Jalopnik: Peugeot 504

PCH, Sochaux Versus LA Edition: Madman Muntz Jet or 16 Diesel Peugeots?

Murilee Martin — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 17:20:00 EDT

Welcome to Project Car Hell, where you choose your eternity by selecting the project that's the coolest... and the most hellish! We had a couple of 2-fer-1 Hell Project deals go toe-to-toe on Monday, and the Nash/Hudson combo triumphed over the pair of '57 Cadillacs by a 2-to-1 margin in the poll. Aren't multiple-car projects fun? Sure they are! And what's more fun than two projects dripping oil in your yard? Sixteen projects, of course… unless you're the type who prefers the challenge of a single project with no possibility of parts obtainment to the "instant junkyard" approach. That's the choice we're giving you today!

Madman Muntz was a genuine American legend, and he didn't just sell cars, car stereos, and TVs- he manufactured cars, car stereos, and TVs! His car was the Muntz Jet, a Cadillac V8-powered, heavily-modified Kurtis Kraft Sport, and it was quite the performer for its era. Only about 400 Muntz Jets were ever built, so you're probably wiping away a tear at the thought that you'll never own one. Dry your eyes, pal, because Thunder has found this 1953 Muntz Jet… and not just any Muntz Jet- this one bears The Madman's Stereo-Pak sponsorship lettering! It's rusty. Stuff is missing. The engine looks very bad. Replacement parts are made of Unobtanium-237. But someday you'll emerge from the sulfurous haze of your garage behind the wheel of your roaring Muntz Jet, proving all your doubters wrong (well, those who didn't live to age 90, as you'll need to do in order to finish this project).

You know what's wrong with the Muntz Jet as a Hell Project? It's not at all French! There's no hell like French Car Hell, and the best way to get serious about French Car Hell is to horrify your neighbors with the sudden appearance of a bunch of Peugeot ~~basket cases~~ diamonds-in-rough lined up in your driveway, front yard, and all available street parking in the neighborhood. How many Peugeots? We're talking 15 Peugeot 504s and a Peugeot 505 (go here if the ad disappears), and you can take 'em all home for just $4,800! They're all diesels, they all run, and they all have titles. Oh, sure, "the tires are bad and the brakes are mushy on some," but the seller has "alot of spare parts" (which may or may not be included in the deal). Imagine the possibilities here- you could do 16 different crazy engine swaps, starting with a Cadillac 500 and ending with a Cummins M11! Or restore them all and have a fleet of Peugeots that will ~~drag you down~~ serve you faithfully for the rest of your life. Thanks to Jon for the tip!

PCH, Who's Afraid Of Cheap French Cars Edition: Peugeot 504 or Renault 12?

Murilee Martin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:20:00 EDT

Welcome to Project Car Hell, where you choose your eternity by selecting the project that's the coolest... and the most hellish! Yesterday we learned that 58% of Jalopnik readers prefer a Cadillac Allanté to a Chrysler TC By Maseratii, and we'd love to keep the run of crypto-Italian cars going. However, we're taking a break from PCH Superpower Italy to return to our old Hell Project friends, the French. You can talk all day about getting a Matra or an Alpine, but some of you seem to think your small project budget keeps you safe from a French invasion of your garage. Doesn't it? Au contraire! We've found a pair of French cars you can get for the price of an '86 Nissan Sentra with a blown head gasket and bullet holes!

Yesterday, we heard 24 Hours of LeMons official TheEastBayKid say that what they really want to see in the race is more French cars! That makes total sense, and so of course I started looking for such a car around here. You can often find cheap Peugeot 505s, but they're not crazy enough… but then how could anyone bear to trash this Peugeot 504 (go here if the ad disappears) on the racetrack? This car needs to be turned into a meticulously restored daily driver, we say! It's "rough all over," according to the seller, and the "engine has the head off but the head was just resurfaced," but you should see that as an opportunity! You see, it turns out the 505's engine bolts right into the 504, and that ~~almost certainly doesn't mean~~ must mean that the 505 Turbo engine bolts right in, too! Turbo 504! The owner doesn't know the year, which suggests that there's nothing in the way of registration paperwork for it, but you'll solve that along with all the other problems.

The 504 is a great car, all right- just ask any African mechanic- but wouldn't you like something a little more rare? Say, a Renault 12 wagon with the almost-unheard-of factory air-conditioning option? Man, if those AC parts are numbers-matching, you can pretty much name your price! That's what makes this $500 Renault 12 (go here if the ad disappears) such a sweet deal. The seller doesn't see fit to share the car's model year with prospective buyers, but the car does- or, more accurately, did- run and drive. It even comes with a spare transmission, because "it was said to have a transmission problem." It hasn't been started in "over a year" (probable translation: 19 years), and the front brakes "stick a little" (probable translation: you don't want to know), but the interior is "in good condition for age" and don't forget the factory AC!

Tiene Todo: Hot Argentinean Nuns Prefer Peugeot 504 Hoonage!

Murilee Martin — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:20:00 EDT

You could buy a Renault-branded '65 Rambler American in Argentina well into the 1980s, which was pretty cool. But imagine being able to buy a brand-new 504 all the way until the end of the 20th century; better still, imagine dirt-road 504 hoonage with a wild-eyed nun behind the wheel! We're pretty sure the Proceso de Reorganización Nacional would have disapproved of this ad.

Every Peugeot 504 In California Now Crusher Bound

Murilee Martin — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EDT

I owned a 504 of this vintage in the early 90s, and they were a not uncommon sight back then. However, I haven't seen one on the street here for at least ten years... so why have I found two of them in East Bay self-service junkyards in the last few months? Where are they coming from? Hopeless Hell Projects finally ousted by enraged spouses and/or landlords? This one has plenty of good parts left, from trim pieces to the Problematique transmission, but it seems unlikely that anyone around these parts will claim them. (At this moment, a reader in Senegal is clawing at his computer screen, attempting to will those rust-free Pug parts around the world to his garage.)

Forgotten Slovenian Peugeot 504 Rescued, Put Back On Road

Murilee Martin — Tue, 27 May 2008 10:40:00 EDT

We're getting more DOTS Bonus Edition stuff from Yurp these days, which gives us just that much more opportunity to see Peugeot 504s in their native habitat. Nicjasno, from the Slovenian city of Maribor, has photographed his family's 504, which was found sitting abandoned in the weeds near a Peugeot dealer and brought back to life. The new paint job looks nice, and we even get a bonus vintage Benz; make the jump for Nicjasno's story.

In Maribor, Slovenia - Europe.
The Peugeot is the same vintage as i am, a 78'. They sure don't make em' that way anymore.
As you can see on the first pics, we found the car near a peugeot dealer sitting in the grass. Apparently it's been there for about 10 years. The car immediately jumped to life after adding a new battery and a few drops of fuel into the carb, which was amazing considering how long it's been there. It was also mostly rust free.
It started its life as a green metallic car, but we decided to paint it the the blue color that our first 504 had. I remember to that day the moment i got my finger stuck in the door of that car when i was 5 years old.
The next set of pics was made today. As you can see from the interior shot, the car served my dad as a daily driver. Now he bought a new car and the Peugeot is on weekend duty only. Sadly, he is going to sell it (just in case anybody's interested).
The Mercedes was a quick buy. I don't even know where he got it. The paint was peeling off and it had some rust spots, but mechanically it was/is in excellent shape. The rust and paint have been fixed as can be seen from the pics. It's a 79' 2.3l gasoline model with original aluminum rims. It's a rare sight to see a w123 in such a good shape here. Most of them are diesels in very neglected conditions and are run on chip fat or heating oil instead of diesel.
I don't know what he'll do with it, but i hope he doesn't sell it.

Anyway that's it.
Best regards
nicjasno

Want a Brand New Peugeot 504? Head To Nigeria!

Murilee Martin — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Supposedly the last of the African 504s was built a few years ago... yet the Peugeot Nigeria website still offers the 504 Configurator. You don't have a lot of options (though you can get a wagon), but it's a genuine late-60s-technology 504 that we must assume is built way better than the citrus-flavored examples that were shipped to North America back in the day. And the price? About $25,000 if you're showing up with dollars. Thanks to Franzouse for the tip! [Peugeot Nigeria]

The Peugeot 504: You Know You Want One

Murilee Martin — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT

Even though I've owned a Malaise Peugeot 504 and occasionally wake up screaming with Peugeot Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PPTSD), I'm on board with the official pro-504 Jalopnik position. Any car that can be fixed by a Senegalese mechanic equipped with 15% of a Taiwanese socket set and a big hammer is OK in our book, and the 4x4 pickup truck version just makes it that much better. That's why it made our day when arch-tipster Franzouse sent us the Dangel Sales Brochure (warning: 2.5MB PDF download). When you're done reading that, be sure to check out the rest of the 504 Pr0n at the 504.org site. [504.org]