1950 Delahaye 135M

Atlas Cabriolet by Guillore
Chassis number: 801636
Engine number: 801636

Alphonse Guillore was a talented coach-maker. However, when compared to Saoutchik or Figoni et Falaschi, his name becomes somewhat lost in the background. However, in 1949, at the Paris Salon de l'Automobile, he would rise to the fore.

It would seem hard to believe that Guillore would be responsible for more post-war Delahayes than any other coachbuilder, and yet, there is so little that has remained in memory of the builder. Perhaps it is the result of his approach. While the other builders would be noted for their striking and rather ostentatious designs, Guillore would be straight-forward and unassuming.

Delahaye, on the other hand, would build its reputation upon exploits achieved on the racing circuit. The Delahaye name would be synonymous with performance and would actually attract the attention of such great automakers as Ettore Bugatti. There was good reason for the attention.

Delahaye wouldn't just be a company that came and then disappeared. The company would take over Delage in 1935 and would begin to experience a good deal of success on the track. The company would go from producing gun parts and aircraft components in the First World War to finishing 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th in the 1935 French Grand Prix. This would be followed up with victories in the 1937 Monte Carlo rally and the 24 Hours of Le Mans the following year.

Delahaye was synonymous with racing, and the chassis that would carry that reputation forward was the 135. The 135 would actually be an attempt of the company to get back that racing heritage it had lost throughout the war years.

Emile Delahaye was one of those early geniuses of car design. He had the ability to create cars as comfortable on the track as on the streets. However, when Emile passed away, that racing pedigree began to slip away. It would be almost entirely lost to memory by the time of the First World War. Had it not been for a competitor—Ettore Bugatti—Delahaye's racing legacy may have been lost forever.

Weiffenbach, Delahaye's manager, would humble himself and would listen to Bugatti and would return the focus back to making sporty automobiles that had made the name famous in the first place. The chassis that would help to restore what was lost would be the 135.

The 135 would serve as the mainstay for Delahaye throughout the 1930s and early 1940s. In fact, when the company emerged from the Second World War, it would turn to the 135 once again to help the company get restarted.

The 135 M would result of a 3.5-liter engine with three carburetors. The chassis would result in a number of grand prix and rallying victories before the war and would remain in production right up until Delahaye's final day in 1954. The vast majority of these post-war chassis would be adorned with the rather understated Guillore bodywork. However, the 1949 Paris Salon de l'Automobile would serve up a notable exception.

The 135 chassis would make its debut at the 1934 Paris Auto Salon. Fifteen years later, the 135 M would make its appearance in one of its most impressive, yet simple, guises ever. The car that would appear would not appear to be from Guillore. Guillore was known for his use of incredible amounts of steel to make very understated designs. However, what would appear at the Salon that year would be markedly different.

To start off with, the car would be a cabriolet. Furthermore, the car would exhibit a lovely aerodynamic and streamlined design. Accented in art deco, the simple design was fascinating, head-turning, and yet, still, very simple and elegant. Furthermore, the design was known as an Atlas cabriolet.

While unknown for sure, it is highly unlikely Guillore built more than five of these Altas Cabriolets for Delahaye. It is believed 801636 is one of them. In fact, there is a belief this particular model could be the actual car that appeared at the 1949 Paris Salon. Furthermore, it is widely believed it could be the only two-seater example of the Cabriolet ever made by Guillore.

What is considered fact is that it was first registered in July of 1950. After that, intrigue enters the picture once again. While it is believed the car remained in France for nearly all of its life, it is still nothing more than speculation. One thing that seems clear is that the car saw regular use and was maintained in rather good working order.

Then, in the 1990s, more than 40 years later, Francois-Michel Faucher would discover the car and would have the car restored. Then, some time after the turn of the century, Faucher would sell the car to the founder of the Delahaye Club, Philippe Looten.

Looten would dispatch the car to Bonnefoy, a coachwork specialist, to have it refinished. The car would receive a Delahaye blue finish and would undergo some other finishing touches before Mr. Looten began taking the car to events throughout the country. The car would even be included in such exhibitions as the 2006 Delahaye Salon du Coupe & du Cabriolet and the 2007 Epoqu' Auto.

In 2010, Looten would sell the special Atlas Cabriolet. Hugo Modderman of Monaco would be its next owner. Modderman would have the car refinished once again. This time, the car's original dark blue would be applied. Almost immediately the car would begin taking part in concours events. One of the highlights would be earning an entry in the 2011 Pebble Beanch Concours d'Elegance. The car would also take part in the Pebble Beach Motoring Classic that same year.

In 2012, the car would undergo some maintenance and refreshing, and then, would make an appearance at the Schloss-Bensburg Classic Concours d'Elegance in Germany. The Delahaye certainly fit in given its rare matching chassis and engine and the simple fact of the very few suspected Altas Cabriolets ever to be produced by Guillore. Though produced in the final years of Delahaye's existence, the 135 M Cabriolet Atlas would have to be considered one of the best examples ever to be saved for last.

Chassis 801636, the 1950 Delahaye 135 M Cabriolet Atlas would be offered for sale at the 2014 Bonhams auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. Believed to be the actual model that made the appearance in the 1949 Paris Salon, the car would draw pre-auction estimates ranging from $500,000 to $650,000. Unfortunately, bidding failed to meet expectations and the car was not sold.

Sources:

'1950 Delahaye 135 M News, Pictures, Specifications and Information', (http://www.conceptcarz.com/z20312/Delahaye-135M.aspx). Conceptcarz.com: From Concept to Production. http://www.conceptcarz.com/z20312/Delahaye-135M.aspx. Retrieved 21 January 2014.

'1937 Delahaye 135M News, Pictures, Specifications and Information', (http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z12484/Delahaye-135M.aspx). Conceptcarz.com: From Concept to Production. http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z12484/Delahaye-135M.aspx. Retrieved 21 January 2014.

'Lot No. 140: 1950 Delahaye 135 M Cabriolet Atlas', (http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21392/lot/140/). Bonhams. http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21392/lot/140/. Retrieved 21 January 2014.

by Jeremy McMullen

Cabriolet by Letourner et Marchand
Chassis number: 801348

The Delahaye Type 135 was introduced at Paris in 1935 and remained in production until 1954. It featured a new underslung chassis and was powered by a 3557cc overhead valve six-cylinder engine, as used in the earlier Type 138. The Type 135 proved to be successful in competition, sweeping the top six places at Marseilles in 1936 and taking second at LeMans in 1937, followed by first, second and fourth there the following year.

This Cabriolet was completed in 1950 and given Letourneur et Marchand coachwork. It is believed that the first owner retained it for nearly three decades. It was sold on October 24th of 1949 to Mr. Andre Acoulon from St. Maur de Fosse, Val de Marne, just outside of Paris. The car was later restored in France by Atelier de Atelier de Restoration Automobile, in Sorigny. The present Holland owner acquired the car in 2003.

The car is powered by a 3557cc overhead valve six-cylinder engine delivering 115 horsepower. There is a Cotal electro-mechanical four-speed gearbox and four-wheel mechanical drum brakes.

In 2012, this car was offered for sale at the Monaco sale presented by RM Auctions. The car was estimated to sell for €125.000-€155.000. Bidding reached €110.000 but was not enough to satisfy the vehicle's reserve. It would leave the auction unsold.

by Dan Vaughan

Atlas Cabriolet by Guillore
Chassis number: 801636
Engine number: 801636

As the legend goes, Ettore Bugatti gave Delahaye company manager, Charles Weiffenbach, a tip, stating the company should return to its roots in sports cars. Within a short time, Weiffenbach and his race program developed the 18CV Type 138 competition cars, which were powered by a 3.5-liter inline six-cylinder engine.

The Type 135 made its debut in production at the 1934 Paris Salon with a single-carbureted 3.2-liter engine. Clothed with Europe's finest coachwork, the cars were equally versed in performance and luxury. The 135 M came to life two years later with the 3.5-liter engine receiving three carburetors (as in the original racing versions).

Chassis number 801636

This example was sent to Courbevoie-sur-Seine for bodywork by Alphonse Guillore. They were a lesser-known coachbuilder active between 1937 and 1954. Besides Chapron, Guillore was responsible for more postwar Delahayes than any other coachbuilder.

Guillore made four or five of these 'Atlas' convertibles, complete with a hood that folds into the body and easily opens and closes with just one hand. The first Atlas was shown at the 1949 Paris Auto show, and the model won several concours prizes. There is a strong likelihood that this was the Paris Auto Show car.

This car was first registered on July 7, 1950, and was eventually assigned tags marked '317 AYC 59,'. It remained in France throughout the entirety of its life. In the 1990s, the Cabriolet Atlas was discovered by Francois-Michel Faucher. Mr. Faucher restored the car's original 135 M motor and soon refreshed all of the mechanical components. In the early 2000s, he then sold the car to Philippe Looten, president and founder of the French Delahaye Club. Mr. Looten sent 801636 to coachwork specialist Bonnefoy for a repaint in a shade of Delahaye blue. The car was driven in several Delahaye Club rallies over the years and has been maintained during these outings. It was displayed at distinguished exhibitions, such as the Delahaye Salon du Coupe & du Cabriolet held in April 2006, and the Epoqu' Auto in November 2007.

In late 2010, the car was sold to Hugo Modderman of Monaco. Mr. Modderman re-painted the car in its original color of dark blue cellulose and the all-original interior was sympathetically cleaned and refreshed. In 2011, it was put on display at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and ran in that year's Pebble Beach Motoring Classic.

by Dan Vaughan

Atlas Cabriolet by Guillore
Chassis number: 801636
Engine number: 801636

Making its first appearance in 1935 following its successful entry in the Alpine Rally, the 135 would be a part of Delahaye's line for nearly two decades. A popular choice for racing, as well as touring, the chassis would be one of those seminal pre-war creations. The most prolific of the 135 chassis line would be the M, with its larger displacement engine options the chassis would begin production in 1936 and would remain until the ruin of Delahaye.

This particular example, chassis 801636, would actually be finished in the middle part of 1949 and then would be sent to the coachbuilder Alphonse Guillore. Guillore would be one of the most popular coachbuilders for Delahaye automobiles in those post-war years as a result of a cabriolet debuted by the coachbuilder in Paris as part of the 1949 Paris Salon de l'Automobile.

Alphonse Guillore would make use of a Delahaye 135M and would fashion a simple, yet aerodynamically-inspired design. The design would be known as the Atlas and it would quickly become a popular option as it offered sportiness with elegance. The aesthetic design of the car would be bolstered by some ingenious little extras such as a one-handed mechanism that folded the car's hood into the body of the car.

While the design would be well-received by the public, it is believed only a handful of the Atlas body style would ever make it onto a Delahaye 135M chassis. In fact, it is widely held that just five examples would ever be produced making 801636 just one of five. What's more, it is believed this car is the very one that made its debut in Paris in 1949.

Simple, curvaceous, and a wonderful blending of sport and drama, the Cabriolet Atlas would end up registered in France in July of 1950. And, while much of the car's history over the next four decades is the subject of some conjecture it is believed to have never left France and to have been maintained in running condition.

Lost, the car would be discovered in the 1990s by Francois-Michel Faucher. Faucher was serving as a member of the Delahaye Club at the time of discovery and he would immediately set about restoring the automobile.

Those original efforts would focus on the original engine and practically all of the mechanical components. Then, sometime after the turn of the new century, Philippe Looten, another Delahaye Club member and current honorary president, would purchase the car from Faucher.

Being well-versed in everything Delahaye, Looten would recognize the importance of 801636 and would undertake to have the car repainted and cosmetically improved. Bonnefoy would be given the task of refinishing the car and the choice would be, appropriately, a shade of Delahaye blue.

After that, Looten would take the Delahaye to a number of events and exhibitions. Among those would be the Delahaye Salon du Coupe & du Cabriolet held in April 2006 and the Epoqu' Auto in November 2007.

Hugo Modderman, of Monaco, would determine the car to be ideally suited for the affluence of the principality. Purchased in 2010, Modderman would have bigger plans for the car. The car would be refinished yet again, this time in its original dark blue. In addition, great care would be taken to preserve the original leather interior. As a result of the freshening, the car would make an appearance in the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and would also take part in the epic Pebble Beach Motoring Classic that ran from Seattle down to Monterey. The car would complete the journey yet again in 2014.

Highly original inside and out, and with a freshened engine in 2012, the Atlas Cabriolet remains an elegant testimony to Guillore's creative eye.

One of just five Atlas Cabriolet, and the only one believed to still exist, this automobile would be a wonderful addition to Bonhams' 2015 Quail Lodge auction. This former Pebble Beach Concours attendee would end up selling for $363,000 inclusive of premium.

by Jeremy McMullen

Coupe by Vanvooren
Chassis number: 801621
Engine number: 801621

In the 1920s and 1930s, Vanvooren was one of the most celebrated carrosseries, building glorious bodies for many motor companies, but as with many French companies, they had a hard time during the war. After being bombed in 1943, it re-opened on a very small scale in 1947 but built only about a dozen cars before closing.

This car was the last to leave the workshop in Courbevoie, Paris, in 1950. Little is known of this car's early ownership history but it spent almost all of its life in France. In the 1970s, this coupe was owned by four-time World Rally Champion and president of the Federation Francaise des Sports Automobiles, Bernard Consten. The current owner acquired the car in 2014 and has just restored it, preserving as much of the original metalwork and interior features as possible. The 2016 Pebble Beach Concours was the car's first appearance outside of Europe.

Cabriolet by Saoutchik
Chassis number: 801746

Delahaye built its first automobile in 1894 and would grow over the years to become one of the most innovative and successful French luxury car manufacturers of the pre-war period. Their history began with building belt-driven single and twin-cylinder horseless carriages. Delahaye was able to secure funding which allowed him to hire some influential and creative engineers who would help his company grow. Many patents were issued to Delahaye prior to World War I and perhaps the most important were for a V6 cylinder layout as well as a twin-cam multi-valve engine.

By the mid-1930s came the first of a new generation of Delahaye vehicles that would transform the marque's image - the T135 Coupe Des Alpes. This sporting car was powered by an engine that had first appeared in a Delahaye commercial vehicle. The 3.2-liter, six-cylinder, overhead-valve unit produced 110bhp on triple Solex carburetors, while the chassis featured transverse-leaf independent front suspension, four-speed synchromesh or Cotal gearboxes, center-lock wire wheels, and Bendix brakes.

The following year, Delahaye introduced the 3.6-liter, 120/130 horsepower T135MS. In this guise, the sports version captured 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th places in the 1935 French Grand Prix and won the Monte Carlo Rally and LeMans 24 Hours Race outright in 1937 and 1938 respectively. Prince Bira won the 1938 Donington 12-Hour Sports Car Race in Prince Chula's example and went on to take victory in Brooklands' 'fastest road car in England' race.

After World War II, the model was resurrected as the 135M with the 3.6-liter engine and lasted in production until 1951. By this point in history, the company was in serious financial difficulty as a result of the French government's taxation policies, which penalized cars of over 3.0 liters. In 1954, Delahaye was taken over by Hotchkiss.

This particular 1950 Delahaye 135M Cabriolet wears coachwork by Saoutchik of Paris. Power is from a 3557cc overhead valve inline 6-cylinder engine fitted with a single Solex carburetor offering nearly 100 horsepower. There is a four-speed manual transmission and four-wheel drum brakes.

This car was acquired over a decade ago by its current caretaker. It has a contemporary design with a compact cabin that can accommodate four persons. The black bodywork is trimmed in chrome with teardrop 'ventiports' on the front fenders and the rears are accented with chrome moldings wrapped along their edges. There is a divided chrome windshield and side opening hood with a central chrome bar. Chrome Ducellier headlights are supplemented with driving lights beneath and indicating lamps in the center of the front fenders as well as with small side repeaters on the rear quarters.

Inside, there is a central ivory-colored console. It has a hydraulic power top and windows.

When the current owner acquired the car in 2007, it was reported by the seller that the car had never been repainted and was in need of aesthetic improvement. It subsequently received sympathetic refurbishment, being refinished in the present black livery for its bodywork, and the bumpers were removed. The interior was done in a green/blue hue, which contrasts with the body color. The leather upholstery is piped to match the dash.

by Dan Vaughan

Emile Delahaye was born in Tours, France in 1843. He studied engineering in Angers, France. In 1869 he began work with his engineering degree in applied arts and crafts.

Emile Delahaye began business in Tours, France in the middle of the 19th century for the purpose of constructing engines for the ceramic industry. The company branched out and began constructing mechanical appliances such as pumps and engines. In 1888, Delahaye designed an internal combustion engine for the shipping industry. It was not until 1896 that Automobile production began for Delahaye. His first automobiles produced were powered by belt-driven single and twin-cylinder engines.

Emile used motor racing to promote his vehicles. In 1896, Emile Delahaye entered the Paris-Marseilles race. Not only did he enter a vehicle his company had created, but he entered as the driver. The results were astounding, which truly speaks highly of the caliber and quality of the automobile. The demand for the vehicles began pouring in and a second factory was opened.

Due to failing health, Delahaye was forced into retirement in 1901. This was a year after the second factory was opened in Paris. Since Delahaye had no heirs, management control was passed onto a young engineer named Charles Weiffenbach. Weiffenbach oversaw operations until 1954.

In 1905, due to failing health, Emile Delahaye passed away.

Automotive racing was paramount during this period in history. This is why many of the vehicles built during this era were built to be raced and to be used as the daily driver. The sales of the vehicles were stimulated by the way the vehicle performed on the race track. Weiffenbach, however, had a different philosophy. His main focus and priority were to build dependable vehicles. Many of the early vehicles were equipped with four-cylinder engines capable of producing between 9-12 horsepower. Near the beginning of the First World War, a 6-cylinder, 2565cc engine was used.

In addition to automobiles, the Delahaye company produced trucks, lorries, parcel carriers for the post office, motor plows, fire engines, and other commercial and military vehicles. Many of the vehicles were used during the First World War

From 1927 to 1933, productions of medium-class cars were low, but the vehicles that were produced carried with them a reputation for being reliable and robust.

In the early thirties, Weiffenbach, also known as 'Monsieur Charles' by his peers, was in his early 60's. The decision was made to boldly move into the sports car arena. This was in response to the market trends and a way to re-establish a competitive edge in the automotive technology spectrum. For an automotive company that had never created a car that could achieve a top speed faster than 110 km/h, this would be a major undertaking.

Jean Francois, a 29-year-old engineer, was commissioned to construct a series of sporty cars using as many spare parts as possible. Talbot's new independent suspension was used along with a new chassis with box-section side members. The engine was borrowed from one of their trucks. The engine featured a 65mm crankshaft with internal lubrication. In 1933, the vehicles were introduced at the Paris Car Salon. They were the 4-cylinder 12CV and the 6-cylinder 18CV. At the show, Lucy O'Reilly Schell approached Weiffenbach with a request to have a vehicle built that could be entered in rally events.

Lucy O'Reilly, a wealthy American of Irish origin, had a passion for racing. So fueled by Delahaye's desire to produce sports cars and Reilly's financial backing and quest to win motorsport events, the company re-entered the racing scene.

The Delahaye Type 135

The Type 135 was created with variants such as the 135 Competition Speciale (135 CS), designed specifically for racing. The 135 Sport and the 135 Coupe both featured a 3.2-liter engine. The Sport produced 96 horsepower while the Coupe had 110 horsepower. 120 horsepower was produced by the 3.6-liter engine that rested in the Type 135 Competition model. The engine in the 135 CS was a simple pushrod-operated engine borrowed from the 1927 Type 103 truck engine. It gave up horsepower for great acceleration and torque.

The Type 135 is considered one of the most famous and prestigious vehicles produced by Delahaye. In both design and racing competition, it was very successful. Designed in 1934 it was quickly entered into races such as the 24 Heures du Mans, the Monte-Carlo Rally, and the Paris-Saint-Raphael motor race, where it had great success at being a competitive and reliable automobile.

The Type 135 Competition Speciale Sports Car (CS) had a chassis 25 cm shorter than the 135 touring car. This shortened version had better weight distribution which greatly improved the handling and performance. The engine and 4-speed Wilson epicyclic gearbox were placed lower in the chassis, thus contributing to the benefits of a better-balanced vehicle. The 135 CS came equipped with an 80-liter or a 100-liter fuel tank, this option was left up to the buyer's discretion.

The 135 CS was debuted in the 1936 Monte Carlo Rally where it finished 2nd in a field of fierce competition. In 1936 it was the winner of the Marsailles Gran Prix. At the French Grand Prix is placed second, third, fourth and fifth.

Well-known coachbuilders, such as Franay, Letourner & Marchard, Chapron, and Guillore, were tasked with outfitting the 135's. This may have been influenced by Delage, an automotive company that Delahaye merged with in 1935. As a result, the 135 won numerous awards for styling and design.

The Type 135's is truly a prestigious masterpiece with strong racing history and a heritage that was formed on stability, robustness, and stamina.

by Dan Vaughan