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FACEL EXCELLENCE (Series I)
Country of Manufacture: France Vin
#: EX1B108
Model Type: 4 Door Sedan
Body Designer: Jean Daninos
Engine: Chrysler Typhoon 383 V8 (6270cc)
Horsepower: 360 bhp at 5200 rpm
Torque: 440 lb at 3300 rpm
Transmission: Pont-A-Mousson 4-Speed Gearbox
Suspension:
Front- Independent, double wishbones, coil springs, telescopic
shock absorbers, anti-roll bar
Rear- Leaf springs, telescopic shock absorbers
Brakes:
Front- 11.25 inch drums
Rear- 11 inch drums
Top Speed: 125 mph
History: Facel (Forges et Ateliers Construction dEure
at de Loire-Medallon) which was founded by Jean Daninos in
1939, began as metal forming specialists turning out metal
furniture and combustion chambers. After WW II, Facel moved
on to manufacturing jet engine parts, Vespa motor scooter
stampings and car bodies for French Ford, Simca, Panhard,
and French Jeep. With an improving French economy, these manufacturers
brought their car body production back in-house and Facel
was stranded with a large, idle manufacturing capacity. Founder
Jean Daninos, who had studied under Pininfarina, began to
plan a car of his own, beginning with six Facel Bentleys which
were built between 1949 and 1951. Seeking to fill the high
performance/luxury void left by the demise of Bugatti, Delahaye,
Delage, and Talbot, Daninos decided to build his own cars
utilizing a chassis and body of his own design and powered
by Chrysler V8 engines. Over a ten year period, 7 different
luxury V8 powered coupes were built, specifically the FV1,
FV2, FV2B, FV3, FV3B, FV4, HK500 and Facel II and the 4 door
Excellence that was built on an extended (by 20 inches) FV
chassis. Daninoss desire to build an all French car
was Facels eventual undoing and the production of the
smaller Facellia coupes and convertibles crippled the company.
Facellias were initially powered by Facels own
4 cylinder, twin overhead cam engine (built for Facel by Pont-A-Mousson,
Facels manual gearbox supplier) and while advanced in
design, these engines suffered from bad water circulation
and rigidity problems. These problems ultimately led to the
substitution of Volvo and then Austin Healey engines but the
expense of warranty repairs and with its reputation ruined,
Facel went into insolvency in 1964.
Production: Total Facel production of all types amounted
to just 3033 examples. Only 152 Excellences were built
in 2 series. This car is a Series 1 Excellence of which 144
were built. These Series 1 models featured a wraparound, dogleg
windshield and subtle tail fins. This particular car has the
very rare Pont-a-Mousson 4 speed gearbox option mated to the
more powerful, 360 horsepower engine with 2 four-barrel carburetors
(versus 335 horsepower and 1 four barrel carburetor found
in the automatic transmission cars). There were 8 less dramatic
Series II cars built and these came with a flat windshield
and a plain rear end with truncated tail fins.
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