1956 Allard K3

Sydney Allard spent the years preceding World War II, and those that immediately followed, focusing on building an Anglo-American road racer that was serious competition on the track. The apex of his development efforts was the Le Mans-placing J-series cars, which were potent and brutish, sticking with his visionary formula of American V-8 power paired to small British chassis.

Having proven his cars’ abilities on the circuit, Allard turned his attention to more mainstream, roadgoing offerings like his K1 and K2. The K3 was the next evolution of the K-series cars, but it was wholly new upon its 1952 introduction. Built on a 100-inch chassis and wearing a more modern alloy envelope body, the cars were elegant in appearance. Engine options were prolific and included rip-snorting 331-ci V-8s from Cadillac and Chrysler, and Mercury and Ford V-8s as well. Front coil springs and a De Dion rear axle continued from the earlier cars, and made handling assured.

Period road tests were impressed with the car’s performance, as one might expect. Nonetheless, the car construction proved to be expensive and the car’s finish was a little closer to a J2 than a new Austin-Healey or MG. As a result, the firm produced only 63 K3s from 1952 to 1956.