Atlas / Allied (Swallow, Falcon) – Home

Bill Burke worked for Petersen Publishing company and also was a dry lakes streamliner builder in the 1940’s and beyond too.  Early in 1952, he saw a car that his boss brought back (“Pete” Petersen) from the northeast for the November 1952 Petersen Motorama – a 1948 Cisitalia 202 Coupe.   Burke thought this was perfect for dry lakes racing.   Secretly, he made a mold from the car when it was being prepared for the show by none other than George Barris.   And..by the time the Motorama came around later that year Burke had partnered with up and coming Micki Thompson and his friend Roy Kinch to form the “Atlas” Company which produced a short and long wheelbase version of the car.   In 1953, a roadster version was offered too, and the company name was changed from “Atlas” to “Allied”.  Production of these cars continued through 1954 or 1955 with about 30-40 bodies being built.   The short wheelbase car was known as the Swallow and the long wheelbase car the Falcon.   Burke’s coupe is jointly recognized as the first fiberglass “clone” of another car as well as the first fiberglass coupe built in the industry as well.


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