Lot Ended
Description
From a deceased estate; twin-carb S model; four owners, the current
since 2009; resprayed in 2000; Ziebart protected; good running order; one of
only around 50 surviving
Styled by Pininfarina, the
304 made its debut at the 1969 Paris Motor Show and was to remain in production
until 1980 by which time 1.2 million of these chic Peugeots had been sold. Using
the centre section from the 204, a larger front and rear were grafted on, the
front mirroring the styling of the new 504 which had met with such acclaim.
Independent suspension all
round with specially designed dampers ensured that the astonishing ride quality
associated with all Peugeots produced post-war was maintained, while front disc
brakes added a touch of technology to an otherwise fairly conventional
layout.
The cars were initially
fitted with an all-alloy 1,288cc single overhead cam engine, but from 1972 a
more powerful twin-carb S version was also offered which boosted power to 75bhp.
Driving the front wheels via a four-speed all-synchro gearbox, the 304 had very
respectable 96mph performance thanks to its light weight. A range of body styles
were available including a lovely coupe and cabriolet – all offering a very
stylish and comfortable means of transport with immense Gallic
charm.
This rare RHD 304S
Cabriolet is one of only 836 sold in the UK of which only around 50 are still
registered today, only half of them on the road. It was supplied new by Hawkins
Motors of St Austell to a Mr J Lawrence of Perranporth in February 1974 with the
registration number PCV 666M.
In 1976 when it had
covered 11,280 miles, it was acquired by a Lt Cmdr JW Northam of Truro who had
the car Ziebart protected. This clearly did its job well because an engineer’s
report that he commissioned in 1984 when the car had covered 49k miles declared
it to be “in excellent original condition with no signs of rust deterioration...
has been maintained to a very high standard indeed”.
Interestingly, the
examiner said it was hard to value because it was already a rare collector’s
item but he suggested that it had a minimum value of £2,000. A tidy sum back
then when the average annual wage in the UK was £8,500 and you could still pick
up a 12-year-old Lamborghini Miura for £7,500!
In 1996 it was acquired by
a Church Stretton gent and the number was number was changed to XYD
458M. He had the car resprayed in c.2000. Our vendor’s late-husband (the fourth
owner) acquired the car in 2009 and had the front seats re-covered in black
leather in c.2011. Notes on file from the vendor state that he used the car to
take to local shows, having it regularly maintained by a Peugeot-trained
mechanic, although there are no invoices to support this.
Currently showing 103,780
miles, a check of the MOT history online shows that it has covered c.10,000
miles since 2006. We are told that the car runs and drives well and it has
certainly been starting promptly and running nicely as we have moved it around
on site.
Documentation includes the
original owner’s handbook and service book (unstamped), original warranty card,
Ziebart certificate, engineer’s report from 1984, magazine features on the model
plus some photos of the car as it looked in 2012. A hood cover is present in the
boot.
As you can see in the
photos, this rare and handsome 304S looks generally solid and presentable and is
ready for a new owner to enjoy.
For more information
contact James on 07970 309907 or email [email protected]