Editing Facel Vega (section)

==Business history==
Facel was founded on 20 December 1939 by [[:fr:Bronzavia Industrie|Bronzavia]], a French manufacturer of military aircraft, to make special components. Marcel Koehler (formerly of motorcycle manufacturer Koehler-Escoffier) directed Facel from 1939 to 1945. He gave way to [[Jean Daninos]] when he returned from the United States, summoned by Henri Feuillée, the ex-boss of Bronzavia and a large shareholder of Facel. Jean Daninos had begun his career with [[Citroen]], where he assisted in the design of the [[Citroën Traction Avant|Traction]] coupés and cabriolets. He moved to [[Morane-Saulnier]], then in 1937 to Bronzavia as technical director. During WWII he worked in the US with [[General Aircraft Corporation|General Aircraft]], which was using Bronzavia patents, but he returned in 1945 and took charge of Facel. Daninos merged Facel with Metallon, a tie maintained until January 1953.<ref name=LHFV>[http://www.facel-vega.asso.fr/histoire.html The Story Facel-Vega]  by ''Amicale Facel Vega''. Retrieved April 13, 2020.</ref>
;Coachwork provider
Daninos had Facel begin manufacturing short-run and special complete finished bodies for the major French brands. In conjunction with [[l'Aluminium Français]] Facel designed the all-aluminium alloy [[Panhard Dyna X]] and then built around 45,000 examples for Panhard.<ref name=LHFV/> The body work assembly division was established in 1948. It made various models of [[Simca 8|Simca Sport]] and drew publicity by designing with [[Battista "Pinin" Farina|Pininfarina]] and then building a special body on a [[Bentley Mark VI]] chassis. The car was named the Bentley Cresta. The exercise was repeated in 1951 and named Cresta II. September 1951 saw the introduction of its [[Ford Comète]]. Production of the Comète ended in 1955 when Simca took over Ford France. The styling of the Crestas and Comètes was developed into the shape of the first Vega.<ref name=LHFV/>
;Scooter bodies, truck bodies, tractor bodies, jeeps and smaller components
During the same period, Facel-Metallon pressed out body panels for Delahaye's army jeeps (painted and upholstered); Simca, Delahaye and Somua's trucks (painted and upholstered); scooters by [[Vespa]], [[Piaggio]] and [[Motobécane]]; tractors by [[Massey Ferguson]]; and stainless-steel bumpers, hubcaps and grilles for Simca/Ford and for [[Renault]].<ref name=LHFV/>
;Aviation
In conjunction with [[Hispano-Suiza]], Facel-Metallon and Facel also turned out combustion chambers in special metals for Rolls-Royce jet engines.<ref name=LHFV/>
<gallery widths="160" caption="Postwar Coupés and Cabriolets manufactured by Facel for other automakers">
File:Panhard Dyna 247.JPG|[[Panhard Dyna X]] décapotable
File:Simca 8 Sport Cabriolet 001.jpg|[[Simca 8]] sport cabriolet
File:Ford Comete.jpg|[[Ford Comète]] coupé
File:Simca 9 Sport Coupe dutch licence registration AM-20-65 pic3.JPG|[[Simca 9]] sport coupé
File:Simca Aronde Coupé (7496025116).jpg|[[Simca Aronde]] coupé
</gallery>