Allard Quick Change rear axle = Unobtainium

this place is just an amazing amalgam of knowledge and parts. Somebody talks Allard, a few guys have pics and pieces. Pretty soon, Jimmy Hoffa's body will appear just because a HAMBer mentioned it....

 

Stromberg-97:

Those pics raised the hair up on the back of my neck!! Love it!

 

I dont know nuthin about no Jimmy Hoffa.
I was at the movies, and have people who will say so.

 

A picture I found on the net, I belive this is the one Eddie Wimble has

 

Jay...you can't give any love to the Allard Register for the images? I spent a few hours retouching that damn differential drawing...

Click here to read our post on the Allard QC diff...

Also, please visit our site and browse our archives to earn your B.S. at the Allard University. www.allardregister.org

Cheers,
Colin

 

The Allard manifold was based off of an Edelbrock dual carb manifold that was sent to Sydney Allard by a friend in the States as a "gift" in 1949. Hot rodding was in no way popular in the UK...especially for the big Ford V8's...so there were virtually no speed parts or people with the expertise to make them. Additionally, there were tough import restrictions that banned virtually any manufactured parts from entering the UK in an effort to protect UK manufacturing which was still struggling after the War.

So what did Sydney do? He copied the best!

Cheers,
Colin
www.allardregister.org

 

I was just going to post this, I'm glad that I saw this 1st. I also had a conversation with Ed Wimble, He called when he was in the UK, saw him while he was doing some work for Boyd's Garage, I think building these really cool 32 Ford style busses.

Very talented guy though, and he knows these QC's well. The pic of Zora, look in the background,especially at the rear chassis x-member on the rolling chassis. Most of the frames were based on a 32 Ford, but without the side rail reveal.

Very cool post!!!!!

 

Yeah, this is a super cool post. I second what Jive-bomber said! Everytime I even see an Allard I can't help but be drawn to it. I think the truly extraordinary thing about them is, most of their owners are as passionate and knowledgable as anyone, even the guys who show up at Pebble have grease under their fingers. Or at least black colored nail polish.

I also particularly like the independent front suspension that he designed. So smart and simple, though there is always discussion about its reliability.

Can't wait to look at the Allard site.

 

Just Wednesday I was at my friend's house picking up drip rails for my '29 Sedan.
I look at this quick-change in his garage.
"What the heck is that?"
"That's an Allard"

Sucker's kinda big, never had seen one before.

 

I saw an ALLARD that a local guy has owned since around 1956, have to find the photos I took to see if it had a quick change.

 

Jay, thanks for digging into the weird. great story.

 

Very talented guy though, and he knows these QC's well. The pic of Zora, look in the background,especially at the rear chassis x-member on the rolling chassis. Most of the frames were based on a 32 Ford, but without the side rail reveal.

Yep Eddie seems to be a master at most things. Id forgotten about the Allard frames, after the war the supply of new 32 frames dried up so they reproduced a exact replica pre dating the Deuce factory by about 30 years.
Thought you may all like this Ken Brookes 32 from 1987.... 21 stud Allard heads and twin carb manifold

 

If I were looking for a quick change that is probably hard to find, but made in America and I am sure a nice piece I would look for this one from Downey Machine Co. a two speed quickee, now that would be trick. I got this old advertisement from the August, 1950 issue of "Speed Age" magazine. Check the prices.

Rex

 

Correction to my post about the intakr manifold...it's actually a copy of an Eddie Meyer, not Edelbrock.

Also, regarding the Allard tach on post #28...I'm not sure where it came from, but unfortunately it's not an Allard tach (this one is made in the USA)...Allard used a mix of Jaeger, Smiths, and Cooper Stewart through the years...all made in the UK.

Cheers,
Colin

 

That quickchange is known as a Pat Warren, not a Downey. They are rare, both the regular and the two-speed, but probably not "15" rare. I have a regular Pat Warren for an A/B rearend.

 

I concur with all the comments on here Allard was a true innovator , his parts & cars were amazing. Regarding the front suspension , the J2X we restored drives really well & the suspension is remarkably smooth ,not driven on a track where the positive camber makes for some interesting cornering .

 

I hadn't seen this exact lower ad, I know that Cook didn't advertise much. Still don't . We still make that quickie,It funny-We're at the same address with the same phone # using the same equipment to make this stuff. How many Hot Rod Machine Shops can say that????
This ad was over 62 yrs ago! We've been around 75+ when Cook started Cyclone in his garage just down the street from this address.

I know someone that has a Pat Warren quickie. They are somewhat rare.
Pat Warren and Cook were pals and Cook did a lot of work for other machine shops. I can't begin to tell ya how many shafts he hobbed/splined..

Very cool info on this thread.

 

Kevin,
Have you ever seen one of the Warren two speed quickees??

Rex

 

The Allard guy in London Clive bought the castings from is actually Mike Knapman who is, I believe, historian of the Allard owners club. Chances are slim this casting set will ever be finished to use as it's quite a task without drawings, spec's & tolerances, the original steel pinion insert is also crushed out of shape. However, it's not an impossible, albeit very expensive, task to do in the UK. The one other Clive knows of belongs to me....

I've attached four photo's of my QC and the best photo I have of the one fitted to the original Allard Chrysler dragster which we're currently restoring to running condition. These are the only two I've seen as finished units. The photo's in the J.J. / Allard register articles are of the Allard Chrysler QC which possibly came from the Steyer hill climb car.

I spoke to Alan Allard about these QCs many years ago and he seemed to think there were only around seven or so of these finish machined. Personally I feel it must have been more, the J.J. article says 15 which makes more sense. There were more raw castings at Mike Knapman's when I bought mine years ago and this set here must have been the last he had.
What I feel is odd about something like this, is: People have known about these castings and how rare they are for years, including members of the Allard owners club. So why haven't any steps been taken over the years to bring them to life ? maybe as a club effort in order to make the project affordable, it beats me.

It appears these QCs were fitted to Allard J2X (and, I was told, HWM and Cooper), sports cars with the De Dion independent rearend and inboard Alfin drum brakes. Alfin drums or copies are still available, one foundry not 2 miles from my house which I used to use before they closed, made 'em in various types.

I've also noticed a lot of Allard people saying these QCs were a copy of the Halibrand unit as they have 'Allard' on the rear cover - which (apart from the principal by which all QCs work), they are not. Visually they are completely different anybody can see that.
I think what has happened is; as some Allard vehicles were retro-fitted with Halibrand QCs in the USA these also included an Allard logo rear cover. How else would an Allard QC look the same as a Halibrand ?

All the castings I've seen have the same date cast into the rear cover :
13 8 52.......(13 August '52) so presumably there was just one casting run.

The pinion gear & bearings are fitted inside a steel sleeve which was presumably assembled in the heated casting, much the same as pinion bearings are assembled in any other QC case. This sleeve is held in place by the round plate you see here and shear bolts. Another similar plate locks the lower rear quill shaft bearing. I would imagine the pinion gear steel sleeve is intended to add strength to the casing where QCs normally tend to break. However, these units seem quite capable of handling the power of a Chrysler Hemi.
Ed Wimble.

 

This is one of three prototype QCs I've made using modified early Ford banjo casings and my own stylised, finned and scalloped spur gear case and rear cover for hot rods. Not original Allard at all - although I have had both oval black/brass & red/aluminium plates made with the Allard logo.
I do have a pattern on the go for aluminum banjo's but so much else to do I sometimes doubt they'll be finished as I still have the core box to start yet, here's some photo's....

I think I read here I own the original casting patterns for Allard Quickchange cases....only wish I did - I just own the Trademark, but the patterns are probably long gone - in the '66 fire at Allards shop maybe ?

 

This thread keeps getting better!

 

There are Allard trademarks, yes, I own one. No patents, as patents are reserved for new ideas, inventions, processes etc.

 

Seen recently....... Allard made cast aluminum heads too?

 

They're copies of Edelbrock heads....with Edelbrocks blessing.

 

YES DOROTHY, THERE IS AN ALLARD QUICK CHANGE !

Photos 1 & 2 show open and closed sides of an Allard Quick Change - It has been updated with a later Ring & Pinion and Differential Cage - A much stronger stub axle takes the place of the original early Ford one and is secured by a bearing retainer which bolts to the inside of the cast aluminum side bell which is shown in the 4th photo - This QC had 7" drum brakes from a 1980s English Talbot Express Van bolted to a ring at the mouth of the bell which may date the time when the internals were updated - This QC came mounted in the heavy steel cage shown via 6 steel rods that go through the QC case to fasten it into the cage - QC also came with a variety of change gears in homemade case as shown in last photo - Isn't it really interesting what you can find on this stellar Forum[

 

Thought you guys might like to see a pic of my Halibrand QC rear. I know nothing about it, it has been sugested that it maybe out of an Allard, but seeing the pics posted above, I dont think so, any thoughts? It was originally under a bench in a race car shop in the U.K, had been there for years until a friend of mine managed to buy it, then i bought it from him

 

Helped a friend in Cornwall sell this earlier this year. It was bought brand new many years ago and is believed to be Halibrand. It has been adapted to work with an open drive and separate open driveshafts and inboard drum brakes. It has specially machine bells to replace the usual Ford banjo items. It was as part of a project to recreate a Lotus 8 by one of the original Lotus engineers.

 

Just looked, nothing that obvious..

 

Regarding the picture of Zora Arkus Duntov, there is a person here in Connecticut that has an
Allard that was owned by Zora Arkus Duntov. Yes, it has an Ardun flathead engine in it. The car is fully documented with original paperwork as well as newspaper articles from it's racing days. The present owner takes the car to Lime Rock race track as well as Watkins Glen. It is more than a trailer queen.