ALLARD PALM BEACH—GRENDEL’S KID SISTER

IT WAS LIKE BEOWULF’S GRENDEL having a sweet kid sister. (The Allard J2X has already appeared here at SimanaitisSays.) 

Above, the Allard J2X, 1951–1954. Image by cutaway artist extraordinaire Yoshihiro Inomoto. Below, Stan Mott illustration from Dick O’Kane’s “Grendel: ‘Many doomed beings were descended from Cain, including the detestable outcast Grendel.’ ” Both from Automobile Quarterly, Summer 1970, Vol. 8 No. 4. 

Here instead are tidbits about the sweet kid sister from an R&T road test of the 1954 Allard Palm Beach.

Allard Palm Beach. This and other images from R&T, July 1954. 

Sweet and Demure. “The Palm Beach,” R&T said, “is a different breed of cat from the usual run of sports cars. It is one of the most softly suspended sports car extant, seats three abreast with ease, corners as good as any competition car (with solid rear axle), and cruises along the highway like an old Essex.”

Allard Handling—the Good and the Bad. R&T asked, “How can Allard provide such a “sof.” slow-bounce-frequency suspension and still get sports car handling and stability characteristics?” 

Indeed, journalist Don Vorderman wrote of the sibling J2X’s Ford truck-inspired split-axle front suspension, “… surely one of the best possible ways to compensate for a poor suspension design is to keep the car at least several inches above the road.”  

R&T described, “The Palm Beach appears to be especially proficient in sharp right angle turns—it can literally be flung around them, without any noticeable strain, squeal, or excitement. The steering, with 2.6 turns lock to lock, is a little heavy at under 30 mph [acceptable power assist was yet to be ubiquitous], but there is no sign of gyroscopic wheel reactions at any speed within the capabilities of the machine.”

Faulted Ergonomics. “Unfortunately for comfort,” R&T assayed, “the three-abreast seats have very little padding, in order to keep the seats as close to the propeller shaft tunnel as possible. There is also a need for a folding center arm rest in order to keep the driver properly behind the wheel—tires having notably better adhesion than the seat of one’s pants.”

Modest Top Speed. “So we come to the timed top speed average,” wrote R&T, “which in turn brings us back to the old Essex. At 82.6 mph, the short stroke Ford engine is turning at 5160 rpm, or 1160 rpm past the peak horsepower point. Obviously a car with 40% more wind and rolling resistance than an stock Ford Zephyr 6 and same gear ratios isn’t going to go any faster than the family sedan—if as fast.”

More Than Acceptable Acceleration. R&T observes, “…the maximum speeds in gears quoted required no less than 6350 rpm from the willing little engine. The fact that the engine stands up to this treatment is a compliment to the engine, but to no one else.”

“However,” the magazine continued, “… gear ratios give rapid acceleration, as can be seen from our usual acceleration plot. Zero to 60 mph in 14.8 seconds is a very credible time and the high gear acceleration gives the feeling of a big American car.”

It also noted, “After our test the owner milled heads .090, added an American Ford 6 Holley carburetor, a three-branch exhaust header and an M type Jaguar muffler. With these changes he reports a zero to 60 time of 13.0 seconds, using our speedometer corrections.” 

I’d suspect that Sydney Allard would approve of such fooling. Indeed, he was one of the few Brits of the era who understood drag racing. 

In Summary. “Inevitably,” R&T said, “the Palm Beach will be compared with other sports cars in its price class. Its acceleration performance is approximately midway in the available choice of $3000 cars. Its top speed capabilities are among the slowest, its top gear acceleration is the best of the lot.”

“In our opinion,” the magazine continued, “it is the easiest to drive in traffic, ranks the best in low-speed ‘tight’ cornering, and near the top in high speed handling, comfort and stability.” 

Plus, the Allard moniker also carried that Grendel kinship. ds

© Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2023