1 The 1954 Allard Clipper A Surprising Entry From British Racing Royalty
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3 Geoffrey R. Hacker, Ph.D. with Jonathan “Jonee” Eisen Illustrations and Artwork By Dan Palatnik The 1954 Allard Clipper A Surprising Entry From British Racing Royalty
4 The 1954 Allard Clipper A Surprising Entry From British Racing Royalty PUBLISHED BY: Undiscovered Classics 6306 Memorial Highway Tampa, Florida 33615-4538 UndiscoveredClassics.com PRODUCTION Authorship, Layout, and Design: Geoffrey R. Hacker, Ph.D. with Jonathan “Jonee” Eisen Illustrations and Artwork: Dan Palatnik PHOTO CREDITS Photography: Geoffrey Hacker Cover Art: Allard Clipper Brochure—1954 © 2025 BY UNDISCOVERED CLASSICS PRINTED IN THE USA All rights reserved for all countries, including the right of translation. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photography, recording, xerography, computer scanning or any information or storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher, except where one wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, or broadcast.
5 Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................... i PART I— INTRODUCING THE ALLARD CLIPPER Overview: Jonathan Eisen, Petersen Automotive Museum .... 1 Specifications: 1954-1955 Allard Clipper ................................ 9 Dan Palatnik Studios: Allard Clipper Artwork .......................... 11 Duke of Edinburgh’s Challenge to British Motorcar Industry ... 25 Allard Clipper Press Release: October 18, 1954 .................... 27 Allard Clipper Brochure ........................................................... 29 Car Design Shown In Allard Clipper Brochure ........................ 37 Raymond Way Motors Ltd: Allard Clipper Dealer ................... 39 PART II— STORIES IN THEIR OWN WORDS Allard—The Inside Story by Tom Lush: 1977 ......................... 41 Margaret Woosley: Horden-Richard Employee: 2009............. 45 Alan & Anne Masson: 1959 Owners of 527 DMF: 2016 ......... 57 The Clipper is Back!: Allard Register 2021 ............................ 65 Gilbert “Gil” Jepson and Mike Knapman: 2022 ....................... 69 PART III— VINTAGE & MODERN PUBLICATIONS Vintage Publications: Chronological Order • Motor Cycling: October 21, 1954 ....................................... 71 • Motorsport: December 1954 .............................................. 79 • Additional Articles & Captioned Photos: 1954-1955 .......... 81 Modern Publications: Chronological Order • Minutia: Fall 1997 ......................................................... 83 • Book: Cars That Time Forgot: 1998.............................. 85 • Book: Microcars by Tony Marshall: 2000 ...................... 87 • Rumcar News: Summer 2010 ....................................... 91 • Rumcar News: Winter 2011 ........................................... 93 • Book: Allard—The Complete Story: 2021 ..................... 95 • Hemmings: December 21 2021 ..................................... 96 • Hemmings Classic Car: April 2022 ................................ 97 • MicroMini Car Club: January 2022 ................................ 99 • Classic & Sports Car: June 2022 ................................... 101 • Video: Retro Car—Allard Clipper (3 minutes) 2024 ...... 103 PART IV— REGISTRY OF CARS Overview Including Production Estimate ............................ 105 Existing Cars (3) ................................................................. 107 Missing / Lost Cars (4) ........................................................ 143 Unknown Cars (2-3) ............................................................ 149 Exported Cars (2) ............................................................... 155 APPENDIX APPEARS ON NEXT PAGE
6 PART V— APPENDIX Panels That Comprise The Allard Clipper: Hordern-Richmond • Metal Flat Panels .......................................................................... 157 • Fiberglass Body ............................................................................ 159 Allard Clipper Models • Trevor Wright and Other Models .................................................. 160 • Creating Your Own Via 3D Printing .............................................. 161 An Intriguing Last Clue—An Invitation For Research • The Motor Cycle: July 1953 .......................................................... 163 About Us • Geoffrey R. Hacker Ph.D. and Undiscovered Classics ................. 165 • Social Media—Undiscovered Classics ......................................... 167
7 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The best adventures in life are the ones you never anticipate—and this one has continued to surprise me year after year: • 2009: First, being contacted by and becoming great friends with Margaret Woolsey—part of the original Hordern-Richmond 8person team who built the Allard Clipper body. • 2016: Then, being contacted in 2016 by Alan Masson who owned an Allard Clipper in 1959. A story he shared with me in incredible detail with photos. • 2021: Next, being contacted by an owner of an unknown Allard Clipper—here in the USA—who wanted to find the right home for it and its hopeful restoration. • 2022: And again...my good friend Tom Chandler stepping in and becoming a partner on the car and embracing the restoration of our Clipper with a team of his best friends • 2022: Then in 2022, Mike Knapman of the Allard Owner’s Club contacting me that a former owner of our car (Jeremy Bennett) had the original Registration / Log Book and wanted us to have it (all previous owner information is typically in the Registration book) • 2025: Finally, in 2025, with the Registration / Log Book in hand from Jeremy Bennett and in scrutinizing all the detail in bringing together and writing this book, I noticed that Tom Chandler and I actually owned Alan Masson’s Allard Clipper that he shared his memories about with me back in 2016. Wow! I’m afraid what may come next! Maybe we find a few more Allard Clippers out there??? I can only hope :-) As you can see, with any good adventure—and good book—it’s about the stories. And the story of this car, its research and the restoration is about people. And this adventure—started for me by my late friend Margaret Woosley—is something, I hope, she would be proud of. After all—she is the one that sent me down this path. You can read more about Margaret and her story about building the first Allard Clipper body—photos and all—later in this book. But what all of this doesn’t capture is the fun and enjoyment I’ve had in recounting her life stories which included a 2 year stint in the Middle East in the early 1950s. What a magnificent woman she was. There are many people to thank who made this book possible which include (but not limited to): Margaret Woolsey, Alan Masson, Colin Warnes, Gavin Allard, Mike Knapman, Joe Curl, Tom Chandler, Craig Johnson, Mike Puma, Alden Jewell, Dan Palatnik, Bob Cunningham, Jonathan “Jonee” Eisen, Daniel Strohl, Michael Ware, Randal Baron and so many others. Great thanks to each of you for your insight, friendship and support. Geoffrey R. Hacker, Ph.D. / Undiscovered Classics i
8 First Allard Clipper Produced / Assembled by Hordern-Richmond Staff in early 1954. More About This Photo and the Hordern-Richmond Company is Shared Within This Book.
1 PART I—INTRODUCING THE ALLARD CLIPPER Overview: Jonathan Eisen, Petersen Automotive Museum Sydney Allard was one of the most original and influential figures in British motoring history. He was an avid tinkerer from an early age, fascinated by anything with wheels and an engine. As a teenager, he decided not to join the family construction business to take a job at a repair shop where he could indulge his obsession with motorized contraptions. He also took night classes at Battersea Polytechnic Institute which helped him become accredited with the Institute of Engineers. Sydney was a dedicated student of engineering and seemed to have a knack for improving internal combustion engines of various designs. When he was handed down a three-wheeled Morgan from his older brother Jack in 1929, Sydney promptly turned it into a race car and won his first competition at the Brooklands race circuit later that year. Perhaps inspired by their son’s interests, the Allard family bought a garage in the Putney district of London in 1930 and encouraged Sydney to grow it into a successful automobile business. The company, coincidentally named Adlards Motors, started with Sydney repairing, modifying, and selling cars. By 1934, Adlard had been awarded a profitable Ford dealership franchise which allowed Sydney to continue pursuing a flourishing amateur racing career. He began building custom racing specials which utilized a hodgepodge of parts that were either from a variety of manufacturers and modified by Sydney or built by him from scratch. Most featured powerful Ford V8 engines with three having massive Lincoln V12s under the bonnet. Some of the cars were constructed for Sydney to drive himself while others were commissioned by drivers who had witnessed Allard Specials winning races and breaking course records. Sydney built 12 specials by the outbreak of World War II and all achieved some level of racing success. The name Allard was becoming synonymous with performance. Allard cars got a reputation for combining stunning speed with precise handling thanks to Sydney’s inspired engineering and pioneering use of big American engines. They were also able to perform the dual role of track and road car, something that was unique for prewar sports cars. Sydney Allard
2 With the outbreak of the Second World War, Sydney and his company did their part with a variety of War Office contracts that saw them repairing and modifying military vehicles, sometimes installing American Mercury-spec Ford V8 engines in them; designing and building a fourwheel-drive prototype British Jeep; and making thousands of headlamp blinds. The Adlard Motors company grew to a staff of several hundred and the expanded manufacturing facility that wartime contracts required provided invaluable experience for the postwar automobile production Sydney began envisioning. Throughout the war wars, Sydney sketched ideas for postwar passenger cars. His and his cars’ racing success had made him a national figure, and he planned on using his reputation to establish a proper automobile manufacturing company that built cars of his design and engineering. In January of 1946, Sydney and his partner Reg Canham announced to the press that the recently formed Allard Motor Company would soon be going into production with a range of Allard road cars. A small factory workshop was opened in the Clapham district of London to assemble cars. Chassis were built in Wolverhampton under contract by the Thompsons Ltd. company and engines, gearboxes, and axels were supplied by Ford. Material supplies in postwar England, much like the rest of Europe, were extremely limited. Aluminum, steel, and rubber were controlled by a quota system, and gasoline was strictly rationed. It was a difficult time to start a car company from the ground up. Sydney wanted to offer a variety of body styles with a range of engines right from the start, an ambitious undertaking even in the best of times. Despite everything working against them, Allard production was fully operational by 1947 with 200 cars leaving the factory that first full year of manufacture, an astonishing achievement which was aided by the publicity of Sydney’s racing triumphs as a driver. Four different Allard models were on sale and new Allard race cars began racking up victories across Europe in relaunched competition series. Sales figures were up and down in the first few years ranging from 260 cars in 1949 to over 500 in 1950. Manufacturing averaged between ten and twenty cars per month. A new passion for sports cars in America opened up a very important export market in the early 1950s and Allard was selling enough cars to stay in business. But growing the company was going to be difficult if Allard couldn’t find a way to increase volume.
3 The challenges Allard faced were true of all automobile manufacturers in the early postwar years. Materials were hard to come by, and most potential customers could not afford a new car. Even used prewar cars were priced out of reach for most. The most ubiquitous form of motorized transport across Europe was the motorcycle. Motorcycles, however, offered little practicality and no protection from the elements. And a particularly rainy summer early in the decade of the 50s had people looking for a motorcycle alternative. Thus, the microcar was born. Microcars were miniscule automobiles that used as little raw materials as possible. They were basically motorcycles with a roof and one or two extra wheels. They were cheap to buy and, with tiny engines whose horsepower figures were often in the single or double-digits, cheap to run. Dozens of small companies sprang up all over the continent building tiny cars of varying quality. Cars like the Messerschmitt in Germany, Mochet in France, and the original Isetta in Italy put scores of Europeans back on wheels. In England, cars with three wheels were given a tax break both upon purchase and when registering. Manufacturers like Bond and Reliant took advantage of this to produce a range of three-wheelers for a fairly large market clamoring for inexpensive transportation. Even AC, manufacturer of the Ace which would become the basis for the legendary Shelby Cobra, produced a three-wheeler called the Petite. By the early 1950s, the established British car companies like Jaguar, MG, Triumph, and Aston Martin were back producing cars at full capacity. Even though they did not have many customers in the U.K., they had the ability to export cars in large numbers which generated the income necessary to modernize designs as well as manufacturing. Little Allard could not keep up building cars in the low hundreds. Allards were quickly becoming outdated, their performance was surpassed by sports cars from larger companies and their build quality paled in comparison to established brands. By 1954, the situation was grim when only thirtyfour Allards left the Clapham workshop. The company desperately needed to diversify to support automobile manufacturing. An answer came when a designer and engineer named David Gottlieb approached Allard with a design for a three-wheeled car that would be built from a novel material, fiberglass.
4 Gottlieb had founded a company called Powerdrive to manufacture microcars but lacked the capital to establish a factory. He knew Allard was looking for new products and thought a partnership would help both enterprises. Sydney Allard agreed and decided to attempt producing the microcar, nicknamed the Clipper, under a separate brand. For promotional purposes, however, it would retain the Allard name. Allard Clipper Ltd. was formed in late 1953. An experienced engineer named Gilbert Jepson was hired to refine Gottlieb’s design. The Hordern-Richmond company was commissioned to build the fiberglass bodies and by the middle of April 1954, the first Clipper was on the road. The car was as basic as a car could be. The interior featured a single bench seat optimistically intended for three abreast seating. The dashboard had a single gauge; there were no side windows; a 346cc single -cylinder two-stroke engine making all of 8 horsepower drove the left side rear wheel only; and there was no climate-control. To someone today, it would seem more like a toy for a privileged child. But, in its time, it was a very viable form of transportation consistent with other microcars. Its price of £267.75 made it competitive with other three-wheelers. A Bond Minicar cost between £284 and £300 in 1954. The Clipper was also in line with other micros performance-wise. A Messerschmitt KR200, for example, made 9 horsepower. The Clipper’s fiberglass body shell also gave it a weight advantage. Even the one-drivenwheel setup was not that unusual although many three-wheeler manufacturers chose the front wheel to receive power. But, the Gordon three-wheeler, also from the U.K., had power going solely one rear wheel as did the fourwheeled French SIL Kover CK1 microcar. Allard planned an initial production run of 100 Clippers, but fewer than twenty-five seem to have actually been built and the number could have been as low as twelve completed Clippers. The cars were thoroughly tested and proved themselves on long trips around England. It appears that most, if not all the cars built were sold. The cars were, however, unrefined. The location of the engine caused stress on the left side of the chassis that would have required reinforcement around the engine mounts. There were apparently cooling issues with the engine as well. One of the surviving Clippers which resides in Germany tellingly has had its engine cover removed and lost. It’s possible that the first run of cars was considered a pilot program and there may have been plans to improve the design after real world testing.
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6 Unfortunately, Hordern-Richmond underestimated the cost of producing the bodies and informed Allard they needed to significantly raise their fee for building them. This would have pushed the Clipper’s price to a point where it would not have been competitive, so production was halted and the project abandoned by the end of 1954. Because of its aborted production run, unusual styling, unimpressive performance numbers on paper, and appearance at the end of the Allard story, the Clipper has been labeled one of the worst cars of all time. But this is very unfair to a car whose ambitions were simply to provide cheap transportation to a populace in desperate need of it, and to keep a small factory running while its owners made plans for the future. This formula worked for BMW whose licensing of the Italian Iso Isetta probably saved that company. Unfortunately for Allard, they did not have the resources of a BMW who, despite experiencing difficulties, still had the ability to improve the original design of the Isetta and make it a viable product. The Clipper was almost there, but Allard couldn’t make it what it needed to be in the end. Allard would limp on until 1957 when automobile production came to an end. The company survived until Sydney Allard’s death in 1966 making ambulance conversions, installing sunroofs, and manufacturing performance kits mainly for British Fords. The Clipper has largely remained a footnote in the illustrious Allard story. Allard cars have become highly treasured, and their prices are well into six-figures these days. Sydney Allard is a revered figure in British motorsports history. His victory in the 1952 Monte Carlo Rally in an Allard P1 is considered one of the ultimate achievements by a British racing driver. Most people aren’t aware that his company ever built a primitive microcar. But, among car enthusiasts of the unusual and small, the Clipper has long had legendary status due to its undeserved reputation and general oddballness.
7 The discovery and restoration of a previously lost Clipper is a cause for celebration and proof that the few Clippers that made it into the public’s driving gloves were appreciated and even adored. Three known cars is potentially a 25% survival rate which is pretty good for a low-volume manufacturer from the mid-twentieth century. That’s way better than some other microcars from that era. Jonathan “Jonee” Eisen Associate Curator Petersen Automotive Museum Note: Jonee has been an associate curator at the Petersen Automotive Museum since 2022. He has curated or co-curated a number of exhibits including the Porsche 75th Anniversary exhibit, "We Are Porsche,” "Corvettes in Competition" which focused on the history of Corvette race cars, and "Totally Awesome: Cars and Culture of the 80s and 90s,” a celebration of the raddest era of automotive history. Before joining the Petersen, Jonee wrote for numerous automobile blogs.
8 Production Years: 1954-1955. First car (full prototype) built in April 1954. Car announced for sale on October 18, 1954. Production ceased in June 1955. Chassis Built By: Allard Clipper Company / Proprietors: The Encon Motors Ltd / Works: 9 Estcourt Rd, Fulham SW6 London Body Built By: Hordern Richmond Ltd./ Hy-Du-Lignum Works / Haddenham-Bucks England Production: Estimated 20-25 Allard Clippers were built
9 Specifications: 1954 / 1955 Allard Clipper Body Design • 2-3 seater / length 121 inches (10 feet 1 inch) / width 53 inches (4 feet 5 inches) height 52 inches(4 feet 4 inches) / ground clearance 8 inches • Optional 2 passenger dickey / rumble seat in place of trunk • Fixed Head: Hardtop could be removed but not an option • Front Glass: Curved safety glass windscreen • Rear Glass: Plexiglass / Perspex • Lockable Trunk • 52 Inch wide bench seat upholstered with vynide / vinyl • Storage area behind forward tilting seat • Full Fiberglass Body. Nine separate fiberglass parts were molded including the hardtop. All panels were fastened together with a flat flange mating surface and bolted together with 3/16 fender welting separating the panels. • There were 27 separate flat metal panels that made up the inner body structure including floorboards, toe board, firewall, bulkheads behind the seats, inner panels separating trunk from wheel wells and engine compartment. There were also assorted small panels that joined the larger panels. Two panels are removable to provide limited engine access. Chassis Design, Engineering and Build: Allard Clipper Company • 3-Wheeler, cruciform chassis design with channel section steel • All wheels are independently sprung on swing-arm suspension with an anti-roll bar on the rear wheels Body: Hordern-Richmond Ltd. • Fiberglass—11 panels • Fiberglass impregnated w/ color (precursor to colorized gelcoat) Engine / Transmission • Engine: 346cc Villiers 2-stroke Mark 28B; bore 70mm, stroke 90mm • Cooling: Air-cooled by flywheel fan, cowl and air conduits • Gearbox: Burman three-speed with reverse gear • Drives: Primary drive is Goodyear wedge-type triple Vee belts; final drive by a 5/8 inch motorcycle chain • Gear Ratios: Forward gear ratios are 3.78, 7.0 and 14.6 to 1 Steering Box, Brakes, Tires, Wheels and Rims • Steering Box: Burman worm-and-nut;16 inch steering wheel • Brakes: All 3 wheels have 7-inch diameter drums with 1 and 1/4 inch wide shoes; Lockheed hydraulic system • Tires: 4.00 inch by 8 inch inflatable • Rims: One-piece disc wheels—custom built for the Allard Clipper • Axles: British Hub Company Electrical • Wipac lighting set with two 6 inch combined head and pilot lamps, both having dipping filaments (brights/dimmed) • Twin rear and stop lights and a instrument panel light • Ignition by Villiers flywheel magneto • 6 Volt CVC Lucas dynamo and regulator produces current but upgraded to 12 volt during production • Smiths 5-inch diameter gauge, internally illuminated speedometer with odometer. Driven off the front wheel hub. • Electric Starter, windscreen wiper and horn Miscellaneous • Colors: Pastel shades of maroon or blue with ivory hood or an allivory body and roof • Options: Side curtains and rear seats to convert trunk storage to passenger use. With rear seats, there is a storage area below bottom cushion • Fuel Tank Capacity: 2 and 1/2 gallons • Cruising Speed: 40 mph / Fuel Milage: 70 mpg • 1954 Price: 255 guineas / 267 pounds / $1014 USD
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11 Dan Palatnik Studios: Allard Clipper Artwork Dan Palatnik has been our artist of choice who has helped recapture the beauty of cars long thought lost and gone forever. We rely on Dan to evoke the design of past automotive treasures and we have consistently used his artwork with our restoration teams here at Undiscovered Classics to bring back the excitement of seeing the best of what a car has to offer to our team and the public who follow our work. In this section of the book, we showcase Dan’s art around the 1954 Allard Clipper showing three versions: • Hardtop in place • Hardtop removed and Brooklands windscreens (2) added • Both versions with dickey or rumble seat opened DID YOU KNOW… The sweeping, scroll-like body treatment seen on the sides of the 1954 Allard Clipper was inspired by a style favored by Jacques Saoutchik and other European coachbuilders of the early postwar years. This is recognized as a transitional style from when cars were styled with pontoon fenders to when the design changed relatively quickly to slab sided automobiles. The type of transitional style shown on the Allard Clipper is often referred to as a “fadeaway” and was used on postwar custom cars in America too. 1948 Cadillac Convertible Series 62 by Saoutchik
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24 The Duke of Edinburgh officially opened the London Motor Show held at Earls Court on October 21st, 1953. The event marked the beginning of a post-war buyer's market for the British automotive industry
25 Duke of Edinburgh’s Challenge to British Motorcar Industry Something New In Cars Was Needed Bundaberg News-Mail (Australia): October 23rd, 1953 Although this article was published in Britain and other Commonwealth countries, I found the best reproduction of the article in an Australia newspaper, so I am sharing it here. This is the event referenced in the Allard Clipper Press Release of October 18, 1954 when the Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Phillip) challenged the British Motorcar Industry to push the limits and create a successful unique British automobile. The 38th International Motor Show at Earls Court in London, England was held from October 21st to the 31st, 1953. And now onto the article: London, October 22 1953: The Duke of Edinburgh said “Let’s produce a comet of the car world” when he opened the 1953 motor show today. The Duke said “Of course by that I do not mean another fast car but something really revolutionary in price and overall performance.” The Duke also appealed for better roads, more comfort in cars and more safety. The Duke said the British Motor Industry was earning 1 million sterling pounds a day in foreign currency. The industry was expecting to produce about 400,000 cars, lorries and buses in Britain this year. He made some knowledgeable criticisms of trends in British motor designing. “I am not convinced that the driver’s comfort is given enough thought—why is it there always seems to be a handle or know just opposite one’s right knee?” he asked.
26 On This Page: This is the press release kit distributed in October, 1954. It contained the two items on this page as well as the Allard Clipper Brochure shown in the next section of this book. The photo above was taken at Raymond Way Motors—exclusive London Dealership for Allard Clippers.
27 Allard Clipper Press Release: October 18, 1954 The following story was released on October 18th, 1954 as a press release to motor journals and newspapers. Britain’s First Plastic Car: New Allard 3-Wheeler “What a feather in the British Motor Industry’s cap if it can produce a ‘Comet’ of the motor world, and by that I do not mean just another fast car, but something really revolutionary in price and overall performance.” His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, 1953 With these words His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, set a challenge to Britain’s Motor Industry. This challenge has been taken up, and now, just one year later, has been answered by the Allard Motor Company with the announcement of its new Allard Clipper 3-wheeler. Here is a car which indeed fulfills the Duke’s appeal for something really revolutionary, in price, performance and design. Revolutionary in price, it brings family motoring within the reach of all, for, believe it or not, this five-seater capable of accommodating in comfort 3 adults and 2 children, sells at 255 guineas (this is equivalent to 267 pounds in 1954 or approximately $9500 US dollars in 2025) including purchase tax. Revolutionary in performance, it moves instantaneously and effortlessly from start to its cruising speed of 40 mph. With a petrol consumption of 70 miles per gallon, it really does bring family motoring costs down to rock bottom. But it is in its design that the Clipper produces the greatest revolution of all, for it introduces for the first time to Britain, and, within its price range, for the first time anywhere, an all plastic molded body. The Clipper body, with its elegant modern streamlining, represents the very latest advance in coachbuilding techniques. Made of self-colored resin bonded fiberglass, and manufactured by a process hitherto only used in aircraft construction, it is stronger than steel, and has a colossal impact strength. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
28 It is rust-proof, scratch resisting, and is, in fact, almost indestructible. The plastic is self-colored, which means that it will never need repainting. What a book this should prove to those motorists whose wives never can quite gauge the distance between the gate posts. In future they will only have to have the posts repaired! Another advantage of the plastic body is that, being considerably lighter than steel, deadweight is reduced, which of course means more miles per gallon. The plastic body is mounted on a cruciform chassis of large channel section steel, again chosen for its combination of strength and rigidity with lightness. Power is provided by a two-stroke 250 cc Villiers engine, and trouble-free noiseless transmission by Goodyear triple “Vee” belts. The Burman gear box gives 3 forward gears, and unusual for a 3-wheeler, a revers gear. Both engine and gear box are supported on Silentbloc rubber anti-vibration mountings and this, combined with the fact that all wheels are independently sprung on swinging arm suspension, with an anti-roll bar on the rear wheels, makes for smooth comfort and good roadholding at all speeds. Safe and instantaneous braking is ensured by the Lockheed 7” drum hydraulic braking system. ISSUED BY: Stowe & Bowden Ltd., 169 Piccadilly, W. I. (HYDe Park 9681) 18.10.54 Note: Additional information appears earlier in this section sharing the story of the 1953 Earls Court International Motor Show. This includes the full quote by “His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Phillip) and photos from the event.
29 Allard Clipper Brochure Released in late 1954, the six page brochure outlined the major features of the Allard Clipper.
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35 One of four photos taken in October 1954 in front of Raymond Way Motors. Raymond Way Motors figured prominently in the Allard Clipper brochure—shown on the facing page. They were the primary dealer for Allard Clippers. Shown above and behind the wheel is Bob Holliday— the editor of “Motor Cycling” magazine. This is most likely the day the magazine put the Clipper thru its paces for their test drive and assessment article published October 21st, 1954 shown later in this book. All four photos taken on that day are shown later in this book.
36 At left is the 1954 Allard Clipper brochure dated April 1954 on the back cover At right is the 1954 Kaiser-Darrin sports car shown in the September 1953 issue of Esquire
37 Car Design Shown In Allard Clipper Brochure Over the years, a number of authors have noted that the artistic design of the Allard Clipper on the front cover of the Clipper brochure was significantly out of scale with the actual size and dimensions of the Allard Clipper that was being sold. This criticism is in spite of having a photo of an actual body in the brochure—showing what the car would look like along with a photo of the chassis. Keep in mind that “artistic license” has been around as long as artists have—people for that matter. No matter the time period, there are different styles that are used to inspire and create attention for products, people, placement and more. In the case of cars, elongated looks as art was something used when cars were first being produced at the beginning of the century. Closer to the 1950s, you can see on the facing page an artistic rendering of the 1954 Kaiser-Darrin Sports car. This was published in the September 1953 issue of Esquire magazine. Yes—art was produced for cars and brochures that approximated the actual size and dimensions of the car being written about or sold. And sometimes art did not take that path. Cars were also depicted shorter and / or wider than actual size. See image at right—the artist’s depiction, in period, of the 1962 wide-track Pontiac. I’ve always thought you could seat 15-20 people—maybe more—just around the hood based on this image. I bring up this point in our research because in reviewing articles on the Allard Clipper—mostly all recent—the Clipper has been maligned for many issues repeatedly—and this is one of them. I think art can be appreciated for art’s sake—and realistic art can be appreciated too. Both approaches have the same value in the art world—which I remind you is subjective. 1962 Wide-Track Pontiac—Artist’s Rendition A beautiful Car No Matter How It’s Depicted
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39 Raymond Way Motors Ltd: Allard Clipper Dealer Raymond Way Motors was founded in 1933 by Douglass “Raymond” Way and it eventually became the largest used-car dealership in Europe selling over 2,000 cars and motorbikes a year. “Don’t delay—buy your car the Raymond Way” was one of his best known slogans. You can tell from the last page of the Allard Clipper brochure, that Raymond Way was excited about selling Allard Clipper motorcars. He shared the following in the brochure: • “We have a special three-wheeler after-sales service department which is second to none” • “Our factory trained mechanics working under a Service Manager who is, as he always has been, a real threewheeler enthusiast” • “Come and try the now-famous “Clipper” - we will gladly demonstrate it to you, and you will be delighted with its performance” Click on the following websites to learn more about the history of Raymond Way Motors Ltd: The Remarkable Raymond Way: July 29, 2018 Raymond Way Motors Ltd: May 26, 2013 Lionel Hope & Douglas Raymond Way: November 3, 2016
40 On This Page: Shown here is the cover of Tom Lush’s 1977 book about Allard along with the 3 pages relevant to the history of the Allard Clipper
41 PART II—STORIES IN THEIR OWN WORDS In this section of the book, we share stories of from the designers, builders and owners of the Allard Clipper. The first story below is by Tom Lush—long-term employee and friend of Sydney Allard. Allard—The Inside Story By Tom Lush: 1977 No-one could be more appropriate to write the inside story of Sydney Allard and his cars than Tom Lush, who first met Sydney as a fellow competitor in the early days of the Allard Specials. Tom went on to become Sydney’s righthand man both in his competition career and in his development as a Allard specialist car manufacturer. He officially joined Allard in 1945, going with him to Le Mans, the Targa Florio and as part of the Monte Carlo Rallywinning Allard crew in 1952. Tom continued to work for Allard until Sydney passed away at age 55 in 1966. Tom Lush passed away in 1999. Chapter 14: 1954-1958: Diversification & Survival 1954 started rather sadly for Sydney (Allard), with no Monte, and the final realization that Le Mans would not be possible. He had received the expected invitation to complete, and had made several approaches to find a sponsor acceptable as a second driver, but to no avail. And in May a press release was issued saying that he would not be competing at Le Mans owing to heavy business commitments. A great disappointment, as he enjoyed this race more than any other speed event, but a review of the previous year’s costings showed the impossibility of running again without financial backing. However, these problems were soon put aside, in the light of a new venture to build a small economy car. This concerned a German named Gottleib, who had designed a small three-wheeled vehicle, and having received financial backing was looking for a company to undertake manufacture. The matter was discussed at some length, and eventually agreement was reached to build two prototypes at New Kings Road. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
42 The engine was to be a motorcycle unit, driving one rear wheel by Vee-belt and chain, and the steering arranged through the single front wheel. The body was to be a self-colored GRP molding in blue and white, to be manufactured by a specialist company in Haddenham, some 25 miles from the works. Detail design of the steering and suspension was undertaken by David Hooper and Dudley Hume (Allard employees), and Gil Jepson was a motorcycling enthusiast as well as being a highly competent development engineer. Gil was given the task of building the first Allard Clipper. The chassis frame was a simple structure, welded up from light channel section, and suspension was by means of compressed rubber blocks. The first chassis was completed by early February 1954, but the basic design was unsound and the use of unsuitable engines made Jepson’s task doubly difficult. Various types of Anzani (Italian motorcycle engines) and JAP (J.A.Prestwich Industries; UK) units were tried, along with modifications to the final drive layout. But these problems were put down to teething troubles by the highly articulate Herr Gottleib, an in a spirit of unbounded optimism, a separate company was formed under the title of Allard Clipper Company (proprietors Encon Motors Ltd) Retailing arrangements were made with two of the largest motorcycle dealers in the country, and after seeing the chassis they placed substantial orders for early delivery. The press was informed that, “The Allard Clipper has been designed as a low-cost runabout, to be built alongside the range of conventional Allard cars….and with a 346cc Villiers engine will give an average fuel consumption of 70 mpg, and a maximum speed of over 40 mph….the price will be 255 guineas.” A brightly colored three-folder pamphlet was prepared, bearing some highly imaginative artist’s impression of the car (which appeared to be about 20 feet long!) while Jepson, Hume and others at the Allard works were struggling to make the project viable. The workshop floor at Encon’s was partially cleared, and an assembly rack similar to the one used at Park Hill was installed. This had the added refinement of a “dipper” tank, to be filled with black paint, into which each frame would pass before the components were added. A large quantity of the required channel-section steel was ordered and stored at Encon’s pending the anticipated large-scale production as soon as the teething troubles had been eliminated.
43 The first body was ready in March, 1954 and a chassis was driven up to Haddenham for fitting. This was the longest journey yet undertaken, and was not without mechanical delays in route. Later, a comparison test was arranged with the Clipper, the AC three-wheeler and a Bond on Ranmore Common in Surrey, and the Clipper showed up quite well. Gil Jepson always had faith in the project, possibly from his motorcycle interests, and at Easter he was brave enough to take an Allard Clipper to Matlock and back, a round journey of some 300 miles. Following this, development dragged on for several months, with constant modifications and trials with different engines until, in October 1954, Motor Cycling magazine was invited to visit the works to see, describe and make exploded drawings of the first production car. This was the period of the “bubble car” as a hoped-for solution to the rising costs of petrol, and in February 1955 BBC Television ran a feature program on the subject from their Birmingham studio. The Clipper was invited and Jim Mac took one up in the coach, while Gil Jepson drove another. Regrettably, this publicity was not enough to save the situation, which by now had involved some heavy expense with little return. Later in 1955 the project was wound up. About 20 Clippers were made in all, and two were actually exported to America! Gottleib had left the company some time previously, and in 1956 he designed another three-wheeler, this time with the single wheel at the rear, which was sponsored by the Blue Star Garage chain under the name “Powerdrive”. One of the first Allard Clippers (Tony Marshall Book), this image shows the License Number on an Allard Clipper—Tom Lush Book Page 158
44 Left: Margaret Woolsey in 1954 in the HordernRichmond Fiberglass Shop Below: One of the First Allard Clipper Bodies Being Built in 1954 by Hordern-Richmond Photos From Margaret Woolsey Collection
45 Margaret Woosley: Hordern-Richmond Employee Part of Team That Built Allard Clipper #1—087 YN I met Margaret back in 2009 via communication and phone calls through our Undiscovered Classics website. What a joyful person she was to talk to with an interesting and great love of life. Margaret, born in 1925, passed away in 2011 at the age 86. I was honored to be her friend. Undiscovered Classics: 1954 Allard Clipper & Margaret Woolsey—December 5 2009 (Updated 8/14/2025) Hi Gang…I love surprises. Everyone loves surprises…And what a surprise it was when I heard directly from the first woman to participate in the build one of the first fiberglass production car in Britain – Margaret Woolsey. Born and raised in Scotland…..Margaret was a spry 28 years old when she left the Woman’s Royal Air Force in 1953. During this time, she spent 14 months in Egypt in the Suez Canal zone (she rode camels and won a rifle shooting competition there too!) and 10 months in Iraq – 60 miles from Bagdad. She had spent nearly 5 years in their ranks in postwar Great Britain in a equipment section provisioning what was needed by the military. After leaving the military in 1953, she needed a job. Postwar Britain was still recovering from the after affects of World War II so any reasonable job would do. So when she heard of a job opportunity, she headed to Hordern-Richmond, an aircraft and aeronautic equipment company, expecting to find work and stay employed. But what kind of work would she get??? Boy was she surprised! Her first month was spent learning more about the company and working in different parts of the organization as they determined where she would best fit. During this time she did finishing work on propellers, small bi-planes, and other interesting projects. Then, toward the end of her first month of work, Margaret was brought to a new workshop for a project that was being kept as secret as possible. It was here that she found out that she was going to produce the molds and fiberglass panels for the one of the first fiberglass production car in the UK. Margaret Woolsey in 1954—just 29 years old and part of the 8-person team that built the Allard Clipper bodies
46 First Allard Clipper Produced / Assembled by Hordern-Richmond Staff in early 1954. Shown is the 8-Person Team from Hordern-Richmond with an Allard Engineer, Jack Jackman, second from the Left. Photo From Margaret Woolsey Collection
47 Here’s The Letter Margaret Received From Hordern-Richmond addressed to her and her team about a job well-done on the first Allard Clipper body. This helps date the first body being built in March, 1954, and on the chassis by early April of the same year. Photo From Margaret Woolsey Collection
48 Back in 1953, Sydney Allard hoped to capitalize on the microcar market growing in postwar Great Britain. Margaret says the Allard Clipper was going to be one of the first affordable family cars in the UK. There wasn’t a lot of prosperity in postwar Britain, and this car could be a solution to low-cost family/working class transportation. The team was assembled to build the prototype….there were eight members of the team which included an industrious, capable and enthusiastic woman. In the memo on the previous page, there were eight HordernRichmond Employees identified and these are listed below: Eight Member Hordern-Richmond Team That Produced the Allard Clipper Bodies 1. Mr. Piercey – Supervisor 2. Mr. Harwood – office / drafting 3. William “Bill” Locke 4. Mr. Small 5. Mr. Clarke – or Bernard Winwood via comment on UC website 6. Margaret Woolsey—maiden name Miss Margaret Raeburn 7. Mr. Thomlinson – painting 8. Mr. Spencer Identifying Individuals on the Photo So we know there were 8 members of the team, but there are nine individuals shown in the photo. The answer to this problem was given when I heard from Richard Evans via e-mail on August 14th, 2013: HI Geoff Just wondered where the car picture and staff line up originated as one staff member is not named- he's 2nd left- Jack Jackman identified by one of his daughter's this week. Jack was the workshop foreman of the Allard Motor Company who spent considerable time at Horden and Richmond resolving production issues relating to assembly of the body to the chassis". Regards, Richard Evans Thanks to assistance by Richard Evans, we now know the identify of the ninth person in the photo.
49 Next, Alan Osborn wrote in on our website on September 12, 2020 and shared the following: Hi Geoff I worked at Airtech Ltd who owned the Thames airport. Hordern-Richmond had a factory on the edge of the airfield making propellers. In the photo of the team, Bill Locke from Weston Turville is 3rd from left. The man 5th from left is Bernard Winwood (my very good friend) from Thame. Bill left Hordern-Richmond when the project closed and he moved to Airtech designing and began making fiberglass products mainly portable fiberglass portable radio transmitting pack sets. Regards Alan Osborn While Bill Locke’s name is in the memo, Bernard Winwood name is not. This person’s name is still being researched. Shown in the table below are the known people and their locations in the photograph. If you can identify any of the other individuals by name in the photograph, please let us know. We will update this information with your help. Margaret worked with an engineer and made the molds for the car. This was an iterative process and time and time again the molds were revised until they got the shape just right. You see, they didn’t take the molds from an existing full size mock-up of the car – which is what was typically done. Instead, they created the molds one panel at a time, and built the car panel by panel. A very laborious process! One of the pictures shared earlier in this story shows Margaret at work at the bench, mixing the resin and materials needed to layup the fiberglass in the mold. She tells me “I itched like mad with that fiberglass – every single day!” Here’s Who We Have Been Able To Successfully Match: From Left to Right Person 1: Person 2: Jack Jackman—confirmed by Richard Evans Person 3: Bill Locke—confirmed by Alan Osborn Person 4: Person 5: Possibly Bernard Winwood—provided by Alan Osborn Person 6: Person 7: Margaret Woolsey—maiden name Miss Margaret Raeburn Person 8: Person 9:
50 After the molds were complete, she hand laid the fiberglass producing panels for the first car. These were then assembled and bonded together forming the final body for the car which was assembled by the remaining team. Margaret worked on the prototype car only, and did not work on the next 20 or so cars that were built. Interestingly, she never did get a chance to ride in one of the cars or has seen any Allard Clippers since. Margaret continued working for Hordern-Richmond for a few months and later in 1954 she moved near London and worked in an office. In 1956, she moved to Ontario Canada, and has remained in Canada since. Margaret married in 1965, and now (2009) lives an active and productive life in Calgary in Alberta, Canada. Active you say??? Well she contacted me via e-mail and sends me links to view on the Internet as well. I wish many of my friends used the computer as well as she does! Margaret has not returned to the UK since 1956. Quick research on the Internet produced two surviving examples of approximately 20 Allard Clippers built in 19541955 – one in the UK and one in Germany. The British Motor Manufacturers website has more detail on this car as follows: In 1953 David Gottlieb’s Powerdrive company needed someone to manufacture their new three wheel car which was to became the Allard Clipper. A separate company, Allard Clipper Company Ltd, was formed. Engineer Gilbert Jepson constructed a prototype chassis incorporating many commonly available parts. A Villiers 346cc single-cylinder engine drove the left-hand rear wheel and Hordern-Richmond of Haddenham made the fiberglass body. The first bodyshell was received on the 19th March 1954 and by 15th April the first car had been registered and licensed. This car became Allard’s test bed. The production Clipper had two seats with a dickey seat. By early 1955 Hordern-Richmond wanted to charge more for the bodies and the non-arrival of a body on 24th June 1955 seems to have hastened the demise of the Clipper. Of the original intended run of 100 cars, only 22 were completed. Two are known to have survived, one in Germany, one in the UK.
51 Several websites document this being the one of the first production fiberglass or plastic bodied car in the UK – perhaps Europe. This may make Margaret Woolsey the first woman in the world to be a part of producing a production fiberglass automobile. I may need to research this a bit more but it seems plausible. Margaret believes that Hordern-Richmond was directed to make the bodies because they were the only large scale firm working in fiberglass in the UK at the time. My thanks to Margaret Woolsey for her help with this story. Her story is one of the many wonderful facts that populate the history of the cars our group has come to appreciate world-wide. Thanks Margaret!!! Geoff Hacker Undiscovered Classics You can listen to the full 35-minute audio interview with Margaret Woolsey recorded in December, 2009 via the following link. The audio interview appears at the beginning Margaret Woolsey’s story on our Undiscovered Classics website: Click Here To Listen to the 35-Minute Audio Interview and View The Story Online Additional Photos From Margaret Woolsey Are Shown On Next Page
52 The First Allard Clipper Being Tested at Hordern– Richmond in early 1954 Photos From Margaret Woolsey Collection
53 Letter and Envelope from Margaret Woolsey to Geoff Hacker, 2009
54 Margaret entrusted us to keep her original photographs, memo and the original envelope they came in from Hordern-Richmond in April, 1954. Shown also is her letter to me from May 2010.
55 Margaret Woolsey lived an exciting and interesting life. Shown are photos of her during her two years spent in Egypt and Iraq. From her first camel ride, to an award in a shooting competition—even fun with polo using mules—the perfect person to share in the story of helping create the first Allard Clipper.
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