Allard Clipper anyone

[richard]

do hope this gets more views than the allard atom item 

[Jean]

Super picture Richard I don't think I have seen it before.  Have you any information about it ?  Jean

[richard]

i still have a few of these up my sleeve - suspect most are new to many . sorry jean i knew you would like it but i know nothing of it - what you see is what you get


i do also have a poor pic of your Opperman Sterling at a motorshow - do you have that

[marcus]

Nice photo!

[richard]

date and taxation area ? brand new we presume do we ? at the works ? at Raymond Ways ?

[Big Al]

Who said British Microcars lacked styling. Oh, it was me. Message to self - do not forget Sydney's high fibre Salad Ripper, as pictured so well here. I actually knew a fellow who campaigned one round North West London briefly in his quest to own or drive every Allard type made. He was convinced it was not one of Sydney's best efforts as it continually failed to reach destinations. Same chap had a Peel in the '60's. Sadly I could never discover which one. A great vehicle enthusiast known simply as Dave the Bike in France. Never know Nick or Jean-Do might have fallen over him.

[richard]

well you couldn' say it was lacking in style , then it depends on whether you like that style  i do ! yes bob i know it was a pig and didn't brake well etc etc  i would still like to try one out

[Jean]

My daughter Lesley has always called it the 'rude car' and maintains it needs a bra!!!!!!!  Still beauty is in the eye of the beholder so they say.  Lesley's redeeming feature is that she once owned a half share in a Frisky Family Four  and has always loved the shape of them.

Message to Richard: I have seen a picture in a magazine of a Sterling at the 1958 Motor Show, but that was not my car (that was in Austria being assessed by Daimler Steyr Puch at that time).  The one at that Motor Show was destroyed immediately after the show because they were baulked from marketting it because of the Mini.  I was told this by the man who worked for Opperman's and who made the mold for the Sterling.  Only two cars were made and he told me he witnessed the destruction of the Motor Show one.  Edwin and I met him in the 80's when he paid us a visit after seeing an article about Edwin's car in a magazne and discovering we only lived about ten miles away from him.       Jean

[Bob Purton]

well you couldn' say it was lacking in style , then it depends on whether you like that style  i do ! yes bob i know it was a pig and didn't brake well etc etc  i would still like to try one out

Well pardon me! I have no idea if the brakes are any good or not, it may be a fantastic car to drive although my instincts tell me the contrary, I wouldnt know, never driven one or even read a road test. If you are nice to Jean she may let you test drive it but I suspect you would have to semi restore it first!

[richard]

jean re opperman sterling . in john marshalls fantastic book Microcars he states two were built also .he pics one lhd ( a dark shade ) and one  rhd (a light shade ) . yours is lhd. so is this one . suspect your front bumper overiders are not standard .

oops got that all wrong this is a dark lhd !! or is the lighting ?  making this the light shade one destroyed after this show ?

[wilksie]

date and taxation area ? brand new we presume do we ? at the works ? at Raymond Ways ?

Registration 793 CML, I think. It would fit as it is a London registration from August 1954 onwards.

[richard]

well i have sir sidney allard , allard cars as being south london and the clippers as '54 so that seems it . nobody else anything to add ? it's nice to find these period shots that the marque enthusiasts are not aware of . there are not many in total.

[Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker)]

There's an interesting post here about the Clipper with more photos

http://www.forgottenfiberglass.com/?p=991

[richard]

again not sure if you have seen this one