David Kinsella sadly passed away on 6th November 2025 at St Helier Hospital Carshalton.
To the Allard fraternity he was always known as David, the man who wrote one of the Allard bibles. Simply entitled “Allard” with a front cover picture of Fred Damodaran’s famous red J2X registered ORL 320.
This book, first published in 1977, has been enjoyed by many of us a good reference to the cars and the history of the Club with many interesting tales inside. He met Allard heroes like Reg Canham, who began his career with Sydney in 1934, Tom Carstens, Alan Allard, even Fred Wacker.
David was an Allard enthusiast for many years and he owned three Allard cars which were stored in Patrick White’s garages in Wimbledon Village. Patrick commissioned the restoration of HLP 5, a J1, by Peter Baylis of Clanfield Coachbuilding. With Mike Knapman’s help, it was finished to a very high standard.
David’s M Type is now being restored by John Fletcher to a high original standard and his P1 was sold by the Mathewson’s of Bangers and Cash and was featured on their programme in late March.
David was born in Essex, east of London, on the 6th November 1934. As a young man he spent a lot of time sailing and developed a love of boats, cars and planes and in his youth was also a keen cyclist enjoying rides to Brighton or airfields in the South East.
He saw his first Allard in 1951 when, as a schoolboy, he cycled to the local dentist for treatment. The dentist was also an Allard owner, and the memory of the first sighting of this impressive car remained all of his life. He bought his first Allard in December 1960.
David was called up to do national service in the RAF spent most of his time at RAF Cosford in the late fifties and he ended as a corporal. His time in the RAF fuelled his love of model aircraft and while in the RAF he got to know and became friends with Douglas Bader and would speak fondly about him.
David did various jobs which helped him carry out his many hobbies and interests which involved attending exhibitions and writing extensively for hobby publications amongst other things.
To his friends David was known as a gentleman and for many years he was a good friend of Pat Hulse who was the Allard Hon Club Secretary.
Life had not been easy for David for some time. He had not enjoyed good health for the last four or five years and was unable to enjoy to the full his extensive collection of model aeroplanes, cars and boats. His most prized was a fifth-scale working model of a Spitfire which he kept hanging on the ceiling of his bedroom.
To those who knew him he had a brilliant memory and could talk endlessly and knowledgably about all his interests which were extensive. He will be missed by generations of Allard owners.