For as long as he can remember, Mel Jacobs of Houston, Texas has been love-struck by the coach-built Deco cars of France. More specifically, he has had a particular fascination with the cars from Delahaye ever since he read the story of René Dreyfus who won the celebrated “Million Franc Prize” for Delahaye in 1937.
Problem is that for the first 25 years of his auto-collecting-life, Jacobs hadn’t even made a single lap in a Delahaye. That isn’t to say we should pity the man. No indeed; Mel has had some pretty nifty buggies—like his 1965 289 Shelby Cobra with a factory comp engine, or his 1960 Jag XK150, or his 1973 Ferrari Daytona, as well as a bevy of Porsches, Mercedes, and BMWs too numerous to list. But nothing French, nothing Deco, and certainly nothing Delahaye.
No Subscription? You’re missing out
Get immediate ad-free access to all our premium content.
Get Started
