1951 Allard J2 Roadster

Resident of Grosse Pointe, Michigan; took delivery via a Detroit dealer and immediately had the car fitted with a race-prepared Cadillac V-8 at a local speed shop. Actively campaigned the car at multiple circuits and hillclimbs.

Birmingham, Michigan resident who swapped the original Cadillac motor for a DeSoto Hemi and took the car to Bonneville twice, including a significant bodywork modification for the 1956 attempt. Sold the car after restoring approximate original bodywork.

Appears to have kept the car largely inactive during his ownership. A Corvette small-block V-8 with a Jaguar four-speed gearbox was fitted at some point during this or the following ownership.

Jersey City, New Jersey resident in whose garage the car was discovered in 1993 in a dormant state, fitted with the Corvette engine and Jaguar gearbox combination.

Undertook a comprehensive restoration to period specification, including a 1959 Cadillac 390 V-8, Borrani wheels, factory soft top, and red leather interior. Subsequently used the car in numerous vintage events on the US East Coast.

Held in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania; Lee's first entry at this event yielded a fourth-place class finish.

Lee returned with the same car two years later and claimed both the class win and the overall fastest time award.

Del Lee drove the car in this race at the request of the new owner, Fred Lavel, who had just purchased the car around the time of this event.

Lavel ran the car in largely standard trim and recorded a top speed just over 127 mph.

Lavel fitted purpose-built fiberglass bodywork, a revised rear end, and an automatic gearbox to improve aerodynamics; brought a spare engine but mechanical problems halted additional attempts.

One of several circuits where the first owner campaigned the car in the early 1950s; specific results not recorded in the prose.

Among the circuits at which Del Lee raced the car in the early 1950s; no individual results detailed.

One of several venues where Del Lee competed; no specific finishing position recorded.

Period photographs document this event; Lee was running near the front before spinning to avoid a hay bale late in the race.

One of several East Coast vintage events attended by the restoring owner following completion of the restoration.

Among the post-restoration vintage events in which the car participated on the US East Coast.

Another East Coast vintage event attended by the restoring owner.

One of two marque-specific reunion gatherings attended in the late 1990s; exact year not specified.

Second of two Allard marque reunions attended in the late 1990s; exact year not specified.

Race-prepared Cadillac 331 cu. in. overhead-valve V-8 installed, along with required ancillaries, by Cal Connell at Detroit Racing Equipment following delivery.

The car was delivered without engine and transmission per standard Allard practice; the customer sourced and fitted the drivetrain.

Original aluminium bodywork removed and set aside for storage; aerodynamic fibreglass body by Sorrell fitted, along with a Halibrand quick-change rear axle and Powerflight automatic transmission mated to the DeSoto Hemi, in preparation for a Bonneville record attempt.

A second, higher-tune DeSoto engine was also prepared as a spare for the event.

Sorrell fibreglass body removed and the original aluminium coachwork loosely refitted from storage prior to sale.

Carried out by Fred Lavel before he sold the car to John Whitlock; the bodywork was not fully finished or secured.

Cadillac engine replaced with a DeSoto Adventurer Hemi V-8, sourced via Virgil Exner, a noted Chrysler engineer.

Carried out during Fred Lavel's ownership, between 1954 and 1956.

Powertrain swapped to a 1956 Corvette small-block V-8 coupled to a Jaguar Moss four-speed manual gearbox by one of the successive owners.

Believed to have occurred during the Vandepaer ownership period or thereabouts; the Lavel DeSoto engine was likely removed before that sale.

Full restoration to period-correct specification carried out under the most recent owner's direction, including fitment of a 1959 Cadillac 390 cu. in. V-8, Borrani wire wheels, a factory soft top, and full-width windscreen. Finished in bright blue over red leather. Drivetrain updates included an M21 Muncie four-speed gearbox, triple Stromberg carburettors on a Weiand aluminium manifold, and polished Offenhauser valve covers.

The restoration was undertaken after 1993 acquisition; at that stage the owner knew only that the car had originally been blue, without access to the period colour photographs.