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 Letourneur & 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 1946
Delahaye 135M, S/N 800660, is one of those original El Glaoui
series cabriolets, believed to the second in the series of 18 cars
and one of just 9 known to survive today. Though the original owner
of the car is not known, Mr. Hubert Rees, an avid collector of
Delahayes, is the first recorded owner of the car. Notably, this
Delahaye was also featured in the number 53 issue of Profile
Publications. In the late 1960's, the Delahaye made its way to the
southwestern region of the United States. It remained there for
some time; however, its condition necessitated new wood framing
throughout. Extensive restoration was undertaken by the renowned
firm of Hill and Vaughan, but unfortunately, the firm went out of
business before the car could be finished, and the Delahaye was
sold unfinished. Richard L. Scott, the new owner, then enlisted the
help of RM Auto Restorations and D&D Classic Auto Restorations
to complete the car. In searching for parts and information on the
car, Mr. Scott traveled to Europe where he met with Andre Vaucourt,
the historian for the French Delahaye Club, as well as with Claude
Figoni, son of Georges Figoni, who provided stunning photographs of
the car when new.Immediately following the completion of the
restoration in 1998. the Delahaye entered the show circuit, where
it was very well received. Attesting to its stunning condition, the
Figoni & Falaschi-bodied Cabriolet was awarded First in Class and
the important Chairman's trophy at the Pebble Beach Concours
d'Elegance in 1999 and another First in Class at the Meadowbrook
Concours d'Elegance. Additional awards included a 100-point judging
at a CCCA Grand Classic, and a Best of Show at the Grand Experience
of the CCCA Museum. The car has been shown sparingly since but
returned to Pebble Beach in 2012 where it completed the Pebble
Beach Motoring Tour and scored another class award. Today, 800660
presents in stunning condition in the elegant livery of dark blue
over a lush grey 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, and features the archetypal Figoni
"sweepspear" treatment on the fenders. The light grey Stayfast
three-position top, black wall Michelin tires and full wheel discs
lend a particularly subdued elegance to this exquisite automobile.
With the top fully open, the windscreen can be folded forward to
transform this elegant drophead into a full-fledged sports car.The
cockpit, which is trimmed in lush grey leather piped in blue, shows
only the slightest creasing from use but remains supple and
beautifully presented. It is ornate and opulent while also
retaining an air of sporting purposefulness that reflects the
chassis' potential. From the beautiful chrome-spoke banjo wheel to
an array of lovely OS gauges, the cabin is a splendid display of
late-40s French luxury. The finely detailed 3.5-liter overhead
valve inline-six engine features a trio of correct Solex
carburetors, and is paired with a Cotal pre-select gearbox,
operated via the delicate H-pattern gear lever on the steering
column. Aside from looking the part, it performs beautifully. 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 second 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. Offers welcome and trades considered For
additional details please view this listing directly on our website
