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1948 Talbot-Lago T-26

Tony Lago became general manager of Automobiles Talbot in 1934, arriving with orders from Talbot's parent company, Sunbeam, in Britain, to revive the ailing company. What Tony found was a solid company with an uninspired product and an unmotivated staff. Tony recognized the potential, used his skills and experience to re-energize the company, and went so far as to acquire it in 1935. He continued to produce the existing line, although now called Talbot Lagos, and immediately set about creating a new higher-performance engine by adapting an overhead valve head with hemispherical combustion chambers, creating the Grand Sport model. It proved highly successful and, along with a companion chassis-only-model for coachbuilders called the 'Lago SS', was largely responsible for the marque's survival.

By 1938, Talbot-Lago introduced the 4.0-liter 'Monoplace' Grand Prix car, powered by the inline six-cylinder engine with a camshaft placed high in the cylinder block now cast from light alloy. The hemispherical combustion chamber cylinder head, also built from aluminum, had inclined valves operated by pushrods and rocker arms. With three carburetors the Talbot-Lago 'Monoplace' produced approximately 240 horsepower. Although Maserati, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Alfa Romeo had finely tuned supercharged models, Talbot-Lago relied on its reliability and fuel consumption, earning it frequent podium finishes and the occasional outright victory.

In October of 1946, following World War II, Talbot-Lago had a small stand behind Peugeot at the Paris Salon. It was there that they introduced the brand-new T26 Record, offering four body styles, including a convertible. It used the trademark pre-selector Wilson-type gearbox, had a fully independent front suspension with transverse leaf spring, and a new 4.5-liter six-cylinder twin-cam Hemi engine that Anthony Lago had developed during the War with Carlo Marchetti, his chief engineer. Lago increased the displacement of the engine to 4.5-liters, and added yet another new Hemispherical combustion chamber head, this time with twin camshafts operating the valve gear and positioned near the top of the new seven main bearing block. The long-stroke (93mm bore by 110mm stroke) six gave Talbot-Lago's new grand Prix racer, designated the Type 26 Course or T26C, the necessary torque to carry the slightly heavy (about 100kg more than any of its competition) car. The substantial channel frame was responsible for much of the weight, based on components engineered for use in Talbot-Lago's production road cars. They were, however, immensely powerful machines which often enjoyed a much better fuel economy than the competition. The combined strategy of precise sports car handling, durability, fuel economy, and power continued to earn the company class and overall victories. Louis Rosier won the 1948 Coupe du Salon while finishing second at Monte Carlo, Comminges and Albi. In 1949 Louis Chiron captured the French GP in a T26C, and Raymond Sommer was a winner at the Coupe du Salon. Philippe Etancelin scored the victory in the Paris GP and Rosier earned a victory at the 1949 Belgian Grand Prix.

Talbot-Lago, unlike Delahaye, maintained its own in-house coachbuilding facility, thus the vast majority of the chassis were fitted with open or closed factory body styles. The T26 Grand Sport (GS) was the exception and was delivered solely as a bare chassis requiring bespoke coachwork. Many were clothed by Franay, Oblin, Figoni et Falschi, and Saoutchik. The Grand Sports were similar to the Grand Prix cars but longer and wider and available in either a 104- or 110-inch wheelbase length.

The GP-derived Grand Sport, resting on a shortened wheelbase of 2,650 millimeters, used an independent front suspension by transverse leaf and was a direct descent of the pre-war T150-C SS model. It was virtually identical to its T150 predecessor, except for the more powerful 4.5-liter T26 engine with three carburetors and an aluminum cylinder head. It developed 190 horsepower due to hotter cams, lighter pistons, and higher compression. The T26 Grand Sport was the culmination of the great tradition of the truly custom motor car, equally adaptable for the serious sportsman or the chic Parisian society, and designed to carry the most elegant, sporty, and/or luxurious coachwork.

The price tag was stratospheric and its practicality was limited, making it nearly irrelevant. It was exclusive, rare, and outrageous, with just 29 examples built on the short wheelbase, all with individual coach-built bodies.

This new, high-performance engine was reliable and smooth and ideal for luxurious grand touring models, which were fitted with hydraulic brakes, 18-inch Rudge wire wheels, shock absorbers, and an independent front suspension. These Grand Touring luxury road cars were designed for the elite motoring enthusiasts of Europe, where style, speed, and comfort were equally important.

by Dan Vaughan

Grand Sport Cabriolet by Saoutchik
Chassis number: 110110
Engine number: 108

In war, life still goes on; dreams continue to color sleep and hope sees the sunrise after the darkest of nights.

Anthony Lago was just such a dreamer. Though interrupted by the war, the Frenchman still held out visions of a grand tomorrow, a tomorrow filled with elegance and performance, a world where sport and pleasure mixed seamlessly.

His dreams would be interrupted when he was only able to get as far as the T150C SS. However, throughout the war, he would continue tinkering with the chassis until the T26 was birthed, at least in his head.

It wouldn't be until after the war the T26 Grand Sport would become a reality. And, what a reality it would become. The elite of the elite, the shortened-wheelbase version could not have been more rare, more exclusive, but it wasn't just about luxury and opulence.

Eccentric and exorbitant and not a little preposterous, the Grand Sport was only for those who could afford it, and even then it still cost too much. But, for the 29 examples that would be built, the owners could claim an exclusivity that practically no one else on the planet enjoyed.

The rarity came in the fact that each of the 29 T26 Grand Sports to be built on the shortened-wheelbase chassis all had individually crafted bodies. No two were alike. And, chassis 110110 clearly attests to this fact.

To say this car could be seen coming from a mile away would be a gross understatement. Certainly one of the most striking and over-the-top festooned designs ever created by Saoutchik, this car would be a shoe-in for display and was a part of the Geneva Motor Show upon its completion in 1949.

Not long afterward, the car would be purchased by New Yorker Louis Ritter. He already had a Saoutchik-bodied Cadillac on order, but when he saw the Talbot-Lago in Geneva in 1949, he was determined right then and there that he had to have the car.

All about the image, Ritter would have the Talbot-Lago for just a matter of few months before returning it to the dealer to sell again. This was not such an easy task given the upper reaches of the heavens the car's price touched. Nevertheless, Roger Barlow would prove equal to the task. Selling the car for an ungodly sum of $17,500 in 1950, Barlow would nevertheless succeed in reselling the car some three times.

The final owner of those three would be Walter L. Burghard of Mansfield, Ohio. In 1953, Burghard would have the body removed from the Talbot-Lago chassis and placed atop a Mercury chassis that was fitted with a V-8 engine from a Lincoln.

The final time the car would be seen would be 1970. Earl Weiner, the man who had removed the body from the Talbot-Lago chassis, still retained the chassis and would eventually put it up for sale. In 1975, the chassis would be purchased by Jerry Sherman of Malvern, Pennsylvania. Sherman would be interested in building a racing car version of the Talbot-Lago and would set about having a custom body designed for the chassis.

Sherman would use the car for races and would drive the car regularly right up until 1990, when a fire damaged the chassis. The car would then sit around until Sherman passed away and the car transferred to Tony Carroll's ownership. Carroll would determine it was time for a full restoration.

This restoration effort would take more than ten years to complete and would include extensive metal-preparation and fabrication work and even Eno DePasquale, of New Hampshire, designing and building a Grand Sport racing body taken from a design of Tunesi. All of this work would be completed in 2009.

Mr. Carroll would only get to use the car for a couple of years before failing health caused him to sell the car to a French collector who determined he wanted the original Saoutchik body recreated.

Patrick Delage of Auto Classique Touraine would be given the task and he would not overlook any detail of the car. In fact, the work would be to such a high degree of detail that it would earn high praise from experts the world over. It was as if those at Saoutchik had designed and built it themselves.

Offered for sale as part of RM Sotheby's 2015 Monterey auction, this 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Cabriolet is sure not only to be a highlight but a show-stopper as well. It is certain to leave its new owner a bit more obvious than before buying the car.

Estimates for the Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Cabriolet ranged from $1,700,000 and $2,100,000.

by Jeremy McMullen

Grand Sport Coupe by Saoutchik

Postwar Talbot-Lagos benefitted from the company's many racing successes, but the Grand Sport was built for luxury as well as speed. Many T-26 Grand Sport coupes of the late 1940s, with their powerful 4.5-liter straight six dual-overhead-camshaft engines, were fitted with coachbuilt bodies. This Saoutchik-bodied example was conceived and built as a work of art as well as a luxurious means of transportation. It was shown at several European Concours during the 1950s before arriving in America in the early 1960s. After several owners, including noted collector Jacques 'Frenchy' Harguindeguy, the car was purchased by the present owners.

Grand Sport Cabriolet by Franay
Chassis number: 110121

One of the early postwar cars noted for its speed was the Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport. It was built for either racing or luxury and benefited directly from Talbot's successful T26 Grand Prix car. As such, it was expensive and rare, and coachbuilt examples are highly collectible.

Three Grand sport chassis were clothed by the Parisian coachbuilder Franay, two coupes, and this cabriolet (chassis number 110121), which also features an interior by Hermes. It was shown at all the best concours in Europe and won several industry and design awards. Many stars, including Marlene Dietrich and Christian Dior, were linked to this car.

This car was first shown at the Paris Salon in October of 1949, where it was awarded the 1er Grand Prix. It was first white and carried its first grille treatment at the show. It had fitted luggage and a luxurious interior courtesy of Hermes, with bright red leather with white piping.

It was shown at the Concours d'Enghien in 1950, where it won the 1er Grand Prix d'Honneur. In the winter of that year, it was back with Franay, where it was repainted black and given a new grille with a simpler design.

In January of 1951, it was shown on the Talbot stand at the Brussels Auto Show and again in the Concours de la Grande Cascade in the Bois de Boulogne that summer.

The first owner acquired the car after the car had performed for two years on the show and concours circuit. The car was brought back to Franay a year later to have its grille updated in the style of the Ferrari 212 Inter, chassis 0177 E. Shortly after its completion, it was shown again at the June 1952 Concours d'Enghien. Its final appearance in period was on the Franay stand at the 1953 Paris Salon, where it was sold to a butcher from Versailles.

In the spring of 1960, the Grand Sport was bought for $800 from a M. Barone, who operated a Talbot garage, by Jim Bandy, an American military officer stationed in France.

In 1963, the car was brought with Mr. Bandy to Baltimore, Maryland. A few years later, it was sold to Tom Owens of Grafton, West Virginia, who also owned a Grand Sport Saoutchik coupé, chassis 110101. Mr. Owens performed an engine swap on the two cars, taking the engine from 110121, putting it in 110101, and vice versa.

At some point in the 1970s, the car was acquired from Mr. Owens by David Uihlein of Milwaukee. In 1992, it was advertised for sale in Hemmings Motor News. By this point, the car was partially dismantled. The car was purchased by Austrian restorer Egon Zweimüller. A few years later, Mr. Zweimüller began a decade-long mechanical and cosmetic restoration. The work was completed in 2010.

by Dan Vaughan

Grand Sport Coupe by Oblin
Chassis number: 110106
Engine number: 103

The post-War era Talbot T26 Grand Sport was a direct descendant of the pre-war T150SS road car, a few of which had received the teardrop coupe body by Figoni et Falaschi. Anthony Lago conceived the Grand Sport strictly as a two-seater, and the layout and most of the mechanical details from the GP cars were retained. Lago mounted the engine, gearbox, and suspension components on the short 265-centimeter pre-war Grand Prix chassis rails with a few modifications. The front suspension was independent with a transverse leaf spring, and there was a short transaxle between the engine and the gearbox, followed by a short driveshaft. The result was the SWB Grand Sport chassis which weighed just 850 kg compared to the 1,280 kg of the new T26 Record family car chassis.

Anthony Lago and chief engineer Carlo Marchetti developed the free-revving Type 26 4486cc 6-cylinder engine during the War and first showed it at the Paris Salon in 1946. The twin camshaft in the upper part of the block operated large overhead valves inclined at an efficient 90 degrees via short pushrods and rockers on either side of the head, giving it the appearance of a DOHC design. With the help of two carburetors, an impressive 170 bhp was produced when mounted in a T26 Record chassis. The engine found in the Grand Sport models was further improved. Like the GP engines, the cylinders were sleeved, the cylinder head was in aluminum, compression was raised, and three Zenith Stromberg carburetors with no air filters were fitted. Grand Sport power was conservatively rated at 190bhp. This made the T26 GS one of the most powerful passenger car motors in the world at the time. The four-speed Wilson pre-selector gearbox made it possible to shift the Grand Sport much faster than conventional gearboxes of the period.

This new chassis was designed for the sporting and affluent clientele, who were seeking a fast daily driver that would not be averse to entering various rally and racing events as privateers, with the occasional appearance at a Concours d'Elegance.

In total, just 28 chassis of the Talbot-Lago Grand Sport were built on the short 265-centimeter wheelbase.

This particular example is the second chassis signed off by the factory on August 3, 1948. It was exported to the Anciens Etablissements J. Guerret, the Talbot concessionary in Belgium. Guerret sold the chassis to the English racing driver Goldie Gardner, who was living in Brussels at the time. Gardner commissioned a one-off fastback coupe body by Van den Plas. The result was a cutting-edge slab-sided pontoon shape, which failed rather miserably from an aesthetic point of view. The completed car was first shown at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1949.

Gardner kept 110106 for about a year and a half. In 1950, Claude Nias, a Belgian privateer, bought the car and raced it twice with a Mr. Brancart in the Liège-Rome-Liège rally. He placed 20th in 1951 and 12th in 1952.

Chassis 110106 was too heavy to be competitive. So in 1952, Nias decided to have the car re-bodied by Martial Oblin in Brussels in its current coupe-style coachwork. Martial Oblin began bodies in the late 1940s, developing a number of modern construction techniques for light competition bodies. For chassis 110106, Oblin gave it a technically advanced 'spiderweb' which consisted of thin steel tubes welded into a structure, which was able to absorb a considerable impact. The body was completed in a mere six weeks. The 'Superleggera'-type body weighed just 145 kg, including lights, glass, and seats. By moving the greenhouse towards the rear, the resulting body design was a fastback silhouette with a long sleek hood.

The completed chassis-body ensemble was displayed at the 1953 Brussels show. Also that year, Nias raced 110106 with its new Oblin body in the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. He started from pole position and was running in fourth place in the 8th hour when a problem with the rear axle forced him to retire prematurely. He also participated in the Liège-Rome-Liège rally in 1953, but was again forced to retire early after going off the road on a downhill corner.

In 1957, Nias sold the car to a Mr. Vanderkele in Brussels. The car remained in Venderkele's care for the next 19 years, but there is no record of what he did with it during his long tenure.

François d'Huart bought the car from Mr. Vanderkele in 1976. d'Huart rallied the car many times, including participating in the January 1987 Montecarlo-Sestriere rally. In 1999, the car was sold via Christophe Pund of the Galerie des Damiers, who exhibited the car at Rétromobile. The next owner, who retains the car today, subsequently raced and rallied 110106 extensively.

In 2002, the car was involved in an accident at Spa-Francorchamps. The car rolled onto its roof, and Martial Oblin's 50-year-old web of steel tubes did a remarkable job of absorbing the energy. After the accident, 110106 was sent to Rob Jolley Coachbuilding in the UK for a sympathetic restoration.

Currently, the car is powered by a 4482cc overhead valve inline-6 cylinder engine fitted with 3 Zenith Stromberg carburetors. The 190 horsepower produced is sent to the rear wheels via a 4-speed Pre-Selector gearbox. At all four corners are drum brakes.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet d'Usine
Chassis number: 100064

Talbot-Lago made about 750 T26s. The firm offered convertibles, sedans, and coupes, but some customers just bought the chassis and hired outside coachmakers to build the body. The new T26 Record model was exhibited at the Paris Salon in October 1946.

The car is powered by a 'hemi' 4.5-liter six-cylinder engine developing 170 horsepower and coupled to a 4-speed semiautomatic (Wilson pre-selector) transmission. The engine was developed by Major Anthony Lago during the war in conjunction with chief engineer Carlo Marchetti. It was one of the most powerful production engines in the early post-war world. The 3,970-pound vehicle has an estimated top speed of 105 mph. The chassis also was given an independent coil springs front suspension.

The body styles were based upon the original 1934 factory bodies conceived with the assistance of coachbuilder Joseph Figoni. They were tastefully updated by Carlo Delaisse, whose resume includes work at the shops of Vanvooren and Letourneur et Marchand.

This Cabriolet d'Usine T26 Record was originally sold in Belgium. It is an early production Record, delivered to Belgian agent Guerret of Brussels in late 1947 and sold to its first owner the following year. Its first-series 'factory convertible' body style has a windshield surround, with no top bar, full chrome trim, and free-standing chromed headlamps.

Believed to have come to the United States in the early 1960s, it remained in Mr. Joseph Cantore's collection until the mid-1990s. William Ruger Jr. acquired the original and unrestored car which had just 26,000 miles on its odometer. In 2004, it was given a comprehensive restoration. In all, more than 4,200 hours were spent on the restoration work.

In 2017, it was offered for sale at RM Sotheby's auction in Amelia Island on behalf of the Orin Smith collection.

Grand Sport Coupe by Contamin
Chassis number: 110105

In 1946, Talbot Lago introduced its new T26 Record chassis, a direct development of the prewar T150. The powerful Grand Sport chassis, with an alloy-headed 4.5-liter straight-6 engine, was added to the lineup two years later. A total of 36 Grand Sport chassis were constructed, and several were built as pure racing cars. The T26C claimed Talbot Lago's biggest victory, winning the 24 Hours of LeMans in 1950.

This particular T26 GS, with an extensive racing history that includes five starts at LeMans from 1949 to 1953, is perhaps the most famous of all. This car also participated in numerous races and rallies in the hands of its first owner, Andre Chambas. He bought the chassis and took it to the little-known coachbuilder Contamin, who crafted this lightweight coupe body. The car was re-bodied as an open Barchetta for much of its racing career, but when that concluded, Chambas put the original coupe back in place.

Grand Sport Fastback Coupe by Figoni
Chassis number: 110103

The first Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport was built in 1948 following Anthony Lago's decision to produce an exclusive road-going sports chassis that could be bodied by the few surviving postwar European coachbuilders. The first of these magnificent chassis was shown at the 1948 Paris Auto Salon.

This one-off Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport was built by Joseph Figoni, the only example bodied by Figoni et Falaschi, and one of 26 surviving Grand Sports. This Fastback Coupe, which echoes aspects of Figoni's famed Goutte d'Eau (Teardrop) while also wrestling with newly emerging pontoon styles, was unveiled to the public at the 1950 Paris Auto Salon.

Its first owner, Mr. Fayolle, was known as the 'Zipper King,' and for this reason, there is a string of horizontal chrome strips above the center headlight, making this car the only one in the world with a zipper on the hood! Nothing more is known of the car's early history in France or how it came to the United States, but it resurfaced in the Los Angeles area in March 1960, when it was acquired by Lindley Locke. After just a few years, the Talbot was put into storage, where it remained for 47 years. Mr. Locke's widow, Betty, started a restoration in 2011 but was unable to complete it. In 2015 its current owner acquired the car and finished the project. The car was a Best of Show Nominee at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, and it was named Best of Show at both Chantilly Arts and Elegance and Salon Prive.

Record Sport Coupe de Ville by Saoutchik
Chassis number: 100238
Engine number: 26347

Talbot-Lago T26 Record made its debut at the Paris Salon in October of 1946. Under its bonnet was a 4.5-liter six-cylinder twin-cam Hemi engine that Anthony Lago had developed during the War. The T26 had a new chassis and drivetrain and was one of the most powerful passenger cars in the world. Its engine offered 170 horsepower, with approximately 35 examples of the T26 Record chassis being fitted from the factory with the T26 Grand Sport engine that featured three carburetors and an aluminum cylinder head. With the assistance of hotter cams, higher compression, and lighter pistons, these special cars developed 190 horsepower. They were called the Record Sport by the Talbot factory.

This particular example is one of the 35 cars fitted with the potent engine. It was delivered to the carrosserie de Luxe J. Saoutchik on October 22, 1948, who clothed the car in a two-door coupe de Ville body. The area over the rear seat has a fixed metal roof, while the space above the driver's or chauffeur's seat can remain open. A full-width metal roof is stowed inside the rear section and can be pulled out to protect the interior from the elements.

In the front is an iconic Saoutchik-style three-piece grille design. The bodywork is flanked by two small horizontal grilles. There are two teardrop Saoutchik 'ventiports' mounted on the side of the hood and a single-pane windshield. Although many of Saoutchik's designs of this era featured an excessive amount of chrome, this one is more subdued with a more well-balanced and elegant approach. The body is finished in light gray, while the fender skirts are in dark blue. Dark blue can also be found on a narrow line along the window sills, framing the curved B-window. 18-inch wire wheels are mounted with wide whitewall tires.

This example was designed specifically for the Paris Salon. The Salon honored the car and its creator with the Le Grand Prix du Salon accolade. In celebration, Saoutchik took out a full-page advertisement in the December issue of the magazine France Illustration.

It is not known whether Saoutchik ordered chassis 100238 from Talbot-Lago for stock or a customer order that subsequently fell through. Nearly two years would pass before the fully clothed chassis made its debut at the Paris Salon that opened on October 5th, 1950. Although well-received, it did not find a buyer at the Salon, perhaps due to its astronomical price.

The car was shown at the Concours at the Grande Cascade in the Bois de Boulogne in the summer of 1951. It was sold on November 2nd, 1951 to Madame Yvonne Bozdogan-Brawand in Switzerland. It was later listed in the care of James Karupka of Maryland, where it would remain for another twelve years. It was later sold to Stephen Cortinovis of St. Louis, Missouri, who later sold it to Richard Straman. In 2013, the car was put on the market by Toby Ross of Ross Classics, still in unrestored condition. A short time later, it was acquired by its current owner.

In 2014, a comprehensive concours-level restoration was commissioned with a focus on originality and authenticity. The car is currently in its original livery and color scheme as when it was shown at the Salon.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet d'Usine
Chassis number: 100064

The first Talbot-Lago T26 Cabriolet was exhibited at the 1946 Paris Auto Salon, built on a new chassis with a 4.5-liter, 6-cylinder twin-cam engine developed by Talbot-Lago's chief engineer, Carlo Marchetti. The engine produced 170 horsepower, making the T26 one of the most powerful production cars of the early postwar era. The factory 'grand routiere' coachwork was based on prewar factory bodies and updated by ex-Vanvooren designer Carlo Delaisse.

This Cabriolet d'Usine is an early example characterized by the elegant windshield with no top bar and a pair of free-standing chromed headlamps. Around 155 Talbot-Lago T26s were built in 1947, but only a few were bodied as cabriolets, as they were the most expensive model, and almost all were exported. Its current owner acquired the car from the Orin Smith Collection and has just had the car restored for its visit to the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

Cabriolet d'Usine

The Talbot-Lago T26 and T26 GS were successful in sports car and Grand Prix racing in the 1950s, even winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1950. In total Talbot-Lago constructed about 750 examples of all the T26 variants, the majority being the T26 Record.

The original owner of this 1948 T26 was Mr. Jean-Pierre Jeauffre. It was then sold to a Mr. Claude Fresard of Muriaux, Switzerland, who placed it in his museum, the Musee de l'Automobile de Muriaux. The car first came to the United States in 1989. It was delivered to Donald Nelson of Connecticut, who kept it for nearly ten years. Its current owner bought the car in 1999. This rare, beautiful French car is in exceptional original condition and has both Swiss and U.S. documentation.

Coupe by Franay
Chassis number: 110113

Built between 1948 and 1951, the Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport on the short 265 cm wheelbase was the last Talbot-Lago to be offered as a bare chassis only. Carrosserie Franay bodied three of these creations; this is the first of two Coupes, while there was also a Cabriolet. The other two cars share many characteristics, but this one-off body built on chassis 110113 is distinct and dramatic, with a high beltline, low fenders, and a sweeping fastback. Although Marius Franay served as president of the Guild of French Carrossiers, he often hired freelance stylists to put pen to paper, and the work on one may be in evidence here. The first grille was changed by the Carrosserie in period to mimic the frontal aspect of a Ferrari 212 Inter (chassis 0177E) that Franay had admired at the 1952 Paris Auto Salon. The original owner is listed as a Mr. Charpentier, and there are rumors that he lived in Switzerland, but little is known about this car's early history. At some point, it crossed the Atlantic and was cared for by Evan Boddy of Georgia and Lamar McQuirter of Tennessee. It then passed into the ownership of Steve Cortinovis of St. Louis, Missouri, who had it restored in New Zealand. After subsequently passing through the hands of Don Williams, the car is now in the Munday Auto Collection in Austin, Texas.

Grand Sport Coupe by Saoutchik
Chassis number: 110114

The very first Grand Sport chassis to emerge from the Talbot-Lago factory went to Jacques Saoutchik on July 10, 1948. He built a striking fastback coupe, and the completed car was shown on his stand at the Paris Auto Show that fall. Five more Grand Sports were bodied with Fastback Coupes by Saoutchik, one more with a low roofline like that of the first, and another four, including this car, which had a slightly higher roof. This car, the first to get the higher roof, was shown for three consecutive years, from 1949 through 1951, at the Concours d'Elegance Automobile at Enghien les Bains, and it also appeared at a concours in Rouen in 1952. Apart from the three-piece grille and striking perforated wheel discs, the car had little additional decoration, allowing the flowing lines to speak for themselves. The first owner is listed as Mr. Currie, but nothing is known about him. The car was discovered in Paris in 1961 by Jim Bandy, an American USAF serviceman, who soon sold it to a U.S. Air Force sergeant who took it to the States. Author Clive Cussler purchased the car in 1978 and featured it in his novel Deep Six.

Record Sport Coupe de Ville by Saoutchik
Chassis number: 100238
Engine number: 26347

This Talbot-Lago is one of 35 T26 Records fitted with the Grand Sport engine, producing 190 horsepower thanks to the development of higher compression performance cams and lighter pistons. The Saoutchik coachwork comprises a two-door coupe de ville, with an enclosed rear compartment and a sliding roof above for the chauffeur. Originally fitted with whitewall tires mounted on chromed 18-inch wire wheels, the Talbot-Lago won 'Le Grand Prix du Salon' at the Paris Auto Salon of 1950. The following year, it was photographed at the Concours d'Elegance Automobile a la Cascade du Bois de Boulogne, with French actress Capucine (of Pink Panther fame) modeling matching haute couture. Saoutchik sold the car to Madame Yvonne Bozdogan-Brawand of Switzerland in 1951.

Grand Sport Coupe by Saoutchik
Chassis number: 1

In 1948, at the Grand Palais, this Talbot-Lago was the star of the Paris Auto Salon. It was assigned to Saoutchik for coachwork and painted mint green with brown accents. Despite subsequent color changes, the car has been restored to its original color combinations, matching shades of those discovered beneath later paint layers. This is one of five GS cars coachbuilt in a similar style by Saoutchik, and one of two sporting this low-roof profile. The coupe was initially ordered by Mr. Bogey and participated in various concours and shows in Europe. Sometime in the 1980s the Talbot-Lago came to the States, joining the Blackhawk Collection, and it was acquired by Peter Mullin before landing with its current owner in 2017.

Anthony Lago had taken over control of the Talbot factory in Suresnes after the merger with Sunbeam and Darracq had collapsed in 1936. By 1937 he had introduced a new line of vehicles, two of which were entered in the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans. He continued his racing endeavors by moving to single-seat racers, and by 1939, a purpose-built Grand Prix car had been completed. The onset of World War II slowed the racing endeavors, but after the war, and with the assistance of Carlo Marchetti, an overall win at Le Mans was achieved.

Marchetti and Lago created a 4.5-liter version of the six-cylinder engine and used it in the T26 Record and T26 Grand Sport cars. The 4.5-liter displacement size was selected because it meant requirements for Grand Prix competition. A 1.5-liter displacement size limit was placed on vehicles that were aided by superchargers.

The 4.5-liter engine produced 165 horsepower, which made it inadequate in comparison to the competition, which was producing over 300 horsepower from their engines. The engine would require more tuning if it were to compete in Grand Prix Competition. Marchetti and Lago began work on a revised head for the engine. The new design had two lateral camshafts partway up the block, and shortened pushrods to operate the twelve valves. The modifications improved the engine output to 240 horsepower. Further improvements pushed that figure to around 260 and in range of its competition.

In 1948, the Talbot Lago T26C made its racing debut at the Monaco Grand Prix. The car was fitted with large drum brakes, a Wilson Pre-Selector four-speed gearbox, and a conventional box-section chassis. Shortly after the race began, it became clear that the Talbot Lago was no match for the Maserati's and their two-stage supercharged 4CLTs. The main advantage that the T26C employed was its ability to run the entire race without refueling or changing tires. The Maserati cars pitted halfway through the race, which gave the Talbot-Lago T26Cs a chance to regain some ground. As the checkered flag fell, Nino Farina and his Maserati were in the lead, followed closely by a T26C driven by Louis Chiron.

The Talbot-Lago T26C competition career continued during the 1949 season. Their superior fuel mileage and reliability gained them two major Grand Prix victories. In 1950, the T26C's did well in non-championship competition.

For the 1950 running of the 24 Hours of LeMans, Anthony Lago entered a T26C for competition. The LeMans race is a grueling race that tests driver, car, and team for 24 hours of competition. Just finishing the race is a victory in itself. Anthony was convinced that the T26Cs proven reliability would reward them with a strong finish. The car was slightly modified for the race to comply with regulations; it was given lights, fenders, and a wider body to allow for a driver and co-driver.

At the 1950 24 Hours of LeMans, the T26C was driven by Louis Rosier and his son Jean-Louis Rosier. At the end of the race, the T26C had captured the most important victory of its career.

The T26 road-going cars were powered by a six-cylinder, DOHC Cam engine with triple carburetors that produced nearly 200 horsepower. There was a four-speed Wilson Preselector gearbox, four-wheel drum brakes, and a live-axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs rear suspension. This setup provided the necessary power, performance, and comfort required by cars of this caliber.

The Talbot-Lago T26 models were exquisite creations outfitted with coachwork provided by some of the world's greatest coachbuilders. Never produced in large numbers, these T26 models are extremely rare and exclusive by today's standards. In total, there were around 750 examples of the T26 constructed, with only 23 being the T26C version. There were about 30 examples of the T26 GS (Grand Sport) constructed with eight built atop the short chassis of 2.65M. This was the same chassis used for the Grand Prix cars.

by Dan Vaughan