Delage 1.5 litre 1926

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Pete05

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Louis Delage committed his company to racing in secondary classes in the first decade of the twentieth century, and to Grand Prix racing in 1913, when his cars finished fourth and fifth in the French Grand Prix. Only a bizarre incident after a tyre failure cost one of his drivers victory - Guyot's riding mechanic jumped out before the car stopped and was run over by one of his rear wheels. Two of these 1913 cars then finished 1st & 3rd in the 1914 Indianapolis 500, but the more advanced 1914 Grand Prix Delage, with twin overhead camshaft, desmodronic-valve engines, and four-wheel brakes, was unsuccessful.
Delage returned to the Grands Prix in 1923 with a remarkable 2-litre V12, which developed to a competitive state through the next two seasons. That was followed by Albert Lory's superb 1.5-litre straight-8, successful in Grands Prix and later in private hands; Louis Chiron placed one seventh at Indianapolis in 1929, and in 1936 Dick Seaman drove one to several Voiturette victories. Delage abandoned racing in 1928 and after the company had merged with Delahaye in 1935 it's name was applied to sports cars which enjoyed some race success.
Delage abandoned their V12 for the 1926/27 formula. Lory designed a supercharged straight-8 in it's place. The engine was efficient despite its weight, with a one-piece crankshaft running in ten split roller races, while there was no less than sixty-two ball and roller bearings in the complete unit. It was installed in a light, flexible chassis, and in the 1926 version it's exhaust made the cockpit unbearably hot. Consequently, for 1927 the whole engine was turned 180 degrees. In this form it proved unbeatable. Louis Delage then sold these exquisite cars, which he had commissioned regardless of cost.

ENGINE

Configuration
Straight 8

Location
Front, longitudinally mounted

Construction
Cast-iron block and head

Displacement
1488 cc / 90.8 cu in

Bore / Stroke
55.8 mm (2.2") x 76 mm (3")

Valvetrain
2 valves per cylinder, DOHC

Fuel feed
Cozette carburettor

Aspiration
Twin stage Roots-Type supercharger

Ignition
Bosch magneto

Power
170 bhp / 127 kW @ 8000 rpm

Redline
8400 rpm

DRIVETRAIN

Chassis
Pressed-Steel ladder type frame

Suspension
Rigid axle, semi-elliptic springs, Hartford friction dampers

Steering
Worm and wheel

Brakes
Mechanical Drums with gearbox driven assistance, all-round

Gearbox
5 speed manual

Gear ratios
2.25:1, 1.68:1, 1.27:1, 1.00:1, 0.85:1

Axle ratio
5.20:1

DIMENSIONS

Weight
748 kg / 1649.1 lbs

Wheelbase
2495 mm / 98.2"

Track
1345 mm / 53"

http://petergiddings.com/Cars/delage.html

http://www.sportscardigest.com/1926-delage-grand-prix-car-profile/

http://www.supercars.net/cars/406.html

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/2940/Delage-15-S8.html
 
Last edited:
OP has been updated with background information, technical specifications and links to further articles including fantastic picture galleries.

Enjoy :)
 
From the years of drum brakes, leaf springs and when men were men and wore big trousers :D

Back then, you were the airbag...
 

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