Hi Folks, you recall a week or two ago I told a story here about the #2
Prototype Allard that came to America in '49 minus the engine, and Zora
Arkus-Duntov installed an Ardun, and raced it at Watkins Glen that year,
etc. Many years later the same car had surfaced in Texas, been
restored, and Zora was reunited with it in '90 at a show.
Then Bob, of our List told us that the said Allard had subsequently been
breathed on by Ardun men Mike Hart and Ron San Giovanni of CT to get it
running right for the owner.
Today I had a chat with Mike and asked him about it. He said it was
just a year ago that the owner asked him and Ron to look at the engine,
it was sick and no-one had ever been able to get it to start and run
properly.
Very fortunately, the complete original Ardun setup built by Zora had
been preserved intact, but by the time Mike got ahold of it, no-one knew
any details of its present internals, short-block, etc. Zora had built
the engine with a front-mounted Ford crab-type distributor on the timing
cover, pre-'49 style, and with one of his so-called "alternative"
manifolds, which consisted of his usual two logs, which were modified
with additional welded pads, so that three "bridges" could be mounted on
them, each of which held a Stromberg 97 carb. The three 97 carbs were
connected with throttle linkage to run all together, this being a
serious racing sports car. So you would have a reasonable fast idle,
and plenty of CFM.
Apparently the Ardun fits so tightly into the Allard that it is possible
to remove the valve covers, but the body has to be removed to get the
engine out, or even to change the starter.
As received the engine was very hard to start, and would barely run 50
mph, with much misfiring, due to carburetion and ignition problems. So
Mike and Ron started with the basics. Leakdown testing was done with
the cylinders, which gave satisfactory figures, and compression testing
showed something like 140 or 150 in all cylinders, which was plenty.
There was no water in the oil, or vice versa, so whatever head gaskets
were in it, were holding. As mentioned, the heads and pan could not be
removed, but there was fortunately no need for same.
The defective ignition on the car was replaced with a unit of the same
style, carefully set up by Mike and Ron to suit an Ardun, with about 20
degrees initial and 40 degrees total advance, which original
cartridge-fire heads like.
The original 97 carbs were delved into, and found to have various
faults, drilled-out jets, etc., which were made good, and the three
were arranged with progressive linkage, to make the beast have better
road manners and be easier to start and drive, but still give full power
on demand.
Mike reports that the work described took about 40 hours to do, and on
completion the Ardun-Allard started and ran perfectly, so the owner has
been able to take it to shows, and run it any speed he wants on the
road, and it runs just like it should. Mike says at shows, people come
up to him and thank him, for getting that very special ex-Zora Allard to
run the way they want to see it run.
Bob, can you add anything to this? Cheers, Ardun Bill
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