$990,000! 1938 Delahaye 135 MS Coupe by Figoni et Falaschi

1938 Delahaye 135 MS Coupe by Figoni et Falaschi
Sold For $990,000 Including Commission
RM Amelia Island, Florida 2015
Chassis No.60112
Engine No.60112
Body No.729
Displayed on the Figoni et Falaschi stand at the 1938 Paris Salon
Formerly owned by Antoine Rafaelli and Peter Kaus
Concours restoration by marque specialists, as well as a recent sorting
Equipped with the desirable racing-specification MS engine
160 hp, 3,557 cc overhead-valve inline six-cylinder engine, Cotal electro-mechanical four-speed gearbox, independent front suspension with a transverse leaf spring, live rear axle with quarter-elliptic springs, and four-wheel-assisted mechanically actuated Bendix drum brakes. Wheelbase: 114 in.
A particular highlight of the mid-1930s, and arguably the height of the French coachbuilt era, was Figoni et Falaschi’s introduction of the Goutte d’Eau, or teardrop streamliners, which were built as coupes and cabriolets on both Delahaye and Talbot-Lago chassis.
Both pre- and post-war, Figoni et Falaschi’s stand at the Paris Salon was a “must-see” attraction. Although teardrop cars were made in relatively small numbers, they were so immediately eye-catching that they became instant icons, and they remain so today. This particular example of Figoni coachwork was built on Delahaye’s Type 135 chassis, a model that was introduced in 1935 at the Paris Salon and was enthusiastically received. It proved delightful to drive, producing 160 horsepower in this most-powerful MS configuration. Of its performance, The Motor wrote in 1938, “There are few cars with such superb roadholding and steering, such performance, and such instantly responsive controls.”
CHASSIS NUMBER 60112
The Delahaye 135 MS Coupe on offer here, chassis number 60112, was clothed with Figoni body number 729 for the 1938 Paris Salon, where it shared the Figoni et Falaschi stand with a fabulous V-12-powered Delahaye 165 Cabriolet.
It seems likely that this Delahaye was hidden from occupying forces during World War II, as it was not discovered until 1964, in the ownership of its second known owner, Madame Michele Gautier of La Seyne-sur-Mer, a few miles from the Mediterranean port of Toulon in Southern France. The car was hidden behind a hedge of bulrushes and discovered by none other than Antoine Raffaelli, the most well-known enthusiast for prying Bugattis out of their pre-war hiding places, particularly around Europe and France. At the time of the discovery, it was wearing registration 308 M 6, which was from the nearby Alpes-Maritimes region. Given that the number is so low, it is likely that it dates back to the original ownership. Only in 1983 was it registered to Madame Gautier, under 740 AN 83, likely to establish her ownership of the car prior to its pending sale.
Rafaelli finally acquired chassis 60112 from Madame Gautier in 1985, and it was again registered in Alpes-Maritimes, this time as 3506 VJ 06. He then delivered the Coupe to the workshops of Jacques Conforti, of the Quartier du Port in Nice, for a meticulous restoration, which took place between 1986 and 1987. The find was documented in the French publication La Vie de l’Auto, when the restorer was reaching out to confirm that this was indeed the 1938 Paris salon car. During the restoration, it was found that the skin and wood had suffered from exposure to the elements, so the wood framing was largely replaced and the sensuous shape of the skin was recreated in steel. Minor styling updates, which are presumed to have been performed in the 1940s, include a restyled narrower grille, and chrome embellishments that were added to the leading edges of the front bumpers were retained.
Raffaelli sold the car in 1990, and it was in the care of two owners until 1998. That year, the car joined Peter Kaus’s renowned Rosso Bianco Collection in Aschaffenburg, Germany, where it remained until 2006, when it was purchased by American collector John O’Quinn.
RESTORATION
In its new American ownership, the restoration on the Delahaye was found to be aging and a fresh one was commissioned. Mr. O’Quinn hired Parisian Delahaye expert Benoit Bocquet as a consultant on the restoration, who recommended Atelier Automobiles Anciennes Dominique Tessier to assume the task. They embarked on a two-year restoration, which was truly a labor of love, with the strictest attention to detail being paid.
The car was brought down to its bare chassis before a meticulous rebuild was conducted on the body, chassis, engine, transmission, and interior, with work being performed on quite literally every single nut and bolt. From the running gear to the beautifully retrimmed upholstery, the results were spectacular.
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Robert Myrick Photography