in the immediate aftermath of the economic depression that hat hit western economies in the aftermath of the 1929 wall street crash, price inflation had gone into reverse and the domestic purchasing power of the french currency had begun to increase. the mid 1930s saw renewed economic paralysis in france, however, and during the second half of the decade price inflation returned with a vengeance. the salmson s4-da which the manufacturer had adverstized in bare chassis form for 24,000 francs in october 1936 was priced, in january 1938, at 31,200 francs: there were equivalent price increases for cars with bodies fitted.