1946 Delahaye 135M Coach Coupe

The origins of Delahaye lie in a company set up as long ago as 1845 to produce brick-making machinery. Emile Delahaye was a railroad engineer who designed rolling stock for the French and Belgian railroads. He built his first car in 1895. Delahaye took over Delage in 1935, a maker of elegant cars and a company with an established clientele who demanded both performance and elegance. The Type 135M, first presented at the 1934 Paris Salon (just prior to the merger of the two companies), provided the perfect foundation for flamboyant coachwork by various carrossiers. A total of 2,592 were produced from 1935-1952, including 1,115 built post-WWII. Coachbuilder A. Guillore was located in Courbevoie, France, fitting custom bodies on cars from 1937-1951.

This example, with its original 3.5-liter, 95 horsepower overhead valve six-cylinder engine, was originally believed to have been delivered to the Netherlands, later arriving in Quebec in 1952.

Delahaye produced motor vehicles from the mid-1890s to 1954. In 1935, Delahaye merged with Delage, resulting in a new and well-engineered Type 135 chassis. Power came from a large displacement 3.6-liter engine. The T135M of 1936 proved itself to be a capable motorsports competitor when a quartet of racing models placed 2nd through 5th at that year's French Grand Prix. In 1937, the Delahaye's earned an outright victory at the Monte Carlo Rally followed by another victory at the 1938 Le Man's 24-Hour race.

The Type 135 M had a low-slung chassis and was given stylish bodies by some of the best-known and most prestigious of French carrosseriers. Wartime halted production in 1940, but when it resumed, Delahaye introduced the Type 135 M in 1946. The 3.6L six continued to power the series through to its 1951 conclusion. In traditional French fashion, all 135 M chassis were right-hand drive.

This post-WWII Delahaye Type 135 M wears a body crafted by French carrosserier A. Guilloré. It is a close-coupled 2-door body that is known in Europe as a Coach Coupe. The completed car was delivered new in Amsterdam to an owner whose name is seemingly lost to history. It was acquired there in 1952 by Ralph McNight, a Canadian citizen. He had the car subsequently shipped from Holland to Quebec. By 1955, ownership had passed to a Jean Charest, a resident of a Montreal suburb. In 1960, Leon Frechon of Hudson, Quebec obtained the Delahaye —and sold it that same year to the current owner, also then living in the province. The current caretaker has preserved the Delahaye in its original mechanical configuration. It has its original 'matching numbers' engine which was gone over and received new bearings during a thorough overhaul of the chassis preparatory to the full body-off restoration completed in 1993.

The Delahaye has a two-tone exterior paint which pays tribute to the car's original monochromatic steel gray color. Its dual batteries were replaced in 2015, and the brake system's linings and operating cables were recently renewed.

Power is from an overhead valve six-cylinder engine fitted with a Solex carburetor. There is a 4-speed Cotal Electromechanical gearbox and four-wheel Bendix Duo-Servo mechanical brakes.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2016