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1953 Delahaye Type 178 background image

1953 Delahaye Type 178 Cabriolet

  • Coachwork by Henri Chapron
  • Chassis Number: 820034
  • Engine Number: 820034
  • Body Number: 6794
1953 Delahaye Type 178 Navigation
Ranked among the most sophisticated automobiles of their time, Delahayes were the preferred choice of many period concours d'elegance participants who would have couture gowns specially made to match the custom coachwork of their vehicles for a dramatic effect that would capture the attention of the judges, press, and public.

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 178 is powered by a triple-carb, 4.5-litre in-line six-cylinder engine mated to a four-speed electromechanical transmission that allowed the driver to shift without using the clutch. In order to attract American buyers, Delahaye Types 175, 178, and 180 came with left-hand drive. This lovely example wears coachwork by Henri Chapron of Paris and features a three-position top that in its middle position protected only the rear seat passengers from the elements.
Delahaye produced approximately 38 examples of its Model 178, and only seven examples are known to have survived. This particular example is one of two cabriolets built by Henri Chapron on the 178 chassis, and it is the only extant example. The beautifully proportioned vehicle has a lightly vee'd split windscreen, a louvered hood, delicate use of chrome trim, a two-tone paint scheme, optional Rudge wire wheels, and a front bumper sculpted around the grille. Chapron completed the coachwork on August 10, 1949, and it was registered ZG-83-37. Its original paint scheme is believed to have been gray and red.

Jack Lappert of Wheeling, West Virginia, purchased the Delahaye in 1960 from a European seller believed to be in The Netherlands. Its next owner is believed to have been Michael Berry from the Detroit area, and then purchased by Virginia Frazier and her son Jack of Michigan. The Type 178 was given a restoration for the Fraziers by RM Auto Restoration in the mid-1990s and appeared shortly after at the 1997 Meadowbrook Concours d'Elegance. When it returned to Meadowbrook in 2000, it was judged Best in Show – European.

In the autumn of 2000, the Fraziers sold the car to Robert E. Petersen, who had Tony Castellano apply cream accents to the body and fenders.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2024

2024 RM Sothebys : Monterey

Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $200,000-USD $300,000 
Sale Price :
USD $351,500

Recent Sales of the Delahaye Type 178

(Data based on Model Year 1953 sales)
1949 Delahaye 178 Cabriolet by Chapron
Chassis#: 820034
Sold for USD$351,500
  2024 RM Sothebys : Monterey
1953 Delahaye Type 178 image  1953 Delahaye Type 178 image  

Delahaye Type 178s That Failed To Sell At Auction

1953 Delahaye Type 178's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
VehicleChassisEventHigh BidEst. LowEst. High

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1953 Delahaye Type 178

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1953 Delahaye Type 178 Vehicle Profiles

1953 Delahaye Type 178 vehicle information
Cabriolet
Coachwork: Henri Chapron
Chassis #: 820034
Engine #: 820034

Vehicle information, history, and specifications from concept to production.