My particular interest lay in the 135 model that won the Australian Grand Prix of 1949. But I found the history of the company fascinating in itself.
The originator, Emile Delahaye, began production in 1894 but was to die just over a decade later. In 1901 he handed control of the company to his works manager, Charles Weiffenbach, who was to remain in charge until 1954... surely one of the longest reigns of a CEO in the industry?
Though they were involved in racing in the 'early-Hans' period, they gave it up in 1902 as racing cars became too specialised. They continued building upmarket 'passenger' cars until the depression cut in. Along the way they absorbed or formed alliances with Berliet, Unic, Donnic and Chenard et Walcker.
With the onset of the thirties, and the arrival of a designer named Jean Francois, they steered a new course for their carmaking, building relatively powerful and lightweight cars that were to set the scene with a 48-hour endurance run at Monthlery in 1934 at 107mph.
These platforms became a favourite of some of the coachbuilders, who set about creating Grand Touring cars that sold well. On top of that, returning to the circuits after an absence of over three decades saw the cars achieving well in racing.
As well as sports car events, they did, I'm sure, contest the odd open-wheeler race in a semi-stripped form. Can anyone add much to this line of thought?
It was in this form that John Snow raced his, acquired in 1938 during that spree that introduced a number of European cars to Australian circuits, for that all too short pre-WW2 period.
After the war he sold it to John Crouch, who won at Leyburn despite the presence of Frank Kleinig's 8-cyl Hudson Special. Kleinig had troubles, Crouch sped on and set fastest lap at 90mph en route to the win.
But the car missed the 1950 Australian GP due to a sale or impending sale in the wake of the 1949 event, and reappeared as the favourite for a win at Narrogin in Western Australia. This AGP was led initially by Crouch in a big-engined Cooper, but Dick Bland ultimately held the lead until he had to pit to lock his magneto on the correct timing mark.
Then came the trip home... and the end of the Delahaye's life in Australia... it's covered in the last section of this interesting Graham Howard overview of the problems and perils of crossing this vast continent in those days...
So, to conclude here, what have others to add about the racing successes of the Delahaye 135? Or of its failures?
And what was the 145... how did it differ from its stablemate?
