NEWSLETTER. ALLARD MOTOR WORKS Vol Spring J2X MkII & F1: 16th ANNIVERSARY

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1 NEWSLETTER J2X MkII & F1: 16th ANNIVERSARY Allard J2X MkII Allard Motor Works made its first public appearance at the Canadian Formula One GP in Montreal in June Roger Allard drove former F1 World Champion, Damon Hill, around the F1 track in a pre-race drivers parade. The Allard J2X MkII was the company s first prototype. Powered by a GM 383 cu. in. stroker, the company built a second prototype with a significant number of modifications that would add performance, comfort and safety features prior to releasing its first production J2X MkII in November When introduced to the Allard J2X MkII, the British champion Hill, was quite taken and recalled seeing them when young at performance events in this native country. Unfortunately, the autograph he left me was on a poster and not on a cheque for a new Allard. He was however grateful for the Allard t-shirts that I had prepared for his children. Unfortunately, Damon Hill spun out in that race and was a DNF (did-not-finish). It is claimed that his ride in the J2X MkII was the cluprit, as it resulted in his loss of concentration once behind the wheel of his 600+ hp Jordan-Mugen- Honda. Page 1

2 ALLARD OWNERS CLUB REUNION PADDOCK PASS Members of the Allard Owners Club will converge on Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, for the annual club reunion on September 18 to 20th. The three-day reunion will coincide with a Vintage Race Car Drivers Association Vintage Festival held each year at the legendary Road America track. Allard owners will be strutting their stuff both on and off the 4-mile, 14-turn circuit. Club pre-registration indicates that some 20 Allards will be participating, providing vintage sports car aficionados with a rare glimps of these British classics. Currently signed up for the event are a number of Allard J2s, J2Xs, K1s, K2s, K3s, a Palm Beach Mk1, an L-type and the modern Commemorative Edition Allard J2X MkII. The weekend will feature a number of Allards racing on the track, doing parade laps, participating in a concours d élégance and a car show. Allards will also be participating on a road course reenactment tour, which will replicate the original street course driven in the early 1950s. There will be something for everyone and Allard Owners will be on hand for photo opportunities and to provide a historical perspective of this iconic marque. Page 2

3 THE COMFORT ZONE Page 3

4 Destination: Austin-Weird Late October, last year, the Allard Motor Works (AMW) diesel-powered Ram duelly began its 7,000 km round-trip journey from Montreal to Austin, Texas. With its 24-foot trailer in tow, and a new Cadillac-powered J2X MkII tucked inside, the unit rumbled across two provinces and seven states, racking in over 7,000 km in 10 days. The objective was to feature the our Cad-Allard J2X MkII #001 at the Motostalgia auction d elegance in Austin, the weekend of the Formula One Grand Prix of America. This was an opportunity for AMW s Houston dealer, Auto Collectors Garage, to promote sales of the new Allard and to get some media coverage. With visitors from around the world in town for the F1 event, this was an ideal venue to show off the J2X MkII in a city that has a rich classic car culture. With some 90 spectacular vehicles carefully positioned on the grounds of The Long Center along the banks of the Colorado River, the Cad-Allard was a show-stopper that triggered photo-ops from hundreds of visitors from across the USA, from Mexico, Australia, China, Russia, the UK, Sweden, Italy, France and Brazil. This venue rapidly became a cosmopolitain happening within a city that is well-suited to cultural blends. This state capital, self-proclaimed as The largest live music capital in the World, distinguishes itself from the stereotypical image we might have of Texas. As such, Austin earned itself the moniker of Austin - Weird. Page 4

5 Highlights: Long-Haul Side Trips Boerne, TX - Franklin, TN - London, ON When your hauling hours per day for 2-3 continuous days, it is nice to break the monotony of the road with a few stops along the way. On my last journey to the South-Western states, I took the opportunity to connect with old friends and to make new ones. Shown below is the Pozzy blue Cad-Allard J2X MkII #001 located in London, Ontario. New friends were made when I dropped in on a recent customer s facility in Tennessee. That is the new residence for a stunning jet black J2X MkII - the Black Beauty (see below). One happy owner! Sorry. It will only fit two! Hummm! Maybe I should have chosen blue instead of my black MkII (below). Are you kidding me? 540 hp?! Page 5

6 Track Time Is Fun Time. MOSPORT FIFTH GEAR - ANGLESEY CIRCUIT - Wales ICAR - MIRABEL CIRCUIT Page 6

7 Social Media: Getting Traction Social media is rapidly becoming the new communications highway and Allard Motor Works has taken the ramp onto this cyberhighway. By doing so, AMW has caught the attention of thousands that would otherwise not have known the Allard J2X MkII exists. These media tools are not intended to work in isolation, but rather they work together to build the required synergy that creates a buzz and a global presence that would otherwise not be possible. By sychronizing AMW s website, Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other tools, we have developed a diverse and interesting following throughout North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the South Pacific. Our website continues to be the anchor. However, these other venues allow us to foster exchanges, unite buyers and sellers, gauge reactions to proposed options for the MkII and plan events where the new Allard can be seen. Let the addresses below be your invitation to explore the inner world of Allard Motor Works in forums that provide variety, new ideas, comments and opinions. Web site: FACEBOOK BLOG TWITTER Actor Normand Damour and comedian, Michel Barrette Page 7

8 Rarely Seen. Never Forgotten A solid 1/4 sheet of engine-turned or jewelled aluminium is the platform for the six-instrument cluster on the driverside cockpit. Exclusive to Allard Motor Works, these instruments are complimented by a 160 mph speedometer/odometer on the passenger side. Yes. On the passenger side, next to the chicken bar. (Where is the 6th instrument on the driver side?) Answer: The clock. It is nestled inside the tachometer. Page 8

9 INNOVATION While the Allard J2X MkII replicates the original Allard J2X, motor vehicle regulations, styling and practical reasons have triggered a number of innovations in the fabrication of the J2X MkII to meet these requirements. The latest is the introduction of a rear fog light, a pre-requisite in Europe, China and soon to be required in North America. This safety device is intended to provide cars with a clear view of the vehicle they are following in foul weather. Manually activated with a toggle switch on the dash, the fog light projects a bright red continuous light at the rear of the car. To comply with regulatory standards and to maintain the minimalist styling of the original J2X, Allard Motor Works repositioned its backup light and combined it with its new rear fog light into the body. The backup light, previously hung below the rear body line, is now recessed into the body, as is the fog light. Placed equidistant from the centreline, two round 2.5 LED units are now countersunk into the rear of the vehicle. These cavities are the same style as the MkII s tail/ brake lights, thus creating a complementary look. So which one is the foglight? Where required the passenger-side light will have a red lens and be connected to a dashmounted toggle switch, on an independant circuit. If the fog light is not required, the passenger-side LED will function in tandem with the driver-side backup light. These units are not only bright, but they are very reliable, draw very little current and are DOT-compliant. Page 9

10 SHELBY - ALLARD CONNECTION CARROLL SHELBY to The Allard J2 & J2X Carroll Shelby s racing career is the stuff legends are made of. The young Texas chicken farmer rose quickly through the ranks to become an iconic international race car driver. His racing career began in 1952 behind the wheel of an MG TC winning his first race in Norman, OK. He then was offered a ride in an Allard J2 and a subsequently a Cadillacpowered Allard J2X. By smoking the competition at all races, his name quickly spread throughout the racing world. In 1954, following a stellar performance in a J2X at the Argentine GP, he was offered a seat in an Aston Martin DB3 in Sebring, followed by an Aston Martin DBR1/300 at Le Mans. From then on, he drove just about everything that could win from Jag to Ferrari and from Maserati to Corvette. Retired from racing in 1960 due to a heart condition, Shelby went on to design his own car, based upon the British AC sports car. Once he completed the implant of a 289 cu. in. Ford V8. in 1962, launched his first production roadster. He called his car the Cobra. The Cobra was very competitive and did very well on the track. As the competition got stiffer, Shelby designed a GT version and subsequently the Ford GT that dominated major international events in the mid-1960s. When asked if he had copied the rear of his Cobras from an Allard J2X, he replied What the f... do you think! MG TC - Shelby s first race car Page 10

11 WHAT S UNDER THE HOOD? MOPAR 6.1L HEMI hp / 609 lb.ft. Cadillac LSA 556 hp / 540 lb.ft. MOPAR 392 HEMI hp / 450 lb.ft. GM RamJet 5.7L hp / 395 lb.ft. MOPAR 5.7L HEMI hp / 375 lb.ft. Page 11

12 DRIVING IN STYLE Roadster Apparel leather aviator helmet - $94.99* quilted liner, brass buckle, embossed, adjustable leather gauntlets - $98.99* lined for summer, embossed leather gloves - $96.99* lined for summer, embossed RPM Vintage Classics + shipping & handling rpmvintageclassics@gmail.com PayPal * USD + S&H info@allardj2x.com To Place Your Order Page 12

13 Published Quarterly by: ALLARD MOTOR WORKS INC. Prior editions can be found in the News section of AMW s Web site. Page 13