1949 Allard M-Type Drophead Coupe

Lot details
Registration No: YTL 940
Chassis No: 1069B
Mot Expiry: Aug 2006

Succinctly described as 'the most consistently successful hot-rods of all time', the cars that emerged from Sydney Allard's small London premises were nothing short of a revelation. Victorious across a wide range of motorsport disciplines including rallying (Allard remains the only man ever to win the Monte Carlo event in a car of his own manufacture), sports car racing and sprint / hillclimbing, the recipe of large capacity V8 engines, low weight, simplistic suspension geometry and borderline brakes left critics dumbfounded and fans addicted. Introduced in 1947, the four-seater M-type drophead coupe was built around a massive box section steel chassis made by John Thompson (Motor Pressings) Ltd of Wolverhampton. Fitted with Leslie Bellamy designed split 'I' beam independent front suspension, a 'live' rear axle and powerful drum brakes, it was propelled by an 85bhp 3.6 litre sidevalve Ford V8 mated to a three speed manual gearbox. Commenting on the new model Autocar magazine noted that it was "full of life and capable of holding almost anything on the road up to speeds in the region of 90mph". Driven by the likes of Ken Burgess, Leonard Potter, Maurice Wick, Richard Dimbleby and Dirk Bogarde, an M-type won the 1949 Lisbon rally at the hands of owner Godfrey Imhof. Total M-type production is thought to have amounted to just 499 cars.
Finished in red with black leather upholstery (piped in red) to the front seats, this particular example is variously rated by the vendor as being in fair (electrical equipment), good (engine, chassis, paintwork, interior trim) or very good (gearbox, aluminium bodywork, wheels / tyres) condition. In the present ownership since 1977, it was apparently "fitted with a replacement Ford V8 engine shortly after acquisition but has not been extensively used since then". Although more recent work has seen it treated to a reconditioned gearbox. Said to run "very smoothly" and to be in "very sound overall" order, this rare surviving Allard retains its original wheel spats (though these are not present in the photograph). Believed to have been first registered in Lincolnshire, it is offered for sale with MOT certificate valid until 11th August 2006 and historic class (free) road tax until 31st July 2006.