Peugeot 404 Fun

There aren't as many of them around now as I remember back in 2004-05. But then, I'm thinking back to when I was more off the beaten track, in Imsallata and Zawiya. If there are less of them, if the farmers are now wanting 4x4s with AC and Sat Nav, well maybe that will mean I can pick one up more cheaply. I've mentioned this to my students, and they were puzzled: classic cars are, perhaps, a developed world hobby... (And with the pace of change here, if I do succeed in getting one, maybe ten years from now the seller will think, "I wish I'd kept that old Peugeot... You can't get them for love nor money now!" I think that there's been a similar phenomenon with the Trabant in Eastern Germany.

Anyhow, some links: Here's the wikipedia entry, which has the basic details. And here's the UK Peugeot Club's 404 section. There's a link there to a French site , (why are French websites so often difficult to navigate, quite apart from any language difficulties?) It occurs to me that, in due course, I'll be driving through France. I hope it's viewed with affection by the populace, and the traffic police. And here's someone with photos of 404s around the world, though none, you'll notice, from Africa; (I've emailed him with my pic from the medina, to attempt to fill that gap).

So the plan is, buy one, give it lots of tlc and new parts and polish, drive it around Libya, and eventually drive it home, via Tunis and Marseilles. It'll be a right laugh.

NB: I drafted the above whilst the internet connexion was down this afternoon. Meanwhilst, I went to get some bread on Swani Rd, and saw 3 of the dear old blighters.