October of 1940, Eugène Chaboud, the talented French racing driver, handed over his Delahaye 135 S Compétition Court (chassis number 46810) racing car from 1936 to a Mr. Grivelet, an important wine merchant living in Paris. It was subsequently re-registered in Paris under the number 3760 RN, where it would remain for the duration of Second World War. After the conclusion of hostilities, Mr. Grivelet decided to rebody his Delahaye. It was common at the time to use a high performance Delahaye chassis and drivetrain as a basis create new coachwork designed by one of the many great coachbuilders of the time. This testifies of the passion and exquisite taste of Mr. Grivelet, who commissioned the artisans at Hebmüller to build a majestic and unique 2-3 seater coupe with a sunroof and retractable rear window. A renowned coachbuilder in Wülfrath, Germany, Hebmüller were famous for important works on Mercedes-Benz 540 K, BMW 328, Packard in the pre-war era, and were also well known for their design of specific Volkswagen Beetle cabriolets. Enjoying his prized possession for many years, Mr. Grivelet finally sold this coupe in 1970. Passing to Jacques Vincent in 1973, the car was exported to Belgium where it remained with two subsequent owners, the second being Martin Braquet-Arens, who kept the car from 1979-1991. Sold to an owner in the Netherlands in 1991, it was returned to its native France several years later when purchased by the consignor, a collector of rare Delahayes, in 2011. At that time, the bodywork is removed from the chassis and placed into storage. Six years later, the consignor decided embarked on a light restoration of the body and fitted it to a perfectly restored 1948 Delahaye 135 M chassis and drivetrain, (chassis no. 800870). Delahaye’s 135 M engines have proven themselves for many years to be reliable powerplants, providing ample flexibility and responsiveness. This particular car combines the prestige of the Delahaye name with the unique coachwork from Hebmüller.
