it for a while, and even had it on display at an Elkhart Lake event. However, his failing health made working the pedals difficult. Then he traded his J2X LeMans to Chuck and Colin Warnes for a beautiful, hemi-powered K3 that had enough power to make an experienced driver squeal with delight. At this point he had two of his three Allard running. But as he got older, he was more interested in riding in the comfort of a coupe than a roadster.

My husband and I offered to help him with the P1, as it was my sentimental favorite and I wanted to repeat those trips to get frozen custard with him. My daughter and I took out the gas tank and Rob relined it, and my husband and son freed up the wheels so it would move around. The P1 was then moved to Ron’s shop, but unfortunately Uncle Paul passed away before we could continue to work with him on the project.

There were many cars and possessions that needed to find a good home after Paul passed away in 2015. My brother was to be the steward of the J2 ‘8-Ball’, and the K3 was sold at the Bonham auction in Monterey. Meanwhile, the P1 ice cream shuttle was still sitting with brakes that didn’t work and the gas tank in the trunk.

My husband and I discussed taking on the project. It was potentially within our budget and experience, and we were on the cusp of being ‘empty nesters’ with need of something to do. So, we took on the project with the invaluable experience of my father, and assistance from my mom, brother, our kids and friends. How hard could it be?

Uncle Paul had said it just needed the brakes looked at and the leaky gas tank repaired. Well, not exactly. The engine had green mush in it, some of the wooden floor boards were rotted and the engine had a cracked block and the shift linkage was a vague mystery.

So – we replaced the engine with a re-built Ford flathead, and replaced the column shift with a Ford three-speed floor-shift transmission. Brake work included a new master cylinder and wheel cylinders, along with a new parking brake. Once the gas tank was re-installed, the tie rod ends were replaced, the wheel bearings were packed, and a new exhaust system was installed. Just short of two years later the P1 drove out of our garage under its own power!

Test runs were soon made to get dessert around Madison. But the trip I was really looking forward to was to take the P1 back to Milwaukee, and take my parents to Leon’s, the best frozen custard shop in town, and meet up with Ron Schneider for a trip down memory lane.

For me, this car represents a happy childhood memory that I was able to relive with my husband and family, as well as special friends. So now I have started making my family history in terms of the cars we own.

We've been distracted lately

We feel bad that we haven't been posting much lately...sorry about that. Truth is we've been working hard on our restoration project. 3149 is coming along pretty well, if we're lucky it'll be on the road this year. In addition to working on the car, we've also completed a heavy duty Allard hub conversion that utilizes Jaguar XK rear hub parts...more news to come.

For your viewing pleasure, a Hemi time-lapse rebuild...

J&G Brake Drum Relining

If your Alfin drums are warped, have damaged fins, or thin/separating linings, then you should contact J&G Brake Drum Relining in McHenry, IL. They specialize in aluminum drum relining and they do all welding & machining in house. They also offer 3 different compounds for brake pads depending on your application. Turnaround time in the winter is 4 to 6 weeks, while summer repairs take a bit longer. Rates are typically $550 per drum, but mention that you are a member of the Allard club for their discounted rate of $430/ea. For more information, visit their web site at www.jgrelining.com or call Don Booker at 815-276-2578.

Caption Contest!

The Stec family is hard at work on their P1...head on over to our Facebook Page and share your best caption. 

Number Plates...

As you are no doubt aware, the chassis number plates used by the Allard Motor Company were not the most durable items. For many years we've offered reproductions of the newer brass plates, but we've never had any of the smaller zinc plates. Fortunately one of our members shared their old plate with us so we could have some reproductions made. Instead of zinc plated brass or aluminum, we had these made out of stainless steel. The black portion is etched (recessed) just like the originals. The stainless plates measure 3" square; while the brass plates measure 4" wide x 3 1/2" tall. We've also scoured Ebay to source period correct letter and number punches. Click here to let us know if you need a replacement.

The K1 Restoration Resumed – At Last !

-Mel Herman

A few years ago I bought a K1 - KWJ 770 chassis number 458 back in March 2007 and promptly started to strip it down for rebuilding. All was going well and the chassis rebuild progressed with much speed until….. we decided to sell our house and build a new one .

Those of you who have ever embarked on such a task or have ever watched the agonies of those participating in such an endeavor will know that what you hope (and pray) will be a straightforward and enjoyable exercise never usually is.

Now my background is architecture and construction so you would think (well we did anyway) that we wouldn’t fall into the pitfalls of others – no such thing! What started and received planning permission as a single story house with a roof height restriction very quickly became something larger and more complex. A first floor was added by further excavation and lowering the ground floor, adding complications with retaining walls, adjusting surrounding garden and patio levels etc, etc, etc.

Having excavated further into the ground I then decided (or was encouraged by friends) to construct a wine cellar - it would have been cheaper to have bought a vineyard in France.

I won’t go on, but suffice to say the house is now finished, we love it, but at the time it put paid to the K’s continuing restoration…we had other things to occupy us.

Whilst all this was going on I made the decision to fit a Cadillac 331 engine into the car. I prised one from Dean Butler who had just bought it on Ebay in the ‘States, was an unknown and would likely need a complete rebuild so I approached Neil (Biggles) Bennet to rebuild it for me to hot road spec.

Neil had rebuilt the Frenchie I have in my M type and is a whizz at hotting up flatheads. He holds a class record at Prescott and races at Pendine Sands with “Boz” his famous Flathead powered Batten Special . When asked whether he would be interested in rebuilding my ohv Cad engine he immediately agreed.

He goes about things thoroughly with considerable thought, enthusiasm and an abundance of technical ability and the first thing he wanted to know was what I wanted to use the car for. “Hillclimbing” was my immediate response. Now I’ve never competed on track but having watched my Allard buddies (and Biggles) competing at Prescott and Shelsley I thought I must have a go, it looks fun.

Whilst we were involved with our house build, Biggles researched the Cad rebuild and we agreed on the final spec. I wanted a good, reasonably fast and hopefully reliable engine with enough torque to hopefully worry Dave Loveys up the hills.

In February I collected my “New” engine. New ? I think it is better than new:

• Engine stripped and chemically cleaned.
• Rebored and crank reground.
• Heads leveled.
• New forged 2618 alloy Venolia pistons heat treated to T6 for extra strength.
• CR increased to 10:1
• Stronger valve springs.
• Fast road camshaft.
• Lightened flywheel.
• Electronic distributor.
• Holley 650 carb.
• Mild head porting.
• Fitted with a purpose made “Rattler” Torsion Vibration Absorber.
• Whole rotating assembly dynamically balanced. (You can see a short video on YouTube of my engine on the balancing rig. https://youtu.be/_8zE79mI_b8)

I also decided to fit a Jaguar gearbox and was fortunate in being able to tease a bellhousing adaptor and adaptor plate from James Smith to this end. I took the gearbox to Biggles for rebuilding as well and the whole assembly is now in the rebuilt chassis and looks fantastic with it’s polished aluminium rocker covers.

The bodywork has gone off to be stripped and a new scoop put in the bonnet (Holley needs headroom) and I need to get a new wiring loom from Autosparks then the next stage can continue – don’t hold your breath for the next episode though I’m also refurbishing a boat .

That’s all Folks, for now!

VIDEO: Starting Up the Allard Motorsports PB MKII Restoration Project Car

I've always liked the lines of the PB MkII...looking forward to seeing it finished.

Allard Motorsports Palm Beach MkII Restoration

We're now in the final stages of assembly regarding the Palm Beach MK2 build of chassis 72/7000Z. It'll be exactly one year at the end of August since we took on this project, and if all goes well we should go to paint in the next few weeks.

The whole project has been an awesome experience as well as sheer hard work, however all worthwhile we feel. We've sought to keep this restoration build as original as possible unless there was no alternative but to replace like for like – i.e. rusted panels, etc.  

We’ve made a copy chassis while we had the original one available to us. This ate up the build time and took longer than expected. The chassis jig had to be precise and also took time to construct, but we felt it was essential. This also provided a chance for me to study fully the construction of such chassis designs.

We're discussing whether the new Palm Beach chassis will be made into a MK2 PB or the MK3 PB, which was proposed by Sydney but never completed in 1958.  The most exciting option is to shelve the new PB chassis just for the time being and press on with the JR build.  The new chassis jig can also be used for the JR chassis build, of course. We already have in place the base JR chassis parts ready for assembly.

I attach photos of the new PB chassis on its jig, which you’re welcome to publish on your site. I've attached photos of the PB MKII build from arrival to this day. I hope your club members will find it interesting. We now have available many new parts for Allards, also photos attached of such parts. In the next few weeks I shall add a parts listing to the Allard Sports Cars www.allardsportscars.co.uk website, along with further PB restoration photos on the blog attached.

I hope that your members will find it an exciting time for Allard.  My father and I have been discussing these ideas for many years now and it seems with the help of both the Allard Owners Club and the Allard Register we can achieve our goals. As for me, I've been behind the scenes for many years, watching and learning. 

I'm still learning each year that passes, but for me the time has come to go out on a limb and ring my bell so to speak. I've fifteen years experience in the automotive fabrication & design industry and feel quite confident that the construction of chassis and, even the build of complete turn-key Allards, is truly possible with the vast majority of work being carried out in house.              

We propose only to construct a few cars for exclusive enthusiastic customers, true followers of the marque.  The sole idea behind the JR project is an easy one to understand. The JR does not necessarily have to be road registered thus avoiding all IVA processes, which in turn means a much quicker build process. However the JR will still be constructed to HTP FIA level in order to be accepted to race in high profile events such as the Lemans classic in which I intend to do as soon as possible. We simply need to find an investor who wants to achieve the same.

My father has worked tirelessly on this project, and I wish his efforts will be recognized, as he's one of a kind. He brings much experience to the table. I'll keep you updated upon further developments as and when. As soon as the PB has it's paint we shall organize an open day, and perhaps all attendees can come to the workshop and then over to our local racing circuit for some photos.

Regards,

Lloyd Allard

Click here to view a gallery of the unrestored PB MKII

Click here to view a gallery of the restoration process

Click here to view a gallery of the chassis

The Restoration of J2 1739

Click here to view a photo blog of the Burt Collection's restoration of their Allard J2 #1739. The photos are fantastic, enjoy!

For Sale - Replacement Hood Vents

Allard owner & restorer Jere Krieg has produced a number of replacement hood vents that will fit a variety of Allard Models. The vents are fabricated from billet aluminum and include stainless steel hardware. Each vent costs $53 plus freight. For more information, please click here to email Jere.