Allard Motor Company may have only lasted just over a decade before closing up shop, but that didn’t stop them from striking upon a formula that would eventually result in the some of the greatest sports cars of all time. The recipe in question is the combination of a lightweight British chassis with a stonking great American V8, à la Shelby Cobra, but Allard were doing it well before Carroll Shelby started shoehorning engines into ACs. Enter this lovely 1952 Allard J2X, currently for sale with O’Kane Lavers. 

To keep up with the rapidly developing sports car competition, Allard replaced the relatively stubby J2 with the J2X in 1952. The J2X had redesigned front suspension that allowed the engine to be placed further forward for improved weight distribution and driver leg room, hence the ‘X’ for extended.  Exported new to George Lee Motors in Singapore, Chassis J2X 3063 was initially fitted with a 3.9 litre Mercury V8, which in 1978 would be replaced by the vendor’s father in Hong Kong with a Studebaker OHV V8. J2s were often exported to the USA without engines at all, so this type of power-plant swapping was relatively common practice for these cars. 

This J2X was registered in the UK in 2014, following a year of mechanical by Twyford Motors that included gearbox overhaul, new dashboard and instruments, and a full body respray. Between 2017 and 2019, Classic Motor Cars Limited undertook the restoration of the car, with bills totalling £34,000. Most recently, this Allard was fully inspected and serviced once more by P&K Thornton Restorations where a further £10,000 was spent. After all that love and attention we think it’s safe to say this Allard is now ready to race, especially as the odometer shows just 23,900 miles. It’s eligible for both Goodwood Revival and the Copperstate 1000, so you’re covered whichever side of the pond you choose to compete, either way this Anglo-American formula is a recipe for success.