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Rare Facel Vega ‘garage find’ heads to auction

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Published
04/23/2023 by

A rare, right-hand drive 1960 Facel Vega HK500, which has been tucked away in a north Wales garage for almost 50 years, is going under the hammer with ‘no reserve’ at H&H’s classic car auction on 26 April at The Pavilion Gardens, Buxton.

Originally finished in Brunswick Blue with Grey leather upholstery, the same combination it pleasingly sports today, the Facel Vega was first registered as ‘WO 2’ on 15 July 1960. Supplied new to W.E. O’Shay Esq. of the car accessories giant Magnatex, the HK500 later belonged to Londoner Kevin Silcock Esq. Last MOT tested during 1972 at a recorded 55,000 miles, the four-seater accompanied Mr Silcock when he relocated to Flintshire that August. In need of some TLC by the time that it entered the current (deceased) ownership in 1976, the Grand Routier has been kept garaged for the past five decades.

“This vehicle find is an absolute gem,” comments Mike Davis, senior specialist, H&H Classics. “To find such a complete car tucked away in a garage for such a long period of time is a very special moment. Further adding to its appeal, both rare and stylish in equal measures, this right-hand drive ‘HK1’ has the makings of an incredibly rewarding project.”

Originally introduced in 1958, the most famous of the various Facel Vaga models, the HK500, was originally designed to compete in the same league as the Ferrari 250 GTE, Maserati 3500GT and the Aston Martin DB4 and was parked in the garages of notable celebrities such as Pablo Picasso, Sir Stirling Moss and François Truffaut. One of the fastest cars of its generation, Autocar found a manual HK500 to be capable of 0-60mph in 8.4 seconds, 0-100mph in 19.1 seconds and a theoretical 140mph.

“Having spent so much of its life hidden away, the HK500 has lost none of its allure and would make a great alternative buy for those who consider a comparable Ferrari or Aston Martin ‘too mainstream’. Being such a complete example and coming to auction with ‘no reserve’, we look forward to seeing a considerable level of interest in this rare and highly collectible lot,” concludes Davis.

The classic, collector and performance car auction takes place at Pavilion Gardens, Buxton, on 26 April, with viewing available on Tuesday 25 April from 12pm. Bidding can be done in person, online or via telephone. To view the lot details for the Facel Vega, click here, or for more information about the upcoming auction, visit www.handh.co.uk.

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