Vehicle Description
In the 1930s, Delahaye enjoyed elite status among the top French
automakers, earning its lauded reputation in the dust and grit of
Le Mans and international Grand Prix racing. The 1935 model year
marked the arrival of the superlative Type 135. A natural-born
performer in motorsport, the Type 135 chassis was also a darling of
the prestigious French coachbuilding industry, providing the
perfect canvas for Chapron, Franay, Figoni et Falaschi, and others
to work their magic. As the dust settled after World War II, France
emerged from the rubble battered but far from broken. Delahaye
returned to work, initially producing a 3 � -ton truck to pay the
bills as they rebuilt. In 1946, the Type 135M returned, and
Delahaye was finally back in the sports car business. Engineers
revised the 135 chassis with a widened track for better handling
and improved the overhead valve six-cylinder engine, offering up to
130 horsepower for the "MS" and considerably more for racing. As
before the War, high-profile coachbuilders applied the latest
post-war aesthetic to the superb chassis. Ultimately, 1155 examples
of the post-war Type 135 were produced through 1952, but sadly for
Delahaye, company fortunes meant the once great marque would not
survive past 1954. This unique example of a landmark model from one
of motoring's most charismatic brands wears audacious coachwork by
Carrosserie Ghia-Aigle - the Swiss offshoot of the famous Italian
styling house. Founded on 30th April 1948 as Carrosserie Ghia SA,
Aigle by Torinese physician Dr. Pierre-Paul Filippi, the firm
bodied cars in Switzerland to Ghia designs. At the time,
Turin-based Carrozzeria Ghia was owned by Mario Boano, who styled
many of the early post-war designs. Subsequent work came from the
pens of Giovanni Michelotti and then Pietro Frua. The car offered
here, chassis number '800573', left the Delahaye works at rue du
Banquier, Paris, in June 1949 in the ultimate high-performance 'MS'
configuration, equipped with the triple-carburetor engine and
Cotal-Maag electromagnetic gearbox, featuring four forward and four
reverse gears. The fabulous Ghia-Aigle body is a one-off design - a
four-place coupe with flowing coke-bottle lines and distinctive
wheel spats at all four corners, which can be lifted by pulling a
lever to facilitate tire changes. According to an article in the
French magazine 'Auto Passion' (Issue No. 67, April 1992), this car
featured at the 1950 Geneva Motor Show before being sold to its
first owner, Automobilwerke Franz AG, a company based in Zurich,
Switzerland and it was first registered on 16th June 1950. Chassis
800573 changed hands again in Switzerland in 1957 and was
reportedly in France before being restored in 1990, the bodywork
entrusted to Jean-Luc Bonnefoy of Saint-Amond-Montrond and the
interior renewed by M Pardini et Fils of Boulogne. The entirety of
the car was finished to a high standard, as evident in its current
condition. In December 1993, the car changed hands again, finding a
new owner in France. The Delahaye was exhibited at Techno Classica,
Essen, in March 2012, selling to an Austrian-based collector and
remaining in the care of European collectors through most recent
ownership. As offered, this remarkable Delahaye is in excellent
condition, the high-quality restoration having aged quite well. It
is finished in an appropriately bold livery of aubergine over
butterscotch leather with vivid blue accents. Paint and brightwork
are in excellent order, with only minor signs of use evident upon
close inspection. The interior also reflects the care of its
previous owners through lightly creased leather and some minor
imperfections in the carpet, but a tidy and finely detailed
presentation. Ghia-Aigle's space-age streamlined coachwork is akin
to a post-war interpretation of the fully-skirted pre-war designs
from Figoni et Falaschi, and it makes a bold statement on the road
or concours field. Mechanically, the car retains its original
inline-six fitted with a trio of Solex carburetors. The engine
compartment is pleasingly detailed with polished alloy accents and
period-correct wiring and plumbing. The powerful 'six is backed by
a Cotal gearbox as equipped from new, making it a superb choice for
continental touring. Evocatively styled and beautifully finished,
this charismatic Delahaye will undoubtedly capture the attention of
onlookers wherever it takes its next custodian. Offers welcome and
trades considered For additional details please view this listing
directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7427-1949-delahaye-135-ghia-coupe/
