For Sale: 1934 Delage D8 in Saint Louis, Missouri

The American-born designer and engineer Howard "Dutch" Darrin began his storied career in the coachbuilding industry shortly after World War I. While serving in France as a pilot for the US military, he met fellow designer Tom Hibbard. Hibbard previously worked for Brewster before leaving to form Le Baron Carrossieres alongside Ray Dietrich - more accurately, the pair got sacked for moonlighting on company time! Hibbard had been in France exploring opportunities to sell and produce Le Baron designs when he met Howard Darrin in 1923. The two men stayed in Paris, forming the design firm Hibbard & Darrin and creating some truly spectacular bodies for many of Europe's finest motorcars. Darrin's technical knowledge proved handy in the development of a new type of alloy casting technique specifically for car bodies, intended to replace squeaky and temperamental wood joints in critical structural points.
In the wake of the stock market crash, Tom Hibbard took a job as a deputy to Harley Earl at GM's new Art & Colour Section in 1931, while Darrin remained in Paris. He partnered with a wealthy South American-born banker named J. Fernandez, whose interests included fine furniture and custom car bodies. The partnership was ideal for Darrin, as Fernandez acted primarily as the money man, leaving the designer free to create his sophisticated and flamboyant visions with little oversight. As before, the bodies built 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 striking designs born of the Fernandez et Darrin era is this breathtaking four-passenger cabriolet atop the Delage D8 SS - one of the finest sporting chassis of the period. The 'SS' was not an official factory offering, but rather product of the UK importer J. Smith. To appeal to spirited British drivers, Smith improved the standard D8S by fitting a quartet of SU carburetors on a custom intake manifold, fitting a 3.60:1 rear axle, and bumping compression to 7.5:1. The modifications made the SS a true 100mph automobile, particularly when fitted with svelte coachwork such as this stunning close-coupled drophead coupe.
This car is believed to be one of two examples bodied by Fernandez et Darrin to this specification, though the two cars differ in detail. Chassis 38236 is a coveted SS model, making it fair to assume this car was delivered new to the UK, though little else is known of the early history. It has been in continuous private ownership since 2005, when the current owner acquired it directly from the renowned collector Otis Chandler. While boasting similar lines and proportion to its sister car, chassis 38236 is unique with its 'swept panel' design with beautifully flowing fenders thanks to the spare mounted to the metal touring trunk. The radiator is topped with a magnificent Victoire mascot by Rene Lalique, and its lack of bumpers, color-matched wheel discs, and Marchal lamps accentuate the sporting purpose.
Finished in a distinctive burgundy and beige color scheme, 38236 wears an older but well-preserved restoration. The interior is trimmed in swaths of tan leather, including, rather unusually, the entirety of the four-spoke steering wheel. Instrumentation consists of Jaeger dials, and a center-mounted shift-lever operates the conventional gearbox for the ultimate in pre-war sporting motoring. In the past two decades in current stewardship, the car has been largely on static display and rarely shown publicly. It has been serviced in preparation for sale and will benefit from further recommissioning prior to touring. Marrying the finest Fernandez et Darrin coachwork and Delage's sublime D8 chassis, 38236 represents an exceptional opportunity to acquire a stunning and elegant coachbuilt French grand routier for your collection, with the chance to reintroduce it to the world, where it will undoubtedly be much admired by all who see it.


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