1953 Allard J2X Roadster

Sydney Allard was a bit of a pioneer, installing American-built V-8 engines in a British car. After World War II, British motor trader Sydney Allard started the Allard Motor Company Ltd. The majority of these cars were exported to America without engines. The chassis was set up to accommodate various V8 power plants. The J2X was the sports/racer of the early fifties. It was strong, brutal, and fast. It featured a lightweight tubular steel frame and when fitted with a Cadillac V8, it produced 150 horsepower which in the 1800lb J2 was good for a top speed of 120 mph and zero-to-sixty in 9.5 seconds. This car is one of only 83 built.

The J2X was built from 1952 through 1954 with a total production of just 82 cars. It was essentially a re-engineered derivative of the predecessor J2, both being designed as a race car that could be driven on the street. The stark sports car featured a simple box-section frame with coil springs and the swing-axle front suspension and de Dion rear suspension. The body was light-alloy construction with separate cycle-style front fenders and no windshield or weather protection, and an outside-mounted spare as compared to the concealed spare of the J2.

Most J2X Allards were equipped with Cadillac or Chrysler V-8s, which sat seven inches further back in the chassis, thus the 'X' designation. It featured an improved front suspension that required the extended frame to be made lighter and more rigid to improve handling, and more capable of handling the torque of the powerful V-8s. This example is powered by a 331 CID Cadillac V-8 engine.