At Pebble Beach Week 2006 on Thursday when the cars on the Tour d'Elegance rolled into downtown Carmel and parked on Ocean Ave. for lunch, there was a car there that absolutely captivated me. When I first saw the car it was as if somebody hit be from behind my knees with a chain saw. It was a turquoise 1948 Delahaye 175s Coupé (in actuality a cabriolet) owned by Ronald Benach, restored by Fran Roxas, and originally built by Jacques Saoutchik.
A lot of Figoni and Saoutchik's work was way over the top, and I love that totally extreme, streamline look. This had to be one of Saoutchik's wildest creations. Alex Finigan of Paul Russell and Company told me to build one and put a big block Chevy in it, so that's one of my new missions in life. I immediately considered building a copy of this car, and, yes, putting a 500 cubic inch Chevy in it. Of course it would be air conditioned, power steering/brakes/windows and convertible top. |
While we are still searching for a customer for this project, we are so enthusiastic about this car that the construction process has begun at Automotive Jazz (12025 Woodbine, Redford, MI 48239) where Todd Storrs is making a scale clay model. The model will be digitized and the design developed by computer whiz Sean Halpin of Halpin Design in Troy, MI. Water jet CNC cut plywood profiles and sections will then be supplied to the selected coachbuilder. These will be assembled into a buck, setting on one of our rolling chassis. Aluminum body to follow.
Price approximately $500,000 per car.
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