Post all!

I think this one is really fantastic. Could it be the same as the one posted above?

In spite of the texts on the photo's I think it actually is a V12, type 165

Yes,It's the same car! V12 under the hood Rob.

1937 135

Town car

175s

A pic of the car in its original state
Added another pic on 28 July 2011

I do not know which pic is first...

Delahaye Phaeton, I guess the same car as your first picture.

Yeah, this one

This month, I bought a very nice magazine in France called Automobilia (No98). 14 pages about Delahaye 12 cylinders: 145, 155 & 165 by Jean-Paul Tissot.
There's a chapter about the lovely roadster. So, i'm gonna try to summarise and translate it:

"Racing car chassis type 145 sold to a nazi collaborator during the war. He ordered the roadster body to Marius Franay. The work was done but the collaborator had disappeared and didn't pay for it. So Franay became the "owner" and exhibited it during the Paris motor show 1946. At the time, it was light blue with dark blue leather. In 1947, it won best of show in the concours d'elegance palais de Maillot with countess du Pouget. (It might be the 1st picture Rob posted) In 1953, french administration changed the chassis number to 151-53-75." Don't ask me why, typical from them! "1954, Franay sold it. Different owners and at one stage, the body was removed from the 145 chassis and put on a 135 one. Apparently, both, the 145 chassis and the 135 with Franay body are in the same collection in the US."

I might add some other stories in other topics because they also talk about type 145 coupe Chapron, type 165, Hispano H6, Tracta (1926-1931) and Lincoln Twelve. Only period pics. I can't wait for the next one in 3 months time.

PS I don't work for them . Unfortunately

Another Franay Delahaye at the "Salon de l'auto 1947".
http://www.ina.fr/art-et-culture/musees ... is.fr.html
Look at 1:00 min

It looks like a mix of the '37 and the '46 ones.

The same cabriolet under a new szsholid! and szshiny! coat of paint (It is to avoid rust of course)
The could avoid the colour scheme as well.
Anyway ready to show off
here: http://rossclassic.com/forsale/for-sale ... -by-franay

The Franay Roadster was built 1947 on Delahaye 145 Grand Prix #48774.
Later this Car was rebuilt as GP Car and the Body was mounted on 1937-Delahaye 135 MS #47.471 Chassis.

JoergD,

According to "Automobiles Classiques" july 2011 (Serge Bellu's article, quite a faulty one though), Franay's car is #48771
According to "Delahaye styling and Design" by Adatto, it is #48772-3
According to "Automobilia" april 2010 (article written by Mr Tissot president and archivist of the Delahaye Club), the chassis number has been been changed when bought in 1953 to #151-53-75. That is the only thing he is 100% sure.

So Joerg, where did you get that chassis number for the Franay 145?

I found it in the Net, but you can exclude #48.772 and #48.773, both Cars were rebodied in 1947 by Chapron. #48.775 was sitting for many years in the Reims Museum, with an Lecanu Body, later rebodied as 'The Million Car'. #48.771 is since many years in posession of Peter Mullin and only had the racing Body.
Final Car is #48.774 and the owner owns the 135 Franay Roadster and the 145 Racing Car.
The Problem with Delahaye Chassis numbers is known. Too much money and interests involved.
I got from one senior Delahaye Club registrar the Story about the Speciales. He sent me 4 Mails, in which the Ownerhistorie and chassis numbers are changed every time.
Would be nice, a Delahaye registry.

The problem with your chassis numbers is that you have 5 Delahaye 145, which is wrong. There were only 4 and one 155. The 155 was destroyed for sure after august 1948. So there's one # less. Which one is unknown.

Ok for #48772 & 48773.
But Mullin's race car used to have a plate with #48775 written on it. During the last restoration, they found 48771 engraved on some part so they decided that #48775 was from then on #48771.
I think it's very dodgy to give Franay's car a chassis number but if i had to bet on one though, it would be the previous #48771 which should be Sam Mann's car.
I would be very pleased to have AlvisParkWard's opinion on this topic.

About the Delahaye registry, the Delahaye club has one. But for the 145s, their history is very complicated.

Anyway, you're absolutely right when you say: "Too much money and interests involved"

Mullin and Mann, both claim the 'Million' Car. and Mullin owns although 135 Speciale #47.190, the LM Winner. Too sad that this Car was destroyed

Anyway is very nice to have somebody here giving chassis numbers on Delahaye. Please keep on.
Pleased and grateful,
Pipo.