1953 Delahaye 1953 135 MS CL Spéciale Faget-Varnet

Year of Construction 1953 Chassis Delahaye 135MS chassis, featuring upgrades installed upon assembly Type 12S103, number 801029 remarkable interest •Hydraulic brakes (the Chassis 135 was only offered with standard cable brakes) •Steering box and steering column fromDelahaye 235 chassis •6 cylinder in-line, 3.5 Liter •3 Solex Carburetors •Water pump from Delahaye 235 engine Type MK35 Cotal electromagnetic gearbox, number 50301 One-off interior design. Features a Quillery Type steering wheel from theDelahaye 235 Unibody preassembled body elements, using a patented design by Jean Faget, with parts provided by Face lMetallon One-off coach design from Jean Faget As mentioned this one-off prototype was being prepared for the 1953 Paris Motor Show •US style bumpers and bumperettes •Extensive chrome trim •Large white wall tires •Patented swivel tray for spare wheel in boot •Cadillac logos embossed on side fenders (removed at restoration, but reversible)

History and International Concours of Elegance awards: 1953 construction of the Delahaye 135 MS CL Spéciale Faget Varnet for Paris France AutoShow. 1954 Delahaye andCarrosserieLevallois (JeanFaget) file for bankruptcy JeanFaget keeps theDelahaye in storage. 1981 purchases theDelahaye from the Estate of JeanFaget and obtains from the “Service des Mines” an homologation as “TitreIsolé” (similar to a experimental registration): Type: Original No. 688129. 2017 Sold to current owner. 2017-2018 full restoration by Delahaye specialist . 2019 Invited to the 79th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elégance, California 2020 Hampton Court Concours d’Elégance, England– Best of Design Special Award 2021 Le Zoute Concours d’Elégance, Belgium– 1st in Class 2022 Concours d’Elégance Suisse, Switzerland– 1st in Class and Best of Show 2022 Biarritz Concours, France– The President’s Award 2023 The Amelia Concours, Florida– 1st in Class 2023 La Jolla Concours d’Elégance, California– 2nd in Class & The Aubrey Taylor Award for the best upholstery 2023 The Quail, California– The Ian Callum Art of Design Award presented by Magneto 2023 Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elégance, Pennsylvania– 1st in Class European Post-War 2023 Audrain Concours d’Elégance, Rhode Island– 1st in Class 2024 Chantilly Concours of Elegance displayed with the International Club of Delahaye. We nicknamed this one-off prototype “The Mysterious Delahaye” for the very reason that a mystery still lies in it’s history. Why was it commissioned by Delahaye to the ateliers Carrosserie Levallois of Jean Faget? Why was it never sold upon completion? Was it a styling exercise by Jean Faget to advertise its atelier? The fun part of it is that there are still much to explore on the mysterious raison d’être of this spectacular automobile. Our research shows the car was built in 1953 to be shown at the Paris Motor Show. It wasn’t shown and a few months later, in 1954 Delahaye filed for bankruptcy and the Ateliers Carrosserie Levallois as well. The car was kept as is by JeanFaget. When the current owner acquired the car in 2017, it had merely 9’000km on the clock and was still in it’s original condition. It was tired and aged. Considered at the time by all Delahaye experts as an oddity with no importance, the owner decided to commission Dominique Tessier to do a complete restoration of the car and brig it back to its former glory. As Tessier took the car apart for the fist time in its life, the Delahaye revealed many surprises of historical importance that will lead to one logical explanation: The chassis and engine are of the Type 135 MS, an obsolete combination since Delahaye had replaced it since 1951 by the type 235. Hydraulic brakes and steering column and box from the type 235. The body frame consists of preassembled unibody construction units, unlike the usual wood frames used on standard and coach built Delahaye at the time. Strictly identical inner panels that are found in the Facel Vega, created a few years later. Embossed shapes on both front fenders where period correct Cadillac logos were bolted. It appeared that there are no welding or seams on the large formed sheet metal of the fenders, suggesting that the embossment was done prior to finishing and installing the fenders on the car. Cab space is adapted from the mass production Ford Comète, but with a slightly different roof line, c-pillar and rear window.