This 1948 Delahaye 135 M cabriolet is another of Artcurials barn find collection. This is one of just two known survivors of this particular model, and one of the few cars bodied at Faget-Varnet. Its a highly innovative design, as the auctioneers explain: The highly original bodywork created by Faget-Varnet resulted from its innovative design, which involved discarding the traditional wooden structure normally used in the manufacture of luxury coachwork. Instead, a patented metal frame was used, built out of 10/10 steel sheets. This method had several advantages : firstly, it produced a significant weight reduction of around 30 to 35%, allowing the finished Faget-Varnet cabriolet body to weigh around 460 kg, rather than 720 to 750 kg for the traditional wooden-framed version. Secondly, the whole car was much stronger, with the metal frame attached to the chassis at ten carefully positioned and flexible points. Also, the space inside the passenger compartment was greatly increased without the wooden frame. Finally, the same type of frame could be used for different purposes, for both a cabriolet and a coach, or a profiled cockpit. Up for grabs with Artcurial at its Retromobile auction in Paris during February, its got an estimate of €100k to €150k. Could you take it on?
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 13:00:01 +0000
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