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History Fred Lavell's J2 Allard

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Ryan, Dec 21, 2011.

  1. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

  2. Sent a note to one of the long time vets, hopefully he has some more info. Love that glass body!
     
  3. banjeaux bob -

    My thoughts exactly!

    I'm sure Colin (@Allard Register) will eventually chime in here ... but in the meantime, here's a color pic of Lavell's re-bodied Allard J2 @ Bonneville:

    [​IMG]
    image from www.allardregister.org
     
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2015
  4. Wow! If there ever was a car I wanted to clone!
     

  5. That is a beaut!
     
  6. Slick Willy
    Joined: Aug 3, 2008
    Posts: 3,053

    Slick Willy
    Member

    The grille area of this looks very much like an Astin Martin,
    Did Allard have dealings with them or is it just a "borrowed" look?
     
  7. @Slick Willy -

    As stated in @Ryan's Blog, Lavell's Bonneville car is not an Allard body ... but rather a fiberglass version of the 1953 Sorrell "SR-100" Roadster body (designed & built by Bob Sorrell).

    Here's some pics of other Sorrell "SR-100" Roadsters:

    [​IMG]
    The Denny Larsen / Bob Sorrell Special (an SR-100 with a hardtop) on the salt in 1954 (photo by J.R. Eyerman)

    [​IMG]
    Dick Lane's SR-100 Roadster on a Kurtis 500KK chassis with Jimmy 6 power (from CAR CRAFT Oct 1955)

    [​IMG]
    Dr. Mark (@mrbhotrod) Brinker's "Bob Sorrell / Chuck Manning Special" at the Petersen Automotive Museum
     
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2015
  8. metalshapes
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 11,138

    metalshapes
    Member

    Seems to me its both...


    I've been looking for pics of Allard chassis.

    Just to see what one looks like without its body.
     
  9. @banjeaux bob -

    Sorry if I offended you (or anyone else) with my "Off Topic" post.

    I thought this thread was about the "Class D Sports Car" that Fred Lavell ran at Bonneville in 1955 & 1956 ... a Sports Car with a Sorrell SR-100 fiberglass roadster body ... mounted on an Allard J2 chassis ... running a DeSoto HEMI engine.

    If need be, I can certainly delete the Sorrell SR-100 pics from this thread.
     
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2015
  10. Alex (@metalshapes) -

    Funny you should ask ... cuz' @banjeaux bob posted quite a few pics of an Allard J2 chassis (sans body) in his 1952 Allard J2 thread ... this J2 even has one them funny looking 392ci engines in it! :)

    Also checkout the Is an Allard J2X a Hot Rod?? Limeworks thinks so build thread ... @cruzr and @Limey Steve posted pics of the chassis throughout the entire restoration process.
     
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2020
  11. metalshapes
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 11,138

    metalshapes
    Member

    Thanks for the links.

    I've got some reading to do tomorrow...:D
     
  12. BigBlockBuck
    Joined: Jun 19, 2010
    Posts: 64

    BigBlockBuck
    Member

    Heck No, keep them coming. That is a beautiful body. Do you have any links as to the history of Sorrell? I love the fiberglass sports car bodies of the fifties. I’ve researched a lot of different makes, but this is the first I’ve heard of a Sorrell. Where there any others with significant racing heritage?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:eek:ffice:eek:ffice" /><o:p></o:p>
     
  13. 1958 Echidna #66, the "Larson" car. Devin-Chevrolet special.
     

    Attached Files:

  14. Slick Willy
    Joined: Aug 3, 2008
    Posts: 3,053

    Slick Willy
    Member

    Thanks for the clarification, HEMI32, and the confusion!:D
     
  15. flamingokid
    Joined: Jan 5, 2005
    Posts: 2,200

    flamingokid
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    I'd say the Aston Martin borrowed from Sorrell,not the other way around
     
  16. metalshapes
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 11,138

    metalshapes
    Member

    I really doubt that.


    And which Aston Martin sports racer looks similar enough to think anybody was borrowing?

    I guess I'm just not seeing it...

    2908200296_b23e0a7f4a.jpg

    1954_Aston_Martin_DB3S.jpg

    1955-aston-martin-db3s.jpg

    AstonMartin.jpg
     
  17. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Never seen the Dick Lane car with the Jimmy. GREAT thread.
     
  18. @banjeaux bob, @BigBlockBuck, & @falcongeorge -

    I do have some '50s magazines with more info and pics of Sorrell bodies ... but have yet to scan any of those articles.

    Perhaps HAMBer Geoffrey Hacker (@G. Hacker) will chime in here ... Geoff's "Forgotten Fiberglass" website is chock full of Sorrell info & pics ... including these Blog entries:

    * Fiberglass Explodes On The Scene - Petersen Motorama November 1953

    * "Fiberglass Funnies" - Featuring A "Sorrell" Sports Car - Car Craft, February 1954

    * GMC Under Glass: The Dick Lane Sorrell SR100 With A Kurtis 500KK Chassis Too! (1955)

    * Fiberglass State of the Industry 1956: Trend Book 130

    * Front and Rear Styling For The Fiberglass Body (Car Craft, March 1956)

    * Fiberglass Buyers Guide (Car Craft, March 1956): Part 2 - The Sorrell SR-190 Coupe

    * Fiberglass Buyers Guide (Car Craft, March 1956): Part 6 - The Sorrell SR-100 Sports Car
     
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2015
  19. Damn that @metalshapes guy for posting pics of mid '50s Aston Martin roadsters in this thread! ... Where's a moderator when you need one to keep a thread "on-topic"? :rolleyes: :D
     
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2015
  20. I love how these threads sprout and grow!
     
  21. metalshapes
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 11,138

    metalshapes
    Member

    Hahaha...:D
     
  22. Slick Willy
    Joined: Aug 3, 2008
    Posts: 3,053

    Slick Willy
    Member

    ...maybe I should have just googled it...:p:rolleyes:
     
  23. G. Hacker
    Joined: Sep 1, 2006
    Posts: 147

    G. Hacker
    Member

    Hi Hemi32...

    Thanks for the invite. You did a great job of posting links to several of the Sorrell related stories. I've not done one on this Sorrell-bodied car yet, but I believe the car is in Florida (I didn't read the detail at the beginning of the thread, in case this was mentioned).

    These open roadster bodies were stunning, and what's fascinating to me is that the molds for the large one (100" wheelbase) and small one (94" wheelbase) still exist. That brings up all sorts of possibilities, doesn't it?

    Great car, and much credit should go to Mark Brinker for restoring his Sorrell SR-100 and to Mike Larkin for building his SR-190 from scratch. Both beautiful sports cars.

    Hope this adds a bit of new info to all, and happy holidays gang :)

    Geoff Hacker
    Forgotten Fiberglass
     
    Last edited: Dec 23, 2011
  24. BigBlockBuck
    Joined: Jun 19, 2010
    Posts: 64

    BigBlockBuck
    Member

    Thanks HEMI32, great links! I thought I was going to get some work done this morning, but it looks like I've got some reading to do. Thanks again.
     
  25. Allard Register
    Joined: Jan 13, 2010
    Posts: 31

    Allard Register
    Member
    from Fresyes

    I don't really know much about this J2 when it Sorrell bodied, except for this article from Motor Life magazine (December '57).

    When I saw the Sorrell at Amelia Island this past March, it stopped me in my tracks. I don't think I've ever seen a car that beautiful or impractical. The lines were perfect, but I kept wondering how you would get in the thing since it didn't have any doors and the seates were at least a foot inboard of the outside of the car. Then at the awards ceremony I saw how you got in...by raising the body by hydraulics...holy crap!!!

    Cheers,
    Colin
     
  26. Allard Register
    Joined: Jan 13, 2010
    Posts: 31

    Allard Register
    Member
    from Fresyes

    Here's a few additional pics of the Sorrel at Amelia...
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Cheers,
    Colin
     
  27. Thats a surprise!
     
  28. Geoff (@G. Hacker) -

    Thanks for chiming-in! :)

    @Ryan's Blog does mention that Lavell's (Sorrell SR-100 bodied) Allard J2 was found by John Aibel ... and that it has been restored back to it's original configuration:

    [​IMG]
    Allard # J-2123 (restored by Tivvey Sheldon for John Aibel)

    Mr. Aibel lives in Naples, Florida ... So are you saying that he still has the Sorrell SR-100 body?
     
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2015
  29. Colin (@Allard Register) -

    Thanks for chiming-in! :) ... and for sharing this article:

    [​IMG]
    "HYBRID SPORTS CAR" from page 68 of the December 1957 issue of MOTOR LIFE magazine
     
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2015
  30. Not to hijack this thread any further ... but I thought it was worth mentioning that the restoration of Dr. Mark (@mrbhotrod) Brinker's "Sorrell~Manning Special" was actually chronicled & discussed here on the H.A.M.B. ...

    Here's some posts by @T2Vracing (of T2V RACING & RESTORATION in Arivaca, Arizona):

    * American Specials or Road Racing a Hot Rod

    * The Mabee Special

    * Early Hemi to a Jag 4 spd ????

    * early hemi Cunningham intake with injection

    * Early HEMI head interchange ????

    * pin Knock-off Ford Hubs Best way to go ??

    * Which water pump best for 354 road racer

    * Cunningham powered Sorrell Manning Special Lives again


    ... and couple of posts by @rexrogers (of Dave Crouse's CUSTOM AUTO in Loveland, Colorado):

    * who forms lexan windsheilds?

    * Project updates from Custom Auto
     
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2015

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