Founded by successful British race car driver Sydney Allard, the Allard company gained recognition for building high-performance sports and racing cars designed for a variety of motor racing events. Each model incorporated an American V-8 engine, coupled to a lightweight tubular British chassis, delivering remarkable power-to-weight ratios for the era. Models such as the J2 gained notoriety both within the UK and abroad, most notably in America, where the voracious postwar appetite for sports cars continued to grow. First introduced in 1949, the J2 became a dominant force in racing and competed against larger and more established manufacturers, with notable finishes at Le Mans and an overall win at the Pebble Beach Road Races.

This Allard J2 spent its early years relatively close to its London birthplace, selling to its first owner, Bernard Scott-Wade of Chester, UK, on March 28, 1952. Originally fitted with an Ardun-modified Mercury engine, it was soon to be replaced by a Ford Pilot V-8, a more reliable power train at the time. By 1963, it was purchased by Gerry Belton, Allard’s former promotions manager, and was repainted in British Racing Green. Under his stewardship, the J2 continued to enjoy regular use and maintenance, with a reupholstery of the interior completed by the original craftsman who had assembled its interior when new.

By 1968, chassis 99J2121 was sold to Bob Judd of London. Mr. Judd took his newly purchased J2 to Allard’s Clapham workshop in London and asked if it would be sacrilege to fit a new Cobra-specification engine into the car. With their seal of approval, the Pilot V-8 was swapped for a 289 Ford Hi-Po V-8 engine, good for 306 hp. The J2 was then relocated to the US, where it lived under single ownership for 39 years. Beginning in 2010, a significant restoration was undertaken by its next owner, using its original coachwork – a rare occurrence, as many Allards were damaged in period race or rally events. The resulting British Racing Green finish, coupled with its Cobra power train, received multiple awards, including Second in Class at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in 2012.

In honor of this J2’s roots, its current owner has replaced the Ford Hi-Po V-8 with an Ardun-modified Ford flathead V-8 engine, which was rebuilt by Roush Industries in 2017. The engine was bored-out to 3.2", providing a 268 cid, resulting in just over 200 hp.

Extremely well preserved throughout its existence, this remarkable Allard is offered with its factory inspection certificates, numerous magazine features, and an impressive history file. Combined with its remarkable history, this J2 undoubtably embodies the spirit of the Allard brand and would be a beautiful cornerstone of any well-curated collection of competition-bred, road-going sports cars.