1962 Facel Vega Tire Fitment Guide

1962 Facel Vega vehicles use four sizes across two models: 185R15 and 775-15 for the Facel, plus 165R14 and 5.90-14 for both the Facel and Facellia. That means the Facellia stays entirely within 14-inch fitments, while the Facel can appear with either 14-inch or 15-inch applications depending on the wheel on the car. Published rim width guidance appears on several products, including 4.00 to 6.00 inches for some 14-inch radials, 4.50 to 5.00 or 6 inches on some 775-15 bias-ply tires, and roughly 4.5 to 6.5 inches on several 185R15 radials.

The practical takeaway is that year and make alone are not enough on a 1962 Facel Vega. Start by identifying whether you have a Facel or a Facellia, then confirm whether the car is on 14-inch or 15-inch wheels before comparing bias-ply and radial options. If your car has already been restored or converted in the past, verify the sidewall markings on the tires already mounted and measure the wheel diameter directly rather than assuming the original fitment remained unchanged.

On a 1962 Facel Vega, 775-15 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 7.75 portion refers to the nominal section width in inches, while the 15 identifies the wheel diameter in inches. Unlike a modern metric radial size, it does not use a millimeter width or an explicit aspect ratio in the code, and its construction is bias-ply rather than radial.

That matters because 775-15 is not simply another way to write 185R15. On a 1962 Facel Vega Facel, the two sizes share a 15-inch wheel diameter but represent different tire construction eras and different visual personalities, especially once sidewall styling is considered. If you are restoring a car for an early-1960s presentation, 775-15 keeps you in the bias-ply family; if you are comparing options for regular road use, look at the radial alternative separately rather than treating the two as interchangeable labels.

On a 1962 Facel Vega, 165R14 is a metric radial size. The 165 indicates a section width of 165 millimeters, the R denotes radial construction, and the 14 is the wheel diameter in inches. Because no aspect ratio is printed, it is conventionally treated as an 80-series style metric radial rather than a lower-profile modern tire.

For a 1962 Facel Vega Facellia, and for some Facel applications on 14-inch wheels, that decoding helps separate the radial choice from the period-style 5.90-14 bias-ply option. The two sizes share the same wheel diameter, but they do not communicate the same construction type or road feel. If you are looking at blackwall European radials from Pirelli, Michelin, or Vredestein, 165R14 is the code that points you toward that later-style driving character on a 14-inch rim.

For a 1962 Facel Vega Facel on 15-inch wheels, the choice between 775-15 and 185R15 is mainly a choice between bias-ply and radial construction. The 775-15 keeps the car in a more period-authentic early-1960s format, while the 185R15 moves to a metric radial format with options that include H- and V-rated products. Both sizes mount on 15-inch wheels, but they speak to different restoration and driving priorities.

Choose 775-15 if the goal is to preserve the visual stance and vintage driving character associated with a bias-ply grand tourer. Choose 185R15 if you want a 15-inch radial format with European touring flavor and more product variation in sidewall style and speed rating. The important first step is to confirm that your Facel is actually on 15-inch wheels, since some 1962 Facel applications also appear with 14-inch fitments and should be matched to those sizes instead.

1962 Facel Vega tire choices span several sidewall looks depending on size. The 185R15 radial size is available in blackwall, narrow whitewall, and redline, while the 775-15 bias-ply size is available in redline, narrow whitewall, and goldline. The 165R14 radial options stay in blackwall form, which suits the restrained European look many buyers want on a French grand touring or sports car from this period.

For an authenticity-minded restoration, sidewall style should match both the size and the personality of the car. Blackwall is often the safest visual choice when aiming for a clean continental presentation, while whitewall, redline, or goldline choices can shift the car toward a more personalized or market-specific appearance. If your 1962 Facel Vega is judged in shows, confirm event expectations with a marque specialist before choosing a decorative sidewall treatment simply because it shares the correct wheel diameter.

1962 Facel Vega tires are available from Coker Classic, Michelin, BFGoodrich, Firestone, Pirelli, and Vredestein. The 185R15 radial size comes from Coker Classic and Michelin, 775-15 bias-ply choices come from BFGoodrich and Firestone, and 165R14 radial options come from Pirelli, Michelin, and Vredestein. That gives the year and make a blend of American classic styling options and traditional European radial names.

Brand choice should follow size, construction, and the look you want rather than name recognition alone. A Michelin or Pirelli radial may appeal to owners leaning into the Facel Vega’s continental character, while BFGoodrich and Firestone bias-ply tires make sense when sidewall styling and period visual cues matter more. Once you know your correct size, compare the brands within that size for sidewall style, speed symbol, and wheel-width compatibility instead of trying to compare across unrelated fitments.

Rim width guidance for 1962 Facel Vega tires varies by size and sometimes by product within the same size. In 185R15, published fitments run from about 4.5 to 6 inches on some Michelin versions and up to 5.00 to 6.50 inches on others. In 775-15, some bias-ply products call for 4.50 to 5.00 inches while others use a 6-inch wheel. In 165R14, published ranges include 4.0 to 5.5 inches and 4.50 to 6.00 inches depending on the radial chosen.

That range is why the actual wheel on the car matters just as much as the sidewall size code. A restored 1962 Facel Vega may have replacement wheels or wheels from another model line, and the right tire needs to suit both the diameter and the wheel width. Before making a final choice, measure the wheel or confirm its width from the stamping so the selected tire falls within the range intended for that specific product.

Inner-tube use on 1962 Facel Vega tires depends on the size and the specific product. The Michelin 185R15 offerings are marked TL for tubeless use, while 165R14 varies by product because some versions carry tubeless markings and others do not. The 775-15 bias-ply products shown here do not all spell out tube notation in the size line, so tube choice should be matched to both the tire design and the wheel type.

The wheel itself matters because an older rim may be tube-compatible, tubeless-compatible, or best used with a tube even if a tire exists in tubeless form. If your 1962 Facel Vega still wears original-style wheels, inspect the wheel condition, valve hole, and bead seat before assuming one setup or the other. Matching tube use to the exact tire and wheel combination is a setup decision, not just a sidewall reading exercise.

A 1962 Facel Vega can use both sizes only when the two options share the same wheel diameter. On 14-inch applications, 165R14 and 5.90-14 both fit 14-inch wheels, so they can generally be considered on the same original wheels if the wheel width also suits the chosen tire. On the Facel’s 15-inch applications, 185R15 and 775-15 both use a 15-inch wheel, but wheel-width requirements still need to be checked product by product.

What you should not do is assume that any original wheel automatically suits every tire built around that diameter. A 1962 Facel Vega wheel may be correct in diameter yet still fall outside a particular tire’s preferred width range. The smartest approach is to confirm the wheel diameter first, then compare the actual wheel width against the chosen tire’s approved range before committing to a radial or bias-ply alternative.

A stored 1962 Facel Vega should be kept in a cool, dry, dark environment away from direct sunlight, electric motors, battery chargers, welders, and other ozone-producing equipment. Tire pressures should be maintained during storage, and the car should be rolled periodically or supported in a way that reduces long-term static loading. Bias-ply tires such as 775-15 or 5.90-14 are especially prone to temporary flat-spotting after long sits, while any older-style collector tire can suffer from sidewall aging if exposed to heat and ozone.

Short, regular movement is often better than letting a 1962 Facel Vega sit untouched for an entire season. If the car will be parked for months, clean the tires, keep them off damp ground, and check pressure before and after storage. Owners using both radial and bias-ply sets should label and store each set carefully, since mixing up mounted spare wheels or forgetting age dates can complicate future fitment and safety decisions.

Tire life on a 1962 Facel Vega is usually governed more by age than by mileage. Collector cars often accumulate miles slowly, so a tire can appear to have plenty of tread while still aging out from time, heat cycles, and environmental exposure. A sensible rule is to evaluate tires closely once they reach roughly five to seven years of age and to treat around ten years as a serious replacement point regardless of tread depth, using the date code on the tire to track age.

That approach matters even more on a lightly used grand tourer or sports car that may spend long periods parked between outings. A 1962 Facel Vega that only sees occasional fair-weather use can still develop sidewall cracking, internal aging, or hardening rubber that changes the way the car rides and responds. Tread depth alone is not a reliable indicator on a collector vehicle, so age, storage history, and visible condition should drive replacement decisions.

Tires on a 1962 Facel Vega should be inspected before every drive and again before any longer trip. Look for visible cracking, weathering, bulges, cuts, uneven wear, and slow pressure loss, and make sure the tread area is free of embedded debris. On cars running tube-type or tube-used setups, valve stems, tube condition, and any sign of rubbing or pinching deserve special attention as well.

A quick visual check in the garage is rarely enough for a collector car that has been stationary for weeks. Roll the 1962 Facel Vega slightly so you can inspect the full circumference, and recheck pressures when the tires are cold. If the steering suddenly feels heavier, the car wanders more than usual, or a stored bias-ply set thumps on the first miles, stop and reassess rather than assuming the tire will automatically settle into shape.

A 1962 Facel Vega Facel would originally have belonged to an era when bias-ply construction was still standard on many premium cars, even as radial technology was becoming increasingly important in Europe. Within the fitments used on the 1962 Facel, that makes 775-15 the most period-typical construction type for a factory-era presentation on 15-inch wheels, while 185R15 reflects the radial direction many owners and markets later favored. The 14-inch sizes also span both bias-ply and radial formats depending on the wheel on the car.

Original-equipment details can vary by market, wheel package, and delivery history on a low-production French car, so owners chasing strict authenticity should verify the car against factory literature, period photos, and marque-club guidance. The most important restoration choices are usually construction type, wheel diameter, and sidewall appearance rather than a single universal brand answer. On a 1962 Facel Vega, getting those three elements right will usually matter more than chasing a generic vintage look.

Correct tire fitment absolutely matters when showing a 1962 Facel Vega, especially because the marque sits in the upper tier of collector-car judging where visual details carry weight. Judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts often notice whether the wheel diameter, sidewall treatment, and tire construction match the era and the character of the car. A modern-looking radial or an eye-catching sidewall stripe may still be mechanically acceptable, but it can change the car’s authenticity profile in a judged setting.

For a show-focused 1962 Facel Vega, treat tire choice as part of the restoration plan rather than a last-minute consumable decision. Bias-ply construction and restrained sidewall styling usually support a more period-faithful presentation, while radial options may be better reserved for touring sets or driver-oriented use. If the car will enter concours events, ask the relevant club or judging body how they treat radial substitutions and decorative sidewall styles before selecting the final set.

For the 1962 Facel Vega in 185R15, Michelin XVS and Coker Classic radial tires differ in sidewall treatment, speed symbol availability, and approved wheel-width range. Coker Classic offers a redline version with a published load figure of 1,355 pounds at 35 psi and a 5.00 to 6.50-inch rim-width range. Michelin XVS appears in blackwall and narrow whitewall forms, with H-rated versions carrying a 130 mph ceiling and a V-rated version carrying a 149 mph ceiling; rim-width guidance runs from about 4.5 to 6 inches on one version and 5.00 to 6.50 inches on others.

That means the decision is not simply brand versus brand. On a 1962 Facel Vega, Coker Classic may appeal if the visual goal centers on a redline radial in a 15-inch format, while Michelin XVS gives a more overtly European radial presentation with speed-rated variation and multiple sidewall looks. Compare the exact tire to your wheel width and the look you want on the finished car, because those details will shape the result more than the brand name alone.

1962 Facel Vega tires can be suitable for highway use when the correct size, construction, age, and condition are all in order. Among the radial choices, 185R15 appears with H and V speed ratings, corresponding to 130 mph and 149 mph, and 165R14 appears with H-rated options at 130 mph. The bias-ply sizes do not carry the same speed-symbol presentation here, so their road character should be approached as vintage bias-ply behavior rather than modern high-speed touring performance.

On a 1962 Facel Vega, tire capability is only part of the highway equation. Brakes, steering, suspension condition, wheel integrity, and the car’s overall state of tune can matter just as much as the tire’s nominal speed ceiling on a long drive. If the car is mechanically healthy and the tires are fresh, properly inflated, and correctly matched to the wheels, highway use can be very reasonable within the limits of the car’s age and setup.

Inflation pressure on a 1962 Facel Vega should be matched to the exact tire size and product, not borrowed from another fitment on the same make. Published figures include 1,355 pounds at 35 psi for one 185R15 radial, 1,490 pounds at 32 psi for several 775-15 bias-ply tires, and 1,102 pounds at 51 psi for one 165R14 radial. Those numbers are part of each tire’s rated load-and-pressure relationship rather than a blanket instruction for every 1962 Facel Vega.

The best practice is to start with the original vehicle literature for factory recommendations, then compare that guidance with the reproduction or modern tire manufacturer’s specifications for the exact tire you are using. A heavier Facel and a lighter Facellia should not automatically be treated the same just because they share a make name. Use cold pressures, recheck after storage, and avoid transferring pressure figures from a 15-inch tire to a 14-inch one.

Before a longer drive in a 1962 Facel Vega, inspect all five tires if the car carries a usable spare. Check for sidewall cracking, cuts, bulges, irregular wear, and cold inflation pressure, and make sure each tire is holding air consistently. If the car uses a tube-compatible setup, include the valve stems and any signs of leakage or stem cracking in the inspection. Also verify that the spare matches the wheel diameter your car actually uses, since 1962 Facel Vega fitments can be either 14-inch or 15-inch depending on model and setup.

Tires should be treated as one part of a broader pre-touring check on a car of this age. A 1962 Facel Vega heading out for distance should also have its brakes, cooling system, wheel fasteners, and suspension checked so the tires are not asked to compensate for unrelated mechanical issues. If the car has sat for a long period, take a short local drive first and reassess pressure, vibration, and steering response before committing to the full trip.