Facel Vega HK 500
| Facel Vega | |
|---|---|
 Facel Vega HK 500
|
|
| HK 500 | |
| Production period: | 1958-1961 |
| Class : | Upper class |
| Body versions : | Coupé , convertible |
| Engines: |
Petrol engines : 5.9–6.3 liters (246–287 kW) |
| Length: | 4590 mm |
| Width: | 1800 mm |
| Height: | 1360 mm |
| Wheelbase : | 2630 mm |
| Empty weight : | 1660 kg |
| Previous model | FV / FVS |
| successor | Facel II |
The Facel Vega HK 500 (type HK , internally retrospective HK1 ) is a Gran Turismo that the French car manufacturer Facel SA built from 1958 to 1961. It was the last stage of development of the FV and FVS coupés and convertibles that had been available since 1954 . The model was an economic success for the manufacturer. By the time the series was discontinued in May 1961, 490 copies were made.
history
From 1954 to 1958, Facel Vega manufactured a number of sporty vehicles under the names FV to FV4, which were technically and stylistically related. They were two-door coupés and - more rarely - convertibles with tubular steel frames and steel bodies, which were powered by American eight-cylinder engines. The structure was designed by the company's founder Jean Daninos and his colleague Jacques Brasseur. It was largely the same in all five model series and differed only in details on the front section and the windshield, which was designed as a panoramic window from the FV2 series onwards.
The HK 500 was the fifth development stage of this model. It followed the previous versions conceptually and stylistically, but had a larger and more powerful engine. With the introduction of the HK 500, Facel Vega gave up the previous designation FF (followed by a number). The new name pointed out that the car, the factory specifications as a basis, a power to weight ratio of only 5 kg per hp dispose (ger .: " H orse by K ilogramm").
Technical details
In October 1958, the HK 500 was presented at the Paris Motor Show. However, production had already started in May of the same year.
The most important innovation compared to the FV4 concerned the engine: A V8 from Chrysler with 5915 cm³ displacement. Its output was specified at the factory as 360 hp (265 kW) for the version with a manual transmission and 335 hp (246 kW) for the automatic version. Whether there was also a version of the HK 500 with a 6276 cm³ and 390 hp (287 kW) Chrysler engine is controversial. The founder's brand biography lists such a version; other sources deny this and assign the 6.3-liter engine exclusively to the successor Facel II.
The front wheels were individually suspended on double wishbones , there was also a Gemmer steering (worm and roller), a rigid axle was installed at the rear , which was guided and sprung by leaf springs .
Initially, like its predecessors, the HK500 was equipped with four drum brakes, which, according to contemporary test reports, did not slow down sufficiently. From 1960, the HK500 were equipped with disc brakes as standard on all four wheels, with a diameter of 308 mm at the front and a diameter of 295 mm at the rear. According to other sources, from 1960 they were initially available on request and from March 1961 they were standard on the HK1 .
As an option, there was a power steering , tinted glass, an air conditioning and tailored to the measure of the trunk luggage. The maximum speed of the car was given as 210-230 km / h. The electrical system was changed from 6 V to 12 V. As the brand's first model, the HK 500 was also available for right-hand drive.
The seats, the insides of the doors and the headliner were covered with leather. The dashboard was made of metal, hand-painted in the style of wood veneer.
An HK 500 controlled by the journalist and racing driver Paul Frère was measured on October 26, 1960 on a section of the motorway near Antwerp at 237.154 km / h, which was confirmed by the Royal Automobile Club de Belgique . According to the French Facel Club, however, the car that Frère tested was “spécialement préparée” (specially prepared).
Performance
- Acceleration 0-100 km / h: 8.6 seconds
- Acceleration 0–130 km / h: 13.0 seconds.
- Acceleration 0–160 km / h: 19.4 seconds.
- Flying kilometer: 237.0 km / h
- Consumption per 100 km: 16.5 liters
The vehicle competed with the Ferrari 250 GT , Mercedes 300 SL or Aston Martin DB4 .
Known HK-500 drivers
HK-500 drivers include Stirling Moss , Maurice Trintignant , the Shah of Persia , Hassan II of Morocco , Tony Curtis and Ava Gardner .
Individual evidence
- ^ A b Frank Oleski, Hartmut Lehbrink: Series sports car from 1945 to 1980 , p. 158.
- ^ A b c Jean Daninos: Facel-Véga . Édition EPA, Paris, Collection 'Grand Tourisme' No. 2. ISBN 2-85120-143-3 . P. 124
- ↑ a b c Dieter Günther: Vive la Véga. Oldtimer Markt, issue 12/1998, p. 206 ff.
- ↑ http://www.facel-vega.com/fvpix/fv61clg.jpg prospectus page
- ↑ https://www.facelvegacarclub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/faceljune066-300x225.jpg Photo of the chassis with chassis
- ^ Jean Daninos: Facel-Véga . Édition EPA, Paris, Collection 'Grand Tourisme' No. 2. ISBN 2-85120-143-3 . P. 122
- ^ Jean Daninos: Facel-Véga . Édition EPA, Paris, Collection 'Grand Tourisme' No. 2. ISBN 2-85120-143-3 . P. 130
literature
- Jean Daninos: Facel Vega, Excellence - HK 500 - Facellia . Éditions EPA, 1982, ISBN 2-85120-143-3 .
