The 1950s Peugeot 403 survived well into the 1960s, in spite of being succeeded by the more modern 404 in 1960. It was demoted to being Peugeot’s budget model, but the break enjoyed some level of popularity in France, particularly with the gendarmes. And it’s no wonder, since in addition to being capacious and economical, these cars were just about unkillable. These cars had the build quality and solidity to rival contemporary Mercedes, so it’s interesting to think about how Mercedes became a builder of exclusive luxury cars, where Peugeot became a builder of occasionally sporting economy and entry-level luxury cars. If you’re interested in a ponton Peugeot, check out this 1967 Peugeot 403 wagon, for sale for €1000 ($1387 today) in Arrou, France.
Looking smart in dark blue, this is the preferred color for the French gendarmes. The first picture gives the impression there would be nothing but corrosion on this car, but if you look on the other side of the car, you’ll see the tell-tale hose. So perhaps the finish is not as glossy as it looks – the seller has obviously hosed the car off after protracted storage. There is some corrosion visible in the pictures, but nothing disastrous. You’ll want to ask about the floors and structure though – these were workhorses, so expect to ask the seller a lot of questions, and to do a careful inspection.
This car comes with a period roof rack, and has one of those cool hand-painted looking French license plates. It’s missing the trim strip below the rear window, and the rear door lock, but looks in otherwise complete condition. Between the roof rack, trailer hitch, and station wagon body, it’s probably a good idea to not have high expectations for the interior – it’s likely been used to haul produce to the market from its rural home. It does come with its carte grise, which is similar to a title, so if it checks out, exportation should be straightforward. If you’ve got a burning desire for a ponton Peugeot, and can’t wait to find one of the few surviving US-market examples, perhaps it’s worth calling on this one.
Rusty But Trusty 
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