1963 Facel Vega Facel II

The Facel II was originally powered by Chrysler’s 6.3L ‘Typhoon’ V8 which could produce either 355hp when mated to a TorqueFlite automatic transmission, or 390hp with a manual. Later models were fitted with the even more powerful Chrysler 6.7L RB “wedge” V8. Standard equipment included leather seats, electric windows, Armstrong Selecta-Ride shock-absorbers, Hydrosteer power steering, and Dunlop disc brakes at all four wheels. The vehicle weighed well over two tons fully loaded and was capable of reaching speeds in excess of 150mph.

This Facel II is finished in red. While the red does look exquisite on this car, there are some problem areas worth noting. First off, there are waves in the paint. The waves can be found all around the car in various areas. As for scratches, there is one hairline scratch on the hood, and one in the driver’s door. There are also two dents in the driver’s door, and a chip in the paint on the passenger door. Next to the passenger door, there is also some bubbling in the paint. The chrome headlight covers, and rear-view mirrors would benefit greatly from some polishing, but they are not damaged. The wire wheels are clean, and the tires are in fair condition. Glass around the car is clean and free of chips and cracks.

The leather interior in this Facel II is red. The interior overall is clean but is slightly rough around the edges. One area with no flaws, however, would be the wooden dashboard. The wood used inside the car is utterly fantastic and is free of flaws. The gauges mounted within it are clean and easily readable. The white leather door panels need to be cleaned, but they do not look particularly damaged. The driver’s door did have some issues opening and closing, but not every time. The carpets in each of the front footwells fit awkwardly. The interior would benefit immensely if they were replaced. The leather seats are in good condition. None have any holes or tears, and they have only become lightly creased at best over the years. The headliner is tight but has one or two stains in the material. The rear seats themselves are in good shape, but everything surrounding them, especially the speaker in the middle, needs to be cleaned.

The underside of this car has plenty of dried dirt, but we are happy to report that there is no visible damage underneath. There is some discoloration along the exhaust, but the frame and leaf springs appear to be solid. All of the suspension components are neat and tidy as well. Under the hood we see more of the same. There is less dirt, but the engine bay overall is clean and nothing appears to be out of place.

Unfortunately, this Facel’s travels are a bit of a mystery to us. Using the documents available, we gather that the seller acquired this car around April of 2013. It is likely based on the waves and popped paint bubbles, that this car was repainted at some point. Whether red was the original color, or not, remains unclear.

Facel Vega was a strange company from France that made strange automobiles. Akin to Studebaker, they had a forward-looking eye for design that ultimately confused the masses. Although Facel Vega made some truly strange vehicles, the Facel II was the company at its peak. Wonderful styling separated the car from everything else on the market, and the roaring V8 underneath made the car surprisingly fun to drive. With roughly 185 Facel IIs ever built, this is the perfect opportunity to snag a great deal on one of the most collectible, beautiful, and rare sports cars of all time. For all these reasons we are confident that this Facel II will reach its $120,000 - $160,000 estimate.

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL BIDDERS

It should be noted that this vehicle has been on static display for a number of years and there is no history available beyond that displayed in our photography section.

We have not started or driven the car so cannot vouch for its mechanical viability or functionality. It will require recommissioning prior to road use and is sold ‘as seen’.



Please note that the title for this vehicle is in transit.