Mike T

My contact in Lyon, Hervé, found another 404C today in the Pyrenées: 4594924, Coupé Injection 1964, Rouge, Beige Cloth, For sale Jan 2014, 2000 Euros with carte grise, VINCA FRANCE Total: 1856 !

No, the above number is that of a sedan.

Yup, just a little that we talked about on Facebook!

Carlos Tavares is the new head guy at Peugeot as of January 1st, and the good news is, he is a genuine "car guy". The challenge will be to find some cash - I think the ideas are probably there. I have driven a few newer Peugeots: 406 207CC HDI 308CC ....and in 6 months, the RCZ. The 406 is definitely a classical Peugeot, in that it's decent looking, rides well and has a cheap interior! Nice cars overall. The 207CC was quite a blast to drive and again was a top end experience, much as a 205 CTI must have been in the eighties. The 308CC was only a short test drive of 20 km or so but it was also quite nice. When we were choosing a car for this summer's trip, I considered a 208 GTI, an RCZ and a 308CC. I think we made the right choice. A convertible in Greece would be a little too hot, so the top would be up a lot, and besides, I had driven one in 2009. The 208 GTI seemed too milquetoast. The RCZ-R proves that Peugeot engineers can still do a great car when they are allowed to.

Things are really quite dire for Peugeot. The amount of money they've got for R&D has been massively slashed. As long as 6 years ago they promised that they were developing an in-house DCT double clutch manual/automatic gearbox but the program was delayed, delayed again, and again, and now it seems to be shelved. So Peugeot still has 6 speed automatic slushboxes on offer, when most of the competition has moved onwards and upwards. The new 208 was the great hope for Peugeot but so far it's off to a very slow start, with the Clio outselling it by about 50% in France last month. Their largest displacement gasoline engine is the THP 1.6 (shared with the MINI Cooper), the 508 is a slow seller. There is nothing interesting on the horizon either; there has even been talk of the RCZ not being replaced (how stupid would that be?). The Fiat Ducato outsold the Peugeot Boxer in France this past year, which is shocking if only because they're the same vehicle. Does this mean that even the French don't think Peugeot will survive? The sale of their headquarters in Paris to a Quebec pension fund a couple of years ago, combined with the last-minute cancellation of the Le Mans program, were a wake up call for Peugeot fans. Since then, their lurching from GM to DongFeng as possible saviours seems desperate indeed. And who knows what the reconstituted company would be like, if any deal is eventually consommated. I am going to have a new RCZ in Europe next summer and I suppose that means I am doing my small part in trying to support them in their time of need.

My contact in Lyon, Hervé, has come through again with two more: 4598591, Cabriolet Injection 1966, Blanc Arosa 1132, Black Leather, For sale January 2014, 7000 Euros, BOURGES FRANCE 6801361, Cabriolet Injection, 18 July 1967, PORTUGAL (no photo of this one) Total: 1855 !

Here is the last one of 2013 : Carrosserie 17174, Coupé Injection 1968, Bleu Clair Métallisé 1158, Black Vinyl, For sale December 2013 at Karel Verhoeven, HAAREN NETHERLANDS I asked him for the VIN but he hasn't replied yet (perhaps he is closed for the holidays). Total: 1853 HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Yours is the 443,337th 505 body made! It's a sequential number, but it may be just for the sedan version (i.e. the other body styles probably are part of a different series, if it's anything like the 404 Carrosserie numbers).

This one is not so great - yet! Today I received from the owner of Peugeot Parts UK the following information concerning a 404 Cabriolet that he has owned for close to 30 years in unrestored condition: 6800687, Cabriolet Injection, 19 March 1968, Blanc Arosa 1132, Black Leather, Conversion to RHD done by Concessionnaires Peugeot in 1967; he bought it from the original owner, a woman in Cambridge in 1985; it has been stored in a dry building since 1985 with the goal of restoring it one day and it is an excellent candidate for restoration, KNOTTINGLEY WEST YORKSHIRE GREAT BRITAIN Total: 1852 !

Today was a good one for 404C captures - I got two of them, with photos: 4599588, Cabriolet Injection 1967, Blanc Arosa 1132, Black Leather, LIMOGES FRANCE 4597158, Cabriolet Injection 1966, Blanc Arosa 1132, Red Leather, Hard top, NEUMARKT GERMANY Total: 1851 !

This beautiful Cabriolet was submitted today on the Registry website that Awesys set up for Le Club 404: 4499202, Carrosserie 10933, Cabriolet Carburetor 1966, bought by current owner on 08 April 2005, Rouge China 1135, Black Leather, excellent condition, MEXICO CITY MEXICO Total: 1849 !

4670844, Coupé Carburetor, 19 July 1968, VAL D'OISE FRANCE Total: 1848 !

Write them a letter at their head office: 75, Avenue de la Grande Armée, 75116 Paris

Here is a nice 1966 Peugeot 404 Cabriolet for auction on eBay. I know the owner, it sounds like a good car. The price is not exactly at giveaway level, however! http://www.ebay.com/itm/Peugeot-404C-Convertible-Cabriolet-1966-classic-peugeot-404-c-convertible-cabriolet-/251392786799?forcerrptr=true&hash=item3a882d816f&item=251392786799&pt=US_Cars_Trucks'>http://www.ebay.com/itm/Peugeot-404C-Convertible-Cabriolet-1966-classic-peugeot-404-c-convertible-cabriolet-/251392786799?forcerrptr=true&hash=item3a882d816f&item=251392786799&pt=US_Cars_Trucks

What Peugeot should do is make the 008 series a smoother riding car with long-travel suspensions. Let the 08 series be the German-esque hard-riding ones. They're already jacked up the 008s, so I see no reason why this shouldn't be the way to do it. For their larger cars (eventual 508 replacement), they should suck it up and use Hydractive suspensions.

Yeah, it's funny…about 20 years ago the 504C was worth 25% more than the 404C, but the tables have turned completely and the 404 is more than 25% ahead. I guess that's one way to measure things.

Hervé has once again added a couple of new cars to the registry: 4595914, Cabriolet Injection 1965, Blanc Saratoga 1031, Black Leather, for sale November 2013 at LBC, 6000 €, not drivable, full restoration required, COURTEMPIERRE FRANCE 6801563, Coupé Injection 1968, Gris Clair Métallisé 1162, Black Skai, fabric sunroof (not original), for sale November 2013 11.500 € , PONTOISE FRANCE Total: 1847 ! Well there you go, it worked on an iPad but not on a PC!,

Hmm, I can't seem to paste to this site any more, so if this continues, this thread will have to end here. I got two new cars today...with photos...

It is good news indeed that there will for the first time since the early seventies be a car guy in charge at Peugeot. And a very good manager at that. I considered three Peugeots for our 2014 European trip: 308 CC - may be out of production by the time we get there (Peugeot is abandoning the CC market), and long distances in top down cars can be tiring. 208 GTI - would have been faster than the car we will be getting, but it looks a bit tall and the styling is dull. RCZ - even though we will be getting the lowest powered version with only 160 HP, the styling is over the top and the road holding is said to be very nice. It will have leather interior and navigation system though. Peugeot needs more daring cars like the RCZ, with a certain something that sets them apart in at least one significant way. The 208 is too milquetoast for its own good.

Hervé found his seventh car tonight. He is being one of my main point-men in France, calling up vendors and getting lots of good information for us: 4498869, Coupé Carburetor 1966, Blanc Arosa 1132, black roof, Blue velours interior, 7400 km since restoration, for sale at PRESTIGE AUTO COLLECTION, SAINTE-MAXIME FRANCE Total: 1845 !

Hervé from Lyon has found a sixth 404C for the registry: 4596136, Cabriolet Injection 1965, Rouge Capanelle 1033, Tan Leather, largely rebuilt, Hard top, carte grise Française, may have carbureted engine installed (missing Injection sign from rear), for sale on Leboncoin.fr 21.5K Euros, ex-Portugal, SARTROUVILLE FRANCE Total: 1844 !

Peter Teuffel has just bought this car to add to his junkyard supply: 4670541, Carrosserie 15xxx Coupé Carburetor 1968, Gris Clair Métallisé 1162, Velours Beige, probably will ending up being a parts donor car, originally from Morangis France, LEONBERG GERMANY Total: 1843 !

Once more, a debt of gratitude is owed to Hervé who found this example today: 6801139, Carrosserie 14027, Cabriolet Injection 1967, Gris Clair Métallisé 1162, Black Leather, Car is for sale on Leboncoin…rear window, floors and window mechanism require replacement, 8000 €, ROUBAIX FRANCE Total: 1842 !

Hervé in Lyon is busily hunting down any 404C that he hears about, which has been a real benefit to the Registry! 4498015, Carrosserie 54xx, Cabriolet Carburateur 1965, Blanc Saratoga 1031, Black Leather, LYON FRANCE Total: 1841 !

Sweet work, bro!