1961 Facel Vega HK500

The ultra-glamorous French coupe became the car of choice for owners including Picasso, Tony Curtis, Ava Gardner, and Stirling Moss

by Donald Osborne

Almost all automobile marques carry the name of their creator. But that’s not the case of FACEL (Forges et Ateliers de Construction d’Eure-et-Loir), the company founded in 1939 by Jean Daninos, which became Facel-Métalion in 1945 with two distinct activities—aviation and automobiles.

The HK500 was presented in May 1958 and replaced the FV3 of 1956. The car was equipped with a Chrysler type TY7 Typhoon engine of almost 6.3 liters, which gave the respectable power output of 360 hp at 5,200 rpm. This allowed the new four-seater a speed of 155 mph. Replaced in 1961 by the Facel II, the HK500 was one of the great French luxury cars, of which the car presented here is the perfect example.

The coachwork of this car was completely restored by Lecoq. The interior, done in superb red leather, was sent to England for reconstruction. The mechanicals were entrusted to the care of the Parisian specialist Tisserand.

The car is equipped with Spax shock...