1956 Talbot-Lago T14 LS Coupe

In the mid-1930s, Major Anthony E. Lago, head engineer of the Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq's French branch, purchased the French branch of the bankrupt company from the Rootes Group. Thus was born the Talbot-Lago marque. Major Lago was joined by engine designer Walter Becchia, and together they introduced a series of cars that were powered by an all-new six-cylinder design of varying displacements. The powerplant featured pushrod-operated overhead valves in a hemispheric combustion chamber.

Though the company had a suitable engine, Lago also realized several other measures were required to turn Talbot around. He wanted to reduce expenses, build lighter, more sporting cars, and use racing for development and publicity. Stretching the company's limited resources often meant that many of the cars raced were closely related to Talbot-Lago's production models.

In 1935, the French Grand Prix allowed sports cars to compete, prompting Talbot-Lago to create the 4-liter T150 C, still relying on the effective and proven single-cam, hemispherical combustion-chamber cylinder head.

Over the years, the Talbot-Lago T150C would help put the company on the map with several important victories, including wins at the Tunis Grand Prix, earning the top positions in the Tourist Trophy, and sweeping all three top places at the French Grand Prix in 1937. They recorded further successes at LeMans in 1938 when Jean Prenant and Andre Morel averaged 123.3 km per hour, finishing in third place in one of four Talbot-Lagos entered in the Sarthe classic by Luigi Chinetti.

After World War II, a new 4.5-liter engine with twin camshafts was designed and used successfully, including a victory at Le Mans in 1950 by Louis Rosier. That same powerplant would be used in the short-wheelbase Grand Sport, which remained the most powerful and fastest road car for several years.

The company enjoyed early success in the post-War era. Their vehicles were a perfect combination of elegant and sporty. Unfortunately, by 1953, the taxes levied on larger cars devastated Lago's finances. In 1954, in a last attempt to save the company, the T14LS was introduced. Again, they were elegant and sporty, but with just 54 examples produced through 1959, they did little to help save the struggling company.

The T14LS featured a tubular chassis with power being supplied by a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that had a five main-bearing block, twin in-block camshafts, and a hemispherical alloy cylinder head with twin Zenith 32-millimeter carburetors. The 120-horsepower engine was mated to an all-synchromesh Pont-a-Mousson four-speed gearbox. The elegant coupe bodies were designed by Carlo Delaisse of Letourneur et Marchant.

Chassis Number 140037
This car was completed in March of 1956 and was sold to a Swiss client, with whom it would remain for many years. In 1998 (the owner at the time was Mr. Jackson Brooks), the car was imported into the United States, and it has since changed ownership a few times.

In 2004, the car was given a complete body-off restoration with a full engine rebuild. Upon completion, the car was finished in Verte Cendre Metallize, or Sage Green Metallic.

The car has been shown at the 2012 Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance, where it received a class award and the Honorary Judge Perpetual Award. In 2013 it was shown at the Concourso Villa d'Este, where it won Most Sensitive Restoration.

By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2014