While the J2X was a definite improvement, its race record was not quite as impressive as the J2 due to improved competition. By 1953 Ferrari had come out with hotter 4.1L engines and Jaguar had warmed up their racing C-Type with disc brakes. By 1954 the era of the Allard racers had come to a close with 90 J2 and 83 J2X models sold, but the Allard company continued to develop more models. They built a special J2X with a fully-enveloped body to run at Le Mans, but the running gear was no longer competitive. The lighter (1,900 pound) JR followed in 1953, but it was not up to the latest racers from Europe and America.
There were also a bewildering number of Allard street models, including the Ford-powered P-1 sedan in which Sydney Allard himself thundered through France to conquer the 1952 Monte Carlo rally. The M1 was a four-seat drophead coupe, and the K2 was an improved version of the K1. The P1 was later stretched and made into the MX2 convertible, but it proved a hard sell. The P1 was replaced by the Monte Carlo P2, and a station wagon, the Allard Safari, was added to the line. The best selling Allard of all was the P1, with 569 sold. Finally, the K2 was replaced with the streamlined K-3 touring car, which was sold in America with a Cadillac engine and Hydramatic transmission.
In the mid-'50s the old K- and L-series models were replaced by the Palm Beach convertible and the GT coupe. These were tamer, more stylish street machines usually powered by Ford four- or six-cylinder engines or the Jaguar six. They didn't sell well due to their high price, mediocre performance and unsophisticated build quality. However, one GT was fitted with a nasty Dodge Hemi and raced with some success. Allard even sold a tiny three-wheeled economy car called the Clipper, but only around 50 were made.
In 1959 Allard got out of the car manufacturing business, although the company was later instrumental in the launch of drag racing in England. Sydney Allard died in 1966 after a brief illness, and it is a measure of the esteem he and his products are still held that an original J2X recently sold at auction for over $350,000.
Replica RevivalThere have been a few Allard replicas built over the years. In the mid-'80s Elite Enterprises offered an Allard J2X replica based on a ladder frame, VW front suspension and a live rear axle. In 1986 the project was passed on to Hardy Motors in California, who upgraded the design and reintroduced an improved J2X kit in the early '90s. The Hardy J2X was usually powered by a small-block Chevy, although Cadillac and Chrysler engines were advertised to fit as well. Hardy moved to North Carolina before shutting down in 1998.
Recently another Allard replica has popped up in Canada, built by Allard Motor Works (www.allardj2x.com). Company president Roger P. Allard (no relation to the English Allards) is building a very authentic-looking copy designed for Chevy small-block power. Unlike the original, it uses modern A-arm suspension for up-to-date handling. But I don't know. If it doesn't try to kill you, can it really be an Allard?