Highlights

One of just 117 K2 examples produced
Accompanied by its original buff logbook
Competition provenance, including sprints at Crystal Palace and Prescott
Supplied with spare parts including two front bumpers, side screens and roof weather gear
Glorious time-earned patina

The Appeal

Caroll Shelby wasn't the only one jamming American V8 engines into British sports cars. Sydney Allard was a successful hill climb and trials driver before the Second World War, building his first special in 1936 from an unlikely amalgamation of Ford and Bugatti parts. His cars' performance got Allard noticed, and soon commissions came flooding in. Twelve Allards were made before the outbreak of hostilities at the end of the 1930s, but it was post-war when the company really got into its stride, producing around 1,910 cars in all.

The Allard K2 is among the most viscerally exciting British sports cars of the early post-war era. Combining lightweight construction with the brute force of an American V8, the K2 was conceived for drivers who craved unfiltered performance, and with just 117 examples built, it remains a very rare sight on road or track today.

This 1951 example, chassis 91K 2149, carries a rich and colourful history, and is suitably patinated to match. It spent some thirty years in Australia, where it was actively used for club racing and sprints before returning to the United Kingdom. The current owner has continued to use it enthusiastically, and the vendor describes the driving experience as fearsome yet exhilarating, precisely the character one hopes for from an Allard. Significant mechanical investment has been made during the current ownership, and the car is accompanied by its original buff logbook, a useful haul of spares and invoices for the work carried out.

History and Paperwork

First registered in 1951 in the United Kingdom
Chassis number: 91K 2149
Original buff logbook present
Purchased by the current owner in 2016
The car spent approximately 30 years in Australia, where it was used for club racing and sprints before returning to the UK
Sprinted by the current owner at Crystal Palace and Prescott
Receipts available for the gearbox conversion carried out by Just Historic
MOT and road tax exempt
The odometer is inoperative, so the odometer reading is to be disregarded

The Condition

Fitted with Blockley tyres
Supplied with two front bumpers, side screens, roof weather gear and various additional spares
Green paintwork richly patinated, which can be studied in the photographs; we think this suits the car very well
Bodywork dented in places, while remaining eminently presentable
Interior re-upholstered in 2017 and reported by the vendor to remain in good condition
New floor carpets may be required following the four-speed gearbox conversion
Underside condition can be inspected in the photographs

The Mechanics

3.9-litre (3,917cc) 21-stud Ford flathead V8, sourced from Daryl Allard with approximately 2,000 miles prior to installation
Four-speed manual gearbox (Moss Box), converted by Just Historic at a cost of £12,000
The vendor reports the car starts and runs well, though the engine is not yet fully run in
Good oil pressure reported with no leaks
Phase 2 brakes
Radiator recored, with no overheating reported
Petrol tank refurbished
Stainless steel exhaust

BEFORE YOU BUY

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