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 800701, 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, 800701 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
