Guest palosfv3 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Hi allJust thought I,d post a note. After 3 years the restoration of the Facel Vega is complete. To the best of my knowledge this is probably the only Facel in the states that has been completely restored within the last couple of years or so. It was built in 1957 and is a FV4 model with the 354/355 hp letter series Chrysler hemi. Were up in Chicago and will probably meet many of you this spring once the weather clears. Larrywgmauto@earthlink.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ZondaC12 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 OHHH yeah thooooose things. I didn't know a lot about them but I *think* they're French? And yeah they got the Chrysler Hemi. Somewhere I read they were pretty nice but LOOOOK at that interior.Wow. Gorgeous. That is a beautiful vehicle. 355 horses? In '57? That's some muscle right there! That front end looks ahead of it's time too. The stacked lights, first thought in my head is like mid 60s pontiac GTO or somethin'. Wow soooo nice.....I'll take one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 VERY, VERY, nice...........Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shop Rat Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 WOWWWWWW!!!!! I sure hope to get to see that at a show someday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom M Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Hi Larry,Awesome work. Hopefully you will get a chance to hit some Local Cruise-ins like Lemont, Downers Grove, Westmont etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Larry, Welcome to the AACA Forum! That is one heck of a way to make an entrance to the Forum! I don't think I've seen one in black, I was expecting to see a more common gold one. That thing just screams Pebble Beach. I've been told there is a garage here in town with four Facel Vegas in it, I should track down that lead. Have fun with that car! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ex98thdrill Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Nice looking car. Hey West, there's a good story for you.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shop Rat Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Now we know what you folks do all winter with all that snow. Get your vehicles finsihed.So ex98th, got that Valentine light display ready so you can finish your next project? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ex98thdrill Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Nope. Been working a ton of overtime now so I don't have to work it when the weather warms up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 So <span style="font-style: italic">that's</span> what Chef Skinner drove in Ratatouille! That is one beautiful car. Congratulations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Is the interior period correct? It looks at least 20 years ahead of it's time. Wow. Beautiful!!! Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest palosfv3 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Thanks for the kind words. I'm usually at one or two of the cruise nites every week in the SW Chicago suburbs, So I'm sure we'll meet up. The car isnt black , its actually a very dark maroon with a slight violet cast to it. The car was restored to as close as original as possible. The interior is in its original configuration but all leather and carpets have been replaced. It still possesses the original Robergel wire wheels ,alfin brake drums , and power steering . This may seem unnoteworthy but given some of the quirks of the Facels this one was fortunate enough to be spared from any modifications over its time.If your in the Chicago area I meet for breakfast every Saturday with a great bunch of car guys at Chuck's Barbque at 79th and Central, Burbank, Il. We usually average 10 to 15 in attendance . Their a bunch of early risers and get there at 7:00 am. I need to warn all they have a propensity to like traditional hot rods and customs but have a great repect for all things automotive.Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R W Burgess Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Larry, I envy your breakfast group. If only we could get the fellows down here on the coast to do that. Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitch Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 palosfv3- well worth the effort. Thanks for saving a truly rare vehicle.As a kid in the 50s-early 60s in St. Louis there was an exotic car purveyor that had Ferraris, Maseratis, Aston Martins and usually quite a few Facels. I found them alltogether quite ugly by comparison to the Italian coachwork builders but it grows on you and is so distinctive it can't be mistakened for anything else.Take some more pix when she is outside in some pretty surroundings! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 I have Facel on my "want" list. Your car is worthy of this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ZondaC12 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 WOW the four doors are nice too! I can't believe that too is a 1957!!! Look at that roof! 1960s right there!!! Boy they were ahead of their time. "Excellance" it sure is!!!! I don't know if I'd want a 2dr or 4dr they're both so beautiful!Hate to admit it but I think that 4dr would look MEANNNN with a set of 5-slots on it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argyll Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Hi Larry,A Facel Vega in the US (or even Canada), let alone the rest of the world must be one of the rarest sights on your roads I can think of, I do not doubt your comment about it probably being the only one in the US is correct. They are extremely rare over here and horrendously expensive to restore, and particularly so as my "bible" says they only built 205 of the "FV3 en 4". My hat's off to you, your car is a total stunner and I have absolutely no doubt it'll draw crowds wherever it goes.Well done, the quality shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 If someone had asked me about the European collector car I would most like to own, my immediate response would have been "Facel Vega".I lived in Salem, Oregon while attending Willamette University during the early 1970's, and often saw a locally-owned, black "Excellence" sedan cruising down State Street past the capitol building. The car was positively sensational, a real stunner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitch Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 I'd like a Cisitalia or a Pegaso. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest palosfv3 Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Hi west,Just checking in with you to see if you recieved copy of article along with cd of pictures. Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
58Packardman Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 Very interesting how the side windows overlap. I have never seen anything like it. This is a feat of engineering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: palosfv3</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hi west,Just checking in with you to see if you recieved copy of article along with cd of pictures.Larry </div></div>No. I have not received the package. Where and when did you send it? HQ is in Hershey, but my office is in Dayton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryJ Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 All I can say is WOW! The interior is a work of art. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Studemax Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Yummy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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