Tom McGouch, a car collector, has some exceptional models in his garage. At 62, this resident of Minneapolis, United States, is the proud owner of a Ferrari 166 Inter, a Pegaso Z-103 and an ATS 2500 GT, among others. He also purchased twenty-four Willys hot rods. Now he can boast that he got what he lacked: a great pre-war European classic. With this Made in 1937he got a small gem.

Delahaye like new

There is a beautiful story behind this car. About son Tom and his mother Jean. When the latter was diagnosed with cancer 5 years ago, at the age of 83, Tom made her a promise: “Mom, you will fight, and I will buy a pre-war car. We are going to restore it and take it to Pebble Beach. »

He turned to a broker who traveled the world in search of this rare gem. With this 1937 Delahaye 135 M Compétition, one of seven cars with Henri Chapron’s magnificent bodywork, it’s safe to say he succeeded. Its former owner is none other than former Renault Formula 1 team boss Jean Sage.

Admired everywhere

Despite the fact that he bought his car based on photos onlyTom does not regret his purchase for a moment: “I’ve been looking at the car most of the night”. So he paid $1.35 million (€1.2 million) to acquire and restore it: “This car can rival almost any pre-war French car in terms of timeless beauty and rarity. It is much sportier than the typical Chapron models of this era. I would never say that my car is more beautiful than Torpedoes. [Figoni & Falaschi Delahaye]. But for me, it’s a great balance between breathtaking beauty and elegant lines. »

When Tom received the car, he noticed that part of the body was damaged. The wood in the cabin was rotting, and there was a bad engine under the hood.

But with great patience and the help of his mother, he restored his exceptional car and drove it, as promised, to Pebble Beach, 3,000 kilometers from his city. And guess what? He won the first prize !