Rétrospective Rétromobile - ironically “Anticipated” — Part 1/4


© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

© 2020 John Godley

 

Part 1

Note:
This prelude was written in late January, with much anticipation of a hastily planned trip to France.
John Godley, June 2020.

Even before confirming event arrangements, or working out a travel plan, I was looking forward to a unique opportunity for viewing cars very seldom seen in the British Isles, in particular, those which hadn’t been produced for several decades. I had hoped to see a certain model on previous French trips, but none of them were ever present. On this occasion, however, I knew that not one but a pair were due to be auctioned, by two different companies in their sales on the Wednesday and Thursday of my impending visit to Paris.


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These were made by the celebrated French motor company Facel Vega, begun in 1949 by Jean Daninos and which ceased to trade, as a manufacturer, in 1965. I had seen various versions of the large Chrysler V8 motored 2 door coupés, but I had never seen with my own eyes the four-door saloon, most certainly a very grand limousine in its day. Facel Vega itself was in prestige European company, alongside vehicles of the highest calibre, such as the biggest Mercedes-Benz, Bentleys and Rolls-Royces of the era, and what could be more appropriate a title for this model, than ‘Excellence’? The unique aspect of this particular design was the fact that it had forward facing rear doors, effectively making a ‘clap-hands’ sort of middle entry given the absence of any central pillar. They were synonymous with sometimes being unable to have both sets of doors closed properly, given the structural rigidity of the chassis was perhaps less than optimum, without the support of a middle strut connecting floor to roof.

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However, I’d never seen any of these particular cars myself, even though in the years prior to this forthcoming French visit, whether in Paris, Le Mans, Bordeaux and other parts of the country, a few had previously been in occasional evidence; either for sale, perhaps exhibited by the Facel Vega Club, or present at major domestic car events. Now was my chance to view at least one for the very first time. In addition to the three main auction houses with major sales: Artcurial of Paris, RM Sotheby’s (headquartered in Canada) and Bonhams of London, there were two other such representatives in the five-day classic car festival that is Rétromobile. Firstly, Gooding and Co., another big north American auctioneer were, for the first time, present in Europe. This was prior to their sale in London of the unique private collection of Hubert Fabri, comprising just sixteen of his most eclectic and valuable examples of both race and road-going cars.

Then, only a couple of days before departure, did I realise that there were other Facel Vegas coming out of long-term storage and ready for restoration and potential new owners. These to be offered by ‘AuctionArt’, and not having ventured out on public roads for thirty or forty years. They included a pair of the most elegant Facel II (or HKII), built between 1960 and 1964 of which only 184 examples had been made (most residing in France) and, like all Facels, a significant proportion of them no longer in existence. This pair were actually photographed side by side in a Parisian underground carpark. Individually, they were an early version of the production line (the 21st), plus one of the last to be built (the 177th). These, in company with two Facel IIIs, the smaller Volvo-engined coupés, one of which was a metal roofed fixed head and the other a cabriolet with a soft top.  This quartet was to be auctioned with a few more ‘lots’ of Facel parts and body panels at the Hotel Mercure, a short distance away from the Porte de Versailles, where Rétromobile and the Artcurial auction were actually located. 

Added to this, Bonhams were also selling a large two door FV2 from 1956, one of only 30 produced of that type. So, there was much anticipation in my mind before leaving, that Facel Vega in general would feature prominently in my collection of photos gathered during Rétromobile and associated auctions.

Another iconic symbol of French design I hoped to see, enabling me to reminisce about my inaugural visit to Paris, as a very small boy with my parents in the 1970s, was the potential to come across some Citroën DSs. I’d seen many of the Chapron special design coupés and cabriolets at a previous recent Rétromobile but, on this trip ahead, it would just make a nostalgic reminder of the bygone age, if a ‘resting’ Citroën DS was parked on an ordinary Parisian street. And especially where the pneumatic suspension had gradually descended to its lowest point, given the number of hours the car had been parked and, oh so gently, settled down on its haunches. Then the ground clearance would only be a matter of only three or four inches from the road. I’d hoped to view that sight just on my ordinary travels, while ambling along miscellaneous city boulevards or back streets…  And now, I’ve been, so:

Rétromobile 2020 - ‘Deux Marques Natives’

As winter warmed to spring, the world found itself radically changed with regard to what freedoms human beings still have and the restrictions placed on our lives. However, perhaps a good time to remember the positives - and there were some really good positives - from my visit to Paris back in early February where the quest to find some typical French classics - most notably from Citroën and Facel Vega - took on several unexpected turns, and ultimately some surprises. A sense of wonder at reliving a childhood memory and finally finding cars for which I’d been searching, yet never seen before. In the latter case it fitted the proverbial phrase, ‘none for hours (or in my case, ever) and then three appear at once’ just like London buses.

So, first of all, to get my bearings on the initial preview evening at Rétromobile, I perused a few leading stands, specifically of premier league exponents, in terms of industry reputation. Most notably the ‘three wise men’ (certainly from a UK perspective), they being Simon Kidston, Gregor Fisken and Max Girardo, but I took my leave of their hospitality given that between them they indeed had many fine cars to offer, but none from the French marques for which I was particularly searching, at that time. I headed over to the Artcurial auction arena where several thousand square feet of space had been allocated to 130 cars, with designated areas for miscellaneous memorabilia and other desirable auction lots. I’ll go through some of those highlights in another article, but my initial quest was to find a Facel Vega Excellence.


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It just so happened that the example sold for a record figure from the Roger Baillon collection, exactly five years earlier - in truly Barn Find condition - was up for sale again. It appeared that nothing new had been done to it either. No restoration work other than a peripheral clean had taken place, yet I was wandering around for fifteen, no twenty, minutes and I simply couldn’t find the car at all. Had it been withdrawn? Was there a change of mind by the current owner? Or had it been sold even before the forthcoming auction was scheduled to take place? It was just nowhere to be seen.

Therefore, I resolved to seek advice from one of the Artcurial officials and thankfully, after speaking to two very helpful ladies with my very poor communication skills, as far as the French language was concerned, I was led to a far corner of the display area and, as if a whole new discovery for me personally - notwithstanding the pictures I’d seen five years previously - was this magnificent Empress of a Facel Vega Excellence, right before my eyes, just waiting, resting, and modestly showing its true class, despite the toll of age. One from just 134 examples built of its type (the EX1), and probably now the most famous of all, was right before me in the metal, scruffy and quite dilapidated, yet wondrously regal, all the same. I suppose, in automotive terms - and personally speaking - this was like finding the Holy Grail. Chassis number EX1 B086, at that point in time, was thought by me to be potentially the one and only Excellence I might yet discover. Little did I know I was to be proved wrong, only a few minutes later.

As the preview evening was closing and most people were heading towards the exits, and exhibiting companies themselves were shutting up shop, I walked to the outer edges of Hall 3, perhaps the least glamorous of the main display halls. Then as far as I could go to the back wall where I was among the sometimes rather forgotten French brands such as Hotchkiss, Panhard, Salmson, Simca and Deutsch Bonnet, but there in the distance was a very modest stand of the Amicale Facel Vega France Club. Something very large, painted white, was coming into view. I couldn’t believe my eyes. There was another Excellence, resplendent in, dare I say, (almost) Old English White with a magnificent red interior. This was a very cherished and loved vehicle and I was overjoyed to see this second car with no one else around me - they had all departed and even the security guards were ushering the stragglers away in the distance. I managed to get a few photographic shots, but vowed to return later in the week. In the meantime, I would spend a bit of time back at the hotel, working out that it must be chassis EX1 B073.

Incidentally, the ‘learn something new every day’ theory had struck again, a few minutes earlier on approach to the Facel stand. I passed Club Vedette France, noting that the French subsidiary of Ford were producing a much more rounded, even bulbous, luxury 4-door saloon called the Vendome, only two years before the Excellence was unveiled. Any visual similarities were hard to find, other than acknowledging an American V8 under the hood, and being struck by yet more back hinged rear doors (likewise the more basic Vedette). Suicidal passengers a more common occurrence in the 1950s, perhaps?

And to follow, the next morning, was something else I’d recently learnt only when looking through the inventory for RM Sotheby’s auction, their sale taking place on the Wednesday over at Place Vauban, near Les Invalides, right in the heart of Paris. So that, therefore, was to be my next destination. Upon arrival, I was welcomed by the press department and kindly given access to all the cars to be sold. And within about a minute I rounded a corner and saw almost the antithesis of the white Facel, but still another, even more dazzling, Excellence. This one was black and yet the similarity was that it was matched with a red interior, but had been meticulously detailed and prepared for the auction. Thus it looked simply immaculate. If I’d had a hundred thousand Euros to spare, that would certainly have been the car which - irrespective of the many far higher value vehicles on offer - I would have relished the opportunity to drive all the way home. This was chassis EX1 B052 and, ironically, it had been sold at the same 2015 Artcurial auction, five years previously, although not part of the Baillon collection.

This, then, a trinity of Facel Vega Excellences discovered in a very short space of time, the last one found, only separated by a few hours of sleep. The back-hinged rear doors and seventeen feet six of limousine luxury, built sixty years ago - all multiplied by three. Many further details of the cars both at Artcurial and RM Sotheby’s, and later that same afternoon Bonhams, will follow, but these are to be published elsewhere. Bonhams incidentally did also have a Facel for sale, but theirs was an earlier 1956 two-door FV2 coupé. Good to see, but nothing like as spectacular as the four-door grande carriages.

Returning to Rétromobile itself, there were additional auctioneers with reputations for quality classic car sales, though the majority of people who know about them would only be French readers - these firms being ‘Osenat’ and ‘Aguttes’. But the third auction house, of which even I had not heard until a few days before departing, was also present, given they were having a sale of four Facel Vegas nearby. Again in ‘barn-find’ condition and not having been driven for three, or maybe four, decades. This company was called ‘AuctionArt’ and, to my surprise, the main two cars were not at the Hotel Mercure across the road, where the sale was due to take place, but actually on show in the main Hall 1 of Rétromobile itself. They were a pair of Facel IIs (or HK2s), parked side by side, so it was a bonus to see these examples, again having caught me quite by surprise, in familiar blue and unusual green.

However, the two smaller Facels on their list, one being a coupé and the other a cabriolet, were not present, and neither would they be at the hotel venue. That said, upon enquiring, I was told that they could be available for viewing at a secret location, about which I would be informed, following an email from me stating my credentials being sent and approved later on that day. Therefore, on Thursday morning, I took the tram to the address I’d been given which, far from being a building or the premises of a company, turned out to be an underground car park, potentially the same venue used for the publicity shots. I couldn’t get access to this because there was a combination lock, once you had already descended a couple of very dingy flights of stone stairs, so I walked around back at street level and noticed that the same number was actually within a residential courtyard. Whilst knocking on the door I found the small medical sign confirming it to be an Osteopath. Thankfully one of the doctors in charge understood my predicament, coupled with my French speaking inability, and kindly said he would help.

We walked back over to the subterranean carpark and he too had no access or knowledge of the combination lock code. I thanked him for trying, but just as we were leaving a besuited gentleman with a briefcase was walking purposefully towards us. A conversation between the two Gallic professionals took place and I was passed to the care of this second Parisian helper. He kept his own Mercedes-Benz within the secure storage and therefore knew the combination lock to let me follow him through the iron door. No sign whatsoever of the vehicles I sought, but into a vast underground parking cavern of two or more storeys below the earth’s surface, and he wasn’t aware of a garage or an auction company, let alone any old Facel Vegas. I thanked the man, who then drove off, and decided to walk round in exploration, the place seemed only about 20% occupied. Low and behold, on an even less busy floor further down, at the far end, were some large steel gates and a couple of motor engineers were just departing. I ran over asked if inside there might be the little Facels to be viewed. They generously said, ‘Oui, pas de problème!’, but that they would have to close the security doors behind me, though there was a colleague, a mechanic, who was working underneath some cars in the garage.

Well, this was an Aladdin’s cave, full of classics including an amazingly rare prototype De Tomaso Pantera which again will be the subject of another article but yes, indeed, there were also two very scruffy Volvo powered Facels IIIs, one was a grey hardtop and the other an off-white convertible. I took some photos for my personal, and potentially unique, record in this location.

So, my discoveries were turning out far better than expected: Three Excellences, a pair of Facel IIs and three further two-door models, an FV2 (at Bonhams) and two smaller 4-cylinder cars. I have to add, here, that additionally there were also a few Facels (FV2, HK500, Facel IIs, a Facellia and another Facel III) offered by various garages exhibiting in the main hall, so it was almost a cornucopia of the Jean Daninos designed products. Certainly more than I’d ever seen undercover.

But what of my subsidiary quest to find old Citroëns? I’d vowed to hopefully see some venerable Citroën DSs. Yes, there had been a selection of tired examples at the main venue sale - and these included some in varying states of deterioration - so ‘hats off’ to Artcurial for providing the variety to be able to tick off the boxes of Citroën DS models that I’d wished to see. Nonetheless, they were not out on the road or in public use. Therefore, imagine my surprise, when trying to find an exit to the dimly lit lower level carpark, of which by now I had walked right down to the far end, to arrive upon a DS20 in sombre black paint. Obviously not used for some time but roadworthy, and just as I had wished - given that it was parked many moons ago - it had settled back down on its rear axle, with the chassis resting a few inches off the ground. And at the front it was high, as if fully extended within the scope of the hydraulic suspension. However, there was some extra support in terms of weight bearing jacks so probably the pneumatic structures were in need of some remedial restoration. But here it was, in a public carpark in the centre of Paris, even though not actually on a street.

By contrast, back at the show, there was a shortened version, 2-door DS21 which had been modified for the grueling rallies of North Africa and this particular example, a light blue prototype within the ‘Union Marocaine des Automobiles Anciennes’ and which had taken part in the 1972 Moroccan Rally. My appetite for Facels and Citroën DSs was certainly being satisfied, but even that wasn’t quite the end of the story.

For within a few days I had departed Paris and was visiting close relatives in the southwestern part of rural France. A distinct departure from the conurbations, given that this was now a countryside environment, in the Cognac region, north of Bordeaux. Exercise, in the guise of long winter walks, was within the schedule of my time there, and on two of these being accompanied by residents. I was advised that within some woodland, about a mile from my accommodation, there was possibly an old Citroën just rusting away. This had to be investigated even though it was originally mentioned as an off the cuff remark. So, one subsequent dry afternoon, we took a walk across the fields and into a small wood, progressing further down a leafy pathway along which very few locals had ever trodden before. In a clearing there was a distinctly ferrous vision ahead of us, surrounded by branches, growing foliage and millions of fallen leaves in between the trees. Coming closer, again in astonishment, I was confronted by yet another Citroën DS.

This most probably an early DS19 from the ‘60s, in a condition far beyond repair with sections of bodywork missing, yet still recognisable as the iconic and unique shaped ‘Déesse'. Strangely, it was the registration number which appeared to be in the best condition. It had been a local car from the Charente Department although, unlike the UK registered equivalents, it was not possible to look this up and ascertain its true age, or any other specification. However, this ‘wood find’ and the Parisian ‘subterranean find’ were all that I could have wished for, in the absence of another example actually parked by the roadside. Take a look at the photographs that I have shot to illustrate the DSs and Facel Vegas I have seen. Only in France can this happen on such a scale, and during some purely random eventualities. It was a privilege to be there, and I’m grateful that I have my own pictorial records and to have witnessed these cars in the metal, with my own eyes.

Part 2 >> De Tomaso Icon Emerges from the Depths
Part 3 >> Tatras and Tractors
Part 4 >> Auction Cars to Remember

© 2020 John Godley
Classique Car Conduits