Amazing Delahaye 135 from 1936, 3 x Mille Miglia Participant

Delahaye 135 from 1936

The pre-war Delahaye’s were highly successful in competition at many events including Le Mans and Monte Carlo rallies. The 3.5-litre Delahaye 135 offered here was built in 1936 on the short (2,700mm) chassis (its dimensions correspond to the original). 

This lovely example with chassis number '47212' was completed in 1936 and was re-bodied and converted to its current 1936/37 Le Mans-style coachwork during the years 1970’s. 

During that period the car was owned by a well-known Parisian lawyer, Maître Milliot, a member of the Automobile Club de France, who owned several Delahaye’s. It was constructed to Maître Miliot’s order using numerous original parts acquired during his many years of collecting, and the car is currently fitted with a 103 J-type engine dating from 1938 and the famous Cotal electro-magnetic gearbox.

After two decades in Maître Milliot's ownership, the Delahaye passed into the hands of an amateur racer from Draguignan, France who used it throughout the 1990s. He then sold the car to a Belgian collector who participated many rallies and events with. He and his wife participated in 1995 in the “Coupe des Alpes”, they were participants in the famous “Mille Miglia” in 1995, 1999 and in 2000. Entrants in “Liège-Rome-Liège” in 1995, 1998 and 2005 and many other precious rallies such as Louis Vuitton car events. Numerous stickers on the car show the adventures of this beautiful car. 

This lovely example is executed in French Blue painted exterior and lovely light tan/beige buckets seats. The original bench comes with the car and is still there.

The car has remained in Belgium since passing to a friend of the penultimate owner and has been regularly maintained and exercised on national rallies when sold to the third Belgian owner. The car is since 2016 in current Belgian ownership who was also fanatic to do rallies with. 

The car is, of course, a very well-known car in the Delahaye Club and also in the Historical Vehicle Club Belgium. The car will be delivered with FIVA 1997 and FIA 2016.

This wonderful Delahaye is certainly not a “trailer-queen” but a car which has been driven with pleasure and enthusiasm. 

This Delahaye presents itself technical in very good state and condition and runs smooth, powerful and is wonderful to handle. A real driving pleasure for pre-war lovers and for those who want to become one. She is definitely not a “shiny concours car” but stands out in her beautiful colour scheme and her enormous power. The car is a real beauty and may not hide her age of 90 years… she has a charming patina, certain scratches and signs of usage. As the French say the car remains “dans son jus”. In fact, how a real pre-war car of this age has to be!     

Equipped with Jaeger instruments and a Halda Twinmaster rally timer adorn the dashboard.

The engine has been recently revised by a specialized garage in Belgium and the car is still in its running-in period.

The car comes with many files of its past, with invoices about maintenances and numerous receipts, photographs and correspondence dating back to 1995, as well as various magazine articles on Delahaye’s. 

The car is a blast to drive and ready for a new adventure!

Eligible for a wide variety of historic race and rally events.

Registered in Belgium on Belgian number plates.

Further details and information certainly on request!