1936 Delahaye Type 135 Court Competition Teardrop Coupe

This car is the last of six specially commissioned coupes completed by Figoni in 1936. Careful examination of the coachwork reveals that this car is a direct descendent of the 1933 Alfa Romeo, as Joseph Figoni further developed his styling for what would eventually become the 'Goutte d'Eau' (Teardrop). Note the distinctive bonnet flanked by Marchal headlights melded into the inner front wings, a signature feature of future Figoni designs. The lightweight body is steel with an aluminum bonnet, boot, fenders, and doors, and sits atop the Competition Court (short) chassis, one of Delahaye's most exclusive offerings.

This Delahaye Type 135 wears coachwork by Figoni et Falaschi in 'Compétition Court' Teardrop Coupe configuration and is the last of six specially commissioned coupes completed by Figoni in 1936. Upon completion, it was delivered to the Delahaye factory, suggesting it was exhibited in concours d'elegance or retained as a factory demonstrator.

This car, with body number 609, has a distinctive bonnet flanked by Marchal headlights faired into the inner front wings, a signature feature of future Figoni designs. Much of the body is formed from steel but the bonnet, boot, fenders, doors, and bumpers are aluminum. The streamlined teardrop fender shapes are emphasized by accents flowing back from the bonnet's leading edge, down across the doors, and then scribing the rear fender arches. Thin chrome strips accent the fender peaks and their contours are mimicked in small chrome accents resting on the rear fender skirts. In the back is a central tail fin contoured to match those on the rear fenders divides the split rear window.

An estimated 30 examples of the Compétition Court were built, and considered a homologation special not listed in the company literature and offered through private arrangement only to 'special friends' of the company in the bare-chassis form to be fitted with a lightweight custom coupe or roadster coachwork by the customer's carrossier of choice. It used the shorter 106-inch wheelbase chassis equipped with the powerful and reliable 3.5-liter competition-spec inline-6 engine installed low in the chassis to lower the center of gravity. It used a remote oil cooler mounted below the radiator, outside-mounted rear springs, a competition fuel tank with dual fillers, and a rare competition-spec 4-speed manual transmission.

During World War II, this Delahaye was hidden away for safekeeping. It resurfaced in the early 1950s in the care of Jean-Pierre Bernard, then sales manager for Delahaye and eventual founder and president of Club Delahaye. It was later owned by several French individuals before being acquired by an Italian buyer around the end of the 1950s. Approximately four decades passed before it re-emerged in the late 1990s, this time with a garage owner in Brescia who sold it to its next owner in Geneva, Switzerland. At the time, the vehicle remained in remarkably complete condition, and although the opening for the sunroof had been closed, the operating mechanism remained intact.

The car was then imported into the United States, where it was restored for concours d'elegance judging. To this end, the car's engine - which was a newer engine fitted in the postwar era - was replaced by a Competition-spec 3.5-liter unit with triple Solex carburetors and correct date-code stamping.

The car's restoration was rewarded with a First in Class upon its public unveiling at the 2001 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. It was awarded Best of Show awards at the Celebration of Automobiles at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Concours d'Elegance of Texas in 2003. In 2014, it was Best of Show and People's Choice at the 2014 Cobble Beach Concours d'Elegance in Kemble, Ontario. In 2015, it received an invitation to the 'Art in Automobiles' exhibit at the Canadian International Auto show in Toronto.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2021