Background
The Peugeot 504 was homologated, initially as the V6 coupe, on the 1st July 1975 as a Group 3 car. It quickly became a regular entrant on endurance safari events in Africa, where it enjoyed several successes.
With the arrival of the Group B rules in 1982, the 504 rally variants were expanded, the V6 coupe was ‘grandfathered’ across. Next came the pickup truck on the 1st December 1982 followed by the 4 door saloon on the 1st August 1983. Whilst it may seem strange that a pickup would come under the same rules as the winged fire breathing sister 205 T16, it is by quirk of the fact that the cockpit area in the pickup was too small to be allowed in Group A & N and hence was homologated to group B.
Africa held two rounds of the WRC in the Group B era: the Kenyan Safari Rally and the Cote d’Ivoire Rally. On its debut WRC event in the 1983 Safari Rally, the 504 pickup finished 8th in the hands of Johnny Hellier and John Hope. A year later the pair would bring the pickup home in 15th place on the same event. The best finish for the 504 pickup came on the 1984 Cote d’Ivoire Rally, where it finished 5th in the hands of David Horsey and David Williamson. The pairing would take the unlikely rally hero to the 1984 African Championship title.
This car
Is a tribute to the most unlikely of rally cars. Its creator undertook the same journey as the Peugeot factory team. He began with a humble, solid, but uninspiring pickup truck and by upgrading several components such as brakes, suspension and engine internals, transforming it into the vehicle you see before today.
Technical Specification
Engine: 1970cc 4-cylinder 8V
Induction system: Naturally Aspirated, Twin Weber 40 DCOE Carburettors
Carburetion: Twin Weber 40 DCOE Carburettors
Transmission: 5 Speed RWD
Power output: 170 Bhp