129-571: Allard Motor Company Limited was a London-based low-volume car manufacturer founded in 1945 by Sydney Allard in small premises in Clapham, south-west London. Car manufacture almost ceased within a decade. It produced approximately 1900 cars before it became insolvent and ceased trading in 1958. Before the war, Allard supplied some replicas of a Bugatti-tailed special of his own design from Adlards Motors in Putney . Allards featured large American V8 engines in
258-430: A 112-inch wheelbase and was offered with 3.6-litre Ford Pilot V8 and 4.4-litre Mercury V8 engines. 11 were built. In an attempt to further extend its line, Allard adapted its P1 saloon to produce the 8-seater, wood-sided , V8-engined, P2 Safari Estate. It too found weak sales, with 13 examples being built in total. The M appeared in 1948, remaining in production until 1950. It was a drophead coupé. The 1953 Clipper
387-648: A combined sales network for Ford's two premium automotive brands, Lincoln-Mercury also represented the Continental (1956–1960), Edsel (1958–1960, formally designated Mercury-Edsel-Lincoln Division), Comet (1960-1961), and Merkur (1985–1989, forming Lincoln-Mercury-Merkur ). Through the use of platform sharing and manufacturing commonality, Mercury vehicles shared components and engineering with Ford or Lincoln (or both concurrently), serving as counterparts for vehicles from both divisions. Following an extended decline in sales and market share for Mercury, Ford announced
516-635: A completely new brand, personally selecting the Roman god's name from over 100 options – in spite of the name having been used just four years earlier for the Chevrolet Mercury and no fewer than seven separate failed automobile companies from 1903 to 1923. In November 1938, Edsel Ford introduced four body styles of the Mercury Eight at the New York Auto Show . Along with a two-door sedan and
645-584: A distinct higher-performance variant of the Monterey. In a design change, the fastback Marauder roofline was discontinued; the Breezeway design was dropped in 1967 (the latter, following the increasing availability of air conditioning units integrated within the ventilation system). In 1967, Mercury debuted its two most successful and longest-running nameplates: the Mercury Cougar and Mercury Marquis. The Cougar
774-603: A downsized Marquis; while nearly matching the Cougar sedan in exterior footprint, the 1979 Marquis gained interior space over its 1978 predecessor. The Capri made its return, shifting from German-produced captive import to counterpart of the Ford Mustang ; for the first time, the Capri adopted Mercury divisional branding. Bolstered by the redesign of the Marquis and the popularity of Cougar XR7,
903-527: A following as a street rod , making an appearance in several films. The 1949 redesign of the Mercury model line proved successful, with the division increasing its sales six-fold over 1948, becoming the sixth-most popular brand in the United States. In contrast to competing medium-price brands from Chrysler and General Motors (and independents including Nash , Hudson , or Packard ), Mercury continued to offer
1032-623: A four-door sedan, the Mercury was also introduced as a two-door convertible and a two-door trunked sedan; the body design was overseen by E.T. 'Bob' Gregorie. While similar in concept to the modestly restyled De Luxe Ford, the V8-powered Mercury was an all-new car sized between the V8 Ford and the V12 Lincoln-Zephyr. For 1939, the Mercury was launched at a starting price of US$ 916 ($ 20,064 in 2023 dollars ); over 65,800 vehicles were sold in
1161-683: A full model range (replacing the Montclair and Park Lane outright) and the Colony Park as the only Mercury full-size station wagon. To differentiate the Marquis from the Monterey, Mercury introduced hidden headlights for the former. Replacing the S-55, the Mercury Marauder became a stand-alone full-size two-door, competing against the Oldsmobile Toronado and Buick Riviera; an optional 429 cubic-inch V8
1290-703: A level-crossing in Czechoslovakia in his Ford Cortina and retired. Allard's final outing in the Monte Carlo Rally came in 1965. In 1961 Sydney Allard, considered by many to be the father of British drag racing, built the Allard dragster, a supercharged Chrysler-powered slingshot. Constructed in 23 weeks between January and June 1961 at Adlards Garage, Clapham, in London, the car featured a 354-cubic inch Chrysler motor with front-mounted 6-71 GMC blower. Some speed equipment for
1419-500: A light British chassis and body, giving a high power-to-weight ratio and foreshadowing the Sunbeam Tiger and AC Cobra of the early 1960s. Cobra designer Carroll Shelby and Chevrolet Corvette chief engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov both drove Allards in the early 1950s. The first Allard cars were built to compete in "trials" events – timed rally-like events on terrain almost impassable by wheeled vehicles. Built in under three weeks,
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#17331051426161548-529: A light chassis inspired the development of the Chevrolet Corvette and the A.C. Shelby Cobra. An article on page 140 of the book Eagle Special Investigator by Macdonald Hastings , features Sydney Allard in "Special Investigator Drives a Racing Car", published by Michael Joseph in 1953. In 1958 Allard built a Steyr-engined sports car for sprints and hillclimbs, the motor purchased from Dennis Poore : "This Allard Special can certainly step off. It covered
1677-471: A line growing obsolete in the face of advances in sports car design, Allard introduced an 'improved' model in late 1951, the J2X (extended). The chassis remained unchanged from the previous J2, but in an attempt to improve handling, the front suspension's rear attaching radius rods were redesigned with forward ones, which required a forward cross member and extending the nose past the front wheels. This, in turn, allowed
1806-443: A low-volume car, and demand was high for cars in general, which led to the introduction of several larger models, the drophead coupe M and P . Allard used "J" for the short-wheelbase two-seaters, "K" for two- or three-seat tourers or roadsters, "L" for four-seat tourers, "M" for drophead (convertible) coupes, and "P" for fixed-head cars. As models were replaced, subsequent models were numbered sequentially. Built from 1946 to 1947,
1935-638: A new Grand Marquis was slotted between the Marquis Brougham and the Lincoln Continental. Intended as the successor for the Comet, the Monarch led to a completely new market segment: the luxury compact car. The model line was met with success, with examples used as personal cars among Ford executives (including Henry Ford II ). Following the 1974 discontinuation of its engine, Lincoln-Mercury ended its sales of
2064-512: A new record at the Prescott hillclimb . In 1937, Allard began producing modified Fords (in much the same way as the Chevrolet brothers had in the U.S.), selling them for £ 450 each. By the outbreak of war in 1939, twelve Allard Specials had been built. Sydney Allard's planned volume production was pre-empted by work on Ford-based trucks during the conflict. By the war's end , Allard had built up
2193-467: A niche in either market in spite of its performance. Today the exceptionally rare automobile can fetch the better part of US$ 250,000 at auction. 62 examples were built, of which 57 were delivered to the United States. The L is a 4-seat roadster, produced from 1946 to 1950. It was on a 112-inch (2.8 m) wheelbase and available with a choice of 3622 cc (221.0 cu in) Ford V8 or 4375 cc (267.0 cu in) Mercury engines. The top speed
2322-469: A s.s. ¼-mile in 11.54 sec, and he crossed the line at 147.77 m.p.h. at the end of the longer distance, which rather disposes of previous claims in the 170-190 m.p.h. bracket." In 1963 the Allard put two rods through the block on Madeira Drive in Brighton. The car turned out to be a fifties-style dragster at a time when dragster design was rapidly evolving. Tire technology, with wider purpose-built drag slicks,
2451-403: A stand-alone model range, slotted above the Cougar. To further establish the brand in motorsport, the aerodynamically-optimized Cyclone Spoiler II was homologated as the 1969 Mercury entry for NASCAR. For 1969, the full-size Mercury line was given an all-new body and chassis (again shared with Ford, on its own 124-inch wheelbase). The nameplates were again revised, with the Marquis becoming
2580-505: A substantial inventory of Ford parts. The Allard Motor Company was founded in 1945, setting up in Clapham High Street, London. Using its inventory of easy-to-service Ford mechanicals built up during World War II and bodywork of Allard's own design, three post-war models were introduced with a newly designed steel chassis and lightweight body shells: the J, a competition sports car; the K, a slightly larger car intended for road use, and
2709-551: A time when sports racing car design was developing rapidly, the J2X was not as successful in international racing as the J2, as it was not as competitive compared to more advanced C- and D-type Jaguars, alongside Mercedes, Ferrari, and Maserati works entries. Thus, it headlined less often in major international races and of 199 documented major race starts in the 9 years between 1952 and 1960, J2X's garnered 12 first-place finishes; 11 seconds; 17 thirds; 14 fourths; and 10 fifths. One J2X chassis
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#17331051426162838-589: Is a brand of medium-priced automobiles that was produced by American manufacturer Ford Motor Company between the 1939 and 2011 motor years. Created by Edsel Ford in 1938, Mercury was established to bridge the gap between the Ford and Lincoln model lines within Ford Motor Company. From 1945 until its closure, it formed half of the Lincoln-Mercury Division of the company. In addition to serving as
2967-458: Is estimated to be 85 mph (137 km/h). Priced at a little more than £1000, 191 were produced. Known more often than not simply as the Allard 3.6-litre Saloon, the P1 was a five-seat, two-door sports saloon produced between 1949 and 1952. The cars used Ford engines and transmissions, and included a "Sports" model. In 1952 an Allard P1, driven by Sydney Allard himself, along with Guy Warburton, won
3096-816: Is now a development of social housing apartments, and the showroom and workshop in Putney is now a Howdens Joinery trade products showroom. In 2012, a new Allard company was established called Allard Sports Cars Limited. This company has produced a period correct continuation chassis 3408 of the JR, and announced the development of a new J8 model in 2017. The company officially reopened its business and began production in September 2018. Twite, Mike (1974). "Allard: Twenty Years Before his Time". In Ward, Ian (ed.). The World of Automobiles . Vol. 1. London: Orbis. Sydney Allard Sydney Herbert Allard (19 June 1910 – 12 April 1966)
3225-489: The Prescott Hill Climb on 13 September 1959, but is believed to have been broken up. Allard then turned his attention to a twin-engined Steyr four-wheel-drive prototype, of great complexity. "All this leads to 9 litres of motor car and a very brave Sydney Allard surrounded by chains, shafts and engines." The car featured a solidly-mounted rear axle to which he planned to mount American-type dragster slick tyres. This
3354-625: The Brighton Speed Trials in a Ford V-8. In April 1936 he won a 50-mile handicap race on the sand at Southport in his Allard V8. The Allard Special was put into limited production with Ford V8 and Lincoln V12 motors. A Ford-based special was supplied to a Mr. Gilson in 1937, while a four-seater was offered the following year. In 1937 Allard attempted to climb Ben Nevis , a mountain in Scotland, in his Allard car. The car crashed and rolled but Allard emerged with only bruising. Sydney Allard set
3483-556: The Brighton Speed Trials on 14 September; Church Lawford, near Rugby, on 21 September and Debden, Essex, 22 September 1963. Sydney Allard was awarded the SEMA trophy for his performances at the races. In January 1964 Sydney Allard launched the Dragstar Dragon, a low-cost dragster designed by John Hume, powered by a Shorrock-supercharged 1,500 c.c. Ford engine, costing under £500 in kit form. Several cars of this type were produced. Among
3612-623: The De Tomaso Pantera in 1971. Assembled in Modena, Italy, the Pantera was a two-door, mid-engine coupe powered by a 330 hp (330 PS; 250 kW) Ford 351 cubic inches (5.75 L) V8 . For 1972, the intermediate Montego line (based on the Ford Gran Torino) was redesigned with a body-on-frame chassis, creeping into full-size dimensions. After years of losing market share to the Cougar,
3741-596: The Ford LTD II , with the Cougar XR-7 hardtop becoming a counterpart of the Ford Thunderbird . The revision was well-received, as Cougar sales nearly tripled. In contrast to the downsized model ranges introduced by General Motors, the 229-inch (5,800 mm) long Marquis/Grand Marquis was powered by a 460 cubic inches (7.5 L) V8 (the second-largest displacement engine used in an American automobile). 1978 commenced
3870-642: The Lincoln Model K . In contrast to the Ford V8, the Model K was among the most expensive vehicles built and sold in the United States, rivaled in price by the Cadillac V-12 (and V-16 ), Duesenberg Model J , and the flagship lines of Mercedes-Benz and Rolls-Royce . To address the gap between Ford and Lincoln, Ford Motor Company launched its own version of the late 1920s General Motors Companion Make Program , leading
3999-491: The 1941-1948 Mercury, the 1949 redesign placed Mercury and Lincoln within a common bodyshell. Largely distinguished by headlight and grille designs, Mercury and Lincoln would also feature separately-trimmed interiors. Mechanically, Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury each offered a separate version of the Ford Flathead V8. For many years after its production, the 1949–1951 Mercury Eight (most commonly in two-door form) would develop
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4128-546: The 1942 suspension of production, Mercury did not return the Liquamatic transmission option. Alongside the wood-paneled station wagon, Mercury introduced a wood-bodied Sportsman convertible. For 1947 and 1948, few major changes were made. The rare Sportsman convertible was dropped for 1947 and the hubcaps were restyled; 1948 Mercurys were effectively carryover. In 1949, Ford Motor Company launched its first all-new post-war designs for all three of its model lines. In contrast to
4257-538: The 1947 quota-list for early delivery of Open Two-Seater and Tourer models." Allard won the 1949 British Hill Climb Championship at the wheel of the self-built Steyr-Allard, fitted with a war surplus air-cooled V8 engine. He was third in the Championship in 1947 and 1948, winning in 1949, second in 1950, and third again in 1951, when the Steyr-Allard was converted to four-wheel-drive. In 1949 Allard cars won
4386-510: The 1965 Drag Festival. At the Woodvale event Alan Allard covered the standing ¼ mile in 9.30 secs-160 m.p.h. but in the qualifying run the Allard-Chrysler had reached 168 m.p.h." Sydney Allard died at his home Blackhills, Esher, Surrey on 12 April 1966. "He had been ill for several months. The cause of death was not disclosed." The Hissing Madman. That there was keen interest in drag racing
4515-471: The 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1951, 1952 and 1953 but did not finish. In 1951 he shared a works J2 with the American driver Tom Cole and retired with gearbox failure. In 1952 he and Jack Fairman drove the works J2X, chassis number 3055, fitted with a Chrysler hemi engine, where the car retired at 6.30 a.m. having thrown a rod. In 1953 he shared a Cadillac-engined Allard J2R with Philip Fotheringham-Parker , leading
4644-472: The Allard dragster as a "gallant failure." The car was then invited to appear over the standing start quarter mile at an N.S.A. record meeting at Wellesbourne Aerodrome , near Stratford-Upon-Avon, on 14 October 1961. Denis Jenkinson writing in Motor Sport said: "Sydney Allard pointed the sleek blue dragster down the quarter-mile, let in the clutch, opened up and with a sound like a large bomber going down
4773-487: The Allard dragster with excitement reaching fever pitch. This only led to a huge disappointment when the fuel line ruptured on the line, completing the course on four cylinders in a time of 37.91 secs. The car continued to misfire on the second attempt. This was a blow from which the reputation of the car never fully recovered. Bill Boddy , editor of Motor Sport , called it a fiasco, saying the mechanical problems had also occurred in testing at Boreham. The Autocar described
4902-569: The Allard trailing link, transverse leaf independent front suspension and live rear axle. Production totaled 151 and fitted with the same engine options as the J1 the K1 could reach 86–90 mph (140–145 km/h). The K2 is a 2-seater sports car produced from 1950 to 1952. It was offered with Ford and Mercury V8s in the home market and with Chrysler and Cadillac V8s in the USA. 119 were built. In 1952, Allard adapted
5031-2579: The Bugatti Owners' Club meeting on 15 June 1947, when Sydney: "shot through the hedge at the semi-circle and landed well out in the field in the single-seater Allard." There is an Allard bend on the Craigantlet hill climb course, near Belfast. There is a corner named Allard just after the start at Thruxton Circuit in Hampshire. 1947 R. Mays 1948 R. Mays 1949 S. Allard 1950 D. Poore 1951 K. Wharton 1952 K. Wharton 1953 K. Wharton 1954 K. Wharton 1955 T. Marsh 1956 T. Marsh 1957 T. Marsh 1958 D. Boshier-Jones 1959 D. Boshier-Jones 1960 D. Boshier-Jones 1961 D. Good 1962 A. Owen 1963 P. Westbury 1964 P. Westbury 1965 T. Marsh 1966 T. Marsh 1967 T. Marsh 1968 P. Lawson 1969 D. Hepworth 1970 N. Williamson 1971 D. Hepworth 1972 N. Williamson 1973 M. MacDowel 1974 M. MacDowel 1975 R. Lane 1976 R. Lane 1977 A. Douglas-Osborn 1978 D. Franklin 1979 M. Griffiths 1980 C. Cramer 1981 J. Thomson 1982 M. Bolsover 1983 M. Bolsover 1984 M. Bolsover 1985 C. Cramer 1986 M. Griffiths 1987 M. Griffiths 1988 C. Wardle 1989 R. Rowan 1990 M. Griffiths 1991 M. Griffiths 1992 R. Lane 1993 D. Grace 1994 D. Grace 1995 A. Priaulx 1996 R. Lane 1997 R. Moran 1998 D. Grace 1999 D. Grace 2000 D. Grace 2001 G. Wight, Jr. 2002 G. Wight, Jr. 2003 A. Fleetwood 2004 A. Fleetwood 2005 M. Groves 2006 M. Groves 2007 M. Groves 2008 S. Moran 2009 S. Moran 2010 M. Groves 2011 S. Moran 2012 T. Willis 2013 S. Moran 2014 S. Moran 2015 A. Summers 2016 S. Moran 2017 T. Willis 2018 T. Willis 2019 W. Menzies 2020 Cancelled 2021 W. Menzies 2022 W. Menzies 2023 W. Menzies Mercury (automobile) Mercury
5160-521: The Capri II in late 1977, leftover examples were sold through the 1978 model year. Of the 580,000 vehicles sold; nearly four out of every ten 1978 Mercurys were Cougars. For 1979, Mercury continued its modernization; as the division shifted away from performance vehicles at the beginning of the decade, the fuel crises of 1973 and 1979 sparked the decline of the landyacht . Two years after General Motors downsized its full-size model lines, Mercury introduced
5289-460: The Comet was a divisional counterpart of the Ford Falcon (stretched to a 114-inch wheelbase); styled with four headlights (instead of two), the Comet was also fitted with wide tailfins. Coinciding with its Edsel origins and concerns about potential negative impacts of compact cars on the Mercury brand, the Comet was sold as a standalone product until the brands merged for the 1962 model year(similar to
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5418-663: The Cougar replaced the Monarch; a counterpart of the Ford Granada, the Cougar was largely a Zephyr with a formal roofline and Marquis-influenced fascias. As in 1977, the expansion of the model line nearly doubled Cougar sales (though far below its previous rate). Replacing the Bobcat, the Mercury Lynx was introduced as the counterpart of the Ford Escort. The first front-wheel drive vehicle of
5547-634: The Custom the Medalist (to avoid confusion with the Ford Custom ). For 1957, Mercury redesigned its model range, with a 122-inch (3,100 mm) wheelbase sized between Ford and Lincoln. In a move upmarket, the slow-selling Medalist was discontinued, with the Monterey becoming the base model Mercury. Previewed by the 1956 XM-800 concept car, the Turnpike Cruiser (the pace car of the 1957 Indianapolis 500 )
5676-518: The Cyclone was quietly discontinued. The 1973 model year brought major functional changes to the Mercury line, the fuel crisis notwithstanding; in various forms, all Mercury cars were given 5-mph bumpers . The Marquis and Monterey were given an exterior update, adopting a "pillared hardtop" roofline (frameless door glass supported by a thin B-pillar). As American manufacturers shifted away from convertibles,
5805-614: The DeTomaso Pantera. 1976 saw the expansion of the smallest end of the Mercury model line. Introduced in Canada in 1975, the Bobcat was the Mercury counterpart of the Ford Pinto, sharing its coupe, hatchback, and station wagon body styles. The Capri was restyled with a hatchback and was renamed the Capri II. The Capri II (devoid of any divisional branding) became the second most-imported car in
5934-554: The Eight as its sole model line. For 1950, the Monterey name made its first appearance, denoting a special edition of two-door coupes (alongside the Lincoln Lido and Ford Crestliner ). Intended to compete against the hardtop coupes from General Motors, the Monterey simulated the appearance of a convertible through the use of a canvas or vinyl roof (though with a pillared roofline). During
6063-668: The Eight. As part of an interior redesign, the Eight received a dashboard configured similar to the Lincoln Zephyr. For the first time, the Flathead V8 was offered with 100 hp (100 PS; 75 kW) in standard form. To compete with Fluid Drive (Chrysler) and Hydramatic (General Motors), the 1942 Mercury offered Liquamatic, the first semi-automatic transmission offered by Ford Motor Company. Shared with Lincoln, Liquamatic proved complex and unreliable, with many systems replaced by conventional manual transmissions. As production
6192-693: The First International Drag Festival, a six-event series that did much to promote the sport of drag racing in the UK. The 1964 Drag Festival was held at the following venues: Blackbushe Airport , nr Camberley, Surrey, (twice: Sat 19 Sep, Sun 4 Oct), which was still an operational airport; RAF Chelveston , Northants, (Sun 20 September); RAF Woodvale , nr Southport, Lancashire (Sat 26 September); RAF Church Fenton , nr Tadcaster, Yorkshire, (Sun 27 September); RAF Kemble , nr Cirencester, Gloucestershire, (Sat 3 October). The Second International Drag Festival
6321-423: The J1 was released as a two-seater competition car together with the K1 touring two-seater and the L- Type touring 4-seater. The J1 was a starkly trimmed and equipped 2-seater competition car on a 100 in (2,500 mm) wheelbase. Powered by a 140 hp (100 kW; 140 PS) 3,917 cc (239.0 cu in) overhead valve Mercury V8, the J1 had a top speed of 85 mph (137 km/h), limited by
6450-531: The Korean War. Sydney Allard achieved international recognition by winning the 1952 Monte Carlo Rally in an Allard P1 , with co-driver Guy Warburton and navigator Tom Lush. Starting from Glasgow he narrowly defeated Stirling Moss , in a Sunbeam-Talbot 90, who finished second overall while competing in his first rally. The P1 was powered by a 4,375 c.c. Ford V8 side-valve motor. Mrs. Eleanor Allard, Sydney's wife, also competed in this event, accompanied by her sisters Edna and Hilda, but retired. Allard competed in
6579-420: The Mercury brand reached its all-time sales peak, with nearly 670,000 vehicles sold. As Lincoln-Mercury entered the 1980s, Mercury continued the modernization of its model line, redesigning its entire lineup between 1978 and 1982. Since the early 1960s, the use of platform sharing had left Ford and Mercury model lines styled virtually the same, differing only by grilles, wheels, badging, and minor trim. Through
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#17331051426166708-422: The Monte Carlo Rally. Tom Lush was the navigator. The P1 was the choice of professionals who wanted something different and was quite popular with doctors and solicitors in its day. Some 559 were produced during the model's run. Today it is believed fewer than 45 remain worldwide. The P2 Monte Carlo was a 2-door saloon variant of the K3, produced from 1952 to 1955. It utilised a wood frame with aluminium panels on
6837-426: The Mustang, the Cougar was repackaged as a competitor of the A-body coupes ( Chevrolet Monte Carlo , Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme , Pontiac Grand Prix ) of General Motors. Slotted below the Montego, the Comet made its return as a counterpart of the Ford Maverick (sharing much of its chassis underpinnings with the 1960 Comet). At the other end of the performance spectrum from the Capri, Lincoln-Mercury began imports of
6966-402: The P4 did little to help the J2X-C program, which collapsed after the car failed to meet its performance targets and the company itself liquidating during development. Insufficient research and development meant that Allard failed to keep up with cheaper and more technically advanced cars. The Palm Beach was essentially a year behind its competitors, the K3 failed to live up to expectations, and
7095-437: The Palm Beach in a K3 , an attempt to offer a more civilized variant of the J2 and J2X models seen at the track. Exported to America as a potential "Corvette slayer" Dodge dealers had been clamoring for, it featured one of the most powerful engines of its era, the 331 cu in (5,420 cc) Chrysler hemi engine , fitted with a pair of 4-barrel carburetors. Essentially an up-enginged, rebodied Palm Beach, it failed to find
7224-439: The Safari Estate could not find a market. By the mid-1950s Allard was struggling to remain solvent, and with the market weak due to a late-1950s US recession, the company went into administration in 1957, when manufacture of cars came to an end. The company also offered disc brake conversions for the Ford Anglia . In 1961, the company offered a dragster , the Dragon, powered by a Shorrock - supercharged 1.5 liter Ford, and
7353-438: The Turnpike Cruiser and Voyager; the two-door Commuter was in its final year. Mercury was one of the first American full size cars to adopt parallel-action windshield wipers. As with many medium-price brands, the Mercury brand was hit hard by the economy of the late 1950s. While remaining eighth in sales from 1957 to the end of the decade, Mercury saw a 60 percent drop in sales in 1958, outranked by Rambler . While outselling
7482-405: The United States (behind the Volkswagen Beetle ). For 1977, Mercury made significant revisions to improve sales to its intermediate model range (its slowest-selling models). While technically a mid-cycle model update, the Montego was replaced by the Cougar, with the latter offering sedan and station wagon body styles for the first time. The Cougar base coupe, sedan, and wagon were counterparts of
7611-495: The United States as rolling chassis to be fitted with a motor on arrival. In the austerity period after the Second World War Allard struggled to source the raw materials for car construction, where the emphasis was on 'export or die.' It made no sense to import American engines and gearboxes only to turn round and export them again to the United States. Allard preparations for Le Mans in 1951 were delayed as Cadillac engines were in short supply, due to GM concentrating on production for
7740-440: The XR7 coupe. A longer-wheelbase version of the Zephyr, the Cougar XR7 was a direct counterpart of the Ford Thunderbird . Poorly received by critics and buyers, sales of the model line collapsed (to less than one-third of 1979 levels). Struggling to compete against newer designs, the aging Bobcat and Monarch were in their final years of production. 1981 saw Mercury revise its model line to combat falling sales. A standard trim of
7869-429: The aerodynamically sleeker roofline helped Mercury gain ground in stock-car racing. By the middle of the decade, the fate of Mercury was no longer entangled with the failure of Edsel, with a secure future competing against Buick and Oldsmobile, the middle of the Chrysler range, and the top of the American Motors range. For 1964, the Montclair and Park Lane were reintroduced while the S-models were dropped. For 1965,
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#17331051426167998-501: The base-trim Custom; both shared bodies with Lincoln. In 1953, the expansion of the model line proved successful; after emerging from a war-depressed market, Mercury nearly doubled in sales, ranking eighth. While Mercury would have subsequently higher yearly sales, at 5%, this is the largest market share ever held by the division. For 1954, Ford replaced the long-running Flathead V8 (dating from 1932) with an overhead-valve Y-block V8 , with Ford and Mercury receiving their own versions of
8127-463: The bombing in 1941: "Sydney and his family had a very narrow escape recently during a raid." In 1943 he had 225 employees and was renovating more than 30 vehicles a week. At the end of the war Allard soon returned to competition, taking part in the Filton Speed Trials on 28 October 1945. He restarted his car company, coping with petrol rationing , material shortages and export quotas. A 1947 Allard-dealer advertisement stated: "Vacancies still exist on
8256-467: The brand shifted to a nine-year model cycle (the longest for an American brand). With the closure of Edsel, Mercury was to share its body with Ford (on its own wheelbase). In place of the five divisional bodies produced in 1958 (Ford, Lincoln/Continental, Mercury, large Edsel, small Edsel), Ford produced two for 1961 (Ford/Mercury, Lincoln). For 1960, the division released the Comet brand, its first compact car line. Originally developed for Edsel,
8385-399: The car was imported from Dean Moon in California. The dragster was first shown at Brands Hatch in July 1961 and then demonstrated on 24 July on the straight of the club circuit at Silverstone, sans bodywork. The gearbox failed on this occasion. The first competitive appearance was at the Brighton Speed Trials on 2 September 1961. There was talk of a new track record over the kilometre from
8514-491: The closure of the division at the end of 2010. During the mid-1930s, under the leadership of Edsel Ford , Ford Motor Company discovered that it needed to expand its brand footprint to match its largest competitors. In 1935, Ford offered only its namesake brand and the cars of its Lincoln Motor Company division. In contrast to the comprehensive line of brands from General Motors (seven) and Chrysler Corporation (four), Ford offered its Ford Standard/DeLuxe V8 range and
8643-471: The company to expand from two nameplates to five by the end of the decade. For 1936, Lincoln-Zephyr was introduced as a sub-marque of Lincoln, giving the line a V12 car competing against the LaSalle and Buick , the Chrysler Airstream and Airflow , and the Packard One-Twenty . For 1938, De Luxe Ford became a sub-marque of Ford, offering a higher-price V8 car with a model-specific interior and exterior trim. In 1937, Edsel Ford began work on Mercury as
8772-410: The decade, designers sought to give Mercury its own brand identity while maximizing production resources. Initially associated with full-size sedans and personal luxury cars, Mercury also diversified its model range. For 1980, Mercury ended the model overlap between the Marquis and Cougar, as the latter was downsized into the mid-size segment. In another change, the Cougar model range was pared down to
8901-407: The design aspects while Lexus covered all the performance essentials. That meant the P4 was powered by the LS400's 4.0 liter V8, which delivered 250 horsepower to the rear wheels. The exterior styling still retained a robust Lexus flavor. Still, Allard designers tried to make it somewhat different thanks to a revised front and rear fascia, basketweave wheels, and a red and black interior. Unfortunately,
9030-440: The division adopted the three-model range of Ford. As its premium model range, the Montclair was introduced above the Monterey (including the Sun Valley glass-top hardtop, for its final year). The revision proved successful, as Mercury reached its then-highest sales. The divisional structure of Ford was revised; Lincoln-Mercury was split (largely to accommodate the formation of the Continental division) In 1956, Mercury renamed
9159-428: The division, Mercury refocused itself further on building high-content vehicles. 1970 marked the entry of Mercury into the subcompact segment. In place of selling its own version of the Ford Pinto, the division commenced captive imports of the Capri (European Ford Capri ) from Cologne, Germany. Slightly larger than the Pinto, the Capri was marketed as a compact sports car rather than an economy car , becoming
9288-740: The drivers were his son Alan Allard, Gerry Belton and Denis Jenkinson . Alan Allard and Belton demonstrated their dragsters at the 1964 Italian Grand Prix at Monza on 6 September. Allard founded the British Drag Racing Association, launched in June 1964, and served as its President. He followed this with the International Drag Festivals held in England in 1964 and 1965, featuring US dragsters and drivers. In 1964 Don Garlits , Tommy Ivo , Tony Nancy and Dante Duce participated in
9417-459: The end of the Brighton kilometre the Allard dragster had burst the pipe between supercharger and engine, a common problem with such an installation and the reason why the Americans bolt their blowers on the engine, eliminating a long induction pipe." Allard then went to Church Fenton "setting up the fastest s.s. kilometre achieved by a four-wheeled vehicle in this country" - 20.86 secs. "Allard also did
9546-445: The engine to be moved forward 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 in (190 mm), yielding more cockpit room. The nose was lengthened some 6 + 1 ⁄ 2 in (170 mm) to accommodate the change. In standard form, the spare wheel was carried hidden on top of the rear-mounted fuel tank, but either version could carry one or two side-mounted spares. This allowed the use of a 40 gallon long distance fuel tank. Arriving later, during
9675-555: The engine. As a submodel of the standard Monterey hardtop, the Monterey Sun Valley was introduced, featuring a fixed-panel acrylic glass sunroof. While offering an open-air interior, the Sun Valley was difficult to market in warm-weather climates (as the glass panel warmed the interior to uncomfortable temperatures). In 1955, Mercury underwent a redesign of its model line. While again sharing much of its bodyshell with Lincoln,
9804-577: The entire division overlapping Mercury in price (a key reason behind its failure). The Park Lane was introduced as a flagship model line on a 125-inch (3,200 mm) wheelbase (with the Turnpike Cruiser becoming part of the Montclair line). Shared with Lincoln (and the Ford Thunderbird), Mercury introduced a 430 cubic inches (7.0 L) "Marauder" V8; optional on all Mercurys, a 400 hp (410 PS; 300 kW) "Super Marauder" version became
9933-484: The factory Allard team at Le Mans in 1952 and 1953. Available both in street trim and stripped down for racing, the J2 proved successful in competition on both sides of the Atlantic, including a third place overall at Le Mans in 1950 (co-driven by Tom Cole and Allard himself) at an average 87.74 mph (141.20 km/h), powered by a Cadillac V8. J2s returned to Le Mans in 1951, one co-driven again by Cole and Allard,
10062-577: The final convertible produced by Ford Motor Company during the 1970s was a 1973 Mercury Cougar. 1974 marked several significant changes throughout the Mercury model range, transitioning towards higher-content model lines. The Cougar underwent a redesign, shifting from the Mustang chassis to the Torino/Montego chassis, becoming the counterpart of the Ford Elite ; in what would later set the design precedent for
10191-508: The financial losses, several Ford executives (led by Ford President Robert McNamara ) proposed restructuring Ford down to its namesake division. McNamara (prior to leaving Ford to become Secretary of Defense) allowed the Lincoln-Mercury division to remain, under several conditions. Lincoln reduced its model line from three to one, with the all-new Lincoln Continental offering a much smaller exterior footprint; to establish model continuity,
10320-547: The first Allard was powered by a Ford flathead V8 in a body mainly pirated from a Bugatti. The V8 was moved backward in the chassis to improve traction. The car used the American engine's high torque to great effect in slow-speed competition. It debuted at the Gloucester Cup Trials, and later won the 100 miles (160 km) event at Southport Sands. After a time the front beam axle was converted to independent front suspension . Leslie Ballamy 's rather crude method
10449-511: The first Ford Motor Company car in North America offered with (an optional) V6 engine. While sold through Lincoln-Mercury, Capris sold in North America from 1970 to 1978 had no divisional identification. For 1971, Mercury gradually distanced itself away from performance vehicles. The Marauder and Marquis convertible were discontinued, with the Brougham name making its return. Restyled along with
10578-458: The first mass-produced engine to be rated at 400 hp (410 PS; 300 kW). For 1959, Mercury underwent a revision of its body, expanding to a 126-inch (3,200 mm) wheelbase. Coinciding with the discontinuation of the Edsel Corsair and Citation, Mercury produced its own body and chassis (for the first time since 1940). The division pared several slow-selling model lines, including
10707-665: The first-generation Plymouth Valiant ). Vehicle Identification plaques of 1960 and 1961 models read 'Made in U.S.A. by Comet.' For 1961, Mercury released an all-new full-size range, dropping the Mercury-exclusive chassis in favor of sharing a chassis with the Ford Galaxie (extended to a 120-inch wheelbase). Though visibly sharing front doors with the Galaxie, the Mercury derived multiple elements of its styling from its 1960 predecessor. The Montclair and Park Lane were dropped in favor of
10836-504: The first-generation Lexus LS400 be rebadged and sold as Allards to help build attention and capital for the J2X-C racer. According to sources from the time, the deal between Allard and Toyota was allegedly proceeding well, but fizzled and ultimately fell flat for unknown reasons. The Allard P4 follows the same formula as another re-styled Anglo-Japanese hybrid, the Sterling 825, with Allard handling
10965-528: The four seater L. All three were based on the Ford Pilot chassis and powered by a fairly stock 85 hp (63 kW; 86 PS) 3,622 cc (221.0 cu in) sidevalve V8 with a single carburettor and 6:1 compression, driving a three-speed transmission and low-geared rearend, for superior acceleration. Front suspension was Ballamy swing axle, rear Ford solid axle. They were bodied in aluminium by Allard's friend Godfrey Imhof . Sales were fairly brisk for
11094-587: The full-size line underwent a complete redesign. Though again derived from the Ford Galaxie, the Monterey/Montclair/Park Lane adopted many styling elements from Lincoln, with Mercury marketing the line as "built in the Lincoln tradition". For 1966, the Comet became the counterpart of the Ford Fairlane (effectively replacing the discontinued Meteor). After a two-year hiatus, the S-55 returned as
11223-526: The heavily marketed Edsel by over a two-to-one margin; it would take nearly 1958 and 1959 combined to match the 1957 sales total. While affecting the American automotive industry as a whole, the economic recession of the late 1950s had the harshest impact upon medium-priced brands. Though Edsel was quietly discontinued early in the 1960 model year (before the end of 1959), the future of Lincoln-Mercury remained at risk, as Lincoln had lost over $ 60 million from 1958 to 1960 ($ 617,952,756 in 2023 dollars ). To end
11352-573: The imagination of the huge crowd. The high-pitched whine of his engine earned him the nickname of 'The hissing madman.'" An advertisement from 1950 for the Allard J2 stated: "Some overseas purchasers have preferred to fit the more powerful engines suitable for this chassis such as American Ford, Mercury, Cadillac, Ardun , Grancor etc." Sydney Allard raced an Allard J2 Chrysler in the Tourist Trophy at Dundrod Circuit in 1951. Allards were exported to
11481-523: The inaugural model year. In response to the popularity of the model line, Ford revised its branding structure after 1940; De Luxe Ford was discontinued as a sub-marque (returning to its previous use as a Ford trim line), and all Lincolns became derived from the Lincoln-Zephyr (including the Continental) as Lincoln retired the Model K. For 1941, the Mercury underwent its first redesign; in another change,
11610-416: The last car finished in 1956. Built from 1946 to 1948, the K1 used a 106 in (2,700 mm) wheelbase and was powered by a tuned version of the 221 cu in (3,622 cc) V8, with 7:1 compression, producing 95 hp (71 kW; 96 PS). The frame was made up from stamped steel channel sections by Thomsons of Wolverton specially for Allard. Side rails and cross members were designed to fit
11739-763: The last speed event to be held in England prior to World War Two. Having set the fastest time at the Horndean Speed Trials , his car overturned past the finish line. Both he and his passenger, Bill Boddy , were thrown clear and uninjured. During the Second World War Sydney Allard operated under the Ministry of Supply for the Army Auxiliary Adlards Motors' large repair shop in Fulham fixing army vehicles, including Ford trucks and Jeeps. During
11868-463: The low rear axle gearing. Only 12 were produced and went only to buyers who would rally them. They had good ground clearance and the front wings were removable. Copies driven by Allard himself, Maurice Wick, and others, and was a successful racer. Imhof won the 1947 Lisbon Rally in a J1 powered by a Marshall-supercharged version, while Leonard Potter took the Coupe des Alpes that year. Sydney Allard soon saw
11997-476: The model line adopted the Mercury Eight nameplate used in sales literature. To consolidate development and production, the Mercury Eight shared much of its bodyshell with Ford, distinguished by its 4-inch (100 mm) longer wheelbase. To further separate the two model lines, the Eight was given a model-specific grille, exterior and interior trim, and taillamps. For the first time, a wood-bodied station wagon
12126-472: The model line for over two decades, the Cougar was styled as a Mercury version of the Ford Thunderbird. The Montego saw a revision to its model range, as its fastback body style was discontinued. For 1975, the Mercury model range underwent a series of transitions. Following the discontinuation of the long-running Monterey, the Marquis became the sole full-size Mercury nameplate; to expand the model range,
12255-601: The modernization of the Mercury model range, marked by the introduction of the Zephyr compact, replacing the Comet. The counterpart of the Ford Fairmont , the Zephyr marked the introduction of the Fox platform , a rear-wheel drive chassis architecture that underpinned some compact and mid-size Ford and Lincoln-Mercury vehicles from the 1970s into the early 2000s. After ending the importation of
12384-549: The new Cyclecar Club held a meeting at Brooklands where: "the first race was won by Sidney (sic) Allard's Morgan, at 73.37 m.p.h. from a couple of Austins." By 1933 he was competing in trials, retiring from the London-Exeter Trial that year in his Allard special, the Morgan converted by Allard to four wheels. He also retired in the London to Land's End trial. In 1935 he won his class, for unlimited unsupercharged sports cars, at
12513-715: The option of an Ardun hemi conversion . The J2 had a disturbing tendency to catch fire when started. Importing American engines just to ship them back across the Atlantic proved problematic, so U.S.-bound Allards were soon shipped engineless and fitted out in the States variously with newer overhead valve engines by Cadillac, Chrysler, Buick, and Oldsmobile. In that form, the J2 proved a highly competitive international race car for 1950, most frequently powered by 331 cu in (5.4 L) Cadillac engines. Domestic versions for England came equipped with Ford or Mercury flatheads. Zora Duntov worked for Allard from 1950 to 1952 and raced for
12642-475: The other by Reece and Hitchings; Reece jumped an embankment, while the Allard car broke. They had no more success in 1952, both cars failing to finish. Of 313 documented starts in major races in the 9 years between 1949 and 1957, J2s compiled 40 first-place finishes; 32 seconds; 30 thirds; 25 fourths; and 10 fifth-place finishes. Both Zora Duntov and Carroll Shelby raced J2s in the early 1950s. Ninety J2s were produced between 1950 and 1952. In an effort to extend
12771-508: The potential of the economically more vibrant – but sports car starved – U.S. market and developed a special competition model to tap it, the J2. The new roadster, weighing just 2,072 pounds (940 kg), was a potent combination of a lightweight, hand-formed aluminium body fitted with new coil spring front suspension, fitted with inclined telescopic dampers , and de Dion -type rear axle, inboard rear brakes, and 110 hp (82 kW), 267 cu in (4,375 cc) Mercury flathead V8, with
12900-406: The race at the end of the first lap, but on lap four he was the first to retire with collapsed rear suspension and a severed brake pipe. In 1952 and 1953 a sister car was driven at Le Mans by Zora Arkus-Duntov , a one-time Allard employee. Carroll Shelby also raced an Allard-Cadillac J2 in the United States early in his driving career. Thus the successful Allard formula of an American V8 engine in
13029-665: The runway disappeared through the timing traps. Time : 10.841 sec., which made the motorcycle riders whistle a bit. There were no arguments about the dragster's performance this time and "sack-cloth and ashes" were handed out to all dis-believers and certain Editors! [Congratulations, Sydney Allard- but a kilometre is a long quarter-mile and I still maintain that the dragster didn't live up to Allard high pressure pre-Brighton publicity.- ED .]" Sadly few spectators witnessed this achievement. According to Jenkinson: "Allard's temperamental machine eventually did 10.48 sec on its best run," for
13158-485: The sports car record at the inaugural Prescott Hill Climb on 15 May 1938, driving Hutchison's V12 Lincoln-engined Allard Special in a time of 54.35 seconds. That year Allard, with Ken Hutchison and Guy Warburton in the "Tailwaggers" Allard-Special team, competed successfully in trials, sprints, rallies and races. On 15 July 1939, Allard took a class win at the Lewes Speed Trials in a time of 22.12 secs. Allard won
13287-491: The standing-start quarter mile, which took place at Debden, Essex on 14 April 1962. This was the fastest quarter-mile time ever recorded in the U.K. The car was demonstrated at the Festival of Motoring at Goodwood on 14 July 1962. At Brighton on 15 September 1962 the Allard dragster clocked two runs at 22.30 and 22.04 seconds. A respectable performance but no outright win or record. Motor Sport reported: "It appears that before
13416-686: The team prize in the Monte Carlo Rally (L. Potter 4th overall, A.A.C. Godsall 8th, A.G. Imhof 11th) with Sydney Allard finishing in 24th place. In 1950 Allard finished eighth in the Monte Carlo Rally, then raced in the Targa Florio in Sicily where his Allard car crashed and burned. He bounced back with a third place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans that year , partnered with Tom Cole Jr. A gearbox failure left Allard and Cole driving for hours with top gear only. "Allard's determination and fearless driving captured
13545-527: The top section of the Brighton kilometre at 125 m.p.h. and won its class at Shelsley Walsh and Prescott, and two classes at Stapleford." He finished third in the unlimited sports car class at the Brighton Speed Trials that year, covering the standing kilometre in 25.99 sec. "Allard's air-cooled Steyr-Allard with Lotus front wheels and very compact body was third - although a sports car, it was started by means of an external battery." The car appeared at
13674-562: The war, dropping the Zephyr nameplate; the Continental (and the V12 engine) ended production after 1948. On November 1, 1945, the first 1946 Mercury vehicles rolled off the assembly line. In line with Lincoln and Ford (and virtually all American-manufactured vehicles), 1946 production was functionally unchanged from 1942. The Eight underwent several minor revisions, including the return of vertically oriented grille trim. As few were installed before
13803-787: The wider-selling Monterey; the Commuter and Colony Park station wagons returned. Slotted below the Monterey, the Mercury Meteor (as with the Comet) was a model line inherited from the closure of Edsel; as the Monterey matched the Ford Galaxie, the Meteor was a counterpart of the Fairlane. 1961 also brought the first 6-cylinder engine to the brand. The 1961 Meteor 600 featured a standard Mileage Maker Inline-6. For 1962, Mercury brought its model range closer in line with Ford. The Meteor (after only one year of sale)
13932-403: The year, the one-millionth Mercury vehicle was produced. In 1951, Mercury regained an automatic transmission option (for the first time since the 1942 Liquamatic), with the " Merc-O-Matic " 3-speed automatic (a rebranding of Ford Cruise-O-Matic). For 1952, Mercury redesigned its model line, with two nameplates replacing the Eight. The Monterey returned as a distinct model line, slotted above
14061-471: Was also used for Lincoln vehicles which only originated from the Lincoln Motor Company Plant until 1958 when Wixom Assembly Plant replaced the old Lincoln plant and completed assembly and became the component location for all Lincoln vehicles and the Ford Thunderbird and sent knock-down kits to selected branch locations in the United States. For 1942, Mercury implemented several changes to
14190-456: Was an attempt to cash in on the era's burgeoning microcar market. A tiny glass-fibre-bodied car powered by a rear-mounted 346 cc Villiers twin-cylinder motorcycle engine, it claimed to seat three people abreast with room for two children in an optional Dicky seat . About 20 were made. Allard introduced the Palm Beach roadster in 1952. It had a 96 in (2,400 mm) wheelbase, it
14319-414: Was an early indication of the influence of American drag racing on his designs. The car was never successfully run and soon abandoned. In the sixties Sydney Allard continued to compete in rallies mostly accompanied by Australian navigator Tom Fisk. They won their class in the 1963 Monte Carlo Rally in a Ford Allardette. Starting from Glasgow they reached Monte Carlo unpenalised. In the 1964 Monte Allard hit
14448-480: Was appointed a director of Adlard's on leaving school. He married Eleanor May in 1936. Their son, Alan, drove Allard's first British-designed dragster with such success Sydney was made first president of the British Drag Racing Association . "Allard commenced racing in 1929 with a Morgan three-wheeler , later converted to four wheels," which he ran at Brooklands and elsewhere. On 31 August 1929
14577-591: Was beyond doubt as hundreds turned up at Blackbushe Airport on 25 September 1966, to see a non-existent race. In 1991 Sydney Allard was posthumously inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame. In 2007 Sydney Allard was posthumously inducted into the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame. There is a part of the course at Prescott Hill Climb known as Allard's Gap, sometimes shortened to Allard's. This resulted from an incident at
14706-416: Was designed with two different rooflines for each body configuration. The standard design was a " breezeway " reverse-slant rear window (similar to the 1958-1960 Continental), offered on all versions (except for the convertible). Introduced as a mid-year option, the "Marauder" fastback roofline was introduced for two-door sedans and hardtops (four-doors were added in 1964). Shared with the Ford Galaxie 500XL,
14835-574: Was developed to bridge the gap between the Ford Mustang and the Ford Thunderbird , while the Marquis offered the division a competitor towards sedan lines such as the Buick Electra , Oldsmobile Ninety Eight , and Chrysler New Yorker . For 1967, the Marquis was available as a formal-roof 2-door hardtop (derived from the Ford LTD , but with its own roofline); the Mercury Park Lane Brougham
14964-586: Was distributor of the superchargers, later also taking over production of them. Allard's son, Alan, marketed the Allardette 105, 109, and 116, using the straight-four-cylinder engine from the Ford Anglia and other Ford models. In 1966 Sydney Allard died on the same night a fire destroyed the Clapham factory and some of the Allard Motor Company factory records. The factory site in Clapham, South West London,
15093-550: Was given custom magnesium-alloy bodywork by Essex Aero . This 1953 car was a lightweight specialist racer, powered by a Cadillac engine claimed to produce 300 hp (220 kW; 300 PS). Entered at Le Mans that year, the Allard/Fotheringham-Parker car suffered a broken rear suspension, while the Duntov/Merrick car also retired. This was the marque's last effort at Le Mans. Seven cars were built in total, with
15222-471: Was held at Blackbushe Airport, Sat/Sun 25/26 September 1965, and RAF Woodvale, Sun 3 October 1965. The Blackbushe event was affected by torrential rain: "Unfortunately, the Blackbushe weekend was a financial catastrophe, and though Woodvale reduced the losses considerably, it was not enough to save Drag Festivals Ltd., who were forced to go into liquidation." A second Allard-Chrysler dragster "was constructed for
15351-454: Was offered as flagship Mercury four-door sedan/hardtop). In various forms, the Marquis nameplate would be used by Mercury until its 2011 closure. For 1968, the Mercury model range underwent two revisions to its intermediate range. The Mercury Montego (based on the Ford Torino ) was gradually phased in to replace the Comet (dropped after 1969); the performance-oriented Mercury Cyclone became
15480-596: Was offered by the brand. Unlike Ford products where components originated from the Ford River Rouge Complex and shipped in knock-down kits to dozens of cities across the United States, all Mercury vehicles only originated completely assembled from River Rouge until 1952 when Wayne Stamping & Assembly started production and was the only location that created Mercury components which were sent to only three cities that had dedicated assembly branch factories that completed Mercury vehicles until 1960. This approach
15609-416: Was offered. Though still sharing its chassis with the Mustang, the Cougar was configurable as either a pony car, personal luxury coupe, or a muscle car, with an "Eliminator" performance package featuring an available 428 Cobra Jet V8. During the 1970s, the product line of the Mercury division was influenced by several factors that affected all American nameplates. While sporty cars would not disappear from
15738-482: Was powered by either a 1,508 cc (92.0 cu in) Ford Consul inline four or 2,622 cc (160.0 cu in) Ford Zephyr inline six. Priced under £1200, the MkI was built until 1958. It sold poorly. A Mark II was introduced in 1956, with more modern bodywork. It could be had with 2,553 cc (155.8 cu in) Zephyr or 3,442 cc (210.0 cu in) Jaguar XK120 inline six. The split front axle
15867-551: Was pushing speeds ever higher in the U.S. By the time Mickey Thompson showed up at Brighton in 1963 with his Ford-powered Harvey Aluminum Special the Allard dragster was looking distinctly dated. But this charismatic car was the true pioneer of British drag racing and a game-changer as UK racers adopted American methods and style. Allard was instrumental in bringing Dante Duce and Mickey Thompson to England in 1963 to demonstrate their dragsters. Duce appeared at Silverstone on 10 September (press demonstration); with Thompson joining in at
15996-511: Was reintroduced as an all-new intermediate range (again following the design of the Ford Fairlane ). For non-station wagons, Mercury introduced "S" sub-models to market sportier content. Along with higher-performance powertrains, the option packages included full-length floor consoles, floor shifters, and bucket seats with the S-22 (Comet), S-33 (Meteor), and S-55 (Monterey). For 1963, the Monterey
16125-419: Was replaced by torsion bars and coil springs were fitted in the back. Car designer Chris Humberstone licensed the Allard name from Sydney's son Alan Allard in the 1990s. He developed the J2X-C prototype racer, powered by a 3.5 liter Cosworth V8 engine and a transmission also grafted from an F1 car. Short of money, Humberstone allegedly attempted to work a deal with Toyota, which would have seen examples of
16254-573: Was slotted above the Montclair, distinguished by its quad headlamps and retractable rear window. In line with Ford, Mercury station wagons became a distinct model line, with the Commuter , Voyager , and Colony Park ; all Mercury station wagons were hardtops. In 1958, to accommodate the introduction of Edsel, Ford revised its divisional structure, with Mercury, Edsel, and Lincoln forming a combined division (M-E-L). The Edsel Citation and Edsel Corsair shared their chassis (and roofline) with Mercury, with
16383-528: Was suspended following the outbreak of World War II, Ford produced only 24,704 1942 Mercury vehicles. Following the rise of Henry Ford II at Ford Motor Company in September 1945, the divisional structure of the company underwent further change. On October 22, 1945, Ford merged Mercury with Lincoln Motor Company, creating the combined Lincoln-Mercury Division . While functioning as a single entity, Lincoln-Mercury would continue to market both namesake model line. The Lincoln-Zephyr reentered production following
16512-663: Was the founder of the Allard car company and a successful rally driver and hillclimb driver in cars of his own manufacture. Born in London, England, Sydney grew up a member of a family owning a substantial Ford dealership, Adlard Motor, in Acre Lane Clapham . Educated at Ardingly College in Sussex he became a staunch member of the Streatham & District Motor Cycle Club followed by his brothers Leslie and Dennis and their sister Mary. He
16641-453: Was to cut the beam in half and mount the halves as swing axles and these swing axles were used on nearly all later Allard specials. Further Allards were soon built to order. Allard's brother, Leslie, was a customer, while racer Ken Hutchinson purchased a 4.4-litre (270 cu in) Lincoln-Zephyr V12 -powered version. It led to the pair forming a team, dubbed Tail Waggers, to race the car, which proved quite successful, including setting
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