I owned a 1960 Right Hand Drive FACEL VEGA HK500 and drove it as my everyday car for some years, around 2012. It was the sports variant; with the Pont a' Mousson 4-speed all-syncho manual transmission, a dual quad-barrel carburetor equipped motor rated at 390HP, and 4 wheel disk brakes, along with delete power steering. It was a superbly elegant vehicle to look at and sit in but that Chrysler "Wedge" 383 had monstrous torque compared to the weight of the car - and, amazingly, was keen to rev too. Wonderful sound from the factory twin exhaust. Would give wild wheelspin in first and enthusiasically chirp the Michelin X tyres on up-changes to 2nd and 3rd. Went round corners pretty effectively too. The car was basically unrestored, but in sound well-maintained condtion.
A SA car most most of its life, I re-imported my HK500 into WA from NZ. Now in Queensland I think. It was the car featured on the Facel Vega stand at the 1960 London Earls Court Motorshow. When I got it it had lairy (in my opinion) chrome-plated rocker covers and air filter housings. I changed these back to the "correct" Facel Vega painted finish. However, I later found out that the UK concessionaire for FACEL VEGA would "tizz up" the engine bays of their show cars with chrome to make them more visually impressive under the bonnet - so the chrome accessory engine was probably how it was delivered new to its first owner.
I am selling a rare book about Facel Vegas on eBay at the moment "Grand Lux Sportif" by Martin Buckley. These books cost 600 GBP new. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/336030072672
A SA car most most of its life, I re-imported my HK500 into WA from NZ. Now in Queensland I think. It was the car featured on the Facel Vega stand at the 1960 London Earls Court Motorshow. When I got it it had lairy (in my opinion) chrome-plated rocker covers and air filter housings. I changed these back to the "correct" Facel Vega painted finish. However, I later found out that the UK concessionaire for FACEL VEGA would "tizz up" the engine bays of their show cars with chrome to make them more visually impressive under the bonnet - so the chrome accessory engine was probably how it was delivered new to its first owner.
I am selling a rare book about Facel Vegas on eBay at the moment "Grand Lux Sportif" by Martin Buckley. These books cost 600 GBP new. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/336030072672
