Few cars would become a legend in their own time as did the Peugeot 404, a legend born from rally success; the appreciation of the whole genre of motoring enthusiasts and the precision of French engineering to create a history equal to that of the Peugeot 404. Over the years the engineers continued to improve what many (quite rightly) thought to be perfection on wheels.
The 404 had few peers on the open road, not only did it have the effortless performance to silently eat up the miles in comfort, but also the capacity to swallow a vast amount of luggage. The spare wheel fitted ingeniously under the rear of the car to allow an uncluttered 17 cubic feet of luggage space, and when an even larger area was needed, the Peugeot 404 Station Wagon came to the party.
Outright winner of the East Africa Safari in 1966, 1967 and 1968, then notorious as being the toughest in the world, the 1968 event remains as a stand out for two reasons, the atrocious conditions under which the event was held, and the stellar performance of the Peugeot 404.
85 cars would be forced to withdraw from the 91 that left the starting grid, and there was to be only one winner. Never before in the history of rallying had there been a more exacting proving ground, and never did a car come through with such flying colors as the Peugeot 404.
With safety features becoming a strategic factor in vehicles during the late 1960's, Peugeot introduced many such features into the 404 during its life time. These included power assisted 12 3/4" diameter front discs, plus large 10" rear drums, complete with a load sensitive pressure
limiting valve.
So good was the system that a light 45 lbs pedal force was all that was required to stop the car from 50 mph in 96 feet (the equivelant Tapley meter efficiency reading being 87%).
Six more stops from the same speed in quick succession using a pedal force of 35 lbs not only showed the brakes did not fade, but also proved that they in fact were just warming up to the task! With brakes hot, one final stop from 70 mph was comfortably made in 186 feet, as the efficiency rose to 92%.
Passenger
safety was well catered for too, with burst-proof door locks, recessed interior handles and shoulder high padded strips on all four door pulls, and even a padded gear knob. Standard kit of course included lap/sash style seat belts.
Inset under a padded hood on the dashboard was the most pleasing easy to read set of dials and indicators incorporating an electric timepiece and such thoughtful features as the trip meter.
And of course comfort was never neglected, for that was one of the most enduring qualities of the Peugeot marque. There were well shaped seats, an effective heating and cooling system, along with high grade carpeting.
The 1618cc 4 cylinder engine drove through a 4 speed fully synchromesh box to give a top speed of around 95 mph, and an average fuel consumption of 28 miles per gallon, which was pretty substantial for a car of the Peugeot 404's calibre.
Years of Manufacture: 1960 - 1975
Number Built: n/a
Price at Introduction:
n/a
Date of Introduction:
1960
Chassis/Body:
Unitary construction (Monocoque)
Kerb Weight:
n/a
Fuel Tank:
n/a
Turning Circle:
26.1ft
Instruments:
Speedometer (with integrated tripmeter and odometer)
Petrol gauge
Temp gauge
Ammeter warning lamp
Oil warning lamp
Transmission (Manual, 4 Speed):
1st: n/a
2nd: n/a
3rd: n/a
4th: 1.00:1
Clutch:
Single cushion disc, dry plate clutch
Rear Axle Ratio:
Hypoid bevel differential, final drive 4.111:1
Maximum Speed:
89 mph (143.2 km/h)
Fuel Consumption:
38 mpg
Performance:
Standing Quarter Mile (400 metres): 18.1 seconds
Engine (4 Cylinder):
Capacity: 1618cc
Type: Conventional, watercooled four
stroke, reciprocating piston type with
4 cylinders, single overhead cam, wet cylinder liners;
Five main bearings
Hemispherical combustion chambers
Ignition Timing Control
Positive crankcase breather; sump capacity 7 pts.
Configuration: Front mounted, longitudinal,
inline
Head: Inclined overhead pushrod and rocker actuated ohv
Fuel System: Single
downdraft type carburetor
Bore and Stroke: 84mm x 73mm
Power:
66-85bhp
Torque: 97 ft. lb. @ 2,500rpm
Compression Ratio:
8.3:1
Ignition and Electrical:
12 volt
350W Single Stage Alternator
Ducellier 7529A
Exhaust:
Single tail-pipe
Suspension:
Front: 2 Helical springs with telescopic shock absorbers and lower wish-bones
Rear: 2 Helical springs and telescopic shock absorbers, stabilizer bar and radius arms.
Anti-roll bar fitted front and rear
Steering:
Rack and Pinion
Turning Radius: 17ft 8"
Turns lock-to-lock: 3.5
Brakes:
Hydraulic duo-servo
Front: Drum, two leading shoes
Front (from 1968): Bendix 2 piston type discs with power assisted Hydrovac unit of 3:1 ratio
Rear: Drum, 10" leading and trailing shoes
Parking brake mechanically operated on rear wheels, 8" diameter