Eric Minoff
Vice President, Head of Department - US
LOT 36 ¤
1952 Allstate A-230 Two-Door Sedan Chassis no. A230-1000748 Engine no. 1764
Sold for US$14,560 inc. premiumLot to be sold without reserve
Lot 36¤
1952 Allstate A-230 Two-Door Sedan
1952 Allstate A-230 Two-Door Sedan
Chassis no. A230-1000748
Engine no. 1764
Chassis no. A230-1000748
Engine no. 1764
134.2ci L-Head 4-cylinder
Carter 1-Barrel Carburetor
68bhp at 4,000rpm
3-Speed Manual Transmission
Coil Spring Independent Front Suspension, Semi-Elliptical Leaf Spring Live Rear Axle
4-Wheel Hydraulic Drum Brakes
* An early compact car, predicting developments of only fifteen years later
* Built by one of the industrial giants of World War II, Henry J. Kaiser
* Reliable Willys-built 4-cylinder engine
* Howard "Dutch" Darrin influenced body design
THE CAR OFFERED
This is one of the first year's production of 942 Allstates built and only 1,546 Allstates were built before Sears pulled the plug in 1953.
Introduced December 1, 1951, Sears limited the Allstate's distribution to the South, and it never caught on with buyers. It was, however, a remarkable value for money with 50 miles per hour performance, 25 miles per gallon economy, room for five on its two bench seats and the legendary reliability of its Willys-built 4-cylinder engine.
Notably, the Allstate and its Henry J relation were early examples of the compact car idea: scaled down and decontented variants on the larger Kaiser and Frazer full-size automobiles. At this time only the Nash Rambler and the even smaller Crosley recognized that size, cost and economy might become important drivers of automobile design.
This Allstate was acquired by Harrah's Automobile Collection in 1966 from an owner in Southfield, Michigan. Largely original at the time, in 1988 it was prepared for a repaint in the present Blue-Grey in the Harrah's shop, then painted at Maaco on Glendale Avenue in Sparks, Nevada.
In addition to the 134.2 cubic inch Willys four-cylinder engine and three-speed column shift manual transmission it has a heater. The paint and blue cloth and vinyl upholstery are sound and usable although the hood fit should be adjusted. The chassis, underbody and engine compartment are unrestored and highly original.
The Allstate is an important milestone along American automobile history, an example of an early glimpse into the "compact car" and "mid-size" future that would become important only fifteen years later but was overlooked in the fascination for large, comfortable cars in the years following World War II. It has a significant story to tell, a worthy subject for a straightforward and economical restoration, and a potentially rewarding weekend driver.
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