Unfinished Vintage Kit Car: 1953 Allard J2X by Elite Enterprises

Allard Motor Company, founded by Sydney Allard in 1946, made just 200 cars in its dozen-year history. Jerry Knapp was four years old when Allard produced its first car. He was born in Minnesota but eventually settled in California. In 1969, Knapp and his wife Myrna launched Elite Enterprises, making kit cars in their garage. In 1982, Knapp decided to make a replica of Allard’s J2X, a near-pure race car produced in vanishingly small numbers. Of all the models Knapp produced – a “Porsche” 917 (featured in Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo), a mini-truck and van, the J2X, even a camper – the J2X struck a chord that gave it unusual longevity. Knapp’s company was sold to Raul Quintana in 1986; Quint Industries produced J2X’s through 1996. Another character stepped into the mix when Neil Hardy bought, not all of Quint, but just the molds and rights to produce the J2X. When Hardy was no longer able to continue the dream, Roger Allard (no relation to Sydney Allard) picked up the thread. Allard is now selling a modernized version of the car here in the US. All told replica-seekers can buy a J2X under any of four names. Today’s example is an unfinished vintage kit car from Elite, the progenitor of the copycat Allard. Rocco B. found us this tip; the car is located in Sparks, Nevada.

The original J2 was delivered with a Cadillac, Chrysler, Buick, or Oldsmobile V8 engine – combined with the lightweight aluminum body, it was a winner in many race starts. The later J2X was nearly identical mechanically but longer, allowing the engine to be placed further forward to increase cockpit space. Allard’s single-pivot swing axle front suspension, dampened by coil springs, presented the driver with an unfamiliar challenge, particularly in the twisty bits. This kit car’s seller is offering a Jaguar independent rear suspension to pair with the car, but the chassis, engine, transmission, and virtually everything else is up to the buyer to source.

The lines of the car are straight from a 1950s British hill climber’s fantasy, with front cycle fenders, bulbous rear bodywork, cut-down doors, a hood scoop, and portholes along the engine bay. If you have the ambition to match the challenges of assembly, this kit is offered here on craigslist for $9500.  Completed replicas by Elite, Hardy, or Quint seem to sell anywhere from the mid-teens to as high as $50k. The contemporary car by Roger Allard is considerably more expensive, though used examples face a difficult market thanks to numerous cheaper versions. Do you have the patience to construct a kit car like this J2X?