Was Jakarta Delahaye a Figoni & Falaschi?

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Reader Rob Mellaart from The Netherlands recently showed us a photograph that really got us excited. The picture in question was taken by his late father who worked as a director for Philips abroad and who had a great passion for classic cars. He made this shot while in Jakarta, Indonesia back in 1975 and Rob remembers he was eager to buy the car, although he didn’t do that in the end. What a pity!

Information on the vehicle in question is somewhat limited but Rob knows it was a Delahaye, probably a type 135 of around 1938 but that's it. We can ad that it’s a short chassis car – perhaps a competition model? The body itself certainly does not come in your everyday style either. It seems as if the wings are meant to have spats, fully closing them in dramatic teardrop style. This would certainly give the car different looks. Is it a Figoni & Falaschi? The doors – or actually the lack of them – seems odd though.

Rob adds: “My dad would have wanted to buy the car but others came on his way and he had to choose. He found a Bugatti Type 37 in Singapore and a Spyker in Indonesia and bought these instead. The latter wore its original body when he bought it, but he got rid of it and had a new speedster body made. Many years later the car ended up in the collection of the Louwman Museum. When they found out the Speedster body was not the car’s original one, they immediately removed it and had a new one made in the style of the original! Fact is there was plenty to discover in those days!”

Like ourselves, Rob would be keen to learn more about the Delahaye his dad so nearly bought. So, to everyone - could this car survive?

Words by Jeroen Booij. Picture Rob Mellaart.

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