A rare Facel Vega HK500 car that has been rusting in a garage for almost 50 years is set to sell for tens of thousands of pounds.
The right-hand drive classic motor is thought to be only one of 96 models that were made for the UK market.
Originally finished in Brunswick blue with grey leather upholstery, the Facel Vega was first registered as “WO 2” on July 15, 1960.
It was found in a filthy state in a garage in North Wales where it’s been sitting untouched for 47 years. It will go under the hammer on April 26 at H&H Classics in Buxton, Derbyshire, and is expected to attract wild bidding.
Rarer models, like a Facel Vega Facel II coupe from 1964 have been known to sell for almost 300,000 pounds.
Mike Davis, a senior specialist at H&H, said: “This vehicle find is an absolute gem. 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.
“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.”
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 (an annual checkup of motor vehicles in the United Kingdom) in 1972 at a recorded 55,000 miles (88.5 km), the four-seater accompanied Silcock when he relocated to Flintshire, in northeast Wales.
It was bought in 1976 but was left in a garage following the new owner’s death.
The Facel Vaga HK500 model was introduced in 1958 to compete with the Ferrari 250 GTE, Maserati 3500GT, and the Aston Martin DB4.
Notable celebrities such as Pablo Picasso, Sir Stirling Moss, and François Truffaut all owned one.
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.
The rusting Facel will go under the hammer at Pavilion Gardens, Buxton, England, on April 26.
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