delahaye project

 

The 1936 Paris Auto Show Delahaye short wheelbase chassis/engine was recently sold at auction. This iconic automobile is representative of Delahaye best work from mid 1933 to 1939. Some of these cars are still considered among the most beautiful cars ever built – reflecting French artistic excellence. I’ve been working on a 1:5 scale version of a long wheelbase Delahaye from this time period using a 3d scan from an original car. The period photo above of the black 1936 Paris Salon Delahaye (chassis 47247, after it had been purchased by Ali Khan, who requested that the original orange and tea-pink color scheme be changed to black) was wrecked and rebodied, but the chassis as noted still exists. I’ve been playing around with the scan and built this 1:5 model in eight sections and then assembled into what you see here. I want to adjust the design for the short wheelbase and do an accurate version with proper door cut line.

My research on the French designer/coachbuilder Figoni et Falaschi has been very interesting.

“As Adatto reveals, it is believed that none other than Harley Earl approached Joseph Figoni after the war to come to Detroit and work in the GM design studio. Wisely, Figoni declined. No mention of this meeting was made in William Knoedelseder’s book about Harley Earl entitled Fins, although he pointed out that Harley went to the Paris Auto Salons every year. No doubt Harley was paying particular attention (not to do so would have been impossible) to Figoni’s Delahayes. Knoedelseder also quotes from a 1939 GM PR booklet, “Modes and Motors” which describes the relationship between the corporate designer and the ‘artist’. Although not written by Earl, it was believed the words reflected his thoughts. Wrote Knoedelseder, “The book told of the ‘artist’ who once regarded manufacturers with ‘thinly veiled contempt’ and thought of them as rough, coarse men whose sole purpose in life was to make money.” It describes how “The job of the designer is to bring together the science of the engineer and the skill of the artist.” It is unlikely that Joseph Figoni would have excelled under such circumstances.” -from https://velocetoday.com/figoni-on-delahaye-reviewed/