1934 Delage D8

Sports Tourer
Chassis number: 40112
Engine number: 54

Delage built the eight-cylinder D8 from 1929 through 1940. The original engine was a 4061cc unit that placed it in the 23CV car tax brand, a cylinder dimensions taxation system used for automobiles in some European countries. It was introduced when the world's economy was struggling with the effects and aftermath of the 1929 stock market crash.

The D8 was the work of chief engineer Maurice Gualtier. The four-liter, five-main bearing straight-eight engine offered 105 horsepower. It was smooth, quiet, and reliable in a similar fashion to the Hispano Suiza and the Bentley.

When introduced, Delage offered two versions of the D8, the 'D8 Normale' and the D8 S'. The D8 Normale was available with three different wheelbase lengths consisting of a 124.7-inch, 136.5-inch, and 160.1-inch version. The D8 S was intended as a sports car and was available only on the 130-inch short wheelbase. It had a lowered chassis and an engine with higher compression and a revised camshaft profile, resulting in 120 horsepower.

This particular example began life as a D8 Normale. It was sent new to Tasmania. Its second owner was on King Island, just north of Tasmania. By 1985, it had come into the care of Paul Rodis of Melbourne, Victoria. In 2001, it was sold to Antony Osborne of Richmond, Victoria. Mr. Osborne began a thorough, no-expense-spared restoration. The original saloon coachwork was replaced with a two-seat sports body with the interior trimmed in tan leather. The engine was rebuilt and upgraded to 'S' specification, which included the addition of four SU carburetors and a new, free-flowing exhaust manifold. The gearbox and water pump were also rebuilt, along with the hydraulic brakes and synchromesh gearbox.

Since the restoration was completed, the car has been driven about 1,000 miles.

by Dan Vaughan

Louis Delage was born in 1874 and was handicapped by blindness in one eye. This handicap would not hinder him at all in creating some of the most elegant and beautiful creations of the pre-WWII era, and into the early 1950s. He acquired his engineering abilities while working for Peugeot. He worked with the company until 1905 when he left to build cars bearing his own name.

Delage had strong loyalty to France, and he endeavored to build cars that would bring honor to his country. He began racing in 1906 and acquired some success. By 1913, he had constructed a worthy racing machine to claim the Grand Prix de France. His racing machines continued to evolve. In 1914, they featured double overhead camshafts and brakes on all four wheels.

Rene Thomas drove a Delage in the 1914 Indianapolis 500 where he emerged victoriously. In 1924, he set a land speed record at just over 143 mph.

During World War I, the newly built factory in Courbevoie was used for the production of military items.

During the mid-1920s, the Delage cars were powered by an eight-cylinder engine displacing 1.5-liters. In 1927, Robert Benoist drove a Delage with an inline-eight cylinder engine to a victory at the Grand Prix de France, Spanish Grand Prix, British Grand Prix at Brooklands, and the Grand Prix de l'Europe at Monza. After this brilliant accomplishment, Delage announced his retirement from racing.

Delage had left the sport on a high note, but there were troubled times in its future. The Great Depression rattled many industries, including the automotive world. By 1935, Delage had felt the strains of this painful time in history and was forced to enter liquidation. A Delage dealer named Walter Watney purchased the company's assets. This proved to be a pipe dream for Watney, and soon was looking for aid from an automotive partner who could help bear the costs of engineering, development, and manufacturing. Luckily, he found the assistance he was searching for - at Delahaye. An agreement was reached which allowed the Delage name to continue.

The first new product from this union was the D8-120. Mounted in the long, graceful bonnets were an eight-cylinder engine. The engine was basically a Delahaye 135MS six with two additional cylinders. Some of Europe's greatest coachbuilders were tasked with creating designs for the chassis. The list includes Saoutchik, Chapron, Pourtout, and Letourner et Marchand.

The Delage D8's were very impressive automobiles that had style and glamour in a high-performance package. Though the economic disparity of the time begged Delage to move down market, the company refused and continued to produce its high-priced machines.

The Delage D8-120 had hydraulic brakes, Cotal electromagnet gearbox, and a suspension comprised of transverse leaf springs in the front. The 4.3-liter eight-cylinder engine was capable of producing nearly 100 horsepower in unmodified guise.

The Delage D8-100 was a long-wheelbase version of the short-wheelbase D8-120. Both the D8-100 and D-120 were built as a conventional rolling chassis and supplied to the coachbuilders for completion. The coachbuilders would often construct the final product to the exact specifications and requirements supplied by the customer. Because of this, many of the vehicles and their specifications vary considerably. Prior to World War II, around 100 examples were created.

Production of the Delage vehicles continued until 1953.

by Dan Vaughan