1948 Allard M-Type Coupe

For an all-too-brief period in the late 1940s and early 1950s, the name Allard was one of the most revered of all motor manufacturers. The company's road cars were some of the most popular among wealthy enthusiasts, especially in the United States. The racing versions were more than competitive on the track, and the company's founder, Sidney Allard, was one of Britain's leading competitive drivers, winning the British Hillclimb Championship in 1949 and the Monte Carlo Rally in 1952.

Born to wealthy parents in South London, England in 1910, Sydney Allard would have a tremendous career as a mechanic, race car driver, and car company owner. At age 18 he began work in a garage as an apprentice mechanic; this was also the time Allard began his racing career. Initially, he specialized in cross-country trials in a Morgan. After a year he began racing at such memorable tracks as Brooklands and Donnington Park.

The first automobile built by Allard was in 1930 and it was given a Ford flathead V8 engine. Demand for the vehicle soon escalated, so Allard set up an assembly line to cope with this new interest. During the Second World War, the company focused on building military vehicles. When peacetime resumed, the company resumed automobile production with the introduction of its K1, a simple two-seater convertible powered by a flathead V8. The bodies used steel panels draped over traditional wood framing.

The company produced both two-seat and four-seat models in both open and closed configurations. The road-going cars were built to support his racing endeavors.

This Allard M-Type is powered by a 59A Mercury 95-horsepower motor and mated to a three-speed manual transmission. Inside, there is an upholstered rear compartment without additional seating. There are trafficator turn signal semaphores used to signal a direction change. There are teardrop front fenders with built-in headlights, a curved roofline, and skirted rear wheels.

In 2009, this 1948 Allard M Type Coupe was offered for sale at the Sports & Classics of Monterey auction in Monterey, California presented by RM Auctions. The car was estimated to sell for $35,000-$45,000 and offered without reserve. The lot was sold for the sum of $22,000 including the buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2009