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Technical 1953: Allard Prepares For Le Mans

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Ryan, Mar 24, 2010.

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

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

  2. Triggerman
    Joined: Nov 18, 2006
    Posts: 578

    Triggerman
    Member
    from NorCal

    My Dad still talks fondly of the Cad Allards. Apparently they were the shit back in those days. As Ryan stated, to win first in class and third overall at LeMans is huge when competing against Europe's finest marques.
     
  3. NoSurf
    Joined: Jul 26, 2002
    Posts: 4,461

    NoSurf
    Member

    Love those cars.

    I passed a red one on my way home from work last year.

    The music in the video makes me want to chant "Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!"
     
  4. justanotherguy
    Joined: Apr 19, 2007
    Posts: 197

    justanotherguy
    Member

    Ryan, It's nice to see you being seduced by the "other side!"... :)
     

  5. stude_trucks
    Joined: Sep 13, 2007
    Posts: 4,755

    stude_trucks
    Member

    You use to be able to compete in Le Mans in a Nash with a luggage rack on top?
     
  6. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    You should read a little closer... They are preparing for Le Mans on the street.
     
  7. Rolleiflex
    Joined: Oct 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,243

    Rolleiflex
    Member

    Somehow I don't think the music captures what that day must've sounded like. I much more imagine that those cars were issuing fire-breathing rip-snorting sounds out of their exhaust pipes.

    Cool video though!
     
  8. flamingokid
    Joined: Jan 5, 2005
    Posts: 2,200

    flamingokid
    Member

    I was just reading a magazine article about John Fitch winning the Argentina GP in an Allard-Cadillac J2 in 1951.I've been interested in Allards for a long time.Now,get out of my head!!
     
  9. Rockettruck
    Joined: Aug 21, 2006
    Posts: 167

    Rockettruck
    Member

    An acquaintance of mine in Indianapolis (north side) restores Allards. He bought a well-used (actually stuck) 394 Olds engine from me probably 12 or 13 years ago to restore an Allard that he had purchased.
     
  10. Excellent topic! A few of us were in the chat yesterday talking details of early race cars.
     
  11. I used to love watching the Allards race in SoCal when I was a kid, especially with that crazy swing-arm front suspension made out a Ford beam axle!

    Thanks for a great feature.
     
  12. Flipper
    Joined: May 10, 2003
    Posts: 3,395

    Flipper
    Member
    from Kentucky

    Dad claims to have ridden shotgun in a big block GT40 that was taken out on the streets of Memphis, TN in about 1966.

    There was an import car place in Memphis that dealt with all of the cool toys of the day (Ferrari, Jaguar, Porsche, Mercedes, etc...). Dad messed with XK120-150 jags at the time and knew a lot of the guys in the shop. The GT40 was there getting the carbs rebuilt/synchronized/loved on. One of dad's friends asked if he wanted to go on the test drive and had said "hell yeah".

    He was told they got up to 185 mph on Winchester (brand new 4 lane road going out to the middle of nowhere with no traffic, at the time). Dad had been 140 in his cars and said it was way faster than his jags had ever gone.
     
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2010
  13. slickshoez
    Joined: Feb 6, 2010
    Posts: 23

    slickshoez
    Member

    I would pay to see a race team prep for La Mans like that nowadays!
     
  14. Fun looking car to drive! I saw an Allard in an underground water tank somewhere near Okaloma City a few years back. It was an interesting little project car without a drive train. The guy who owned it totally lit up when a friend of mine started talking about its history and rarity.
     
  15. DaveInc
    Joined: Feb 11, 2008
    Posts: 81

    DaveInc
    Member

    It's a shame there is no sound in the films. There is a J2 (I believe) owned by Virginia International Raceway VIR that shows up for our annual car show. Open pipes and loud as hell! I can just hear this thing blasting down those little quaint streets with bicyclists and delivery vans.
     
  16. C-1-PW
    Joined: Jun 11, 2006
    Posts: 357

    C-1-PW
    Member

    Those Allards are crazy-wild cars. The old joke I grew up with was that in any given race a J2 would most assuredly be the first car to cross the finish line. But, it wouldn't count unless it did so front end first.

    Few cars make my heart melt like a race prepared, Cad powered, Allard J2.
     
  17. ironpile
    Joined: Jul 3, 2005
    Posts: 915

    ironpile
    Member

    Just met a man here in town says he has one body hanging upside down in his garage,"To keep it from warping" I plan to ck it out soon. I keep everyone up to date .I`m sure all will be waiting with baited breath.
     
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2010
  18. Lotek_Racing
    Joined: Sep 6, 2006
    Posts: 689

    Lotek_Racing
    Member

    There is a great, cheesy 1954 movie called "The Fast and the Furious" (not the Paul Walker / Vin Diesel softcore gay porno) that featured a bunch of Allards, J2s and J2Xs as well as Healy 100/4's, Jag, Bandinis and Kurtis Krafts being driven in anger.

    The plot is pretty weak but it's great to see these vintage racecars being flung around back when they were just cheap sportscars and not babied museum pieces like they are now.

    It's more than worth the $4.99 I spent in the cheap DVD bin.

    Shawn
     
  19. Magnus
    Joined: Apr 30, 2006
    Posts: 904

    Magnus
    Member
    from Sweden

  20. koth
    Joined: Apr 30, 2007
    Posts: 161

    koth
    Member

    Wow, that was a great article and video. It also interesting to hear where other Allards are hiding:)
     
  21. Love Cad powered Allards !
     
  22. stude_trucks
    Joined: Sep 13, 2007
    Posts: 4,755

    stude_trucks
    Member

    Yeah, I caught that part, I realize it couldn't possibly be competing. But it was just odd that it was race car, race car, race car, race car and then family car with luggage rack. You think they would have edited that out since they wouldn't have thought it notable at that time. Now, obviously it would be considered extremely odd for race cars to be warming up on open streets along with family cars but I guess back then it was perfectly fine. Just part of the fun.
     
  23. 32gal
    Joined: Jun 23, 2008
    Posts: 266

    32gal
    Member
    from The OC

    Theres one "hiding" at Limeworks right now:)
     
  24. Allard Register
    Joined: Jan 13, 2010
    Posts: 31

    Allard Register
    Member
    from Fresyes

  25. That video is awesome, thanks for sharing. I would love to have that car in my stable!
     

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