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1951 Allard K2 Heads to Auction After Decades in a Barn
A rare 1951 Allard K2, one of approximately 117 built, is offered for sale after a decades-long slumber in a Pennsylvania barn and a subsequent refurbishment.
By Edward Beaumont · 4 min read
A rare 1951 Allard K2, one of only about 117 examples produced between 1949 and 1952, has been listed for sale after spending decades hidden in a Pennsylvania barn. The car, chassis 1969, was shipped to the United States on 3 April 1951 and initially delivered to Max Hess, co-founder of Hess's Department Store in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
According to the listing, Hess later gifted the car to his facilities manager. It was reportedly driven around 5,000 miles before being placed into a barn in the mid-1960s, where it remained through the owner's passing in the early 1990s. The next steward, also an Allentown resident, commissioned refurbishment work that included a colour change to red and an interior refresh in black leather.
Overhauls of the 331ci Cadillac OHV V8, three-speed manual gearbox, hydraulic drum brakes and suspension were also carried out. The suspension work incorporates a front split axle. The seller purchased the car out of Pennsylvania in 2025 and later relocated it to North Carolina, where it is said to have won a Best in Show award at a British car event in Wilmington.
The K2 was introduced for 1950 as a revised take on the K1 two-seater sports touring platform produced through the late 1940s. While sharing its predecessor's 106-inch wheelbase steel ladder frame, the K2 featured coil-spring suspension in place of transverse leaves. The aluminium coachwork was also restyled, with design elements including triple portholes on each side of the nose segment and a pentagon-shaped grille.
This example was previously finished in blue before the colour change to red during the 1990s refurbishment. Exterior details include a louvered hood secured via a leather strap, split bumpers, quadruple front air inlets, fender-mounted side mirrors, rear fender stone guards, a Monza-style fuel filler cap and rear-exit exhaust outlets. A black soft top and side curtains are included in the sale.
The 16-inch body-colour steel wheels feature bright Allard-branded hubcaps and are mounted with 6.00-inch Excelsior Stahl Sport radial tyres. A matching spare wheel and tyre are stored in the trunk compartment. Braking is via four-wheel drums.
The cabin was re-trimmed as part of the 1990s refurbishment and features a pair of seats upholstered in black leather that extends to the door panels. Additional features include colour-keyed carpeting, lap belts, zippered door pockets embroidered with lightning-bolt patterns and a dashboard-mounted rearview mirror. The seller describes the windshield wipers as finicky.
A Bluemel's Brooklands banjo-spoke steering wheel sits ahead of an engine-turned dashboard fascia. Instrumentation includes a Cooper Stewart 140-mph and 6k-rpm tachometer as well as gauges monitoring oil pressure, amperage, coolant temperature and fuel level. The five-digit odometer shows 7,800 miles, approximately 50 of which have been added by the selling dealer.
The 331ci Cadillac OHV V8 is equipped with a single Carter carburetor topped by a polished air cleaner. The engine is finished in blue and features matching Cadillac-branded valve covers. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a three-speed manual transmission. The independent front suspension incorporates a Bellamy split axle, coil springs and telescopic shock absorbers, while a solid rear axle is accompanied by a transverse leaf spring, angled radius rods and lever-arm shock absorbers.
The car is now offered with a soft top and side curtains as well as a tool kit, service records and a clean North Carolina title in the name of the seller's trust. Photos captured prior to the refurbishment are included in the gallery.
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