1937 Talbot 105 Darracq, Once Held Together With Cable Ties, Is Now a Gorgeous Champion

Charlie Elliott was just 27 years old when he saw a 1937 Talbot BI 105 Darracq Airline Saloon coming up for auction, with what seemed like a suspiciously low asking of just £30,000 ($37,300 at the current exchange rate). It was a low estimate, considering a decent Talbot changes hands for around £100,000 ($124,500), and it was immediately justified by the condition in which the vehicle presented itself.

This wasn't just any Talbot Darracq: it was a project Talbot that was held in place with cable ties for the auction photos, which alone was a clear indication of the amount of work – and money – needed to put it back together again. Elliott did it, with help from his friend and now partner Jake Newman, over the course of six long years.

In the end, they "took on the world – and won!" Elliott says.

He also brought to life a great love story, with a secure spot in the Hall of Fame of the greatest love stories of all time, right there next to Jack and Rose on the Titanic, Michael Knight and KITT, and Bo and Luke and General Lee. He also paid a most touching tribute to his maternal grandfather, a passionate Talbot collector and restaurateur, and the man who inspired him to dream of one day owning what he called "the greatest car in the world," the Talbot 105.

This 1937 Talbot is the physical representation of unlimited passion and drive, and whatever motivation you needed today to not give up on your dreams. In the summer of 2023, it was named third in class (European Classic Sport) at the Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance, which Elliott, now a certified restaurateur, still jokingly describes as the Oscars for vintage and classic cars.

The Talbot B1 Airline Saloon by Darracq was introduced in 1935 at the London Motor Show and stood out for its aerodynamic profile and lowered chassis. Under the hood was a high-revving 3-liter straight-six engine paired with a Wilson pre-selector transmission. The Saloon had all-around leaf-spring suspension, large drum brakes, and Luvax adjustable dampers.

Only 97 Talbot Darracq BI 105s were produced, and this one spent more than a fair share of time in complete neglect, just surviving. Elliott explains the decision to buy it even though it was a mere shadow of its former self by fondly recalling how his granddad and granduncle would "cart" him across Europe to vintage car shows as a kid and how the former would keep photos of Talbots all around his garage.

Call it predestination if you want, but Elliott knew he would buy the car and didn't waste too much time thinking how he'd go about the restoration – though, admittedly, his heart did skip a beat when he saw articles in the local media saying he'd thrown this much cash on trash.

Elliott bid for the vehicle and won and then set to work with Jake. Eventually, to gather funds for the restoration, which ended up lasting more than six years, they set up HSC Automotive, buying second-hand cars, restoring them, and reselling them for a small profit.

He'd always been passionate about cars, but this kind of work was not something he'd been faced with before – or properly prepared for. He recalls arriving to pick up the car and seeing a man throw pieces of wood onto the pile that was the "car," and him thinking he had no idea where they once belonged. But he got the engine running in two days and then worked almost daily on bringing the car back to its former glory.

The project included consulting and working with specialists – restorers, metalworkers, and woodworkers. It included doing work by hand, watching video tutorials, and then putting in extra work for the side projects that funded this project.

It all paid off in the end, and not just because the car was recognized at Pebble Beach in its class. Elliott had always dreamed of being invited to the prestigious event, and having the Talbot in the Tour D'Elegance and "not miss a beat" was the cherry on the cake.

Today, his '37 Talbot is estimated at around £500,000 ($622,400), which is more money than he put into it. Not that he's ever named an exact figure for the restoration process – that's not a very gentlemanly thing to do. But Elliott tells one British publication, ironically the same that clamored he'd wasted his loaned money on "trash," that he probably wouldn't sell it even if someone came along with that amount in their back pocket.

For Elliott, this Talbot Darracq is more than a rare car or even a fully restored example of a model that was considered the pinnacle of the 105 Series. It's love. And you can't put a price on that.

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