Klingberg Auto Show

The 1954 Kaiser Darrin,  first fiberglass automobile ever made, will be on display at the Klingberg Auto Show on June 19th.  Designed by Howard Darrin, it was a sports car created to compete with the Corvette and preceded it by one month. This car featured the first sliding doors retracting into the front fenders. Its wheel base was only 100 inches and it was powered by a 161 cubic inch six cylinder engine. The very stylish but short lived Kaiser Darrin was in production only nine months and only 435 were made. Today, these sports cars average over $100,000 at auction. This entry is part of the Pray Collection.

Emile Delahaye began his automobile manufacturing company in 1894 in Tours, France. He continued to make very elegant automobiles and reliable trucks until 1954.

The Delahaye 135M  was one of only nine short-bodied models designed by French coatchbuilder Figoni et Falashi along with artist Goe Hamm. This is just one of two left in the world today. Present owner, Malcolm Pray, as a young man visiting the 1939 New York World’s Fair, saw this very automobile in the French Pavilion. In 1964, he purchased it only found out later that it was the automobile he saw as a youngster.

The Delahaye 135M has been honored at concours all over the world because of it beauty and elegance. FedEx Custom Critical Automobile Transport will be bringing it for display at the Klingberg Antique Auto Show in October.