The other day I caught a glimpse of a dark blue Volvo Amazon parked just down the street from the '42 Pontiac Torpedo. I didn't have time to photograph it, but since we've had only one Amazon so far in this series, I made a mental note to get back and shoot this rare Swedish gem as soon as I could. Today I returned with my camera, and... holy crap! That's not an Amazon- it's a Peugeot 403! Yes, mere weeks after providing a Citroën GS for us, Alameda has produced another vintage French car for our enjoyment.
My research indicates that 1960 was the last year for this style of hood emblem on the 403, and the turn signal lights suggest that it's a 1958-1960 car. Of course, this could be a rare Tahiti- or Ivory Coast-built car, in which case all bets are off (though the yellow-on-black plate and early letter combo indicates 1963 or 1964 as the first year this car was registered in California). You Peugeot experts are invited to help us out here.
The California sun has not been kind to the steering wheel, but the rest of the interior looks pretty good. Note the pliers sitting on the floor- think that's what's used to start the car?
The view from this angle looks quite Amazon-like, though any other perspective makes it clear you're looking at something French. The list price of the 1960 403 in the United States was $2,250, and you got a four-speed and sunroof as part of the deal. Compare that to the $1,974 price tag on the brand-new-for-1960 Ford Falcon... now, making a choice between those two would be quite the dilemma. And, speaking of dilemmas, we've got a total of four French cars in this series, which is enough for a poll. I'm thinking the Medallion might not fare so well, but You Never Know, You Know?
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