MikeT Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Well now that I've cut my teeth for nearly five years (!) on a smart VIN registry, I thought it'd be time to reach back in time 39-49 years and try the same thing with my greatest love in cars (yes, smart included, I'm sorry to admit that here), the Peugeot 404 Coupé and Cabriolet (404 C).This poses some challenges: the serial numbers of these cars are not visible through the windshield even if they were, there are only about three or four of these cars near me and they rarely appear on the road so "spotting" à la smart is out nearly a half century has passed since these puppies were made On the other hand, the VINs were dead simple back then, being only a sequential 7 digit serial number. Peugeot assigned number ranges to the 404 C, quite different ones depending upon whether the car had fuel injection or a carburetor. Coupés and Cabriolets are not identifiable from the serial number.So the methodology is very different than the smart spotting: I get into contact with a 404 C owner and ask them to send me their VIN. You might think I'd get no response, but so far I have had people share over 50 of these numbers with me. When cars get to this age, I guess the owners are somehow closer....? I wonder if I did that with all club members here I'd be banned for spamming Best not to think of that, Finding the owners is interesting. In pre-Internet days, it was nearly impossible. If you saw one at a car show I guess you could ask to see the engine and then have a peek at the serial number. Now with the Internet, a lot of owners find it easy to share information and that includes the VINs.So......17,223 of these cars were assembled in Italy and then finished in France back in the day (1961-1968). With 55 in my records so far, the raw percentage is pretty poor, .03%. But I would hope that perhaps as many as 15 or 20% of these cars still exist, so my percentages are getting better, maybe 2% have been spotted already!Anyhow, I thought I would share my latest obsession and maybe also put out the word to all that if you know anyone with a 404 C (yeah, right), please let them know about my list!Cars found so farCarbureted:4495784449609644973204498184449820344982234498412449845744987364498738449887944992324499371449984744998834499956467003246709384671036Fuel Injected:459012045901754590219459093645910274593113459557945960274598544459855745986094598615459870045988674599100459916745994934599598459974068002746800519680098468012786801658680166368018946801986680206068022836802292680234068025946803095680331968034106803412Mine is in the latter grouping, somewhere Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bilgladstone Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Just wondering what purpose this recording serves?B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT Posted January 29, 2009 Author Share Posted January 29, 2009 Read the title again, I'm CRAZY!!!!In all seriousness, the Club 404 in France tried to complete an inventory of all remaining 404 C cars a few years back. They had a high participation rate in France among their 700 members (only some of whom have 404 C cars), but not elsewhere. I am the "elsewhere". They are trying to maintain a critical mass and knowledge/spare parts base for the remaining 404 C cars and their trustees (the cars outlast the owners, often). I am in touch with 404 C owners in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa (where more than ten are known), USA and Canada of course, the Netherlands and Germany and I am trying elsewhere where English is the predominant second language. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT Posted January 29, 2009 Author Share Posted January 29, 2009 Just a wee note before I hit the sack this evening....I got a little email at 11:30 PM from my friend Michel Verdier in the Club 404 in France, and they have over 1500 serial numbers of 404 C cars in their database. These cars all still exist (that's 8% of this model's total production) and a copy of that database now resides in my computer. Most of my 55 cars are not in that database, yet. WOO-HOO! It seems as though there is a fairly high survival rate for these 39-49 year old cars, maybe even over 20%! Lots of work ahead of me...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT Posted February 1, 2009 Author Share Posted February 1, 2009 After weeding through the database and removing duplicate entries (by different owners) we are left with 1245 404 C cars in the registry, so far. Probably 1200 of these, if not more, still exist. One of our local heroes here at CsC will be helping me and the Club 404 get an online 404 C serial number form up sometime later this year, to help us celebrate the 50th birthday of the 404, which is next year. Meanwhile I'll be doing my best to get up to 1700 entries (which would be 10% of the original production). Might take a fair while....."only" 455 more cars are needed for that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieBoy Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I've never owned a Peugeot Mike.Is it true they all have a long-travel suspention for a very supple ride,or am i thinking of some other french built car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT Posted February 2, 2009 Author Share Posted February 2, 2009 In the old days (of the 404) it was true the 404 had something like 8 inches of travel from rest to maximum compression front and rear. Not counting extension..... They were super-capable on rough roads, which is why they won the East African Safari 4 times with the 404 and why - to this day - 40 to 45 year old 404s are still in service in Africa as bush taxis.Even my 405 is quite good for suspension travel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT Posted February 2, 2009 Author Share Posted February 2, 2009 Here is a 404 Coupé Injection (my friend Tim's car, in Victoria): Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieBoy Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Nice 404 Coupe` Mike. I like the slightly raised body work above the reasr wheel, and the very slim/sexy(?)roof pillars,especially behind the rear side glass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT Posted February 6, 2009 Author Share Posted February 6, 2009 Here is an updated list of the countries where the 1286 404 Coupés and Cabriolets have been spotted: 1059 (France) 65 (Germany) 49 (Netherlands) 19 (Switzerland) 16 (Belgium) 9 (Canada) 9 (USA) 7 (Great Britain) 7 (South Africa) 5 (Italy) 4 (New Zealand) 4 (Greece) 3 (Spain) 3 (Australia) 3 (Austria) 3 (Luxembourg) 3 (Portugal) 3 (Sweden) 2 (Norway) 2 (Morocco) 2 (New Caledonia) 2 (Serbia Montenegro) 2 (Denmark) 1 (Costa Rica) 1 (Colombia) 1 (Finland) 1 (Tunisia) 1 (Madagascar) 1286 TOTAL __________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesbronson Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Why can't they just get back into the NA market. I would be the first in line to get a 407. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT Posted February 7, 2009 Author Share Posted February 7, 2009 Not me, I hate the 407. The 406 Coupé was great but alas is no more, replaced by a butt-ugly new Coupé. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gent Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Read the title again, I'm CRAZY!!!!Shoulda called it "I'm a VINO" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT Posted February 7, 2009 Author Share Posted February 7, 2009 That's about right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kofångar-Lasse Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Just one more thing, - does Columbo still ride his Peugeot 403 RagTop ? CcL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT Posted February 7, 2009 Author Share Posted February 7, 2009 Yes sir he does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 I got a new 404 Cabriolet in the registry tonight from the Turks and Caicos. These Islands could have been part of Canada......what a lost opportunity! Anyway, our total is up to 1295 cars spotted, which puts us over the 7.5% mark for total 404 C production spotted.The smart 450 cdi total for spotting in Canada is a bit over 20.5%, and that's for a very new car where anonymous VIN spotting is possible.I doubt we'd get to 20% on the 404 C (which has an invisible VIN from the outside) but we can certainly ideally aim for 2000 cars, which seems reasonable, and would be close to 12% of production at that point. I'll take each new one with great delight, but it would be a long slog to hit 2000 I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT Posted February 12, 2009 Author Share Posted February 12, 2009 Got five more today, including one in Paraguay! This is fun, we are at 1300 cars! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smartzuuk Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 Poo Joe would be pwoud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deezle Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 Poo Joes in Paraguay. Sounds like the title of some kind of novel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT Posted February 13, 2009 Author Share Posted February 13, 2009 It's a pretty decent survival rate for a 39-49 year old car, and we haven't got them all yet, not by a long way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 1312 cars are now inventoried. What the heck, below is the long list of the serial numbers of 404 C cars we have identified as to their whereabouts, by chassis number. Ten of these are confirmed to have been scrapped and 1302 still exist. We also have the following other nine 404 C cars identified only by their Carrosserie Peugeot (body) number: 6599, 10454, 10825, 14591, 14675, 15135, 15397, 16551, 17120. The 1303 Peugeot 404 Coupé and Cabriolet serial numbers that we have: 4495045 4495046 4495066 4495086 4495115 4495119 4495124 4495129 4495130 4495137 4495149 4495156 4495201 4495227 4495240 4495247 4495259 4495263 4495314 4495345 4495386 4495389 4495429 4495444 4495450 4495454 4495463 4495491 4495514 4495532 4495542 4495543 4495595 4495601 4495607 4495643 4495668 4495682 4495692 4495714 4495723 4495760 4495765 4495784 4495808 4495816 4495845 4495874 4495902 4495911 4495916 4495986 4495998 4496044 4496060 4496095 4496096 4496128 4496142 4496145 4496154 4496206 4496224 4496225 4496258 4497015 4497028 4497049 4497058 4497060 4497093 4497096 4497113 4497155 4497160 4497168 4497173 4497188 4497203 4497211 4497237 4497249 4497295 4497310 4497320 4497328 4497363 4497392 4497466 4497538 4497547 4497552 4497585 4497589 4497599 4497600 4497619 4497622 4498009 4498053 4498067 4498080 4498090 4498096 4498134 4498137 4498184 4498190 4498203 4498212 4498220 4498223 4498258 4498260 4498280 4498284 4498297 4498301 4498302 4498310 4498328 4498358 4498363 4498366 4498384 4498396 4498406 4498412 4498419 4498426 4498428 4498431 4498445 4498457 4498465 4498466 4498483 4498518 4498522 4498523 4498530 4498547 4498558 4498562 4498581 4498661 4498667 4498671 4498676 4498695 4498722 4498727 4498736 4498738 4498744 4498760 4498774 4498790 4498807 4498812 4498823 4498836 4498837 4498842 4498876 4498879 4498899 4498900 4498903 4499016 4499020 4499046 4499067 4499068 4499091 4499095 4499096 4499102 4499111 4499114 4499116 4499120 4499121 4499136 4499152 4499155 4499160 4499170 4499176 4499205 4499206 4499210 4499232 4499234 4499238 4499246 4499255 4499270 4499276 4499290 4499291 4499295 4499301 4499324 4499340 4499341 4499353 4499356 4499357 4499360 4499371 4499395 4499401 4499503 4499508 4499510 4499520 4499526 4499528 4499534 4499538 4499547 4499552 4499568 4499576 4499617 4499621 4499628 4499629 4499634 4499636 4499638 4499643 4499656 4499667 4499674 4499678 4499685 4499695 4499696 4499718 4499742 4499744 4499753 4499784 4499798 4499802 4499827 4499830 4499831 4499839 4499847 4499856 4499858 4499883 4499905 4499931 4499936 4499953 4499955 4499956 4499962 4499965 4499972 4499980 4499982 4499985 4499995 4499999 4590004 4590064 4590089 4590104 4590120 4590123 4590175 4590182 4590189 4590219 4590244 4590308 4590311 4590313 4590319 4590323 4590338 4590348 4590379 4590398 4590405 4590407 4590424 4590441 4590449 4590450 4590513 4590521 4590542 4590543 4590556 4590575 4590589 4590593 4590598 4590614 4590633 4590670 4590693 4590694 4590759 4590795 4590833 4590892 4590893 4590916 4590923 4590925 4590933 4590936 4591002 4591013 4591027 4591078 4591117 4591118 4591124 4591125 4591142 4591154 4591157 4591189 4591270 4591275 4591293 4591303 4591310 4591322 4591327 4591329 4591348 4591384 4591428 4591465 4591519 4591580 4591626 4591634 4591693 4591721 4591776 4592015 4592029 4592065 4592111 4592128 4592133 4592191 4592274 4592280 4592326 4592367 4592368 4592381 4592390 4592392 4592401 4592422 4592427 4592428 4592453 4592501 4592522 4592536 4592553 4592554 4592575 4592583 4592594 4592613 4592648 4592656 4592693 4592730 4592736 4592760 4592788 4592951 4592963 4593026 4593040 4593074 4593084 4593113 4593125 4593131 4593137 4593174 4593192 4593217 4593239 4593265 4593297 4593306 4593347 4593432 4593461 4593509 4593513 4593550 4594004 4594009 4594016 4594100 4594103 4594106 4594224 4594270 4594286 4594324 4594364 4594374 4594383 4594385 4594392 4594393 4594396 4594408 4594422 4594429 4594505 4594507 4594543 4594551 4594623 4594750 4594806 4594818 4594822 4594923 4594971 4595016 4595054 4595069 4595088 4595097 4595121 4595130 4595215 4595228 4595294 4595309 4595317 4595356 4595364 4595365 4595388 4595457 4595480 4595534 4595541 4595555 4595579 4595580 4595603 4595606 4595613 4595658 4595673 4595683 4595690 4595699 4595709 4595762 4595767 4595769 4595770 4595798 4595833 4595843 4595846 4595885 4595897 4595948 4595956 4595997 4596000 4596027 4596044 4596051 4596057 4596070 4596080 4596127 4596140 4596141 4596189 4596205 4596210 4596211 4596236 4596249 4596262 4596279 4596304 4596306 4596307 4596329 4596379 4596487 4596495 4596507 4596510 4596525 4596560 4596574 4596591 4596654 4596667 4596684 4596700 4596744 4596776 4596791 4596801 4596825 4596842 4596863 4597011 4597017 4597028 4597036 4597042 4597053 4597061 4597075 4597093 4597152 4597174 4597193 4597231 4597249 4597264 4597307 4597329 4597356 4597360 4597364 4597412 4597443 4597459 4597465 4597469 4597477 4597501 4597507 4597516 4597517 4597525 4597562 4597570 4597610 4597613 4597630 4597662 4597682 4597700 4597762 4597765 4597825 4597935 4597943 4597950 4598034 4598043 4598054 4598131 4598137 4598141 4598181 4598195 4598216 4598224 4598236 4598239 4598240 4598245 4598246 4598249 4598261 4598263 4598278 4598280 4598286 4598289 4598303 4598305 4598308 4598309 4598319 4598334 4598341 4598349 4598359 4598366 4598381 4598383 4598394 4598422 4598434 4598438 4598447 4598452 4598459 4598465 4598472 4598480 4598481 4598486 4598490 4598510 4598511 4598513 4598515 4598525 4598529 4598532 4598544 4598556 4598557 4598568 4598577 4598579 4598590 4598599 4598609 4598615 4598619 4598632 4598637 4598645 4598648 4598651 4598677 4598678 4598691 4598700 4598712 4598719 4598737 4598738 4598740 4598746 4598766 4598792 4598827 4598833 4598842 4598844 4598846 4598860 4598861 4598863 4598867 4598879 4598881 4598893 4598922 4598941 4598959 4598967 4598968 4598972 4598978 4598988 4598989 4599025 4599029 4599033 4599040 4599047 4599057 4599060 4599067 4599083 4599096 4599100 4599106 4599155 4599166 4599167 4599169 4599183 4599190 4599214 4599215 4599240 4599255 4599270 4599286 4599288 4599290 4599294 4599299 4599308 4599309 4599311 4599312 4599317 4599329 4599345 4599355 4599368 4599385 4599403 4599407 4599416 4599430 4599439 4599444 4599448 4599466 4599477 4599484 4599493 4599503 4599523 4599536 4599552 4599561 4599564 4599567 4599578 4599591 4599598 4599600 4599640 4599661 4599664 4599676 4599678 4599695 4599696 4599707 4599713 4599736 4599740 4599751 4599785 4599788 4599803 4599809 4599811 4599813 4599832 4599844 4599853 4599854 4599906 4599951 4599969 4599970 4599994 4670004 4670005 4670010 4670015 4670020 4670032 4670033 4670036 4670047 4670064 4670069 4670070 4670076 4670077 4670100 4670202 4670211 4670215 4670220 4670223 4670236 4670244 4670248 4670253 4670266 4670283 4670286 4670287 4670290 4670293 4670314 4670328 4670329 4670352 4670356 4670357 4670367 4670368 4670369 4670372 4670379 4670385 4670389 4670393 4670414 4670421 4670424 4670438 4670444 4670454 4670455 4670457 4670466 4670469 4670474 4670500 4670513 4670520 4670521 4670532 4670534 4670557 4670559 4670564 4670566 4670612 4670613 4670625 4670651 4670653 4670676 4670690 4670697 4670701 4670705 4670706 4670715 4670719 4670736 4670738 4670746 4670747 4670761 4670773 4670781 4670787 4670791 4670795 4670801 4670854 4670862 4670863 4670867 4670895 4670897 4670905 4670907 4670927 4670934 4670937 4670938 4670956 4670969 4670974 4670977 4670978 4670979 4670985 4671008 4671009 4671017 4671019 4671022 4671027 4671036 6800008 6800026 6800033 6800060 6800061 6800074 6800104 6800110 6800119 6800128 6800143 6800152 6800159 6800187 6800197 6800204 6800220 6800223 6800224 6800227 6800232 6800241 6800246 6800247 6800274 6800280 6800306 6800314 6800315 6800325 6800336 6800337 6800340 6800364 6800373 6800376 6800382 6800387 6800406 6800425 6800431 6800444 6800455 6800456 6800461 6800462 6800465 6800474 6800475 6800495 6800519 6800520 6800536 6800540 6800545 6800556 6800571 6800581 6800590 6800591 6800618 6800641 6800653 6800658 6800660 6800665 6800694 6800701 6800709 6800719 6800739 6800748 6800755 6800758 6800765 6800775 6800776 6800788 6800789 6800818 6800821 6800832 6800853 6800856 6800862 6800867 6800868 6800869 6800878 6800907 6800908 6800911 6800927 6800942 6800944 6800955 6800957 6800960 6800963 6800977 6800984 6800988 6800991 6800999 6801004 6801008 6801013 6801018 6801021 6801030 6801036 6801038 6801039 6801040 6801046 6801050 6801052 6801066 6801072 6801074 6801075 6801089 6801103 6801104 6801107 6801109 6801111 6801123 6801151 6801159 6801166 6801185 6801193 6801216 6801223 6801228 6801242 6801244 6801249 6801278 6801297 6801300 6801303 6801314 6801317 6801323 6801326 6801336 6801343 6801353 6801360 6801365 6801407 6801427 6801502 6801516 6801527 6801533 6801539 6801541 6801543 6801571 6801573 6801576 6801584 6801593 6801611 6801623 6801626 6801629 6801650 6801658 6801663 6801666 6801680 6801699 6801708 6801714 6801729 6801730 6801736 6801745 6801749 6801752 6801754 6801756 6801760 6801772 6801778 6801793 6801794 6801796 6801797 6801800 6801808 6801820 6801823 6801827 6801834 6801835 6801840 6801844 6801852 6801853 6801863 6801883 6801886 6801887 6801890 6801894 6801902 6801910 6801930 6801940 6801942 6801971 6801976 6801982 6801986 6801988 6801995 6801996 6802003 6802009 6802022 6802037 6802042 6802049 6802052 6802060 6802071 6802076 6802089 6802116 6802123 6802133 6802152 6802170 6802185 6802205 6802227 6802231 6802247 6802253 6802258 6802274 6802283 6802292 6802295 6802298 6802300 6802307 6802315 6802318 6802327 6802332 6802336 6802340 6802342 6802350 6802356 6802369 6802373 6802384 6802417 6802432 6802433 6802436 6802438 6802439 6802467 6802469 6802498 6802499 6802501 6802504 6802528 6802529 6802534 6802540 6802541 6802555 6802566 6802567 6802576 6802586 6802588 6802594 6802599 6802608 6802616 6802617 6802625 6802649 6802651 6802656 6802658 6802670 6802682 6802705 6802711 6802712 6802718 6802720 6802721 6802736 6802761 6802763 6802782 6802786 6802794 6802803 6802808 6802809 6802814 6802817 6802829 6802834 6802841 6802845 6802864 6802868 6802871 6802873 6802874 6802877 6802878 6802893 6802896 6802905 6802906 6802915 6802920 6802931 6802932 6802938 6802940 6802946 6802956 6802967 6802969 6802971 6802975 6802976 6802978 6802981 6803003 6803005 6803017 6803028 6803031 6803038 6803053 6803066 6803069 6803074 6803078 6803084 6803086 6803088 6803092 6803095 6803101 6803104 6803106 6803133 6803136 6803138 6803139 6803143 6803144 6803165 6803167 6803173 6803179 6803186 6803188 6803192 6803205 6803207 6803208 6803214 6803221 6803227 6803229 6803233 6803246 6803249 6803252 6803268 6803273 6803275 6803293 6803304 6803305 6803309 6803313 6803319 6803330 6803344 6803345 6803355 6803359 6803360 6803363 6803364 6803373 6803383 6803385 6803389 6803395 6803397 6803403 6803410 6803412 6803413 6803415 6803422 6803424 6803431 6803441 6803446 6803447 6803450 6803452 6803475 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 I've found three more since then, so 1315 is the new total. 10 have been scrapped.I treated my 404 C to a new right hand turn signal assembly off eBay last week and now I think the car is actually "thinking" that I might restore her in the next 5 years.....PMA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT Posted March 12, 2009 Author Share Posted March 12, 2009 Two more in the last two days: 1317 found! I am having a great time with this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT Posted April 5, 2009 Author Share Posted April 5, 2009 1320 and more on the horizon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.