Christmas has arrived early at the CC Cohort. It’s awash in toys of the most varied kind from all over the world. But how can I resist this lovely 404, shot by Yohai Rodin? I can stare at this Pininfarina shape for…longer than I should, as the longing only gets greater. Yes, for those of you more recent arrivals, I once owned half a dozen 404s, and have written up my love stories here (links at end of this post).
This is a very nice example, and appears to be from 1970 or later, as it has the vented wheels and small hub caps, held on by a center bolt, of course. It’s just one of many little details that make Peugeots compelling. One can’t be losing hubcaps or wheel covers when bashing through the African outback.
Here’s all of the CC 404 love:
My CC: The Ultimate (South African) 404 Sedan
CC Roadtrip: The Wilds of Namibia In A 404 Wagon
Lt. Columbo’s car!
Columbo’s car was a 403 …
Out of all the related designs… Lancias, BMCs… etc., this is the prettiest.
I’m agnostic on the whole “in the old days, cars were better” debate. But I would argue that they were distinctive; exhibit one, the Peugeot. Your Pug used to be robust and reliable, but you wouldn’t mistake it for other robust and reliable marques (eg Volvo, Mercedes). You wouldn’t mistake an original Fiat 500 for an original Mini, or a Ford Zodiac for a Vauxhall Cresta, or a Citroen GS for a Renault 12, or a Rover 2000 for a Triumph 2000, or a Saab 900 for a BMW 520… I could go on. Not all these cars were good cars (the R12 was desperately dull), but they all exuded their manufacturer’s character. And sure, some manufacturers were schizophrenic (BMC’s Issigonis cars vs its Farinas), but there wasn’t the sense we get now that, because reliability is a given, because legislation (particularly in Europe) so determines the shape and build of a car, because one optimum computer model looks very like another, that cars within a class/demographic target are so similar. Audi vs BMW vs Jag? Peugeot vs Hyundai vs Vauxhall? What’s to choose?
So I’m not saying that the good old days WERE better. But the cars were a whole lot more distinctive.
nb apologies for being so European. It’s what I know. Happy Christmas, folks.
Cars built by people are distinctive. Cars built by machines are machines.
Great car, great shots. Thanks!
Paul, I think it’s time to take the 404 plunge. I think if you’ve talked about it and thought about it for at least a year, and it’s financially doable, it should be done.
Nice shots. There’s plenty of cars I’d love to drive while I’m walking this Earth and a 404 is one of them. I’ve loved reading about the different Pugs on this site and considering what I’ve read about them, it’s a bucket list item. Gas or Diesel – it doesn’t matter. Bring ’em on.
Maybe Paul will get one for Christmas.
I already have one 🙂 https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/my-new-curbside-classic-1965-peugeot-404-the-holy-grail-is-in-hand-literally/
Nice!
Sweet looking car. I’ve always liked these old Peugeot, particularly if they’re still in driveable.
Where is this?
Israel, I’m quite sure. That’s where this Cohort poster lives.
You are correct. 🙂
BTW, see a nice Coupe I also shot:
… And a Convertible:
Yohai, I would like to find out the chassis number of that black Cabriolet that you posted the image of. Do you know the owner? It is for the 404 Club Registry.
I have already got the blue Coupé’s number.
Last but not least, a Pick-up. Of those we had plenty in Israel during the 70s, replaced by the no-less iconic 504 Pick-up:
I am wondering out loud: Ride comfort wise, how would a prime condition 404 in comparison to a modern mid sizer? Say an Accord or a Camry?
Relying on old memories to compare to a modern car is a bit of a challenge. Modern cars with their big tires have so much grip. But in terms of pure ability to absorb road shocks from pot holes and such, I’d say the 404 probably comes out ahead. But it would take a direct comparison to really confirm just to what extent.
One thing is for certain: you’d never bottom out a 404, or worry about scraping the front air dam or such.
My Pops was dotty about Pugs ~ in the early 1960’s he bought a black 403 Sedan with sun roof , we ran the living hell out of it for years , long road trips with six people and all their gear , it never have him much trouble until New England’s salt got it , it still ran and drove just fine but holes in the firewall meant no safety sticker so he abandoned it and bought a brandy new mid night blue 404 Family Salon in France and had it shipped over , what a terrific car ! .
In the 1970’s I worked for two French Brothers who ran a huge Indie Pug Garage in Pasadena , I respect Pugs a lot but only ever owned two .
The ride and handling is amazingly good ! . soft like a sofa but sticks to the road very well indeed .
-Nate
My Buddy was a con firmed Holden/Jap car man until I gothim to drive me around when I was briefly unable to in my car, he since has bought a cheap Pug 406 diesel and you couldnt pry him out of it the ride and handling is unsurpassed but literally anything and it has over 300,000 kms racked up but runs and drives like new, they have a ride comfort superior to a Cadillac and will make BMWs look silly on a twisty road all in eerie silence.
The silent parts is pretty easy to fix : cut off the muffler and either add one to your liking or run a straight pipe .
Unless I find a Pug Bakkie , I’ll prolly never own another one , I’d like a vintage 403 though .
-Nate
Reading about the ride/handling balance of French cars makes me wish I could try one around here.
The roads in Bostonia are small and twisty and full of craters. Our family fleet of a Fusion, Mazda3 and the flagship all fall short in some way. Do I want a Peugeot or a Citroen, Bryce? 🙂
Either will give you a lovely ride but the bigger Citroens have the hydropnuematic that Rolls Royce license built having failed to improve on it.
The Rolls Royce used the Citroen suspension on the rear only,commencing with the new 1965 Silver Shadow.
All but one of the various Pugs Pops bought , were in the greater Boston area , home to Buick sized potholes .
Treat your self to a Pug , take good care of it and , if you can come to terms with it’s French weirdness , you’ll love it .
-Nate
Sold! Although I think I’ll go with this land-yacht-by-Syd Mead Citroen:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Citroen-Other-CX-25-Prestige-Stunning-original-presenting-example-of-the-luxury-model-Funky-at-its-/261708956428?forcerrptr=true&hash=item3cef11c30c&item=261708956428&pt=US_Cars_Trucks
I’ll need some Mylar/spandex suits and a new pair of moon boots.
I guess they were nice cars, but I could never see the appeal. Front engine, rear wheel drive, column shifter – sounds like an American car to me. French cars are supposed to be weird (really weird, not just slightly unique), different, and an indication that the owner who puts himself thru such an experience does so to have something like nothing else on the road. Or at least nothing else you’d see that day.
Peugeot’s are too normal. With all the maintenance and running issues of Renaults, Citroens, etc. I prefer my Pugs with 10-speed derailleur gears.
404’s go deep, very deep indeed, once behind the wheel one comes to comprehend these cars were not only well engineered pieces but also drove 15 years ahead of their time.
Peugeot were facing the biggest problem of all European car manufacturars when they were developing a successor for the 403, namely how to ever beat or even meet with Citroëns legendary DS.
The 404 came, saw and conquered the DS, no matter how great the DS was and is, the Peugeot was far better in reliabilty, lower maintenance costs and durabiility than its voluptuous rival,
Humble and simple compared to the DS, the 404 did its thing, either in the taxi business or as companion for a successful sales rep, a doctor or my dad who was Always chasing ships all over Europe.
Even today, it always amazes me how well a 404 is equipped for modern traffic, the brakes are up to their job, the roadholding is still quite contempory and the ride is often referred to as magic carpet like.
Je t’adore ma quatre cent quatre !
In 1986 I bought a 1965 Citroen ID19 for $900,a great car to drive.The Peugeot 404 seemed slightly harsh in the rear suspension compared to the Citroen,but if you hadn’t driven the Citroen you would be very impressed with the 404.The early 404s had drum brakes with the largest swept area of any car sold in Australia,great brakes.1970 versions had power front discs.The 404 had the most direct and pin sharp rack and pinion steering of any car I have driven,it almost seemed to steer itself through the bends.404 was tested by an American motor magazine and was the most quiet car to travel in of all,yep,quieter than a Jag,Cadillac,Rolls Royce etc.Wheels magazine in 1984 tested Peugeots from 203 to 505 and this is what they thought of the 404,”It is often disappointing to drive cars that journalists raved about 10 or 15 years ago.Standards have changed so much that what was often brilliant then is unacceptably bad now.The greatness of the 404 is that you can still take it seriously in 1984 because its balance of qualities is exceptional and you don’t have to make excuses for anything”. The 404 is such a simple car mechanically and so easy to work on,but the steering,ride,handling,comfort,quietness make me want to own another one.
I love old Peugeots. We had four in the extended family, a ’58 403, a ’69 404, a ’70 404, all wagons, plus a ’72 304 sedan. Comfort with versatility, and entertaining to drive, too.
Beautfully proportioned cars, and exuding a timeless elegance despite the early 60’s vintage design. A true classic indeed.
Only thing I don’t like about the 404 is the mean looking grill. A cat hissing, or ready to take a big bite. I like 504 wagons better.
Peugeot did something rather amusing on the peugeot.com website many years (mid- to late-’90s) ago: if you attempted to access a nonexistent page, instead of returning a generic ‘Error 404’ page, you were instead served one with a very nice Peugeot 404 staring straight at you along with the text, ‘Desolée!’ (‘Sorry!’) and a brief explanation in French that the page you were looking for wasn’t found.
Always thought that was kind of a neat easter egg, and it’s a shame that the modern site doesn’t continue the tradition. I’ve been digging through archive.org to find a copy of the error page, but, sadly, haven’t been able to find a complete version.