Latest news about the restoration of Europe’s first dragster – Sydney Allard’s 1961 Allard Chrysler owned by the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu – concerns the official hand over of the 390 page history of the project and its restoration to Museum Manager Doug Hill. The sponsorship by Lucas Oil has also been marked by decals affixed to the body panels – a special deviation from its period correct status.

The official history was handed over to Doug Hill on January 23rd by Allard Chrysler Action Group Chairman Brian Taylor. It includes the dragster’s full history; why Sydney Allard decided to build it in the first place and the story of its racing career. It then details the 9-year restoration by the Allard Chrysler Action Group (warts an’ all) along with all part numbers and documentation – including the engines original brass identification plate. All this will be placed in the library for use by researchers.

Continue reading →

The Allard Chrysler Action Group (ACAG) is pleased to announce that Yuasa Battery Sales (UK) Limited has joined the list of companies backing the restoration of Europe’s first dragster, Sydney Allard’s 1961 Allard Chrysler that is owned by the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. The company is well known for its support of motor sport and is a global supplier of original equipment and aftermarket batteries.

In 2013 Yuasa Battery Sales (UK) Ltd announced a comprehensive automotive battery solution for the UK and pan-European markets. The new range  features five battery types – YBX1000, YBX3000, YBX5000, YBX7000 Start Stop (EFB enhanced flooded battery) and YBX9000 Start Stop Plus (AGM absorbed glass mat). They all meet new EUROBAT labelling legislation directing that battery labels must accurately reflect a CCA (Cold Cranking Amp) and Ah (Ampere hour) rating.

Continue reading →

On Thursday afternoon October 10^th the Allard Chrysler Action Group (ACAG) received this e-mail from the International Historic Motoring Awards 2013.

I’m delighted to tell you that, following multiple nominations, the Allard Chrysler has been shortlisted in the Restoration of the Year category in the 2013 International Historic Motoring Awards in association with Octane magazine and EFG International private banking. And – also as a result of multiple nominations – you yourself have been nominated in the Personal Achievement of the Year category! Many congratulations on being nominated by so many people, and on being shortlisted – and good luck in the judging!

“Wow! To say I was ‘gobsmacked’ understates how I felt”, says ACAG Chairman, Brian Taylor. “I had to phone Doug Hill, Museum Manager at Beaulieu to check that it wasn’t a hoax”.

The Awards celebrate the very best of the best in this £multi-billion international industry. Nominations are received from around the world, and from a variety of disciplines, and the geographical spread of the historic motoring movement is emphasised by the list of finalists each year, which includes events, companies, cars and individuals from across Europe, the USA, Asia and Australia. It is the benchmark by which the world of historic motoring judges itself.

Continue reading →

More support for the restoration of Europe’s first dragster – Sydney Allard’s 1961 Allard Chrysler – has been announced by the Allard Chrysler Action Group (ACAG); this time from the Mr Gasket Performance Group (part of Prestolite Performance Group).

The story of the brand is part of drag racing’s folklore. Mr. Gasket was formed by Joe Hrudka in 1964 and incorporated in 1965. Back then Joe and his brother Tom used to campaign a 1957 Chevy drag race car.

Using this as a test vehicle, they recognized the need for a line of engine gaskets and fasteners tough enough to seal and withstand the extreme engine temperatures, pressures and stresses created by high performance race engines. The creation of the durable gasket was the result and the rest is history as they say.

Continue reading →

Although there are photographs showing Sydney Allard driving Europe’s first dragster in a sports jacket, shirt and tie in the early 1960s, his son Alan was more safety conscious with his racewear when he drove the car in 1964. And certainly to fire up (cackle) its 354 cubic inch Chrysler Hemi engine in today’s more safety-aware world would definitely require something more substantial.

For some time the Allard Chrysler Action Group (ACAG) has been assembling the elements of an early 1960s driver fire suit. As well as being used at cackle appearances the suit could sometimes be displayed on a mannequin alongside the car at its home – the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. American Ron Hope of Rat Trap fame (recently appearing at the Goodwood Festival of Speed) donated a pair of his old gloves and Chris and Claire from the Wild Bunch donated some boots. But we still needed a jacket and trousers or a combined suit.

After talking with American drag racer Bob Keith who came over to the UK in 1964 and 1965 to race at the International Drag Racing Festivals organised by Sydney Allard, we made contact with Ben at Deist Safety – the company that supplied Bob’s fire suit for those UK tours. The company’s founder, Jim Deist, passed away on March 9th 2009, but for over 50 years, he had dedicated his life to improving the safety of all types of motorsports. He was an innovator, a dedicated racer, and a friend to all. And Jim’s legacy is continued at Deist with most of the staff having worked alongside him for 20 years; some for over 30 years.

Continue reading →

The Allard Chrysler Action Group (ACAG) has announced two more supporters of the project that has restored Europe’s first dragster to working exhibit status. These are Evans Coolants and Corteco

The 354 Chrysler Hemi engine in the dragster has been Moroso block-filled up to the core plug holes. The idea was that extra cooling could be the achieved by filling the rest of the block and heads with water. Those readers who have been following the restoration will know that the ACAG hit a problem with the water boiling (blowing a core-plug on one occasion) and the engine retaining high levels of heat after each run, preventing further start-ups for up to three hours.

Continue reading →

You wouldn’t automatically relate southern England with a piece of drag racing history – particularly a vehicle that those in America (the home of drag racing) see as the key to globalising the sport. But since the 1980s the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu has been the home of Sydney Allard’s part-restored 1961 Allard Chrysler – Europe’s first dragster that last ran in anger at Blackbushe in 1964.

With the cancellation of the Brighton Speed Trials this year the restoration has particular significance. Madeira Drive is known by Americans as the oldest drag strip in the world and Sydney Allard drove this dragster at the event in 1961, ’62 and ’63.

Continue reading →

We’ve been following the rebuild of the Allard Chrysler dragster for a few years now.  This was the first dragster run in the UK.  They’ve got it running and running on a 66% nitro mixture.  Pretty cool deal.

Lucas Oil has supported the restoration of Europe’s first dragster (Sydney Allard’s 1961 Allard Chrysler owned by the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu) in many ways. Thanks to Chris and Vince Andrews a proportion of all Lucas Oil sponsorship money going to the F&A Racing Top Fuel Dragster has been diverted to the restoration fund. Les Downey of Lucas Oil for Europe has given the Allard Chrysler Action Group (ACAG) a range of items to sell and auction, and these have produced good funds. And of course they have supplied all the race lubricants for the dragster.

Les came up with another great idea and he is supplying the ACAG with 100 Lucas Oil Motorsport Division T-shirts upon which have been added the project’s individual identity in vinyl showing the bonnet shape and colours along with the 58 race number. It means that the ACAG’s only cost will be the additional vinyl logo plus P&P.

Continue reading →