Tell me about: Peugeot 203 Familiale

Is this an attempt for someone to be the 'voice of reason', Thomas? It's not going to happen here

If it's all there, and at a reasonable price, that sounds like an excellent idea ;D


EDIT: really cool looking thing.. most odd though. The front looks like something American from the late 40s/early 50s and the back looks like a Renault 4 ;D

Never driven a 203, though Daddy Damaged has had a mechanically-similar 403 for the last 29 years which I've driven many times, so I have got a smidgeon of knowledge about them. Here's a pic of Pops' 403. He really ought to get it back on the road, it's been dry-stored in a heated garage for the last 15 years or so:


Engine in the 203 is a hemi-head 1290cc, which was enlarged to 1468cc for the 403 and 1618cc for the 404. Indeed the engine survived even longer than that as it was canted over and enlarged to 1796cc and finally 1971cc in the 504 and 505, and was STILL being used in the late 1980's in Citroen C25/Fiat Ducato/Peugeot Boxer vans. So I'm sure with a little ingenuity you could even keep it Peugeot and endow it with some extra power. Taking that to its logical extreme you could fit the running-gear from a late 70's 604 and the 24v V6 engine from a 605, which would endow it with over 200bhp.....

403's are fantastic. Lovely ride, handle really well and have just about the nicest column gearchange you'll ever use. Proper precision 'knife'through butter' stuff. Four-speed box but top gear's overdriven so motorway cruising's no problem. I remember doing the Norwich Union RAC Classic tour one year (I think it was 1989, the year that pic was taken) and we had it up to almost 90mph without any drama on the 2-mile straight at Bruntingthorpe. Not bad for a 1500cc car built like a battleship!

It's hard to believe now given the hideously ugly gimcrack curse word they've been churning out for the last few years, but back then Peugeot were a real quality brand. That 403 cost someone £1300 new in 1960, when you could buy a brand new Ford Zodiac for £250 less. You can certainly tell that when you drive it!

I'm pretty sure a 203 would be similar. It's got to be worth a look Doctor, gorgeous-looking cars too.

I found one of these in a barn a few years back. Sadly, efforts to buy it fell through. It was the commercial version though with no rear windows / seats.
Form what I can gather, they are a tad underpowered, and I don't know about other countries, but I was told that here in France some spares are very expensive. (but then all car stuff is dear here compared to UK).
I was also told the rear diff is a worm-drive thing made of bronze, that wont take much in the way of power upgrades.

Apologies for poor pics, there was no room in the barn to get a good shot.....
















Aside from the grot in the wing and a dose of surface rust, it was pretty solid.

Does it come with papers (carte-gris)?
Because it may be a little bit of hassle to register it in The Netherlands.

Parts can be found on French/ Belgian car jumbles, so better start freshing up your highschool French.

and you might work with 6V system.

haha, indeed Siert!

There are no papers with the car, but it went past the dutch customs in '87 apparently.
Strange story... have to dig in to that!