Museo Stradale

Dominic's Auto Museum
One man's passionate quest to survey finest motorcars in the world

This car is currently part of the Malcolm S. Pray, Jr. Collection.

Photographed: Saint Michael's Concours d'Elegance, 2008.

About the Name: '135' defines the wheelbase, which measures 1,350mm, or 53.1 inches—quite short. 'Competition Court' is a reference to the sporting origin of this shortened wheelbase, as opposed to the full length of a touring car. 'Figoni et Falaschi' signifies the collaboration of Giuseppe Figoni and Ovidio Falaschi, two French nationals (with obviously Italian names) who handled the coachwork in typically extravagant fashion. 'M' denotes the sporting triple carburetor setup on the motor, a 3.6 litre straight 6-cylinder producing a stout 120 b.h.p. at 4,200 r.p.m. Where 'S' is added to some examples, (not this one), the motor employs the hotter competition head, which raises power to between 140 and 150 b.h.p.

Coachwork: The best description of a Figoni et Falaschi bodied Delahaye is "rolling sculpture." Competition for the breed was difficult, particularly against Alfa Romeo, but a few victories did come their way thanks to the reliability of the Delahaye motor which, in its most primitive form, came from a truck. The coachwork, however, is reminiscent of anything but utility.

The story of such a fantastic car starts with the little metal tag on the flank, just ahead of the rear skirt. Look directly below the door handle and you'll find it. This tag is the result of a law suit filed by Geo Ham against Figoni et Falaschi shortly after the car's debut at the 1936 Paris Salon. Geo Ham, (born George Hamel), was an illustrator caught squarely in the throws of period art movements. His automotive impressions—which frequently ran in French periodicals—were faithful to the automobiles they depicted, but also indicative of stylization embued in concepts such as Futurism and Art Deco. Geo's claim was that the Figoni et Falaschi Torpedo design was a physical manifestation of one of his own fanciful illustrations. This claim led to a settlement that included a small tag that carries the name of Geo Ham, spreading the credit, so to speak, among a trio, rather than just among the partners of the firm.

Suffice to say, the car's popularity was not affected by legal claims; immediately, it was a cousin to that Figoni masterpiece, the Goute d'Eau Coupe—a sweeping icon of what was shaping up to be the most explosive decade in automotive history, both in terms of style and technology. European aristocrats and middle east royalty bought up the small batch of cars on offer, which peaked at around 30 examples for all variants. Very few of the original 135 M Competition Court Cabriolet cars exist today.

According to information presented by the Harguindeguy family, owners and restorers of the 2000 Pebble Beach winning 135 M, only 11 cars were built with the Geo Ham tag, with their dark red and light gray car and this soft blue and yellow car being the only two known examples remaining. The Harguindeguy car is no. 6, while this example, owned by Malcolm Pray, is no. 7. For contrast, a short supply of other pre-War examples can be seen on the concours circuit, although these cars lack the Geo Ham tag. Post-War examples of the 135 were actually bodied by a wide variety of coachbuilders, and (stylistically, at least) should be considered different cars than the pre-War versions.

Morphology: All of the pre-War 135 M and 135 MS Competition Court cars share strong resemblances. For the most general purpose, they are nearly identical. The three major cosmetic differences between these cars are the paint, the bumpers, and the dashboard trim. Even the two Geo Ham tagged 135 M cars differ in these respects. A lone Talbot-Lago T-150 C Cabriolet Torpedo was also built with similar coachwork, which car will be "on display" here sometime in the future.

One of the most striking features of the Figoni et Falaschi design on the Delahaye is the massive grille. From the front, the 135 is just a sea of metal slats—from bumpers to bonnet—flanked by the flowing skirts. While it's true a 1930 Cadillac Series 452 might put forth a face of no less prominence than this, the simple bumper treatment and fluid integration of headlamps into the skirts really heighten the presence of the Delahaye grille. In itself, the metal work is artisanal, a sculptural form that defines the shape of the bonnet section and, in turn, the longitudinal lines of the car.

Along the flank, the Delahaye seems to be a canvas for a study in the French curve, exhibiting an almost complete rendering of the designer's tool. The tear drop wheel skirts, which Ovidio Falaschi dubbed, "enveloppantes," and complimentary two-tone circular motif are probably the most closely approximated cues of Geo Ham's illustrations. Their swept back figure imparts forward momentum, while the fine circular line—almost caligraphic in form—hints at the turning wheels within.

Conventional running gear is exiled, while a stylized sweep molded into the body seems to establish that the curving panel lines of the doors and bonnet are merely design elements, rather than utilitarian necessities. Otherwise, the vast majority of the body's surface is kept clean; for instance, a subtle crease along the center of the back deck does without chrome, and only becomes apparent when you take the right perspective on the car. Another trick of design is the fitting of a trafficator to the bonnet louvre section. The Goute d'Eau Coupes weren't so savvy, with the trafficator fitted in the rear quarter of the body, just behind the door.

Compared to the Talbot-Lago, the Cabriolet seems more fantastical, what with the wheels completely closed into the body by shrouds of exaggerated rotundity. The purpose of transport doesn't escape the Coupe, while purpose itself is twisted about on the Cabriolet.

If we take Fernand Léger's words about the trajectory of form and function in the modern automobile to heart: "The nearer an automobile approaches its utilitarian ends, the more beautiful it becomes," then the Cabriolet Torpedo design on Delahaye chassis is probably the most beautiful car built to date, (theoretically, at least). To explain, Léger says "when [the car's] vertical lines, (which contrary to its purpose), dominated at its debut, it was ugly, and people kept buying horses... The necessity of speed lowered and elongated the car so that the horizontal lines, balanced by the curves, dominated: It became a perfect whole, logically organized for its purpose, and it was beautiful." The 135 M Competition Court Cabriolet, particularly with the influence of Geo Ham, is the true embodiment of this idea.

The Malcom Pray Car: Malcolm Pray has been widely noted for taking this car across the country and across Europe to shows and rallies (ensuring it's driven a bit), as well as giving the car prominence in his Pray Achievement Center collection, which he personally opens on tours for children. Mr. Pray uses the cars as testaments to hard work in life, hoping to motivate youth to drive themselves to success.

His own passion for this particular car has also been publicized, as he had first encountered it at the French Pavilion of a World's Fair shortly after World War II, (even so long after its construction the car was still a dynamic item). Decades later, the financial ability to indulge in the automobiles he so loved brought him the chance to purchase a Delahaye 135 M with Figoni et Falaschi coachwork. Only after he had taken delivery of the car and begun to research its history did he find it to be the same car he had seen as a young boy at the World's Fair.

Hence the Pray Achievement Center. This very car was his motivation—which is arguably a universal sentiment among youth. So, sparking that passion in others today doesn't seem boastful or outlandish, but rather generous. It's exactly the kind of thing you like to hear about the owners of these expensive toys—they not only give to history by restoring and maintaining the piece, but continuously use it and get it out in view for public enjoyment. That adds a component of stewardship to the unavoidable egocentric stigma of collecting. And that, I think, is social responsibility at work in the world of classic cars.

Sources:

Coachbuilt.com: Custom coachbuilder history.

"Motorcars of the Classic Era" by Michael Furman, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York, New York, 2004, p.186-189 - Furman is short on content here, but show's why he's the man in automotive graphic arts.

Ultimatecarpage.com: Compare the two remaining Geo Ham inspired Cabriolet Torpedo chassis here.

Suggested Reading:

"Delahaye Styling and Design" by Richard Adatto and Diana Meredith, Photography by Michael Furman - It's generally better to go with Furman's Coachbuilt Press books because they pair his photography with well written history, making the finished product much more than mere eye candy.

 

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