Ford Comète
The Ford Comète (an aa kent as the Simca Comète) wis a car built atween 1951 an 1954 in Fraunce bi the Ford Motor Company's French subsidiary, Ford SAF Intendit as the luxury model in the range, the Comète's bodywirk wis built bi FACEL, who later produced the better-kent Facel Vega luxury caurs unner their awn name. The original ingine wis a 2.2 L V8 produced bi Ford SAF o French design, an aa uised in the Ford Vedette, an a Pont A Mousson 4-speed manual transmission wis uised.
The original model haed a single, horizontal bar athort the grille wi a chromed shield or bullet in the center, somewha similar tae contemporary Studebaker products, amang ithers, an steel wheels wi chromed hubcaps. Although the caur's leuks, features an build quality drew admiration, the sma ingine rendered the hivy Comète unnerpouered an unreliable.
In 1953, a new "Monte-Carlo" model wis given a 3.9 L V8 normally fittit tae Ford trucks; this ingine, befittin its truck heritage, delivered 78 kW (105 hp) but an' a' plenty o torque. Performance wis muckle improved, but the new ingine did no endear itself tae buyers; it wis no ae kent tae be a "truck ingine", but its lairge ingine displacement meant that its tax horsepouer ratin wis 22CV, makin for hie road taxes. This new model wis fittit wi wire wheels, a fake hood scoop, an a vera typically Ford egg-crate grille (vertical an horizontal equally spaced bars). The French cawed this grille a "coupe-frites": a "french-fry cutter".
Durin the production o the Comète, Ford SAF wis taken ower bi Simca, an the final year's production wis unner the Simca name.
[edit] References
- Ford S.A.F. Ford Comète Brochure. Reproduced by Facel-Vega.com, retrieved April 30, 2005. (French language)
- Ford Oldtimer und Motorsport Club Cologne e.V. Ford Comète. Retrieved April 30, 2005. (German language)
