11 replies to this topic

[David Birchall]

A friend has a Delahaye that has some unusual anomolies and given the responses on the SEFAC thread and others I thought this might be the time to try to clear up some of them. The car was thought to be a Type 175 and had a Chapron drop head body in atrocious condition when it came to Canada some 30 years ago. The body has been discarded some time ago. The chassis has the features of the 175; DeDion rear suspension, Dubonnet front suspsnsion. Cotal gearbox and 4 1/2 litre push rod engine. The main difference is in the engine; it has an aluminium block! This is not recorded in any book or article on Delahaye. Also, the serial number of the car is 178-820-001. Any leads as to the history of this car/type would be greatly appreciated.

[GIGLEUX]

Fairly interesting David. Dubonnet front suspension and de Dion system at the rear, Cotal gearbox were the usual features of the 175 and also its weak points. Aluminium block? As far as I know Delahaye produced some of these blocks for racing purposes; they were used by Chaboud and Pozzi in their sports racing cars in the 1948-1950 period.

[dretceterini]

Very strange....especially with that S/N

Just a guess; maybe a prototype, given a series number 178 and only one car of that type having been produced??!!

The S/N appears to be 178-001 (have no idea what the 820 in the middle might mean)

[David Birchall]

Jean-Maurice, would the number 178-820-001 apply to the engine or the chassis?


Oops! this was posted before I saw dretceterini"s post above

[David Birchall]

Stu, I have seen the "820" included in Delage serial numbers of the time I think....

[GIGLEUX]

David, I don't know the 175/178/180 Delahayes serial number. I think your friend can usefully contact the french "Delahaye Club" (he can find them by the way of a Google research). I was said some years ago they have the "marque" registers. Maybe had he already contacted them?
Strange to find such a special engine on a stock 178 chassis!

[xkssFrankOpalka]

I worked on the 175 and 135s but only knew of an iron block

[David Birchall]

H Frank, was there a type 178?
I have wondered if that is the chassis or engine type.

[GIGLEUX]

Of course there was a 178 Type:

-175: 6 cyl 94*107 4455 cc 120-140 ch with one carb and 140-160 ch with three carbs.
wheelbase 295 cm Weight of chassis only 1150 kg Tires 6.00x18
-178: same engine but with only one carb. Wheelbase 315 cm. Weight of chassis 1190 kg.
tyres 6.50x18
-180: same engine with one carb. Wheelbase 333,5 cm Weight of chassis only 1220 kg.
tyres 7.00x18.

[David Birchall]

Thank you Jean Maurice, the reason I had to ask is that there is no chassis plate and the engine is stamped with the number. In addition to the aluminum block the engine has triple two choke down draft Solex carbs. The chassis was shortened to 103.5 inches by the present owner. The owner is away driving around N.America in his motor home and the chassis is in deep storage. I am going by memory-except on the number which I had written down.

[robert dick]

According to "Delahaye - Le Grand Livre" by Dorizon, Peigney and Dauliac, the block of the type 183 engine mounted in the type 175, 178 and 180 chassis was never fully developed, not standardised and was made either of cast iron, of aluminium or even steel. Some aluminium blocks were mounted in 175 "touring" chassis, not only in chassis intended for competition work.

[David Birchall]

Many thanks for that Robert.