1948 Delahaye 148L Berline

This 1948 Delahaye 148 Légère is a right-hand drive sports touring sedan finished in black over a tan interior, with coachwork from LeTourneur & Marchand. It is the larger of two chassis offered by the French manufacturer following the end of WWII and features a 124″ wheelbase and independent front suspension. Power is provided by a 3.6L OHV inline-six paired with a 4-speed Cotal pre-selector gearbox. For the past six years, this example has resided in a private collection, though it was exhibited in the Preservation Class at the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours. This Delahaye is now being offered in Canada by a friend of the current owner with period sales literature, a service manual, and an Alberta registration. The 4-door bodywork is from LeTourneur et Marchand, a Parisian coachbuilder founded in 1905 which built a number of stylish bodies for Bugatti, Hispano-Suiza, Delage, Delahaye, and others throughout the 1920s and 1930s. It is reported that just 67 bodies were produced by LeTourneur et Marchand between 1947 and 1952. Front and rear side doors are both hinged from the center pillar, and brightwork is relatively conservative with narrow rocker strips and windows surrounds. Marchal head and driving lamps are incorporated into the nose. Overall condition is described as unrestored with small areas of surface rust, as well as evidence of prior patch and paint work. The car was last shown on the lawn at the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours, where it was entered in the Preservation Class and participated in the tour. The right-hand drive cabin is appointed with tan cloth upholstery, wood trim and window surrounds, rear armrests, pullout ashtrays, and a riveted steel-spoke steering wheel. A voltmeter has been added to the lower right-hand corner of the dash, and the radio is a non-original item. 56k kilometers (~35k miles) are shown on the odometer, approximately 150 of which have been added over the past six years. The 148L could be ordered with either a manual or the Cotal pre-selector gearbox seen here, featuring electrically-engaged gears. This was an option French luxury automobile manufacturers offered between the 1930s and 1950s. Gear selection for the 4-speed semi-automatic transmission is made with a delicate shift lever mounted on a stalk off the left side of the column. The 3.6-liter OHV inline-six was rated for 95 horsepower in standard trim with a single downdraft carburetor. Notable recent maintenance included a starter motor rebuild and a fluid change earlier this year. An electric fuel pump has been added, and the seller indicates that the rear leaf springs show to be replacement items. Additional lift photos can be seen in the gallery, and the seller’s video is shown below. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BXb2xhSNLvI https://youtu.be/1dcye5xvvf0