1951 Allard K2 Roadster

The idea of an English car with a big American engine was fairly novel in 1950. That year the British Allard Company launched the K2 model, which was the inspiration for Carroll Shelby's Cobra project. As with the earlier Allards, various American V8 engines were available. A 3.6-liter Ford-Mercury V8 engine with twin Solex carburetors as standard. The K2 stayed in production until 1952, and by then 119 examples had been built. This K2 spent all of its life in England until being purchased by its current owner in 2001. It has been driven enthusiastically on many trials and rallies in Europe and in the United States and is still used regularly.

Restoration of the 1951 K2 Allard was completed in November 2007 by Michael Gassman of Gassman Automotive Products in Waynesboro, VA. This Allard was originally sold to Dr. John Gues of Birmingham, England, and spent the next 50 years there. It is equipped with a Mercury flathead engine and the correct engine for the English Allard. It participated in 11 European rallys for vintage cars between the years of 1985 to 2000, including six Claret & Classic rallys in the late 1980s, the Monte Caro Sestriere in 1989, the Rallye d'Alsace in 1991, the Liege-Rome-Liege in 2000, and the Coppa delle Alpi in January 1986 which it won. The signage on the car reflects its win of the Coppa delle Alpi, and it is shown with the original rally plate and winner's trophy.

The Allard was restored both as a concours car and as a rally car. The drive train was rebuilt to period-correct racing specifications including a complete overhaul of suspension and braking systems. The engine is a 255 cubic-inch, balanced, and blueprinted, 1951 Mercury flathead with an Allard aluminum dual intake manifold, twin Stromberg 97 carburetors, and Offenhauser aluminum cylinder heads.