George Smolinski Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 What is it? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryankazmer Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 Delahaye with body by Saoutchik 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 What is it? Ugly as it is big. I have seen it in person. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John E. Guitar Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 https://mycarquest.com/2017/06/french-curves.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 (edited) What,s with the proboscis jutting out over the grill?......bob Edited September 21, 2022 by Bhigdog (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 I'd really like to see the detailed restoration process of the chrome fender trim. Must take a REALLY GOOD chrome guy to pull that off. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 5 minutes ago, Bhigdog said: What,s with the proboscus jutting out over the grill?......bob Part of the aero package. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Man Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 1937 Talbot Logo Interesting cars but not the prettiest in my book Never hold a candle to this in my book Or this 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George K Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 1 hour ago, George Smolinski said: What is it? Ron Benach owned and restored it. Ron was a really good guy to me when I worked for him back in the 1970’s. Fran Roxas did the mechanicals. So called DDD. Diane Dor’s Delahaye. Not my cup of tea but Ron liked a challenge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erska Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 Like it or not, the turquoise Delahaye would sure attract attention. Can anyone comment on what cars of this genre are like to drive, compared to a more conventionally-bodied contemporary? I'm guessing visibility would be worse, as would the sense of where the car ends. Did anyone really drive these things back in the day? Or were they always understood to be mechanized sculpture? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BucketofBolts Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 That 1929 CORD (designed by a Ukrainian Count) is to me the pinnacle of rolling art. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 (edited) For swoopy cars of the 1930's this is my favorite, it was in the lobby of the Nethercutt collection when I saw it. Think its footprint is the size of a Model A Ford. (1) Nethercutt’s 1931 Bugatti Type 51 Dubos Coupe | Jay Leno's Garage - Bing video Edited September 21, 2022 by 1937hd45 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne sheldon Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 The French artisans built some really wild cars in the 1930s and even a few in the late 1940s. I think most people really love them, or hate them? I am not sure why, in spite of the fact they are considerably newer than the cars I really care about? But I generally like the crazy things. I sometimes wonder if part of that is my childhood. My dad was part owner of the second television sales and repair shop opened in the San Francisco South Bay area. We had tv very early, before all that made for television programming. So the cartoons I watched early in my life were the ones from the 1930s and 1940s! They often used classical music (my favorite music!), and poked fun at culture from the eras. Which included long curvy French cars twisting their way around corners. Every time I see one of these cars? I have images from those cartoons dancing in my head. And it makes me smile. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1935Packard Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 I love Delahayes, but that one, um, no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
31 LaSalle Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 8 hours ago, George Smolinski said: What is it? gorgeous piece of mobile art 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
63RedBrier Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 I can't help but wonder how many great/rare/interesting cars were lost during WWII...? Maybe the truly great ones were moved out of possible harms way to other countries or sequestered in a vault somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8E45E Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 (edited) 9 hours ago, Erska said: Like it or not, the turquoise Delahaye would sure attract attention. Can anyone comment on what cars of this genre are like to drive, compared to a more conventionally-bodied contemporary? I'm guessing visibility would be worse, as would the sense of where the car ends. Did anyone really drive these things back in the day? Or were they always understood to be mechanized sculpture? Its the TURNING RADIUS I'd be more concerned about in that car! Craig Edited September 21, 2022 by 8E45E (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryankazmer Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 Saoutchik can make Figoni et Falaschi look conservative. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunsmoke Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 Interesting George, for what it's worth, I noticed car was LHD in one photo, and RHD in other photo. Based on license lettering and location of white card on front bumper, it appears side-on photo is reversed negative. But who notices such things! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George K Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 (edited) 12 hours ago, Bhigdog said: What,s with the proboscis jutting out over the grill?......bob It's called the "Narwhal look" and had a brief vogue on French custom cars in the late forties or very early fifties. It seems the idea was to give the car a longer hood line and a long sweeping profile from front to back by extending the hood out over the grille a few inches. Edited September 21, 2022 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 11 hours ago, Erska said: Like it or not, the turquoise Delahaye would sure attract attention. Can anyone comment on what cars of this genre are like to drive, compared to a more conventionally-bodied contemporary? I'm guessing visibility would be worse, as would the sense of where the car ends. Did anyone really drive these things back in the day? Or were they always understood to be mechanized sculpture? They were all special order, custom built for flamboyant millionaires. Yes they were used as transportation. The one in the pictures was made for an Englishman living in Paris Sir John Gaul who also entered it in Concours D' Elegance. Later it was sold to British film star Diana Dors. https://www.classicandsportscar.com/news/csc-features/delahaye-175-s-diana’s-deco-delight See it running https://www.facebook.com/vintagecelebritycar/videos/diana-dors-delahaye/1190118814412438/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Smolinski Posted September 21, 2022 Author Share Posted September 21, 2022 Thanks to all who replied with information about the car and with your opinions, positive or negative, even Edinmass😁. Was it really gigantic looking when you saw it? The photo with the pretty lady sitting in it helps give some size perspective. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 (edited) I linked to a brief video of the car on the move above. It sure looks big and unwieldy but probably no more than some expensive American convertibles of the same era. https://www.facebook.com/vintagecelebritycar/videos/diana-dors-delahaye/1190118814412438/ Edited September 21, 2022 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketraider Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 It's gorgeous and representative of its times, but way out of my league. Anyone else see the genesis of Edsel in the front end styling? Don't hit me no more!!😖😖 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8E45E Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 I see more Alfa Romeo than I do Edsel. Craig 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George K Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 14 hours ago, 1937hd45 said: For swoopy cars of the 1930's this is my favorite, it was in the lobby of the Nethercutt collection when I saw it. Think its footprint is the size of a Model A Ford. (1) Nethercutt’s 1931 Bugatti Type 51 Dubos Coupe | Jay Leno's Garage - Bing video Nice looking but you need a Lilliputian chauffeur to drive it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 1 hour ago, George K said: Nice looking but you need a Lilliputian chauffeur to drive it. I wouldn't need a chauffeur, I'd be the chauffeur, with driving shoes. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimKB1MCV Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 Re the black and white photo with the blonde passenger, isn't that Dianna Dors, a '50s Hollywood bombshell? The top-down shot is lots more attractive. 😎 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzcarnerd Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 10 minutes ago, JimKB1MCV said: Re the black and white photo with the blonde passenger, isn't that Dianna Dors, a '50s Hollywood bombshell? The top-down shot is lots more attractive. 😎 She was English. and the car she is in has an English registration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzcarnerd Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 The view you rarely see of that bulbous custom stuff is the view from the front - due to them often having a relatively narrow track. and even though they are post war models they are usually on pre-war design chassis and usually fitted with 5.50 x 18 or similar size tyres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzcarnerd Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 6 hours ago, Rusty_OToole said: It's called the "Narwhal look" and had a brief vogue on French custom cars in the late forties or very early fifties. It seems the idea was to give the car a longer hood line and a long sweeping profile from front to back by extending the hood out over the grille a few inches. It is interesting the use of the term narwhal' or narval in French as the narwhal looks like this - They actually look more like a Beluga - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldcarfudd Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 Those critters who are about to be lunch don't look at all happy about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeC5 Posted September 22, 2022 Share Posted September 22, 2022 I prefer the Figoni et Falaschi take on this style but (ahem) I wouldn't throw this out of my garage... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George K Posted September 22, 2022 Share Posted September 22, 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3macboys Posted September 22, 2022 Share Posted September 22, 2022 12 minutes ago, George K said: I like the car, to me it looks like it is leaning into the wind. But picture 3 is still the winner in the beauty contest. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Man Posted September 22, 2022 Share Posted September 22, 2022 Pretty sure Graham crossed that bridge in 1938... again nicer looking car my book... and Supercharged... Hood ornament look familiar? from the movie Cars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBP Posted September 22, 2022 Share Posted September 22, 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted September 22, 2022 Share Posted September 22, 2022 On 9/21/2022 at 4:31 AM, wayne sheldon said: The French artisans built some really wild cars in the 1930s and even a few in the late 1940s. I think most people really love them, or hate them? I am not sure why, in spite of the fact they are considerably newer than the cars I really care about? But I generally like the crazy things. I sometimes wonder if part of that is my childhood. My dad was part owner of the second television sales and repair shop opened in the San Francisco South Bay area. We had tv very early, before all that made for television programming. So the cartoons I watched early in my life were the ones from the 1930s and 1940s! They often used classical music (my favorite music!), and poked fun at culture from the eras. Which included long curvy French cars twisting their way around corners. Every time I see one of these cars? I have images from those cartoons dancing in my head. And it makes me smile. My first thought when I saw this car was of something that I could imagine seeing in an old Popeye cartoon or the such! I love this car as a piece of rolling art. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted September 22, 2022 Share Posted September 22, 2022 (edited) I am always a fan of the odd and kookie. But I would not want to be tasked to change a tire on that thing. Or even check the air for that matter. Edited September 22, 2022 by JACK M (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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