Vehicle Description
The American-born stylist, engineer, and designer Howard "Dutch"
Darrin got his start in the coachbuilding industry shortly after
World War I. He had been a pilot for the US military, serving in
France. It was there where he met fellow designer Tom Hibbard.
Hibbard previously worked for Brewster before leaving to form Le
Baron Carrossieres alongside Ray Dietrich. He had been in France
exploring opportunities to sell and produce Le Baron designs there
when he met Howard Darrin in 1923. The two men stayed in Paris and
formed Hibbard & Darrin, designing a series of spectacular bodies
for many of Europe's finest motorcars. Darrin was instrumental in
developing a new type of alloy casting technique specifically for
car bodies, intended to replace squeaky and temperamental wood
joints in critical structural points. When Tom Hibbard took a job
at GM's Art & Colour Section in 1931, Darrin stayed in Paris and
partnered with a South American-born banker named J. Fernandez, who
had interests in fine furniture as well as custom car bodies. The
partnership was ideal for Darrin, as Fernandez acted primarily as
the money man, leaving Darrin free to create his sophisticated and
flamboyant designs with little oversight. As with Hibbard & Darrin,
the bodies created by Fernandez & Darrin sat atop the world's
finest automobiles, including Rolls-Royce, Hispano-Suiza, Delage,
Packard, and Duesenberg. It was one of Darrin's most fruitful
periods, and he amassed a vast portfolio of breathtaking designs.
Common threads among Fernandez et Darrin bodies included an
emphasis on "lowness" with masterfully graceful lines and a sense
of effortless motion in every curve. Fernandez and Darrin's
partnership may have lasted only five years, but the American's
brilliance shone brightly during this brief yet fertile period in
his storied career. One of the most influential designs born of
Fernandez et Darrin is this breathtaking four-passenger cabriolet
atop a Delage D8S chassis. Car number 35880 is one of only two such
examples built in this dramatic style, both utilizing the superb,
high-performance Delage D8S as a base. Staggeringly beautiful, the
design has classic long hood/short deck proportions and is
masterfully detailed for maximum impact. Darrin's placement of the
spare wheel at the rear adds visual length, while the curvaceous
front wings flow gracefully into the full rear fenders, which
enhance the low-slung profile. The steeply raked compound V
windscreen is of particular note, as it gives energy and motion to
the design. While subtle, the detail is used to dramatic effect on
this Delage, and the styling cue was widely mimicked by other great
designers, including Alexis de Sakhnoffsky and Ray Dietrich. Viewed
as a whole, the Darrin-penned D8S Cabriolet is nothing short of a
masterpiece of early art-deco automobile design. Records indicate
that both sister cars were sold new in England, and that chassis
35880 was first registered in November 1933, under the number AUV
871. While little else is known of its early history, 35880 emerged
in the 1950s, in a tired state, parked alongside a garage in
Wellesbourne, Warwickshire. In 1957, a young man of just 23 years
discovered the Delage among some other interesting old motors
offered for sale by Mr. Bernard Thorpe. After having dropped one
too many motorbikes, the young man decided a car would be a safer
bet. From the moment he first spotted the mighty Delage, it was
love at first sight. A brief road test and a bit of haggling
ensued, and the men struck a deal. The beautiful Delage was now his
- for the princely sum of 15 quid. The man's love for the Delage
proved as strong as any, and it remained in his care for the next
63 years. Initially, he drove the big Delage as his everyday
transport, but by 1966, a career and growing family forced him to
move the D8S into long-term storage. He had to wait twenty years to
drive it again, but in the late 1980s, the Delage re-emerged after
completely rebuilding the original engine. Additional cosmetic
restoration work followed, including refinishing it in a handsome
dark blue and gray livery, fitting new light grey leather trim, and
painstakingly restoring the detailed hardware and body fittings. In
the years since its restoration, the D8 S was driven and enjoyed as
its creators intended. It was showcased on the VSCC stand at the
2000 Classic & Sportscar show, earning the top prize of Car of the
Show. More recently, it has seen regular use in VSCC tours and
similar events throughout England, and it has proven to be a most
enjoyable high-performance motorcar. With the restoration now
approaching 30 years old, it has taken on an inviting patina that
encourages continued enjoyment. The paint and bodywork are in good
order, displaying the honest character that comes from so many
years of care. Beautiful details abound, including the big Marchal
headlamps, radiator stone guard, D8-motif searchlight bracket, deco
door handles, and the D8 badge headlight tie bar. Of 2000 D8
chassis produced, just 99 left the works as the high-performance
"S" variants. The S models had a shortened, lowered chassis and a
120-horsepower version of the 4,061 cc OHV inline eight-cylinder
engine. This car retains its original engine (no.106), which was
completely rebuilt with new sleeves, pistons, and more at the time
of the restoration. It is in good running order and needs little to
prepare it for long-distance touring or rallies. The Delage D8S
stands among the most desirable sporting motorcars of the 30s. This
example goes one better, boasting fascinating history, and above
all, breathtaking coachwork from the fertile mind of Howard Darrin
while at the height of his career. Offers welcome and trades
considered For additional details please view this listing directly
on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/6722-1933-delage-d8s-cabriolet-by-fernandez-et-darrin/
