Image credit: © conceptcarz.com (Reproduction Or reuse prohibited).
Franay would be founded in the early 20th century by Jean-Baptiste Franay. Carried on by his son Marius, the coachbuilder Franay would become well known for its radical and rather flamboyant designs. A French company, Franay would build custom bodies for a number of different manufacturers throughout Europe. However, it would be fitting that a Franay body would find its way to one of the supreme French automakers of the period following the Second World War.
Talbot would be one of three automakers that would become defunct by 1935. However, Antonio Lago would be taken by the Talbot line and would help to restore it into a functioning manufacturer. Almost immediately, the new Talbot-Lagos would become well known for its sporty models that combined performance with some truly striking coachbuilt designs. These early designs would be the result of the work of Walter Becchia.
Becchia would be tasked with taking the ailing Talbot line and combining luxury with performance. Becchia would succeed in this, creating some truly memorable models like the T150 chassis. Becchia would help give the company a future. Unfortunately, the Second World War would disrupt that future.
Becchia would leave Talbot-Lago to go work for Citroen. In time, Lago would be joined by Carlo Marchetti, and, in spite of the war, the two would work hard on an engine for the future. This planning ahead, this belief in the war to be temporary, would help the company to be ready to go when the war did finally come to an end.
Talbot-Lago would have an important advantage over some of the other manufacturers of fine automobiles. Situated just outside Paris in Suresnes, Talbot-Lago would be liberated around the same time as Paris itself. This enabled the company to begin looking forward to a bright future.
Marchetti and Lago would set to work on their new 4.5-liter inline six-cylinder engine. This would become the basis for its racing and road car program in the late-1940s. Talbot-Lago had their engine. They now just needed a fitting chassis. Welcome the T26.
The T26 would be a very important chassis. Not only could the company build a fine, luxury automobile body to fit overtop, but the chassis could also be used in racing endeavors as well. Given that the GS would be one of the most powerful racing cars of its time, the luxury automobiles would also offer impressive performance.
Talbot-Lago's elite automobiles needed something other than fantastic looks and great performance. A truly fine automobile must also include reliability in the equation. Thankfully, because of seven main bearings holding the long crankshaft and the aluminum engine, reliability would be another of Talbot-Lago's hallmarks.
The T26 would begin existence as the Record. Combined with race-proven performance, the T26 would be a very good touring automobile. The Record would then be replaced by an even more memorable model—the Grand Sport.
Producing around 200hp, the Grand Sport offered great performance and made it one of the best cars for the road or the track. Certainly, at the heart of every T26 GS was a track-proven car. It was a race car in so many ways. The only method by which the GS would be solely identified as a road-going cruiser would be by the body that graced the chassis. And even then, that didn't often work.
The Grand Sport line of automobiles was to be Talbot-Lago's most exclusive, and therefore, the total numbers built would be very small. Most sources would have the total number of Grand Sports ever built at around 30. Only a handful of those would make use of the shorter 2,650-millimeter chassis. This would be the very same length as the chassis used for the Talbot-Lago grand prix car.
Just a total of eight Grand Sport chassis would have the shorter wheelbase. One of those eight would be 110123. Being just one of eight, 110123 would already be a rare example of the T26 GS. However, 110123 would be even more exclusive given the fact it would be one of just three to have its body designed and built by Franay of Paris.
Of the three bodied Grand Sports, just one would be a cabriolet. The other two examples would be coupes. Chassis 110123 would be one of the two fitted with the coupe body styling.
Chassis completed in April of 1950, Franay would take delivery of the car soon afterward. Final construction would come to an end months later. The car would be delivered to Mr. Vandendriessche, the car's first owner. Following delivery to its first owner, 110123 would take part in the 1950 Festival d'Elegance on the Place Vendome. This event would be by invitation only and would be open to only the finest automobiles. Chassis 110123 would take part right alongside 110122. Amazingly, this event is documented in a photograph.
Unfortunately, while the presence at the Festival d'Elegance may be known, not much else is a certainty. In fact, for more than 20 years very little, if anything, is known about the chassis. The only thing that can be ascertained is the possibility of the car having been the property of four different owners. One of those it is believed to be certain to have owned 110123 is Baillon, a noted French collector.
In the 1970s, 110123 would be sold in auction. It is apparent the car appeared in its original paint. In spite of the fact 110123 would be known to go to auction, the eventual buyer would not be something that would pass down through time.
After being purchased, the GS would undergo some restoration work and would remain in France. Amazingly, 110123 would be photographed during the early 1980s and would end up in Alain Spitz's book on Talbot.
While apparently spending more than thirty years in its home country, 110123 would end up making its way to Santa Barbara, California after it had become the property of Charles Crail. After nearly a decade in California, the Talbot-Lago would end up being purchased by a new owner. This time the owner would be Craig Davis of England. At this time the car would be refinished in a blue livery. Following this change in livery, 110123 would make an appearance at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
Once again, 110123 would disappear into a quiet life, that is, until 2008. In February of 2008, the car would be sold to J.A. Ribbons of Almelo, Holland. Not long afterward, the car would be refinished. The blue finish would be removed and silver would be the new color. A couple of years later, 110123 would be displayed at the Concours Paleis Loo by Mr. Paalman. Shortly afterward, in 2011, the Grand Sport would again return to the United States.
Upon its arrival back in the United States, the Talbot-Lago would undergo a complete restoration undertaken by Alan Taylor, RMB and Gold Country. The subsequent receipts all remain with the car and total more than $300,000. At the same time of the restoration, chassis 110123 would earn an invitation to the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. However, the car would not be completed in time to take part. Patience, however, would be rewarded as the result would be absolutely stunning.
Offered at the 2014 Gooding and Company auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, chassis 110123 would be offered for sale for the first time following its restoration. Pre-auction estimates ranged from $1,500,000 to $2,200,000. Unfortunately, actual bidding would not meet expectations and the car would not be sold.
Sources:
'1950 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport News, Pictures, Specifications and Information', (http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z13595/Talbot-Lago-T26-Grand-Sport.aspx). Conceptcarz.com: From Concept to Production. http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z13595/Talbot-Lago-T26-Grand-Sport.aspx. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
'1938 Talbot-Lago T150C News, Pictures, Specifications and Information', (http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z10997/Talbot-Lago-T150C.aspx). Conceptcarz.com: From Concept to Production. http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z10997/Talbot-Lago-T150C.aspx. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
'Lot No. 44: 1949 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport', (http://www.goodingco.com/vehicle/1949-talbot-lago-t26-grand-sport/). Gooding & Company. http://www.goodingco.com/vehicle/1949-talbot-lago-t26-grand-sport/. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
'1948-1951 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport', (http://www.supercars.net/cars/1788.html). Supercars.net. http://www.supercars.net/cars/1788.html. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
Wikipedia contributors, 'Talbot-Lago', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 18 January 2014, 09:35 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talbot-Lago&oldid=591249025 accessed 20 January 2014
Wikipedia contributors, 'Marius Franay' Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, November 1, 2012, 5:22 p.m. UTC http://fr.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marius_Franay&oldid=84835526 Page accessed 20 January 2014
By Jeremy McMullen
Talbot would be one of three automakers that would become defunct by 1935. However, Antonio Lago would be taken by the Talbot line and would help to restore it into a functioning manufacturer. Almost immediately, the new Talbot-Lagos would become well known for its sporty models that combined performance with some truly striking coachbuilt designs. These early designs would be the result of the work of Walter Becchia.
Becchia would be tasked with taking the ailing Talbot line and combining luxury with performance. Becchia would succeed in this, creating some truly memorable models like the T150 chassis. Becchia would help give the company a future. Unfortunately, the Second World War would disrupt that future.
Becchia would leave Talbot-Lago to go work for Citroen. In time, Lago would be joined by Carlo Marchetti, and, in spite of the war, the two would work hard on an engine for the future. This planning ahead, this belief in the war to be temporary, would help the company to be ready to go when the war did finally come to an end.
Talbot-Lago would have an important advantage over some of the other manufacturers of fine automobiles. Situated just outside Paris in Suresnes, Talbot-Lago would be liberated around the same time as Paris itself. This enabled the company to begin looking forward to a bright future.
Marchetti and Lago would set to work on their new 4.5-liter inline six-cylinder engine. This would become the basis for its racing and road car program in the late-1940s. Talbot-Lago had their engine. They now just needed a fitting chassis. Welcome the T26.
The T26 would be a very important chassis. Not only could the company build a fine, luxury automobile body to fit overtop, but the chassis could also be used in racing endeavors as well. Given that the GS would be one of the most powerful racing cars of its time, the luxury automobiles would also offer impressive performance.
Talbot-Lago's elite automobiles needed something other than fantastic looks and great performance. A truly fine automobile must also include reliability in the equation. Thankfully, because of seven main bearings holding the long crankshaft and the aluminum engine, reliability would be another of Talbot-Lago's hallmarks.
The T26 would begin existence as the Record. Combined with race-proven performance, the T26 would be a very good touring automobile. The Record would then be replaced by an even more memorable model—the Grand Sport.
Producing around 200hp, the Grand Sport offered great performance and made it one of the best cars for the road or the track. Certainly, at the heart of every T26 GS was a track-proven car. It was a race car in so many ways. The only method by which the GS would be solely identified as a road-going cruiser would be by the body that graced the chassis. And even then, that didn't often work.
The Grand Sport line of automobiles was to be Talbot-Lago's most exclusive, and therefore, the total numbers built would be very small. Most sources would have the total number of Grand Sports ever built at around 30. Only a handful of those would make use of the shorter 2,650-millimeter chassis. This would be the very same length as the chassis used for the Talbot-Lago grand prix car.
Just a total of eight Grand Sport chassis would have the shorter wheelbase. One of those eight would be 110123. Being just one of eight, 110123 would already be a rare example of the T26 GS. However, 110123 would be even more exclusive given the fact it would be one of just three to have its body designed and built by Franay of Paris.
Of the three bodied Grand Sports, just one would be a cabriolet. The other two examples would be coupes. Chassis 110123 would be one of the two fitted with the coupe body styling.
Chassis completed in April of 1950, Franay would take delivery of the car soon afterward. Final construction would come to an end months later. The car would be delivered to Mr. Vandendriessche, the car's first owner. Following delivery to its first owner, 110123 would take part in the 1950 Festival d'Elegance on the Place Vendome. This event would be by invitation only and would be open to only the finest automobiles. Chassis 110123 would take part right alongside 110122. Amazingly, this event is documented in a photograph.
Unfortunately, while the presence at the Festival d'Elegance may be known, not much else is a certainty. In fact, for more than 20 years very little, if anything, is known about the chassis. The only thing that can be ascertained is the possibility of the car having been the property of four different owners. One of those it is believed to be certain to have owned 110123 is Baillon, a noted French collector.
In the 1970s, 110123 would be sold in auction. It is apparent the car appeared in its original paint. In spite of the fact 110123 would be known to go to auction, the eventual buyer would not be something that would pass down through time.
After being purchased, the GS would undergo some restoration work and would remain in France. Amazingly, 110123 would be photographed during the early 1980s and would end up in Alain Spitz's book on Talbot.
While apparently spending more than thirty years in its home country, 110123 would end up making its way to Santa Barbara, California after it had become the property of Charles Crail. After nearly a decade in California, the Talbot-Lago would end up being purchased by a new owner. This time the owner would be Craig Davis of England. At this time the car would be refinished in a blue livery. Following this change in livery, 110123 would make an appearance at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
Once again, 110123 would disappear into a quiet life, that is, until 2008. In February of 2008, the car would be sold to J.A. Ribbons of Almelo, Holland. Not long afterward, the car would be refinished. The blue finish would be removed and silver would be the new color. A couple of years later, 110123 would be displayed at the Concours Paleis Loo by Mr. Paalman. Shortly afterward, in 2011, the Grand Sport would again return to the United States.
Upon its arrival back in the United States, the Talbot-Lago would undergo a complete restoration undertaken by Alan Taylor, RMB and Gold Country. The subsequent receipts all remain with the car and total more than $300,000. At the same time of the restoration, chassis 110123 would earn an invitation to the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. However, the car would not be completed in time to take part. Patience, however, would be rewarded as the result would be absolutely stunning.
Offered at the 2014 Gooding and Company auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, chassis 110123 would be offered for sale for the first time following its restoration. Pre-auction estimates ranged from $1,500,000 to $2,200,000. Unfortunately, actual bidding would not meet expectations and the car would not be sold.
Sources:
'1950 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport News, Pictures, Specifications and Information', (http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z13595/Talbot-Lago-T26-Grand-Sport.aspx). Conceptcarz.com: From Concept to Production. http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z13595/Talbot-Lago-T26-Grand-Sport.aspx. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
'1938 Talbot-Lago T150C News, Pictures, Specifications and Information', (http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z10997/Talbot-Lago-T150C.aspx). Conceptcarz.com: From Concept to Production. http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z10997/Talbot-Lago-T150C.aspx. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
'Lot No. 44: 1949 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport', (http://www.goodingco.com/vehicle/1949-talbot-lago-t26-grand-sport/). Gooding & Company. http://www.goodingco.com/vehicle/1949-talbot-lago-t26-grand-sport/. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
'1948-1951 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport', (http://www.supercars.net/cars/1788.html). Supercars.net. http://www.supercars.net/cars/1788.html. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
Wikipedia contributors, 'Talbot-Lago', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 18 January 2014, 09:35 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talbot-Lago&oldid=591249025 accessed 20 January 2014
Wikipedia contributors, 'Marius Franay' Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, November 1, 2012, 5:22 p.m. UTC http://fr.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marius_Franay&oldid=84835526 Page accessed 20 January 2014
By Jeremy McMullen
2015 Barrett-Jackson - Scottsdale
Sale Price :
USD $1,650,000
2014 Gooding & Company - The Scottsdale Auction
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $1,500,000-USD $2,200,000
Lot was not sold
2009 RM Auctions - Automobiles of London
Pre-Auction Estimates :
£325,000-£375,000
Sale Price :
USD $485,625 (£ 297,000.00)
1949 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Auction Sales
Recent Sales of the Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport
(Data based on Model Year 1949 sales)
| 1949 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Cabriolet Chassis#: 116 Sold for USD$2,040,000 2023 Bonhams : Quail |   |
| 1949 Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport SWB par Saoutchik Chassis#: 110109 Sold for USD$1,938,680 2015 Rétromobile by Artcurial Motorcars | |
| 1949 TALBOT-LAGO T-26 GRAND SPORT COUPE FRANAY Chassis#: 110123 Sold for USD$1,650,000 2015 Barrett-Jackson - Scottsdale |   |
| 1949 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Coupé Chassis#: 110123 Sold for USD$485,625 2009 RM Auctions - Automobiles of London | |
| 1949 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Sold for USD$375,500 2006 Bonhams & Butterfields at The Quail Lodge, Resort & Golf Club |  |
Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sports That Failed To Sell At Auction
1949 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
| Vehicle | Chassis | Event | High Bid | Est. Low | Est. High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport | 110123 | 2014 Gooding & Company The Scottsdale Auction | $1,500,000 | $2,200,000 |
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1949 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport
• Additional valuation insight and sales data• History
• Specifications
• Image gallery
• Other Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport model years
1949 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Vehicle Profiles
