FORD COMETE MONTE-CARLO 1954
_Serial number 2448
_Elegant Facel bodywork
_Less than 20 known examples
_In the same family for over 30 years
_French grey card

It was Facel Metallon and Jean Daninos who secretly studied for Ford SAF a new car defined as a "luxurious coach of a style, if not French, at least European, of a Latin style". It seems that, as for the SIMCA 8 Sport, it was the master coachbuilder Farina who was asked to contribute the first sketches. This new luxury car, presented at the 1951 Paris Motor Show, was christened Comète and its engine was the 13 HP V8 already present in the Vedette. To give its sublime Comet coupe a boost, Ford launched the Monte Carlo at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1954. By installing the 3,923 cc Ford V8 under the bonnet, the brand carried out the same operation as that carried out a little earlier with the Vendôme in relation to the Vedette. The Ford Monte Carlo now exceeds 150 km/h, a significantly higher speed than in contemporary production. In addition, its handling is much improved by the fitting of the excellent Pont à Mousson 4-speed synchronised gearbox. The "Monte Carlo" is distinguished from the Comet by its very Italian "coupe-frit" grille. It was produced until the summer of 1955, after Ford had been bought out by Simca, but was not widely distributed due to its high cost and prohibitive selling price. It was of course one of the queens of the elegance competitions at the time. The production of the "Monte Carlo" was limited to less than 700 examples. For the record, the bodywork bears no markings, only the type, with the chrome letters "COMETE" on the front and "Monte Carlo" on the sides, next to a badge representing the town of Poissy. Apart from its considerations, it represents the embodiment of "grand luxe" à la française, combining the elegance of a modern Facel body with a noble 4-litre V8 engine. Moreover, on closer inspection, it is interesting to note that the Vega, the first car sold by Facel, is very close to the Monte Carlo in its general design and in particular the shape of its roof. The flat area under the headlights is also noticeable, which on the Vega will be fitted with long hubcaps that include the fog lights. It is clear that the Vega is a worthy descendant of the Comet, moreover their astronomical names are very close.

This Ford Comet Monte Carlo has the following numbers: serial number 2448; engine number 4F39A3001643; body number Facel Métalon 1847. This car was owned by André Weber, a prolific collector of American cars. Offered to his wife, the Monte Carlo has remained in the family garage until it is presented today. It was acquired in the late 1980s and has been preserved in its original condition until now, completing missing parts as they were found and changing what could no longer be kept. It was then painted in an orange-red colour and has recently received a new veil. It is in good working order. On the mechanical side, the top engine was opened due to a broken cylinder head gasket. The cylinder head has been rectified and the gasket changed. The gearbox works perfectly as well as the clutch and the brakes have been revised. The carpets are new, the rear armrests have been redone, the floor on the inside has been treated against rust and the radiator has been descaled. Note that the boot skirt needs to be replaced. This Comet has a vintage car radio, an aluminium dashboard, a rear view mirror and a chrome grille.
This is a very interesting car, both for its design and for its rarity. A true luxury car at the crossroads of the French and the Americans, a Facel-Vega before its time.