1947 Delahaye Type 135 MS Coupé Sport
- Engine
- 3.2L straight-six with triple carburettors, 120–160 bhp
- Colour
- Dark metallic blue with silver accents
Chassis 800390 is a 1947 Delahaye Type 135 MS Sport Coupé bodied by Henri Chapron to the personal specification of Monaco-based racing legend Louis Chiron, who commissioned it in late 1946 and took delivery in 1947. Finished in two-tone blue with a red leather interior, it is one of the more historically documented examples of the model. The car passed through several French owners before undergoing a comprehensive ground-up restoration in France in 2012, and retains an extensive history file including original correspondence between Chiron and Chapron.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold €290,000 (≈ $319K)
- 1947 → 1952-07-01Factory deliveryLouis Chironfull documentation
Chiron commissioned the car personally, corresponding with Chapron about coachwork details. He registered it in Monaco under plate MC 715; period photos on file show him with the vehicle.
- 1952 → 1954Acquisition unknownSociété des Lames de Rasoirspartial documentation
Levallois-Perret, Paris-based company that held the car for approximately two years before the next private owner.
- 1952-07-01 → 1952Private saleGabriel Candapartial documentation
Acquired from Chiron in July 1952; ownership transferred again within roughly three months.
- 1954-12-22 → 1955-11-08Private saleMonsieur Moisescofull documentation
Retained the car for approximately eleven months before selling it on.
- 1955-11-08 → 1971-06-11Private saleHenri Roberfull documentation
Held the car for nearly sixteen years before passing it to the subsequent long-term custodian.
- 1971-06-11 →Private saleCurrent long-term ownerfull documentation
Owned the car for over five decades and commissioned a full ground-up restoration by French Delahaye specialist Paillet in 2012, including bodywork rebuild, new red leather interior, and repaint in dark metallic blue.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1946BodyworkHenri Chapron
Chassis delivered to Chapron's coachbuilding workshop, where a two-door Sport Coupé body with torpedo-style wings was constructed. Finished in two-tone blue paintwork with a red leather interior and a foot-operated horn fitted to the owner's specification.
Original coachbuilding commission; car was inspected and signed off in April 1947. Invoice totalling 550,000 francs (after a 100,000-franc discount) issued in July 1947.
- 1947Inspection
Formal Delahaye factory inspection completed and the car officially signed off as ready.
Documented by a Delahaye inspection note dated 9 April 1947.
- 2012RestorationPaillet
Ground-up restoration with body and chassis separated. The original Chapron wooden framework was replaced and rebuilt, a new red leather interior was installed, and the car was refinished in dark metallic blue with silver detailing.
Photographic documentation of the restoration process, including pre-restoration condition, is included in the car's history file.
Are you the owner of this car?
This car's public record is built from its auction and competition history. Register your ownership and privately add your own records to make it a verified Legacy Metrics passport — provenance that backs your car's value at sale and gives your insurer evidence to price against. Roy reviews and verifies every registration personally.