Description
Sydney Allard, of Clapham of London achieved international fame, winning the 1952 Monte Carlo Rally in an Allard P1 which he had manufactured. Along with co-driver Guy Warburton and navigator Tom Lush the Allard team beat Stirling Moss, who finished second in a Sunbeam-Talbot 90. The P1 is a coach-built two-door sports saloon produced by the British Allard Motor Company. Between 1949 and 1952, 550 Allard P1s were built, with only 125 known to exist and only 5 known to be on the road worldwide (Allard Owners Club) with KKF 752 being perhaps the oldest surviving example. Our car number 12 of 550, and is regarded as one of the most original remaining examples, retaining many of its original features like a rear window blind, under bonnet inspection lights, clock in the mirror etc.
In its last ownership the Allard has been subjected to a complete professional strip down and refurbishment, with the wings, doors, bonnet, and boot removed, and any corrosion being cut out. New metal/ aluminium was welded in where necessary. The car was then subjected to a full respray in the original factory grey colour. The main chassis was waxoyled and the wheels were professionally refurbished, before being painted red. The chrome hub caps and chrome embellishers are in fine condition. A new headlining was fitted, the seats having been reupholstered by a previous owner in grey leather, the original colour They remain in excellent condition The interior has good door cards and wood cappings.
The car's bodywork is aluminium apart from the wings which are made of steel. The design features a low, streamlined radiator and contemporary cabin with separate front wings. The front suspension is independent and was developed by racing car designer Leslie Bellamy. The running gear is based on the contemporary Ford Pilot, featuring a 3. 6 litre Ford 21-stud fathead V8 engine, giving the cars a surprising turn of speed. The bumpers on the Allard are of polished stainless steel professionally made for this Allard. It is fitted with twin four branch manifolds with the rest of the twin exhaust system in stainless steel. The exhaust sound is throaty and delightful!
The V8 engine is a replacement unit overhauled by Beltcher Engineering, renowned for their expertise with the flathead V8 engines. It has superb oil pressure and runs smoothly with good acceleration. The 3-speed gearbox has good synchromesh on 2nd and top gear. It does not suffer from overheating having been fitted with an electric cooling fan). The single carburettor is assisted with an electric petrol primer pump and a camshaft-driven pump. The axle is quiet and the brakes are excellent. The electrics feature twin 12v batteries and the charging system works well. It has been retro fitted with inertial reel safety belts at some time in the past.
It arrives to us with an exceptionally comprehensive history file bearing an original buff logbook, MOT certificates dating back to 1988, and a host of invoices for maintenance. Reading through the documentation of the Allard tells a storied history from its first registration on the 15th of November 1949.
Whilst the car was first purchased by Mr Sidney Smith, it was predominantly used by his wife Patricia. Early in the car's life, it was repainted from its factory coat of grey to a metallic green and used very regularly clocking up around 4, 000 miles per year. In 1957 Mr Smith and his wife separated, Patricia Upperton then moved to North Wales and took the car with her where the car was maintained regularly by Mr Michael Hinde. Another move for Patricia followed in the early 60s as she went abroad, the car stayed with Mr Hinde who promptly changed the colour back to its factory grey finish, though did not use the car much if at all and only registered it in his name in 1978. As became customary for the Allard, it moved again with its owner to Cornwall, where it became available for sale in 1984 with a documented mileage of 46341 from new. The director of a Porsche specialist, Autofarm Ltd bought the car for himself and his wife to use for the Allard Owners Club Social events and trips. After the recession in 1991, Mr Josh Sadlers business became victim of the financial climate, and decided to lend the car to a long-standing Allard Owners Club member who had ample storage, a Mr Gerry Auger who also maintained the car, and took it out on occasion. The main voyage by Mr Auger was in 1992 when he took the Allard to Monte Carlo with the Allard club to celebrate the 1952 Rally Victory of Sydney Allard. 5 years later, KKF752 returned to the possession of Mr Sadler and his wife, though despite their enthusiasm for the marque, didn't use the Allard as much as they would have liked. Therefore in 1999, the decision came to sell the car.
Within the file is the cars original ‘buff' logbook with the refurbishment costs amount to many thousands of pounds. This would make an interesting and distinctive, powerful long-distance touring car.
A rare opportunity to own an important British motor car.
