Worth The Effort? 1962 Facel Vega HK500
From 1954 through 1964 Facel produced some of the sharpest looking “executive express” cars in the world. Known first as the “Vega” and then the “HK500” (and eventually the “Excellence”) these cars were big, stylish and fast. This one has been pulled out of long-term field storage and is now for sale here on eBay. Bidding isn’t very high yet, but has not met the reserve as I write, either. The car is now in Cornwall Bridge, Connecticut.
You may notice the roof looks a little off-kilter. Actually, a good portion of the original roof has been cut away for some reason, and that is a replacement used panel that has been sourced to replace it. Those grilles will be hard to find if you are trying to restore the car. I think maybe this one is better suited for resto-mod duty if anything, but I’d like to know what you think!
Hmmm. That right rear is going to be a major problem as well. It’s certainly seen better days! It’s a good thing the panels are relatively flat, because I think you or your body person will be creating them from scratch!
On the bright side (ugh, I see what you did there, Jamie) the chrome and stainless trim looks pretty decent and mostly present.
Assuming for the moment that this is the original engine, it will be a Mopar 383 V8. Based on pictures from this car that Josh wrote up back in 2016, I think it is a correct type engine. But you have a long way to go before this car looks like that imperfect one — although even it was listed for $65,000 at the time! So what do you think — is this car worth restoring or refurbishing? Or is it just parts now?
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Comments
I don’t think I have ever heard or or seen one of these before. What was the difference between the Vega I and the Vega II? Why’d they build so few of them? The panels look aluminium…interesting they used MOPAR drivetrain.
Sorry for the questions, for some reason I like this car, unfortunately I think most readers would agree that it’s fate may be more suitable for parts.
@TCOPPS
I’ll try to answer your questions. First, you need to remember that these were hand-built cars that were (at the time) a heady mix of performance and luxury. Since nice ones usually sell in the $200k+ range at auctions, I’m guessing that some enterprising restorer will grab this one and begin putting it back together. It certainly won’t be an easy job, but these are very rare, desirable cars to a certain market segment.
What you see here is a HK500 – the middle series of bodies. This is what it SHOULD look like:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facel_Vega_FVS#/media/File:FacelVegaHK500.jpg
The early Facel Vegas looked like this and were powered by period Chrysler ‘Hemi’ V8s.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facel_Vega_FVS#/media/File:1956_Facel_Vega_FV2B_no56106.jpg
The Facel IIs were much more graceful, modern-looking cars. They used ‘big-block’ Chrysler engines (usually the 383) for power. Here’s an example:
https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/pa16/auction/lots/r144-1963-facel-vega-facel-ii
The Facel Vega was an ‘executive express’ that sold to the same market as would today’s Bentley Continental GT. Tastes, of course, change over time, but Facels were considered very elegant when new and the Chrysler engines provided both excellent performance and reliability when compared with the competition. If you arrived in a Facel, you had to be ‘someone’. Well-know owners included Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Pablo Picasso, Ava Gardner, Christian Dior, Herb Alpert, Joan Collins, Ringo Starr, Max Factor Jr, Joan Fontaine, Stirling Moss, Tony Curtis and several Saudi princes.
To all of you who don’t ‘get’ the styling and panache, you must not have been around in the ’50s and early ’60s. Facels had ‘presence’ and stood out as obviously expensive, exclusive vehicles when compared with most of the other cars that were on the road at the time.
In closing, I have to admit that, many years ago, a friend and I found one of these in a garage that hadn’t been opened in many years. It had some pretty large trees growing in front of the doors. We had to crawl through a window to examine the car, which was in surprisingly good shape. I can’t remember what the price was, but it wasn’t too expensive. We thought it over and decided that the Facel was too exotic for a couple of amateur restorers to attempt. I’ve lost track of that one, but if I ever remember where that garage is, I’m going back to see if the Facel is still there!
Thank you for sharing all that information!
Beautiful cars when restored. I’ve seen a few in dark colors. Maybe the roof originally had a rollback canvas sunroof instead of solid metal? Gotta source some better wheels for it than those rusty chrome truck rims! I hope this meets a fate better than death, but the talent pool of people willing to take this on is quietly disappearing. If the price stays low, maybe a budding craftsman will buy it for their canvas and get it back on the road again.
Tho any Facel in decent, driveable condition will bring in bank vault money, this one is too far gone to be resurrected. You’ll need a bank vault of money to get this one correct, and the value will be severely compromised because of the chopped top. I recall reading about another Facel that was converted into a convertible, maybe the extra roof on this one came from that conversion?
This one is best suited as a source of parts
No.
End of !
This would be great for a tv show. The fabricator could show off their skills reproducing the original looks of the car while making it handle better and increase the power and reliability of the engine.
Love the size, aggressive face, the stance and choice of power. I agree, it needs a Kindigit restore. You won’t see another one at a car show.
Had one a friend of mine bought it for a rat rod,it has the hemi it was an engine option for these that project hasn’t made it very far.
I think the Facel Vega writer Alex Cammus died in at 105mph in 1960 probably would have more useful parts than this carcass. And he hit a tree!
OOPS! I meant ALBERT Cammus; not Alex. my error.
As a french, I am impressed you know about this writer (and politic) who died so long ago. The crash was impressive (car cut in two, engine ejected)…most impressive : the 3 other passengers survived.
The Facel Vega vor sell here has lost most of its dashboard….too bad, it was really beautiful, all made of wood with lots of switches and readers. It is worth to spend a few minutes on line to see what a facel vega’s HK dashboard looks like, one of the best looking dash board, in my opinion.
The missing parts on this one are the textbook definition of unobtainium.
–As far as a parts car, the mechanicals being Mopar aren’t a problem but the rest——–! yes a skilled craftsman COULD remake the car but it would be a labor of love! This IS done to extremely rare cars, having a VIN and any additional parts is enough to make a NEW old car, It’s done with Jags frequently not to mention lots of Italian exotics. Ya gotta have SOMETHING to make it a car to start– that Vega is it!
This car will be saved, its to cool to scrap. One day we will see this on the lawn at Pebble Beach.
Somebody please explain to me why these are considered “beautiful?” ‘Cause to me they always looked like an awkward marriage of Studebaker and something-vaguely-italian. I’m going to get slayed for that I’m sure but these just never looked attractive to me.
@Lroy is right – I know how far gone this looks (is), but these are the kind of high-value cars that someone will buy for the data plate and the few salvageable parts and fabricate a new original.
So THAT’s one one looks like..at least kinda. Heard the name, but have never seen one before.
Oddly reminiscent of the mid-50’s 300 models.
Oddly reminiscent of the GM Biscayne showcar from the Motorama years. From the beltline up, and the rear fenders similar to a ‘vette.
rear axle looks like a Mk2 Jaguar item, worth a try at saving it if it stays cheap, what is the worst that can happen!
et al, Yes..It was Albert Camus that was killed in a FV..his publisher was driving…cause was (?) one of the wire wheels broke (?)…I was in France when the FV came out…I saw one convertible on the Champs Elyees…a beautiful French girl driving driving..oui la la ! FACEL…the company also did bodies for French Ford Comete/SIMCA/PANHARD…The company was located in Dreux, France of where I spent many a day…but I was driving a Figoni Bodied Delahaye Convertible Type 175..I just returned from “Epoqu-Auto” in Lyon France…fantastic…
Vive la Panhard
jpb
Hey Jim Bandy! Good to see you’re on Barn Finds too. Been a long time since we’ve talked.
And for all the B. F. guys here; Jim is one of the most knowledgeable guys around when it comes to French cars, be they regular production cars or the oddball ones too, especially Panhards!
It’s an historic exotic. But the costs to resurrect it will be extreme even though
the car has a strong upside. I have driven a White with Red Interior and the car
is as advertised, that is, a fast sexy grand touring machine.
It has lines ahead of its time. Gives me a feel of a Ferrari. Certainly would be a beauty finished.
From what I see a wizard with an armored truck full of cash could make that happen.
It will be much easier to accomplish if your last name was Leno.
It’s no doubt a fairly rare car. And Jay has as he states, more money than brains.
But if you’re working on a budget just simply turn the page and wait for the next car to appear. The chopping and the rust is enough to give me nightmares.
Because this one is going to be skyhigh when it’s done.
Would love to see it finished tho.
I’m probably an hour away, so if anyone is interested I could look at this and get you some pics.845-635-3662, Charlie. Looks cool but what a job to fix, you would have to make a lots of the parts yourself. Good luck to the new owner!!!
Cheers
GPC
I encountered a FV at the Berlin MB showroom while I was in the process of buying a used 69 220se and was invited to take the FV for a road test (they hoped I would take it off their hands and offered for the same price as the MB I was looking at – $2200) I drove it down the Berlin autobahn and around local streets and was tempted as it was so superior to the MB I was looking at; but the ability to maintain it was too much to consider. It, I think, the best general purpose car I had, or ever will, drive.
Worth the restore. Most desirable classic of it’s time. Goes with minks, pearls and summer drives along the French Riviera!
Most likely the only one I will be able to afford…..
for me there’s nothing like the 56/7 Lincoln and this car. There’s an Olds w/the ‘rocket 88’ that comes close but I lub, lub LUB these 2. I don’t have the dough but would say “Let no expense B spared. Total restoration.”
TCopps & grant – try this:
https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=facil+vega&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
(then goto the Lincoln too).
Having owned a ’61 Facel Vega Excellence, along with hundreds of other collector cars, I can honestly say there is nothing like a Facel in the automotive world. Certainly equal to [or better] than a Rolls-Royce – I’ve had several of them, so I know.
Someone mentioned the chrome trim on the car, however there is no chrome trim on a Facel, all those shiny pieces are stainless steel, either formed sheet pieces or cast & polished stainless, even the bumpers are cast stainless steel!
And concerning the dashboard wood: Those beautiful burl walnut panels are actually aluminum sheets that were painstakingly hand painted to look like real wood! So well done it often fools woodworkers!
I made a quip about to cool not to restore. Truth be told one morning in Larkspur CA. Most of the cars of The Marin Sonoma Concours d’Elegance were parked for coffee at EmporioRollie . First car I approached was this magnificent machine. The owner spent a better part of an hour showing telling and sharing. I know feel and love these cars.
Bill, thanks for sharing your expertise with us!
Bill M, did you show your FV at Hershey, Carlisle or Mt Airy back in the 1970s? I have a fuzzy Polaroid of a beautiful deep red one, with me standing next to the front tire looking all of 8-9 years old.
Alexander, Nope, mine was silver gray with gray leather.
The owner of this Facel Vega actually had 3 of them. You would not believe the other rare cars he had in his collection including a Cunningham. One of the Facels was almost complete, then this one which needed a lot of parts, and a third Facel that donated its roof for this car. The first 2 cars went to Spain in early 2019 and I bought the car that donated its roof a few months later. Im building a roadster out of mine. Mine has been stripped of too many parts to restore so Im building a resto-mod with a Viper engine. Im a retired bodyman who has built exotic street rods for years. My labor is free as I would rather work on my dozen projects than go fishing. I hope to have my Facel Vega at Pebble Beach in a few years. Then I might finally get around to finishing my 13 mile 73 Vega GT V8 conversion using a Mickey Thompson 302 Chevy with a Hemi head conversion. After that I will need to restore the motorhome I purchased from Grumpy Jenkins’ estate sale. I have enough projects to keep me busy even after Im in a wheelchair.
I just bought one in similar shape if not worse. And I’m looking at it thinking gloss black with a hell cat swap haha
Very cool! Viper swap sounds better and more elegant though!
Mike,
As a former owner of a Facel Vega Excellence, I can’t wait to see photos of what you do to your new cabriolet!
Bill,
Thanks for your reply. I have not made any firm decisions about engine choice or how I will perform the top conversion. For engine choice I’m considering a Viper or mid 50s Hemi engine rather than an original 383. With the Hemi I would use an original push button trans. With the Viper a 6 speed.
On the top conversion, IF I want to keep the back seat I will need to lengthen the body and frame 5 to 10 inches to make room for the top well behind the seat. That would take the wheelbase up to 110 or 115 inches. I plan to practice on a FV model car and see how it might look. The car might look awkward if lengthened and may look better if I keep the stock wheelbase. In that scenario I would need to remove the rear seat for the top well and hydraulic pumps. I do not need a back seat but it would be nice to retain. Anyone who has only seen photos of these classy cars is missing the beautiful lines and prefect proportions.
I have purchased a Dodge Dart convertible basket case for the convertible parts. The windshield is exactly the same width and the door glass and vent window are the correct length to adapt to the Facel door. The conversion will be challenging but I challenge myself with every project during my retirement. I do it for love not money.
I’m not a part of the Pebble Beach crowd but it would be nice to display my completed project and show what a street rodder can do. I would never have the time or money to win the Ridler Award but to be in the same company as those contenders as well as those in the Oakland Roadster Show would be great. I enjoy making new friends at the events I attend.
I would like your input as well as the input of others. My email address is [email protected] if anyone would like photos of the progress. Thanks
Hi Mike. Good to know that you are going to do something constructive with the Facel Vega. I had one to sell on consignment for a friend of mine back in the Nineties and it went for next to nothing because we couldn’t source a new windscreen. I think it would be great if you could post your resto pics on BF now and again so that we can all appreciate your efforts. I am a purist but considering the condition of the car now I can agree with your actions in making it a Resto-Rod. All the best with what appears to me to be a shed load of work coming up.