There’s something about Peugeot 404s that bring out fervor, even the religious kind. Finding a 404 on the street in Eugene was the peak experience for me so far, and I called it the “Holy Grail”. I collected 404s at one time with a religious zeal, and my write-up on the 404 wagons was the equivalent of a Psalm. But there’s others out there for whom the 404 has become a genuine religious vessel, or even a veritable rolling temple. This one shot by Itzik Cohen and posted by T.Minor actually has the temple of Jerusalem on its roof, along with a lot of other religious symbology. Maybe there’s something intrinsically sacred in the numbers “404”?
I’m not well versed in Judaism, so maybe others can fill us in on all of the details of this 404 rolling temple. And it’s not just the religious aspects; this 404 is also covered in wood from sill to roof, as well as the interior.
Click on this image and take a good look; a whole lot of fervor went into paneling and decorating this. Even the seat upholstery has a wood pattern. According to a comment left at the Cohort, those are the Kabbalah holy men on the dash. Is that a tap for holy water?
And the Ten Commandments are on the hood. Thou shalt not speed. Thou shalt not run red lights. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors 404…
I still get pangs of regret for not buying that white 404 I found, which turned out to be for sale. Oh well; my version of wearing the hair shirt. Will that reduce my time in Peugeotrory?
More 404 venerations:
CC: 1969 Peugeot 404 – The CC Holy Grail Found
The World’s Greatest Wagons: Peugeot 203, 403, 404, 504, 505
My New CC: 1965 Peugeot 404 – The Holy Grail Is In Hand, Literally
Umm.As a previous owner of some very fine 404 sedans and two utes I fully understand why many 404 owners have a religious fanaticism for those vehicles,Extremism as exemplified by the 404 pictured above leaves me cold.Mind you I see the humour in it.After many years of owning 404s I bought a used and good condition manual Peugeot 505 Grand Rallye and that was a very comfortable car but it did not have that precise go-kart steering and the incredible lightness of being that makes 404s so very special.From the very many makes of cars I have owned the 404s are the ones I miss the most.Simple engineering,superb ride and handling,supreme quietness,brilliant manual gearchanges,very effective drum brakes,ultra comfortable seats which recline to make a bed,excellent visibility in all directions,massive head and legroom,and sufficient ground clearance that you do not need ramps or jacks to slide underneath it.I always thought my father’s Buicks were comfortable cars until in high school the head of the English department gave me a lift home in his 1965 Peugeot 404,what a revelation!
I miss my parents’ ’65 404 wagon, that they got at the beginning of the year we lived in Paris, and that I took my first legal drive in–35 miles!–right after getting my permit four years later. It handled beautifully, and took Massachusetts pothole-pocked roads with aplomb, even on tight curves. Alas, they sold it when we went across the country my senior year of high school for their sabbatical year, because they were afraid to drive it across the country, as the service network wasn’t great.
I wonder what wood he’s using. Olive? Acacia?
Those look like the twelve tribes of Israel along the driver’s side temple wall, for example. It’s too bad there aren’t any shots of the temple (Solomon’s, Herod’s?) courtyards. Someone online is suggesting it’s a proposed design for a new temple.
Just . . . wow. I am left without words.
Where else would we see something like this other than on CC? What a hoot! Thanx to Yoram and Itzik Cohen for taking the shots, to T.Minor for posting them and to Paul for this piece.
I can understand this.
My cousin and I went to the dead sea.
Not using any road at all
In an American 4 x 4
When we drove through the desert, we were passed by a bunch of Bedoeins in a 404 pick up
When I said to him : we have V8, high and low gearing, fouw wheel drive how come they pass us, he smiled and cried out : Schonny Schonny, that is a 404 ! The king of the desert !
And later that day we saw a 404 parked on a sandhill and some Bedoeins taking the hughe tent of the roofrack of o a 404 !
So yes, these cars have something religious about them, maybe coz sworn enemies both drove 404’s in those days !
So there was at least one thing they agreed upon !
What Abraham would drive, apparently.
The Bedouins have now switched to Subarus by the way.
Totally meshuganah!
That’s the most decorated Peugeot I’ve ever seen.
Spectacular, unique, and a bit challenging……
Insurance agent “is the car modified at all?”
Owner, “well, where should I start….
Why could I totally see this happening to my Subaru? There is already a cult, *ahem* fan club for their cars, and I am a title-carrying member.
Did I miss something? When did you buy the car?
Yes, I can see a Subaru done up in a Stonehenge motif. 🙂
Looks more like a temple / tiki bar mashup to me. Maybe the part about the tiki bar is in the sections of Numbers that everyone skips over.
Well, the only 404 I see around is usually parked in front or near a church.
I fear that the possible theological intent and policy bent of the creator of this vehicle may have been missed by the reporter. There are flag-draped, overly-decorated American versions of this that traipse around Washington, DC, every day.
Then again, it does sport the word ‘shalom’ facing forwards, so perhaps its intentions are more innocently decorative. Nice how the basket weave pattern was brought even into the seats!
“Maybe there’s something intrinsically sacred in the numbers “404”? ”
Nope, “le sacré numéro” is 205!
Ever closer to heaven…..
I’ve had both 403’s and 404’s and found the 404’s quite ordinary compared to the 403’s.
The magic may be in the front end module:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/16701219@N00/4208405845/in/dateposted/
Anybody out there who has also had both and prefers the 404 ??
I had a 403 and several 404s. The 403 was a great car, but the 404’s new strut front suspension had much more travel and really gave it that famous ride. It simply rode better than the 403, especially over rough roads/terrain. That was the biggest change between the two, and Peugeot obviously did it for a reason. And of course, the 404 was zippier.
But I’d be very happy with a nice 403 too.
I’ve never driven or owned a car that used a transverse leaf spring as a control arm and have always wondered how well they worked in locating the wheel. I know many cars have used this system with some older models even using them in upper and lower applications.
Does the handling seem mushy or less precise when compared to the conventional unequal length A-arms or MacPherson strut type?
I think the road feel of the 403 was the best I have ever experienced. The 404 was comfortable and a 505 I had was even better, but the 403 was way more fun to drive than even my Fiat 124 Spider or my TR4-A. I bought my first 403 in Western Mass. in the ‘5 College’ area where Peugeot’s were well supported by the very international, academic community.
Thanx, Michael. Amherst and Northampton are just forty or so miles south of me.
Here’s the Dodge a few years ago in beautiful, downtown Hatfield.
Gene. Turns out I was introduced to Peugeots by a friend right across the river from Hatfield. I still remember driving his 403 on Route 47. I asked him why he had a French car and he said, Drive It! I was smitten. I also lived in Conway for a while. I absolutely loved Conway as you will see here with my first 403:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/16701219@N00/5434059187/in/dateposted/
Yup. A big old farmhouse like that one and the hill in the background are very familiar sights.
Odd, my late father always said the same, the 404 was a real good driver, but the 403 was the better car of the two.
We had both way back in the 1960’s , I was very fond of the 403 sedan with sunshine roof , it rusted out and was abandoned .
Then Pops bought a new 404 Station Wagon in 1967 , what a fantastic car it was .
-Nate
Hmm… The only religion this inspires in me is pictured below!
Photo credit: Wikipedia under J.R.”Bob” Dobbs.