Vehicle Description
In 1954, successful French industrialist Jean Daninos realized a
long-held dream when he expanded the coachbuilding division
ofForges et Ateliers de Construction d'Eure-et-Loir(FACEL) into a
full-fledged automobile manufacturer. His glamorous new Facel Vega
was a distinctly French GT car with lavish trimmings and
sophisticated style. Chrysler provided their potent V8 engines and
robust automatic transmissions as FACEL lacked the resources to
develop engines in-house. The extravagant Facel Vega was an
immediate hit, and the list of prominent owners includes Pablo
Picasso, Christian Dior, Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire, and even
Stirling Moss, who preferred driving his fast and comfortable Facel
between races on the Continent. The next natural step from the
two-door GT came as a stately four-door luxury sedan worthy of
world leaders and captains of industry. Aimed at cars like the
Bentley S-Type, Mercedes-Benz 300 Adenauer, and later, the Cadillac
Eldorado Brougham, the Facel Vega Excellence was France's premier
luxury automobile. The aptly named Excellence debuted in prototype
form at the 1956 Paris Salon. This striking four-door sedan shared
similar styling to the 2-door model, but with sweeping, finned
quarter panels and dramatic rear-hinged doors that opened to reveal
a fully pillarless door opening. Technically, the Excellence shared
chassis components powertrain options with the FV4 and HK500,
albeit on a stretched platform. Production cars came in three
series, the earliest EX (11 examples, including the prototype), EX1
(133 built), and EX2 (8 built). Rarely seen today, the Facel Vega
Excellence is a fascinating alternative to more common luxury cars
of the era, with a unique, instantly recognizable style. We are
pleased to present this fascinating and unique Facel Vega
Excellence, chassis number EX8A. This car is the eighth Excellence
produced and is one of just eleven 'EX' first-series cars. It was
delivered ex-works to Jean Cavalier, a close personal friend of
Jean Daninos and President of Pont-A-Mousson - the firm that
supplied manual gearboxes to FACEL. On July 21, 1958, it was
registered as "7440 HE 75" under "Societe Metallurgique et Miniere
du Perigord - 91 Rue Jouffroy - Paris," the parent firm of
Pont-A-Mousson. Factory production records show it was delivered in
Isetta White with a black roof and black Vaumol leather trim. Since
Cavalier was such an important customer and ambassador for Facel
Vega, his Excellence was treated to several bespoke upgrades and
updates during his ownership. Records show EX8A was completed with
a Chrysler 300-C Hemi engine and automatic gearbox; however, it is
believed Facel Vega retained the car and updated it with a 4-speed
Pont-A-Mousson transmission. In December 1961, the car was
re-registered as 450 JL 54 and owned by Pont-A-Mousson, and at the
disposal of Chevalier. It is believed that EX8A returned to the
factory several times, as some of the features are from later
Excellence and HK500 models. Notable features fitted by the works
include a more powerful HK500-spec Wedge engine, with proper Facel
number TY 39251, the aforementioned manual gearbox, and HK500 disc
brakes with knock-off disc-style wheels. The coachwork was revised,
with squared-off wheel arches and unique decor trim pieces affixed
to the rear doors. Finished in Isetta white with a black roof, the
Excellence undoubtedly made a bold statement on the streets of
Paris and wherever else it took Mr. Cavalier on business. In the
late 1960s, the Excellence was sold to Mr. Mieck, a scrap metal
dealer who had rescued many significant automobiles through the
years, amassing an extensive collection which he housed in Nancy,
France. Correspondence on file from Michel Lorrain states he saw
the unrestored Excellence at Mieck's in the 1970s. In 1983, Mr.
Etienne Marquant purchased EX8A intending to restore it, though the
project never got off the ground. He, in turn, sold it to an
American enthusiast named Peter Phillips in 2007, who finally began
the process of restoring the Excellence. Today, this unique Facel
Vega presents in fine order, finished in its original color scheme
of Isetta white with a black roof and black leather upholstery. It
retains its factory-fitted Chrysler Wedge engine, four-speed
Pont-A-Mousson gearbox, disc wheels, and unique trim pieces on the
rear doors. The car is offered with with excellent paint,
brightwork, and cosmetic detailing, with period-correct touches
including proper Michelin X tires and Marchal Equilux headlamps.
The cabin is lined in attractive black leather that covers the
seats, door cards, dash, and console, along with matching black
carpets. The soft trim is in good condition overall, and the cabin
is faithful to original specifications, with correct
woodgrain-effect dash and a full array of Jaeger instruments.
Chassis number EX8A is a unique Facel Vega with a rich and
fascinating history, and it represents a rare opportunity to add
one of the most exclusive luxury motorcars of the 50s to your
stable. Offers welcome and trades considered For additional details
please view this listing directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/6982-1958-facel-vega-excellence-sedan/
