The famed Allard J2X is back. If you’re looking to drive the Great Smoky Mountains or smoke the track or just admire automotive art in your garage, Roger Allard and his crew at Allard Motor Works in Montreal are keeping the legend alive for your driving excitement.
“The J2X MkIII is a hand-crafted version of the famed British competition roaster that stirred crowds in Europe and North America in the early 1950s,” he says. “Our modern version integrates the latest technology into the original design to provide a safer, more comfortable and reliable vehicle than its predecessor, without compromising performance.”
In 1952, English racer and car manufacturer, Sydney Allard, drove a J2s built by his Allard Motor Company to a third-place finish at the great 24 Hours of LeMans. From his London factory, Allard then delivered 99 J2s and 83 J2Xs as track cars, equipped with high-performance American powerplants from Chrysler, GM and Ford — a masterful synthesis of English design and American horsepower.
In 1995, Roger Allard (unrelated to Sydney) discovered the J2X® while traveling in England. “I began to test the viability of reintroducing not just a re-creation but a limited-production version for classic and vintage car aficionados and collectors,” he recalls.
The J2X® MkIII combines on-the-cusp structural and performance components. For instance, AMW has stretched the wheelbase by six inches, providing more rigidity for both the track and the road, and redesigned the cockpit for easier access and egress because of the car’s wider doors.
Emissions-compliant powerplants include a GM LS3 E-ROD 6.2L, generating 430 horses and 425 lb/ft of torque and a 392-ci HEMI from Chrysler. The rugged 5-speed Tremec TKO transmission offers precise and smooth shifting as well as gearing options. “The TKO is an ideal blend of brute strength and street manners,” he says.
Company technicians will customize the drivetrain to your driving lifestyle, cruising or racing. Suspensions are independent and fully adjustable. The front features a cast stainless spindle assembly and A-arms with E-Z Eccentric™ alignment; the rear is the legendary 9” Ford limited slip with 12” 4- or 6-piston drilled and slotted rotors.
In addition, the J2X® MkIII is equipped with adjustable shocks and struts; a Kevlar®-lined fuel cell embedded in the 25-gallon tank; two FIA-approved seamless-dome 35 steel double roll bars integrated into the tubular steel chassis; steel floors; and a tubular steel front bumper.
One South Carolina owner recently unleashed the J2X for its monthly run and wrote Allard: “Of all of the iconic cars we have in our collection, the J2X is the most fun car that I have ever driven.” And, a California customer noted that he “finally decided that I NEEDED an Allard much more than I needed the Ferrari!”
The Allard Motor Works J2X® MkIII is available from Allard America LLC. To discuss, connect with Domenic Papa at mrdwp@allardamerica.com and www.allardamerica.com or Roger Allard at info@allardj2x.com. Also see www.allardj2x.com and call 877.J2X.1953 or 860.559.1611.
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