Vehicle Description
Visitors to the 1935 Paris Auto Salon were treated to a surprise at
the Delahaye stand with the unveiling of the marque's superb new
Type 135. The low slung, elegant Type 135 was the ultimate
development of the six-cylinder range, with powerful engines,
independent front suspension adapted from the Type 138, and a rigid
chassis for superior handling ability. Central to the Type 135 was
a 3.2-1iter inline-six with overhead valves and a four main-bearing
crank. The stout and reliable engine shared its underlying
architecture with Delahaye trucks, with considerable refinements
and tuning to make it suitable for use in an upscale sporting car.
In road trim, the engine was capable of an impressive 130
horsepower, delivered with unparalleled refinement. An accomplished
road car, the Type 135 was also a formidable competition machine,
and it marked Delahaye's triumphant return to international
motorsport. Wins, podiums, and records soon followed in prestigious
events like the Monte Carlo Rally, Mille Miglia, Le Mans 24 Hours,
and Ulster TT. In celebration of the Type 135 wining the grueling
Coupe des Alpes rally, Delahaye introduced a new high-performance
variant named for the event. The Type 135 Coupe des Alpes became
the first of many sporting versions of the model that remained in
production until the early 1950s. When new, many buyers preferred
the Delahaye over the comparable Bugatti Type 57, believing the
Delahaye to be more durable and technically sophisticated. The
low-slung chassis also made the Type 135 the darling of the French
coachbuilding industry. All the great names, including Henri
Chapron, Figoni et Falaschi, De Villars, and others, worked their
magic on the chassis - often with truly spectacular results. Many
of the most memorable and significant designs of the French Art
Deco era owe the brilliant Delahaye Type 135 to their existence.
Sporty, elegant, and thrilling to drive, the Type 135 Coupe des
Alpes is the quintessentialbelle Voiture Fran�aise. The story of
this extraordinary Delahaye 135roadsterbegins in May of 1937, when
chassis number 47545 left the Delahaye works equipped in the
coveted high-performance Coupe des Alpes specification, with a the
triple-carburetor 3.2-liter, 18CV engine, and traditional
four-speed manual gearbox. The rolling chassis traveled across town
to the storied workshops of France's favorite carrossier, Henri
Chapron. There, it became the second of only seven Type 135s fitted
with this stunning roadster design, with flowing wings and a
gorgeous swept tail with an integrated spare wheel - considered one
of Chapron's most exceptional pre-war efforts. By the 21st of July,
1937 it was registered in the name of its first owner, Mr. Cyriel
Depery. Mr. Depery was a young industrialist, clearly enjoying the
fruits of his success. As war overtook Europe, he is believed to
have played a role in the French Resistance movement, somehow
managing to hide this very special car from the Germans. A
photograph dated Sunday, August 20th, 1944, shows Depery at the
wheel of this Delahaye, chauffeuring three other gleeful members of
the Resistance in a parade celebrating the liberation of Annecy. In
1951, Depery sold 47545 to M. Eugene Julliard, a salesman from
Douvaine, who enjoyed the car regularly until his death in 1960.
After his passing, the Delahaye sat in the garage of his mechanic
in Annecy. When the storage fees were no longer paid up, the
mechanic unceremoniously pushed it out to the street! Mercifully, a
passerby named Georges Lombard spotted the forlorn Delahaye and
fell in love with its graceful lines. He made a deal with the
mechanic to purchase the car for a mere 170 Francs. In the hands of
Monsieur Lombard, the charmed life of this remarkable Delahaye
carried on, seeing regular enjoyment and attentive maintenance. He
used the car enough to necessitate multiple engine rebuilds and one
repaint in black, yet he never had to completely restore it. In the
1960s and 70s, Lombard used the Delahaye in some of the earliest
classic car rallies held in Europe, including the 1965 Bugatti Club
Holland Rally and the 1968 Tour du Lac d'Annecy. He remained a
loving steward of this fabulous motorcar for the better part of
five decades, and in 2014 it was offered for sale by his family.
When the most recent owner acquired 47545 in early 2014, it was a
complete and fine driving car in remarkably original condition,
displaying a heavy careworn patina from its years of enjoyment. The
new owner decided the best way to honor its legacy was to treat it
to a world-class, no-expense-spared restoration. He handed it to
Butch Dennison of the highly regarded Dennison International, who
took on the task of returning the Delahaye to its former glory. Mr.
Dennison has multiple awards at Pebble Beach under his belt,
including a recent Best in Show, so he was more than up to the task
at hand. Incredibly, the car survived all those years of use
without significant modifications. The original Chapron coachwork,
still bearing body number 5475 on the windscreen frame, was taken
down to bare metal and meticulously restored, refinished in the
stunning all-black livery that it has worn for most of its life.
The color highlights the exquisite detailing of the striking form
of Chapron's design. The quality of the paint is beyond reproach,
and the chrome body fittings and decor are restored to world-class
standards. Notable details of the body include Chapron's signature
scallops on the bonnet sides, a covered rear-mounted spare wheel, a
dicky seat (quite unusual for a French car of this era), and
gorgeous V-shaped bumpers. Beautiful Marchal Aerolux headlamps,
twin taillights, and single-sided semaphore are correct original
fittings. The interior restoration stayed true to form as well,
with beautiful red leather, exquisite woodwork, and meticulously
detailed switchgear and instrumentation. At some point early in Mr.
Lombard's ownership, the original engine was replaced with a later
unit, and as part of the restoration, a correct triple-carburetor
sport-specification engine was tracked down and restored. The
potent inline-six pairs with a proper floor-shift four-speed manual
gearbox, which is preferred by drivers over the complex Cotal
preselect unit. As expected of a world-class restoration by
Dennison, the engine restoration is executed beautifully with
superb finish quality and is dialed in for on-the-button
performance. Following the two-year restoration, this fabulous
Delahaye Coupe des Alpes debuted at the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours
d'Elegance, where it completed the tour and took home top honors in
special class E2, celebrating the cars of the great Henri Chapron.
It has had limited public appearances since then, and it remains in
magnificent condition. This extraordinary Delahaye is one of the
finest examples of the mastery of Chapron, ready to take on the
best of the best in international concours events. Offers welcome
and trades considered For additional details please view this
listing directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/6577-1937-delahaye-135-coupe-des-alpes/
