1948 Delahaye 135

To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys The Monterey Auction event, 13 - 15 August 2026.
$700,000 - $1,000,000 USD

• Sam Manns first coachbuilt French automobile; part of the collection for 39 years
• Winner of the Grand Prix dHonneur and Grand Prix at the Grand Concours dlgances Automobiles de Paris in June 1948
• Driven by legendary actress Michle Morgan in the 1948 Paris-Anet Automobile Rally
• Accompanied by wonderfully detailed Chapron build records
• Well-preserved restoration by the Manns in-house shop
• Gorgeous detailing throughout, including correct Lucite steering wheel and switchgear
• A CCCA Full Classic

Please note that this lot is titled as a 1949.

Henri Chaprons Levallois coachbuilding shop was known for some of the most subtle yet graceful, elegant, and well-proportioned bodies on the Delahaye 135 chassis. Their Cabriolet Vedette, or celebrity, an early post-war creation, elegantly bridged the pre- and post-war eras of styling, with its deeply curved and tapered pontoon-style fenders, semi-concealed hinges, long curving beltline molding, streamlined tail, and nearly flush-folding cabriolet top, creating an incredibly smooth and beautiful shape. Sam Mann is of the opinion that this is the seminal accomplishment of Chapron design.

Between seven and 12 cars are known to have been built to this two-passenger design; Delahaye historian Jean Paul Tissot notes that six survive, examples of which have figured into some of the worlds most prominent collections.

Perhaps the best-known is the two-tone green example long owned by Jim Hull, which was the subject of a cover feature in the December 1981 issue of Car Collector magazine. Several years after publication, Mr. Mann came across a copy of the magazine, admired the car, and contacted its owner, which resulted in a treasured and now four-decade-long friendship with Jim Hull, but alas not a sale. Nonetheless, with his typical determination towards a goal, Mr. Mann continued hunting for a Vedette of his own.

The example that he found, chassis number 800735, was built by Chapron to the order of Robert Laigneau, an industrialist living on Rue de la Victoire in Paris, and is accompanied by a copy of the coachbuilders construction record. Neatly detailing the advanced specification for what is clearly labeled a Vedette design, the record notes the car was equipped with a sport-type louvered hood and special welded grille shell, as well as a chromed profile line around the beltline of the body.

Completed in June 1948, the car was shown that month at the Grand Concours dlgances Automobiles de Paris on the Bois de Boulogne, bearing registration number 4173RQ3, issued that May, and received the Grand Prix dHonneur and Grand Prix. Subsequently it was also displayed at the concours delegance at Cannes, and, most prominently, driven in the Paris-Anet Automobile Rally of July 1948 by the renowned French actress Michle Morgan. Wonderful photographs of Ms. Morgan with the Delahaye show all of its wonderful original details, most prominently the Lucite steering wheel and switchgear that was a favorite touch to Chaprons show cars. (One rally-correct detail is not present today: a Mickey Mouse figurine hung from the rear-view mirror.)

Mr. Laigneau sold the Delahaye in November 1948 to Francois Ourif, also of Paris; registration was changed to 143R75 in December 1950. It appears to have been brought stateside, later in the 1950s or in the early 1960s, by Ken Johnson of Malibu, California. Club Delahaye historian Andr Vaucourt, in his detailed historical report on file, notes that the clubs records indicate that the car was next owned by Bill Hinds, an early Southern California enthusiast and restorer of French automobiles, who restored it in red. Later it passed to the longtime Illinois sports car collector, Bill Jacobs.

When chassis number 800735 became available at auction, Jim Hull was the first to notice, called his new friend, and the rest is history: On 11 April 1987, the Delahaye became the first coachbuilt French automobile in the Mann Collection, and the pilot light that ignited what became a passion for the products of the finest carrosserie.

The car was enjoyed as-acquired for a decade, before its turn came around for restoration. It was completed by the Manns own in-house facility between 1997 and 1999, with an engine rebuilt by Don Koleman of Competition Motors. Much assistance was provided by the ever-gracious Mr. Hull, who allowed his car to be photographed in detail to assist in capturing every original authentic feature and trim piece, and by Mr. Vaucourt who supplied the Chapron build records. The dashboard was restored to its original configuration, with most instruments focused in the center, and, of course, the dramatic Lucite steering wheel and switchgear that remain a great head-turner at events.

Since restoration the Delahaye has been occasionally featured at shows, most prominently at the Pebble Beach Concours dElegance in 2009. It has also continued to be routinely driven and enjoyed by the Manns, still the very pleasurable road car and beautiful automobile that it has always been in their nearly four decades of ownership.

Sentimental reasons aside, it is an extremely beautiful car, with perfect, simple, and elegant contours. It is a nice driver with the wonderfully user-friendly Cotal gearbox, and just simply a delightful thing to own. S.M.To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/auctions/mo26/.