Peugeot 403 - 58

The Peugeot 403 is a car produced by French automobile

manufacturer Peugeot between May 1955 and October

1966. It was the first Peugeot to break through the one

million barrier, with 1,014,111 produced (not including

light truck/light van versions).

History

The   403   made   its   debut   in   saloon   body   style   on   20   April   1955   at   the   Trocadéro   Palace   in   Paris. The   engine   size   gave   the   car   a   "tax   horsepower"   of   8   CV   (8   hp),   which   placed   it   a   class   below   the soon-to-be-replaced   11   CV   Citroën Traction,   but   at   least   one   class   above   the   small   cars   produced by the principal competitor manufacturers. When   it   was   first   shown,   and   until   after   1958,   the   leading   edge   of   car's   nose   carried   an   angular, forward-leaning   chrome   lion   bonnet   ornament   –   the   lion   image   being   Peugeot's   trade   mark.   That was   removed   for   1959,   due   to   safety   concerns,   and   the   logo   was   incorporated   into   a   shield- shaped grill emblem. Subsequently   the   semaphore-style   trafficators   on   the   C-pillars   were   replaced   with   flashing indicators   within   the   light   cluster.   The   front   lights   were   modified   to   conform   to   new   standards and   in   1957   parallel   windscreen   wipers   were   substituted   for   the   original   "cross   hands"   ones featured at launch. Although   the   car   was   subject   to   various   improvements   during   the   production   run,   these   were mostly   very   minor   in   nature.   Improvements   for   1959   included   moving   the   nozzles   for   the windscreen   washer   from   the   strip   of   metal   between   the   base   of   the   windscreen   and   the bonnet/hood   a   short   distance   to   the   rear   edge   of   the   bonnet/hood   itself,   thus   presumably improving   the   angles   at   which   the   washer   water   hit   the   screen.   This   was   also   the   year   that   the semi-circular   ring   inside   the   lower   half   of   the   diameter   of   the   steering   wheel   used   to   operate the   horn   was   replaced   by   a   full   circular   horn-ring,   so   that   drivers   accustomed   to   holding   the upper half of the steering wheel did not need to loosen their grip in order to sound the horn.

Design

Styled   by   Pininfarina,   the   403   featured   ponton,   three-box   styling   incorporating,   except   on   the most basic models, an opening roof panel.

Engine

The   403   came   with   an   enlarged   version   of   the   Peugeot   203's   1290   cc   petrol   engine.   Displacing 1,468    cc,    the    straight-four    unit    employed    pushrod-actuated    valves    and    hemispherical combustion   chambers   and   a   crossflow   cylinder   head   to   produce   65   hp   (48   kW)   at   about   5,000 rpm   and   75   lb·ft   (102   N·m)   of   torque   at   2,500   rpm.   An   unusual   feature   at   the   time   was   the thermostatically   controlled   engine   fan   which   cut   out   when   the   engine   temperature   fell   to   75°C and   reengaged   when   the   engine   temperature   increased   to   84°C.   Claimed   advantages   included an   improvement   in   fuel   consumption   of   between   5%   and   10%   according   to   average   speed   and   the avoidance,   under   many   conditions,   of   fan   noise.   Another   little   noticed   but   ingenious   feature involved   a   small   hot   water   based   heating   device   for   the   carburetor   linked   to   the   heater   for   the passenger   cabin   in   such   a   manner   that   it   operated   only   when   the   driver   turned   on   the   heater and not when the ambient temperature was high enough for the heater to be left off. A   diesel   powered   Peugeot   403   estate   was   introduced   in   the   Autumn   of   1958,   the   first   of   a   long line, followed by a diesel saloon a year later. Upon   the   203's   discontinuation   in   1960,   a   47   hp   version   of   its   1,290   cc   powerplant   became available   as   an   option   on   a   reduced   specification   version   of   the   403,   branded   initially   as   the   "403 Sept"   ("7")   and   soon   afterwards   as   the   "403   Berline   Luxe".   Car   tax   in   France   was   based   on   engine size,   and   the   smaller   engined   403   fell   within   the   7CV   taxation   class   rather   than   the   8CV   of   the bigger version.

Transmission

The   403   came   with   a   manual   4-speed   all-synchromesh   transmission   driving   the   rear   wheels.   The gear change lever stuck out from the right side of the steering column. For   the   Paris   Motor   Show   in   October   1957   the   manufacture   offered,   at   extra   cost,   an   electro- magnetic Jaeger automatic clutch, activated when changing gear.

Interior

An   unusual   feature   on   the   inside   of   the   403   involved   the   front   seats   which   reclined   to   the   point where   the   seat   backs   were   flush   with   the   cushions   of   the   rear   seat,   thus   creating   a   "couchette", sometimes described in English language sources, optimistically, as a double bed.

1958

Engine 1468 cc 4 cylinders Power 58 HP Top speed 130 km/h Lenght/width 4,47 m/1,67 m The collections car is in good original driving condition.