The Cars of Jim Taylor

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This coming Friday and Saturday October 14-15, 2022, Broad Arrow Auctions will be offering Jim Taylor’s extensive car and memorabilia collection for sale. Jim has great taste in cars and his love for Allards is notable. His collection contains a J2X, J2X Le Mans, and a JR – all three of which represent the most sought-after cars of the Allard marque. Below is a brief summary of each of the three cars. All three cars will be offered Saturday October 15.

JR-3406, Lot 839

The JR was one of the last JR’s built (fun fact: this car, along with 3407 were both exported on January 1, 1955). It was originally exported to Canada, purchased new by Norman Moffet and was painted black with tan interior. The JR was the brainchild of chief designer Dudley Hume and featured a number of upgrades over the J2X (to learn more, click here). 3406 was the only LHD model produced and it features two doors – other JR’s only had a single door on the drivers side.

J2X-3071 Le Mans, Lot 841

In 1952, the Le Mans organizers mandated that cars with cycle fenders would not be allowed to race. In a matter of weeks, Allards body shop put together the “Le Mans”, no doubt inspired by the Jaguar C Type. Fourteen J2X Le Mans were built, with 3071 being 4th built. The car was exported January 6, 1953 destined for Noel Kirk Motors in Los Angeles. The LHD car was painted red with red interior, Cadillac modifications and 3-piece DeDion axle tube (we are note sure if this is still in place). Most notably, the car was shipped with a standard Allard windshield, but the first owner, Gary Love changed it out to the very attractive curved windshield you see today. Body-wise, the car is very original and has loads of patina including the aftermath of a carburetor fire from 1969.

J2X-3048, Lot 859

This car was exported on April 2nd, 1952 to R/P (Perry Fina) Imported Motors in New York City. The LHD car was painted white with black interior and was configured for Chrysler power. Prior to Jim’s acquisition of 3048 in 2013, the car resided in Australia, where it was converted to RHD. The auction writeup is a bit misleading stating that the car was raced extensively by Tiny Gould – that car was actually Tiny’s J2. As an homage to Tiny, Jim had the car painted white with a red hood and interior to match Tiny’s racing colors – along with converting the car back to LHD.

If you’d like to bid on any of these cars, visit the Broad Arrow web site at https://www.broadarrowauctions.com/events/event/the-cars-of-jim-taylor

The 2020 Allard Global Online Concours Class Winners!

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We have been blown away by the positive response to the 2020 AGOC! Many owner-exhibitors have written in to say how much fun they’ve had seeing their cars in the Concours…and several non-exhibitors have written to ask us if we can do it again so they can enter.

Before we announce the AGOC class winners, we want to thank our judges who had the challenging task of evaluating the 73 entries. They did a great job and we can’t thank them enough for sharing their time and expertise with us to make this event a success. THANK YOU JUDGES!

  • Alan Allard: Son of Sydney Allard and co-owner of Allard Sportscars

  • Tony Adriaensens: Head of Corsa Research & author of many fine books like “Weekend Heroes 1 & 2”

  • Chris Campbell: Head of The Vintage Connection, Allard Restoration Specialist

  • Colin Comer: Author, Shelby Expert, Car Nerd

  • Mike Dicola: Retired Allard Restoration Specialist

  • Mel Herman: Allard Owners Club Member, Allard Showman

  • David Hooper: Retired Draughtsman for Allard Motor Cars

  • Chris Lowth: Mr. Allard, Australia

  • Stefan Marjoram: Automotive Artist

We also want to thank all of the owners that took the time and shared their Allards with us, they all looked fantastic…THANK YOU!

Without further ado, here are the class winners:

(Best of Show will be awarded the weekend of May 9 after the class winners are reviewed with our judges.

Allard J-series Class

  1. J2X-2221

  2. J2X-3041

  3. J2-2086

Allard Specials Class

  1. J2-1911 - Farrallac

  2. J2 Model

  3. Dragon Dragster

Allard Restoration Class

  1. J2X-LM-3149

  2. K3-3171

  3. K1-458

The 2020 Allard Global Online Concours

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Welcome to the 2020 Allard Global Online Concours! It’s something we dreamed up while sitting around waiting for Covid-19 to pass. As the weeks went by, we learned of more and more car related events…races, concours, rallies…all being canceled for 2020. Then we heard that Andy Reid and Bill Warner created the ‘Isolation Island Concours’ for for homebound car enthusiasts and their scale model cars. It sounded fun and it inspired us to do something similar for the Allard community. We put the word out on our web site, Facebook page, email list, and to the Allard Owners Club. We were going to host a Concours on our web site that was open to all Allards…100-point Concours cars, race cars, daily drivers, replicas, specials, and even a toy…wherever they were in the world.

Below we are pleased to present the 73 entrants to the 2020 Allard Global Online Concours, which is the largest gathering of Allards since the 1990 Monterey Historics where over 100 Allards gathered (in person). Thank you to all of our entrants for taking the time to submit your photos and descriptions. Based on the submissions, we changed up the original plan and decided to divide them into five classes below:

  • L, M, and P-types

  • K-series and Palm Beach’s

  • J-series

  • Specials

  • Restoration class

We’ve selected nine experts in their respective fields to judge the cars. They include Allard employees, restorers, artists, historians, and a few knowledgeable enthusiasts. Keep in mind most concourses have 10 cars per class…in this case the judges had to review 73, so they definitely had their work cut out for them.

We hope you enjoy the show!

Allard L, M, and P-series Class

(Click the photo or headline to view the entrants for this class)

Allard K-series and Palm Beach Class

(Click the photo or headline to view the entrants for this class)

Allard J-series Class

(Click the photo or headline to view the entrants for this class)

Allard Specials Class

(Click the photo or headline to view the entrants for this class)

Allard Restoration Class

(Click the photo or headline to view the entrants for this class)

2019 Monterey Auction Preview

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By Colin Warnes

The Monterey Car Week is almost upon us. Last time I checked, there was something like 54 auctions planned for the weekend. I also just read an article online about the 20 most expensive cars expected to sell at Monterey this year, none were estimated at less than $3,000,000. I’m sure you’ll be shocked to hear that none of them were Allards. That being said, there are three Allard’s slated to cross the blocks this year; here’s a brief look at each.

Allard_2179.png

Mecum: Allard J2 #2179, Lot F121

This J2 was exported on October 17, 1951 to Custom Automotive in Dallas, Texas and was sold to Charles Brown of Louisiana. It was ordered with Cadillac engine modifications and was painted black with a red interior. 2179 was the last J2 to leave the Allard factory.

Mr. Brown wanted his car to go racing so he asked an up and coming young driver by the name of Carroll Shelby to drive for him. From what I could find, Shelby is known to have raced it at least twice …running at the Pottsboro hill climb and the SCCA National at Turner AFB. By late 1952, the J2 was struggling to remain competitive, so Shelby moved on to drive Roy Cherryholms J2X-3146 (which will be racing that same weekend). [Ed: As an Allard enthusiast, you are required to know that Carroll Shelby’s legendary Cobra was inspired by his time racing Allards]

From the Mecum catalog…

“Charles Brown sold the car to Wilfred Gray from Indianapolis. During the mid-‘50s, he raced the car in SCCA events at such venues as Elkhart Lake and the remarkable Mount Equinox. What makes Mount Equinox so spectacular is its 3,000-foot elevation change in a span of just 5 miles; it is perhaps the steepest hill climb in North America. The next owner, Dan Saunders, raced the Allard at Wilmot Hills in southern Wisconsin, Wilmot Hills doubling as a ski hill in the winter and serving as a race track while the snow was gone.

In 1972, Chris Leydon acquired J2179. It was about this time that the older race cars, long viewed as uncompetitive, started to be considered part of automotive history. This warranted recommissioning. In the case of J2179, this included period colors of a red exterior and black interior, a full windscreen and wire wheels.

The winning Sir Stirling Moss and J2179 were featured together in a program titled, “The Great Classic Cars.” From there, the car continued to be enjoyed and treasured over the years. The next big event was the 1997 Monterey Historic races, the significance of that event being that Carroll Shelby was the honoree on which the weekend’s festivities were centered. The idea of Shelby being reunited with the car that launched his career is remarkable for any enthusiast of historic racers. In 2005, J2179 was part of the “Gotta Have It” television program. Its most recent event was the 2015 Allard Reunion at Elkhart Lake.

J2179 has been restored to its original color scheme of black with red leather upholstery and is equipped with its believed-original Cadillac V-8 along with the proper transmission. The Cadillac engine is fitted with triple Stromberg 48 carburetors on a vintage Weiand intake manifold, a Crane Competition camshaft and the custom exhaust originally built and installed by a young fabricator who would go on take his own place among the giants of racing, Mickey Thompson. The period-correct wheels and tires are in place along with the numerous other details expected of a racer of this importance.”

J2-2179 is slated to be sold Friday afternoon and should be the ideal addition to any Shelby enthusiasts collection. The car is estimated to sell for $800,000 to $1,200,000. To learn more, visit Mecum’s web site: https://www.mecum.com/lots/CA0819-380994/1952-allard-j2-roadster/

1953_Allard_J2X_Le_Mans_0044a.jpg

Gooding & Company: Allard J2X Le Mans #3066; Lot 171

This J2X-LM was exported on December 2, 1952 to Captain Leslie who was stationed at Offutt Air Force Base. The car was soon resold to Bob Peterson of Piedmont, California. The car was raced extensively by Carl & Fred Block in California from 1953 through 1955.

3066 was ordered with Chrysler Hemi engine modifications, metallic blue paint, and a red interior. The J2X Le Mans was created in a rush in order to comply with the new 1952 Le Mans regulations that required fully enclosed fenders. In all, our records indicate fourteen J2X Le Mans were built.

From the Gooding catalog, “Around 1953, Bob Peterson of Piedmont, California, purchased the Allard and with drivers Carl and Fred Block, campaigned it extensively in SCCA races across their home state, competing at fabled venues and against the premier sports car racers of the day, including Phil Hill, Johnny von Neumann, and Pete Lovely. At the 1954 race at Golden Gate Park, Carl Block hit a row of hay bales, damaging the Allard’s front bodywork. It has been suggested that renowned car customizer Jack Hagemann, whose shop was near Carl Block’s car dealership, likely sculpted the restyled aluminum front end it wears today, and painted the car red.

Golden Gate Road Races Track action scene Car Number 71 an Allard J2X Le Mans Carl Block driver (helmet seated)_cropA.jpg

In 1958, Bob Peterson sold the car to John Tilton for $2,500, and it has since remained in the Tilton family’s care for more than 60 years. In the mid-1970s, the Tilton children retrieved the J2X Le Mans from long-term storage and persuaded their father to restore it, an operation completed by Vic Russum of Racing Dynamics West in Los Angeles, with paint and bodywork by the acclaimed Eddie Paul.

After its restoration, the car appeared at the 1977 and 1978 Monterey Historic Automobile Races at Laguna Seca and was invited to the 1977 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®. The Allard J2X Le Mans was recently recommissioned by the Tilton family and stands ready to continue its proud legacy as a formidable competitor from the golden age of sports car racing.”

I’ve spent a lot of time inspecting 3066 while restoring our J2X Le Mans. Overall, the car is largely original, which is unique among Allards, especially those that raced. It features what could be the original Hemi engine, including a Ford 3-speed which we assume must have Zephyr gears. Some may balk at the modified body, but it’s a unique and integral part of the car’s history.

It looks like 3066 is slated to be sold on Saturday afternoon. The car is estimated to sell for $450,000 to $600,000 and has a reserve. To learn more, visit the Gooding & Company web site: https://www.goodingco.com/vehicle/1953-allard-j2x-le-mans/

1952_Allard_K2_Roadster_053a.jpg

Gooding & Company: Allard K2 #3127, Lot 132

This car was exported to Noel Kirk Motors in LA on October 7, 1952. It was fitted with Cadillac engine mounts and painted Beige with Brown interior. From the catalog, “Presenting in black paint with a red interior, this K2 was owned by William Avery of Pennsylvania, who hardly drove the car but commissioned a light restoration in 2012. He assigned Lamborghini of Orlando to repaint the bodywork and refurbish the interior, renew the electricals, and install a roll bar. In 2012, the Allard was purchased by the consignor, a private East Coast collector, who has used the car sparingly. Never raced and always meticulously maintained, this Allard comes with the promise of a great motoring experience.”

3127 will be sold Saturday without reserve; the price is estimated at $100,000 to $130,000. To learn more, visit the Gooding & Company web site: https://www.goodingco.com/vehicle/1952-allard-k2-roadster/



We've been distracted lately

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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.

Allards at the 2013 Classic Motor Show

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-Mel Herman

250 Classic Car Clubs and 1,600 Classic Cars filling 11 Halls brought 65,000 enthusiasts to the 2013 Classic Motor Show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham this year. The Allard Owners Club displayed 5 fantastic cars on stand 740 in Hall 12 and Mick Walsh, the editor of Classic and Sportscar magazine, said that ours was his favourite stand of the whole show.

There were two elements we wanted to feature on our stand in this year’s AOC display. The first was the 60th anniversary of Sydney leading the pack on the opening lap of the 1953 Le Mans in his JR which we extended to feature all the J series models which ran at Le Mans in period.

The second was the first outing for the Palm Beach Mk ll which has been painstakingly and wonderfully restored by Lloyd and Alan Allard at their company Allard Sportscars Ltd. in Gloucester.

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