1953 Allard J2X
Specifications
Engine: period Chrysler Hemi V8 with twin Holley 4-barrel carburetors
Displacement: 354 cid
Horsepower: 455 bhp at 5,200 RPM
Torque: 500 ft-lbs at 4600 RPM
Transmission: Richmond T-10 4 speed manual
Brakes: 4-Wheel finned aluminum drum b rakes
Suspension: Front independent split-beam suspension with coil springs, rear De Dion suspension with coil springs.
A Little History
Allard Motor Company Limited was a London-based low-volume car manufacturer founded by Sydney Allard. The company produced approximately 1,900 cars from 1945 through 1958.
Allards featured formidable American V8 engines in a light British chassis and body, giving a high power-to-weight ratio and foreshadowing the Sunbeam Tiger and AC Cobra of the early 1960s.
The J2X (“X” for extended) was introduced in late 1951 as the next evolution of Allard’s highly successful J2. It featured a revised front suspension to improve handling and a relocated engine position, creating 5″ of additional legroom in the cockpit.
By relocating the spare wheel to the rear deck or as an optional side mount, Allard was able to fit the J2X with a 40-gallon fuel tank. This improved the car’s range, as well as its front-to-rear weight bias.
Allard produced just 83 J2Xs from 1951 through 1954, including five full-bodied examples to compete at Le Mans.
The car on view was completed on January 25, 1953, and shipped to Shawnee Motors in Topeka, Kansas, where it received its Chrysler Hemi engine and was sold to its first owner on May 2, 1953. The custom safety roll bar was added during its race history.
