Tag Archives: 135

Balls Of Steel – Delahaye 135 CS

Today’s featured car is a Delahaye 135 was first registered in the UK on the 24th of March 1938. It appears to be a short wheel base CS version fitted with similar body work to the Competition Special which Eugène Chaboud and Jean Trémoulet drove to victory over the sister 135 CS driven by Gaston Serraud and Yves Giraud-Cabantous in the 1938 Le Mans 24 Hour race.

This car is fitted with a 3557 cc / 217 cui straight six motor that in it’s highest state of tune, with three carburetors, produces around 160 hp.

Delahaye 135, Sir Ralph Robbins, VSCC, Prescott,

The man seen driving this car at the VSCC Prescott meeting a couple of years ago is Sir Ralph Robin, an unsung hero of British Industry who joined Rolls Royce as an Engineer from Imperial College as a graduate apprentice in 1955.

When he retired from Rolls Royce in 2003 he was the companies longest serving employee and had risen all the way to the Chairpersonship 11 years earlier.

He helped turn the company around from a troubled nationalised enterprise in 1971 to a privatised world leader in it’s field by 1987, his deals with Cathy Pacific in 1979 and billion dollar deal with American Airlines in 1988 helped secure a future for British manufacturing for decades to come.

His CEO Sir John Rose once pithily described Sir Ralph as having “balls of steel”.

Thanks for joining me on this “Balls Of Steel” edition of ‘Gettin a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a closer look at the car in front. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Continental Elegance – Delahaye 135 Competition #46864

Photographs of today’s featured car, a Delahaye 135 Competition, come courtesy of Geoffrey Horton from February’s Dessert Classic Concours d’Elegance.

Delahaye 135 Competition, Dessert Classic C d'E

The 135 Competition chassis was designed as a road car, this one has a Figoni & Falaschi body originally built in 1936. at least half a dozen French Coachworks offered bodies for the 135 chassis so no two are exactly alike.

Delahaye 135 Competition, Dessert Classic C d'E

Underneath the striking bodywork the 135 featured independent front suspension and 120 hp 3.6 litre / 217 cui six cylinder motor.

Delahaye 135 Competition, Dessert Classic C d'E

Variations of the 135 chassis recorded victories 1935 Coupe des Alpes, 1937 Monte Carlo Rally and 1938 Le Mans 24 Hours events.

Delahaye 135 Competition, Dessert Classic C d'E

Between 1935 and 1938 it is believed 453 Delahaye Competition chassis were built.

My thanks to Geoffry Horton for sending me his photo’s of this magnificent vehicle.

Thanks for joining me on this ‘Continental Elegance’ edition of ‘Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres’ I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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