Vehicle Description
In the aftermath of World War II, Delahaye had survived battered
but not broken. Until production of their landmark 135-series could
resume, the company paid the bills by building commercial trucks
and buses. Once the 135M was revised for the post-war climate,
however, Delahaye was back in business as one of France's premier
sports car makers. The revised 135M was in essence the same as the
pre-war model but it featured a widened track, and more powerful,
refined versions of the same 3,558 c.c. six-cylinder engine, with
output as high as 160 horsepower in ultimate specification. As it
had before the war, Delahaye partnered with many great French
coachbuilders such as Chapron, Franay, and Letourner & Marchand to
skin its fabulous 135M chassis. But it was the work of Figoni et
Falaschi that made the biggest impact on Delahaye's image. The
partnership was in many ways, the ideal marriage of the flamboyant
high-style of Figoni, and the engineering excellence of Delahaye.
Giuseppe "Joseph" Figoni was born in Italy in 1894, and immigrated
to France with his parents when he was just three years old. As a
teenager, he apprenticed with a carriage-maker before serving in
the French military for seven years. In 1923, he opened his own
body repair shop in Boulogne and quickly won the admiration of
clientele who called upon his skills for not only repairs, but also
for his ability to perform modifications to suit his clients'
wishes. Inevitably, this grew into a full-fledged carrosserie by
1925. He exhibited a natural talent for proportions and detailing,
continuing to build upon his reputation for high quality
craftsmanship. In 1935, Figoni partnered with Ovidio Falaschi, a
Tuscan businessman with a penchant for fast, stylish motorcars.
Falaschi's financial backing allowed Figoni to experiment with
increasingly flamboyant designs, yet he managed to maintain his
fine sense of balance and proportion. The Goutte d'Or (literally
"drop of gold") coupe on a Talbot T-150 marked his arrival as a
true Avant Garde stylist, one that would attract the attention of
the world's elite figures. One such figure was T'hami El Glaoui,
who served as the Pasha of Marrakesh. El Glaoui was an influential
figure in Moroccan politics, which was a French held colony at the
time. His powerful stature in the caste system and his sympathetic
stance with the French government afforded him many business
opportunities at home and abroad; enough to amass a huge fortune
that at one point topped $50M. El Glaoui enjoyed the fruits of his
fortune, indulging in multiple palaces and the finest of French
automobiles. In the late 1940s, T'hami El Glaoui commissioned
Figoni et Falaschi to construct a body atop a Delahaye 135M
chassis. The resulting design was a handsome, four seat GT car that
featured a three-position cabriolet top with external pram irons,
and elegant, full-figured proportions. It was almost understated,
yet still retained just enough of the typical Figoni drama with its
chrome flashes and curvaceous details. The design proved quite
popular with Figoni's other clients, and he would go on to build a
series of approximately 18 cars, built on a common theme though
with each example slightly different from the next. This 1948
Delahaye 135M, S/N 801620, is one of those original El Glaoui
series cabriolets, believed to the last in the series of 18 cars
and one of just 9 known to survive today. Originally, S/N 801620
was ordered by an Englishman, Mr. B. Grieg after he visited the
Paris Auto Salon and fell in love with what he saw on the Delahaye
stand. At great cost, he ordered his 135M with a Figoni et Falaschi
body, on the assurance it would be unique. While each car in the El
Glaoui series was built to a common theme, they were indeed unique
in detail, particularly in the treatment of the front end, the
shape of the grille and differing chrome embellishments on the body
sides. It is believed that Mr. Grieg felt his car wasn't as unique
as he had hoped for, but regardless, he enjoyed it for a number of
years in his native England. In the 1960s, it then became part of
the collection of fellow Englishman Mr. Hubert Rees. Mr. Rees then
sold the car in 1971 to A.K. Wilson, a Toronto-based enthusiast and
connoisseur of French motorcars. Following Wilson's passing, the
Delahaye joined the collection of William Anderson of Massachusetts
who oversaw its restoration and subsequently showed the car in
multiple events around the country, earning a CCCA National First
Prize along the way. It then passed through two very significant
collections, that of Judge Joseph Cassini and then to James
Patterson of Louisville, KY, before most recently becoming part of
an important private collection of coachbuilt French automobiles.
Today, 801620 presents in stunning condition in the elegant livery
of black over a lush red interior. Paint and body quality are
exceptional, the car having been preserved in superlative condition
since its restoration. Fit and finish are outstanding, and the
brightwork presents in fine order. On this car, the archetypal
Figoni "sweepspear" treatment is toned down in favor of linear
chrome accents on the body sides, while the black Stayfast
three-position top, black wall Michelin tires and chrome wire
wheels lend a particular subdued elegance to this exquisite
automobile. The cockpit, which is trimmed in lush red leather,
shows only the slightest creasing from use but remains supple and
beautifully presented. The steering wheel and dash are finished in
a lighter shade of red as original, and it of course retains all
original instrumentation including the original Phillips Radio. The
rear seats are quite usable for additional passengers, making this
a fine choice for touring or concours events alike. With the top
fully open, the windscreen can be folded forward to transform this
elegant drophead into a full-fledged sports car. The original,
matching-numbers engine (number 801620) features triple carburetor
specification and is mated to a conventionally shifted four-speed
transmission, eliminating the maintenance intensive nature of the
alternative pre-selector. In keeping with the rest of this car, the
engine is beautifully detailed with proper finishes, correct
hardware and correctly presented ancillaries. The same goes for the
undercarriage which, again, is fully detailed and exceptionally
clean as one would expect from a concours-quality restoration such
as this. This is a rare opportunity to acquire a beautiful,
fully-restored example of the highly desirable Figoni et Falaschi
El Glaoui Cabriolet. One of only 9 known to exist and understood to
be the final of the series, this magnificent automobile is
presented in exquisite condition and is suitable for virtually any
major concours event or tour the world over. For additional details
please view this listing directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/6047-1948-delahaye-type-135m-cabriolet/