In 1946, Talbot Lago introduced its new T26 Record chassis, a direct development of the prewar T150. The powerful Grand Sport chassis, with an alloy-headed 4.5-liter straight-6 engine, was added to the lineup two years later. A total of 36 Grand Sport chassis were constructed, and several were built as pure racing cars. The T26C claimed Talbot Lago’s biggest victory, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1950. This particular T26 GS (chassis 110105), with an extensive racing history that includes five starts at Le Mans from 1949 to 1953, is perhaps the most famous of all. This car also participated in numerous races and rallies in the hands of its first owner, Andre Chambas. He bought the chassis and took it to the little-known coachbuilder Contamin, who crafted this lightweight coupé body. The car was re-bodied as an open barchetta for much of its racing career, but when that concluded Chambas put the original coupé back in place.
The first Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport was built in 1948 following Anthony Lago’s decision to produce an exclusive road-going sports chassis that could be bodied by the few surviving postwar European coachbuilders. The first of these magnificent chassis was shown at the 1948 Paris Auto Salon. This Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport (chassis 110103), built by Joseph Figoni for the Paris Auto Salon, is one of 26 surviving Grand Sports. Its first owner, Mr. Fayolle, was known as the “Zipper King,” and for this reason there is a string of horizontal chrome strips above the center headlight, making this car the only one in the world with a zipper on the hood! Nothing more is known of the car’s early history in France or how it came to the United States, but it resurfaced in the Los Angeles area in March 1960, when it was acquired by Lindley Locke. After just a few years, the Talbot was put into storage, where it remained for 47 years. Mr. Locke’s widow started a restoration in 2011, but was unable to complete it. In 2015 its current owner acquired the car and finished the project.
Built between 1948 and 1953, the Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport with its powerful 6-cylinder engine was the last of Talbot’s great coachbuilt cars. Just 36 Grand Sports were constructed on Talbot’s short chassis, and each one was unique. This particular T26 Grand Sport is the only one bodied by the coachbuilder Pennock in The Hague. In fact, it was the last body built by the Dutch company before it closed down in 1952. The chassis was ordered by amateur racing driver Maneer Reichmann, who specified several modifications suitable for rallying, including uprated suspension and a sports gearbox. After the body was completed, the car was shown by Pennock at the 1952 Amsterdam Motor Show just before Reichmann entered it in Holland’s famous Tulip Rally. Its later history is not known, but the car spent over 40 years in the United States before returning to the Netherlands in the late 1990s. In 2006 it made its first public appearance in many years at the Dutch Concours d’Élégance Paleis Het Loo, where the car won best in class.
Built between 1948 and 1953, the Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport with its powerful 6-cylinder engine was the last of Talbot’s great coachbuilt cars. Just 36 Grand Sports were constructed on Talbot’s short chassis, and each one was unique. This particular T26 Grand Sport is the only one bodied by the coachbuilder Pennock in The Hague. In fact, it was the last body built by the Dutch company before it closed down in 1952. The chassis was ordered by amateur racing driver Maneer Reichmann, who specified several modifications suitable for rallying, including uprated suspension and a sports gearbox. After the body was completed, the car was shown by Pennock at the 1952 Amsterdam Motor Show just before Reichmann entered it in Holland’s famous Tulip Rally. Its later history is not known, but the car spent over 40 years in the United States before returning to the Netherlands in the late 1990s. In 2006 it made its first public appearance in many years at the Dutch Concours d’Élégance Paleis Het Loo, where the car won best in class.
Built between 1948 and 1953, the Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport with its powerful 6-cylinder engine was the last of Talbot’s great coachbuilt cars. Just 36 Grand Sports were constructed on Talbot’s short chassis, and each one was unique. This particular T26 Grand Sport is the only one bodied by the coachbuilder Pennock in The Hague. In fact, it was the last body built by the Dutch company before it closed down in 1952. The chassis was ordered by amateur racing driver Maneer Reichmann, who specified several modifications suitable for rallying, including uprated suspension and a sports gearbox. After the body was completed, the car was shown by Pennock at the 1952 Amsterdam Motor Show just before Reichmann entered it in Holland’s famous Tulip Rally. Its later history is not known, but the car spent over 40 years in the United States before returning to the Netherlands in the late 1990s. In 2006 it made its first public appearance in many years at the Dutch Concours d’Élégance Paleis Het Loo, where the car won best in class.
