Benoit has posted a car that has never graced our pages as a curbside find. It’s a 1963 or 1964 Facel Vega III, the compact of the family, and the last one to bear that storied name. Its predecessor, the Facellia, was mortally damaged by its troublesome Pont-à-Mousson 1.6 L DOHC four, so it was renamed and re-engined with the robust Volvo B1800 twin carb unit. Tatra87 has written up the full sad tale here.
Facel’s attempt to move into a lower segment of the market was a disaster, and directly led to its demise. Its large Chrysler V8 powered cars had made it famous in the 1950s, but the time they were a-changing. And Facel was not able to make the change. But the Facel Vega III is a delightful car to look at, even if its Volvo engine wasn’t quite as refined as its exterior.
Frankly, by 1963 its exterior was starting to look a wee bit aged. It was of course riding on the coat tails of its illustrious big brother, the Facel Vega II, which we covered here.
More on the subject:
The French Deadly Sins: Facel-Vega Facellia T87
I think it looks great .
-Nate
Looks like the abridgment lost something in translation; certainly the FV II is a classic to start from, and I wonder what the interior looks like in the III.
The side profile looks like a more angular Studebaker Lark. Also I think in the US Pont-à-Mousson is best known as the place Snoopy sneaked past after he was shot down by the Red Baron. (at least in my Viewmaster set)
The only Pont-a-Mousson I remember is the 4 speed transmission that was put in a few Chrysler 300Fs.
That’s gorgeous.
Only ever encountered one of these in the Hershey Car Corral for sale a few years ago. It was a rundown example, looking quite sad and diminished, like a shadow of its illustrious former self. Later there was a Facelia which was even sadder.
That’s a beautiful little car. Wow. Lovely color too.
The linked story from TATRA87 is quite something. It seems like nearly everything that could have gone wrong with Facel-Vega did go wrong. Sad.
I don’t know exactly where that is in France, but Benoit comes up with some amazing finds just street parked in that same section of parking spots over and over in the CCohort. Well done once again!
That’s a funky car your never going to mistake for a different maker. Those dual over under headlights look marvelous.
What Studebaker and Packard should have done in 1958.
The plates are mingin’.
I wonder if it’s possible to opt for old black & silver plates in France, as in the UK?