During WWI, Delahaye manufactured military trucks, FN rifles and parts for Hispano-Suiza aero engines.

Two-bearing crankshafts were a feature of many Delahaye engine designs of this period, including one of its first post-war offerings, the Type 84, which was powered by a 2.9-litre sidevalve four.

The successor Type 84N gained a ball bearing crank before being replaced towards the end of 1924 by the Type 92, the 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine of which employed a more conventional three-bearing bottom end.

Recently returning from a 1,000 mile round-trip to the Angouleme ‘Circuit des Remparts’ races in France, this wonderful Labourdtette styled Delahaye Type 97 is in excellent condition throughout.

Having clearly been worked on by very skilled craftsmen and mechanics over the years, most recently a completely new stainless-steel exhaust system was fitted so the car is well and truly ready for its next custodian.

All in all, this car is fabulously evocative, wonderfully conceived and...