The Allard M was a two-door, four-seat convertible built by the Allard Motor Company between 1947 and 1950. It is regarded as the first civilised sports car the company put its name to, and about 500 were made.
Allard M at a glance
| Maker | Allard Motor Company, Clapham, London |
|---|---|
| Production | 1947–1950 |
| Built | about 500 |
| Body | two-door, four-seat drophead coupé |
| Engine | Ford Pilot sidevalve V8, 3,622 cc |
| Bore × stroke | 77.79 mm × 95.25 mm |
| Power | 85 bhp (62.5 kW) at 3,500 rpm |
| Compression | 6.1:1 |
| Carburettor | Ford |
| Gearbox | three-speed, later with Ford Pilot column shift |
| Fixed-head cars | three built by outside coachbuilders |
The English and German Wikipedia articles on the M are both short and are used together here; the German page supplies most of the technical figures.
History of the Allard M
The M was Allard’s answer to buyers who wanted the company’s performance but not the stark equipment of its competition cars. It was a two-door four-seater convertible, marketed at the time as a Drophead Coupé, and it used the same basic Ford Pilot mechanical package that underpinned the rest of the post-war range.
The engine was a sidevalve V8 from the Ford Pilot of 3,622 cc, with a bore and stroke of 77.79 by 95.25 mm. Compressed at 6.1:1 and fed by a Ford carburettor, it produced 85 bhp at 3,500 rpm. Later cars also received the Ford Pilot gearbox with column gear change.
Most M models left the factory as open cars, but three were fitted with fixed-head coupé bodywork by various coachbuilders. Production ran for three years and totalled about 500 cars before the model gave way to the newer Allard designs.
Design and features
- Four seats in a sports car: a drophead coupé with room for four, unusual in Allard’s range.
- Ford Pilot V8: a 3,622 cc sidevalve engine of 85 bhp, simple and easy to service.
- Column gear change: later cars used the Ford Pilot three-speed gearbox with a column lever.
- Coachbuilt Fixed-head: three cars received closed coupé bodies from outside coachbuilders.
Allard M versions
- M Drophead Coupé: the standard open four-seater, 1947–1950.
- Later column-shift cars: fitted with the Ford Pilot gearbox and steering-column lever.
- Fixed-head coupés: three cars bodied by various coachbuilders.
The closed P1 saloon was the fixed-head member of the same family, and the sports side of the range is represented by the J2. More cars are in the Allard collection.
Sources
- Allard M, English Wikipedia: body, engine, production
- Allard M, German Wikipedia: bore and stroke, power, compression, gearbox
