Vehicle Description
In the years leading up to World War II, Delahaye enjoyed elite
status among the top French automakers, earning its lauded
reputation for quality and performance at LeMans and on the Grand
Prix circuit. In 1935, the firm introduced one of its most
successful models, the Type 135. A natural-born performer in
motorsport, the Type 135 racked up victories across various events,
from endurance races to rallying to Grand Prix racing. On the
road-going side, the 135 series chassis was also a darling of the
prestigious custom coachbuilding industry, providing the ideal
canvas for Chapron, Franay, Figoni et Falaschi, and others to
create some of their finest offerings. As the dust of war settled,
France's citizens and industry emerged from the rubble battered but
far from broken. Delahaye returned to work, initially producing a 3
� -ton truck model using the type 135 engine, which paid the bills
during Reconstruction. In 1946, the Type 135M returned, and
Delahaye was finally back in business as one of France's premier
sports car makers. Engineers revised the 135 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, Delahaye partnered with various
high-profile coachbuilders, and the emerging postwar aesthetic
proved a good match for the superb chassis. Before WWII, Swiss
coachbuilder Hermann Graber developed a stellar reputation for
quality and understated style, producing bodies on excellent French
chassis, including Bugatti, Talbot-Lago, Delahaye, and Delage.
Graber's work graced numerous other prestigious marques from around
the world - with Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Packard, and Duesenberg
receiving the Swiss touch. As Europe entered the postwar era,
creativity blossomed among prestigious coachbuilders across Europe.
Designers experimented with fully enveloped forms with increased
attention to aerodynamics and clean, uncluttered lines. Graber
bodies have long been renowned for their flowing form and lack of
embellishment, and the new postwar aesthetic ideally suited that
tradition. The sporty, grand touring-oriented Delahaye Type 135
chassis was a natural fit for the Swiss builder, who ultimately
built many bodies on the versatile platform. Chassis number 800320
is an early post-war Type 135M, clothed in elegant Graber bodywork.
It is one of just two cars produced by Graber in this design, and
it benefits from a superb restoration from the late 1990s and
high-quality refinishing in 2021. It is desirably equipped with a
numbers-matching triple-carburetor engine and Cotal gearbox and is
equally well-suited to touring and concours events. Fittingly, the
original owner of this car was the well-known Swiss Banker, Maurice
Labhardt. An avid motoring enthusiast, Labhardt owned many
significant motorcars, including Bugattis, a Mercedes 540K, Lancia
Lambda, and Ferraris, and was a founding member of the Swiss
Bugatti Club and Swiss Ferrari Club. The lovely Delahaye Cabriolet
was undoubtedly in fine company in Labhardt's stable. Following Mr.
Labhardt's death, the Delahaye 135 remained in the care of his
estate until another Swiss banker acquired it in the mid-1980s. His
collection was liquidated in the early 1990s, and the car joined
the collection of Prof. Dr. Norbert Reuter. He commissioned the
highly respected Vantage Motorworks in Miami, Florida, to perform a
ground-up, nut-and-bolt restoration, finishing it in an elegant
shade of dark blue over rich red leather trim. Through subsequent
ownership, the car continued to receive meticulous care, and in
2021, it was refinished in the same dark blue color and extensively
detailed. It appeared in a feature article in the June 2012 issue
of Vintage Roadcar magazine and has been shown at select events,
including the 2022 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, where it was
part of a celebration of Graber-bodied automobiles. From a styling
standpoint, this is one of the most exemplary efforts from Graber
on a Delahaye chassis, understated and sophisticated, with expertly
judged detailing, and looking particularly fetching in this
beautifully finished dark blue livery, accented with chrome wire
wheels and black-wall Michelin tires. The luxurious four-place
cabin is in superb condition, with lovely supple red leather and
proper detailing, controls, and instrumentation. Engine bay
detailing is also finished to a high standard, and the car is
mechanically well-sorted, as recently proven on the 50-mile Pebble
Beach Tour d'Elegance. With its luscious Swiss-built coachwork on a
highly capable and sporting chassis, this Delahaye 135M Cabriolet
would undoubtedly make a superb addition to any collection of
European motorcars and a fine companion for open-air motoring
adventure. Offers welcome and trades considered For additional
details please view this listing directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7658-1946-delahaye-135m-graber-cabriolet/
