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
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