203 anniversary

[Russell Hall]

It should be remembered that July marks the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the first 203's in Australia. Three cars with N3 bodies were imported by Canada Cycle and Motor Company and registered in Melbourne in July 1949. This was the result of two trips to France by Alec Chapman to arrange an agency for Victoria and the Riverina. The cars were shown to the press in August. The 203 was put on sale in September, displayed at the Melbourne Agricultural Show and orders taken for three to four month delivery.
It is usually forgotten that Peugeot had returned to the Australian market in June 1948 after an absence of sixteen years when the new factory representative for Australia arrived with a shipment of 202's.

 

[Flash Car 76]

Happy birthday to all Australian 203s they all should be driven as they were meant to be. Enjoy them everyone.

 

[Dano]

Hi Russell,

Thanks for the info. Your posts are always informative.

Cheers,

Dano

It should be remembered that July marks the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the first 203's in Australia. Three cars with N3 bodies were imported by Canada Cycle and Motor Company and registered in Melbourne in July 1949. This was the result of two trips to France by Alec Chapman to arrange an agency for Victoria and the Riverina. The cars were shown to the press in August. The 203 was put on sale in September, displayed at the Melbourne Agricultural Show and orders taken for three to four month delivery.
It is usually forgotten that Peugeot had returned to the Australian market in June 1948 after an absence of sixteen years when the new factory representative for Australia arrived with a shipment of 202's.

 

[Russell Hall]

Given my interest in history it was fortuitous to end up with Alec Chapman's own 203 which was the earliest 203 in Gordon Miller's database. Original and unrestored, thanks to Miss Pratt who bought it from him in 1956 and drove it carefully for 2,000 miles per year until I obtained it in 1974. Just the car for me although some would prefer it restored. It gives me great pleasure and still drives well.

 

[Russell Hall]

As well as the cars we should remember the people who enthusiastically promoted them and brought success. The Peugeot virtues of strength, quality and good engineering were known in Australia 120 years ago but without good people to promote them the make simply atrophied and faded away from the marketplace. It was true around the world. Dealers who were enthusiasts successfully promoted the cars in their markets. Tom Knowles in England, Jimmy Feeney in East Africa, Ernie Kriewaldt in PNG, Walt Worron in America were all great ambassadors for the make. In Australia the same was true - E.W. Brown with the motorbikes, A.W.B. Mather and the French Auto Company, Norman Agate in Ashfield. Do nothing agents like Rhodes were the end of the make in their markets. Postwar people Alec Chapman, Johnston and Swanbery from NSW, and a host of enthusiast dealers were essential to the success of Peugeot. People like Harry Smith from Narrogin in the WA wheat belt who liked the 203 so much he sold them alongside his Chamberlain tractors and drove a Chrysler assembled 203 in the first Redex. Or Tas Smith who liked his 203 so much he founded the Peugeot Car Club in Victoria and ended up sales manager at Canada Cycle and eventually plant manger at Heidelberg. It's the enthusiasts who made the 203 a success in Australia. I like to remember them and their stories.

 

[DeeCee]

Russell, you may like to know that one of the 1948 N3 series cars is lurking in Korumburra undergoing slow but careful restoration by Bob Nelson.Originally purchased by Coles Bros in Colac for use as display car (successfully!) Still only got a genuine 80,000 on the clock and original everything including duco, which only needs a polish. Longevity and good engineering go hand in hand it seems.ugplak:

 

[lo203404]

As well as the cars we should remember the people who enthusiastically promoted them and brought success. The Peugeot virtues of strength, quality and good engineering were known in Australia 120 years ago but without good people to promote them the make simply atrophied and faded away from the marketplace. It was true around the world. Dealers who were enthusiasts successfully promoted the cars in their markets. Tom Knowles in England, Jimmy Feeney in East Africa, Ernie Kriewaldt in PNG, Walt Worron in America were all great ambassadors for the make. In Australia the same was true - E.W. Brown with the motorbikes, A.W.B. Mather and the French Auto Company, Norman Agate in Ashfield. Do nothing agents like Rhodes were the end of the make in their markets. Postwar people Alec Chapman, Johnston and Swanbery from NSW, and a host of enthusiast dealers were essential to the success of Peugeot. People like Harry Smith from Narrogin in the WA wheat belt who liked the 203 so much he sold them alongside his Chamberlain tractors and drove a Chrysler assembled 203 in the first Redex. Or Tas Smith who liked his 203 so much he founded the Peugeot Car Club in Victoria and ended up sales manager at Canada Cycle and eventually plant manger at Heidelberg. It's the enthusiasts who made the 203 a success in Australia. I like to remember them and their stories.

Thanks Russell for the snippet on Harry Smith. He was certainly dedicated to the marque. In late Apr. of '53 had travelled all the way to Sydney to purchase this brand new 203 van, have it kitted out and drive it all the way back to his hometown of Narrogin in W.A.
Image of the '53 Redex van thrown in, just to show same same aft glass configuration. Installation of glass panels in both cars might have been done by the same mob of the time.

 

[Russell Hall]

When Wentworth motors put on a display of their first Chrysler Keswick assembled 203 in mid 1952 Harry Smith bought it. It's a fair guess it was the car he drove in the Redex. The van windows seem to be the same as were done to French vans so the windows were either imported or made locally to the French pattern. Probably done by the distributor. The van was a real bargain, maybe because it was taxed as a commercial. Used to be so many about. Love the ads.

 

[Russell Hall]

After Ion Idriess made his well publicized 1950 trip from Sydney to Perth and back in a 203 the car became a rather fashionable cross continental choice for those in the know.

 

[lo203404]

Go Harry............

When Wentworth motors put on a display of their first Chrysler Keswick assembled 203 in mid 1952 Harry Smith bought it. It's a fair guess it was the car he drove in the Redex. The van windows seem to be the same as were done to French vans so the windows were either imported or made locally to the French pattern. Probably done by the distributor. The van was a real bargain, maybe because it was taxed as a commercial. Used to be so many about. Love the ads.

A few of images of Harry Smith's Redex , couple of initial write ups from his local rag, early promo shot (complete with Redex squirt tin can under the bonnet) to getting the car sorted, then possibly his start point in Moore Park, Sydney. 30 Aug.'53: 18.54 hrs. waiting to be flagged off. Bit of a trend setter the old Harry, had thrown in the big 'Robri' shark tooth (scare the opposition) grill, one wonders if it lost any of it's teeth during the 6,500 ml. round trip, and then the run all the way back to Narrogin, W.A.

 

[Russell Hall]

Harry was the fifth placed 203 losing 255 points compared to Tubmans 19 but he did win the prize for most successful WA entrant. J. Jeffrey from NSW lost 33 points and John Crouch 37. Orrmans car lost 127, C. Graham from NSW lost 306, Arthur in a Victorian 203 lost 337, and Gosford dealer R.W. Boddenberg in the Advanx Motors car lost 458, both topped by F.M. Higgins from the ACT who lost 1726 and Burgin in the other Advanx Motors car who lost 1829 after missing a section. E.W. Gray was a non finisher. Pulled out in Adelaide, reportedly with a broken windscreen. As a contemporary rally driver told me, nobody pulled out with a broken windscreen, either there was something seriously wrong with the car or the team had run out of money. Didn't stop people always saying 11 Peugeots had entered and all had finished. Poor old E.W. Gray and his 12th car were airbrushed from history.

 

[Restorer]

A very creditable performance by the Orrman twins from Shepparton . Their father Bill Orrman , a Canada Cycle country dealer told the boys for their 21st birthday present - take a 203 from the showroom floor and enter in the Redex , losing 127 points was top class.
One of the twins is still ( or 2 1/2 years ago ) into car restoration and then was looking at a 203 to recreate some nostalgia.
Restorer

 

[Russell Hall]

I've posted 203 sales before. These are based on several sources, the main one is from Gordon Miller.
Postwar Peugeot sales
1947 - 6 (202BH)
1948 -47 (202BH)
1949 -45 (202BH + 3 203's)
1950 - 1438 (203)
1951 - 1452
1952- 984
1953- 1444
1954 - 1492
1955 - 2256
1956 - 688
1957 - 67
1958 - 12
A few mostly African imports arrived until 1961.
WA did not record registrations in its remote areas in the early years. There may have been a couple more 203's registered in 1949 as a small shipment of 203's arrived late in December, too late for registration or delivery but some dealers received a showroom model in the Christmas week. If we balance that with the believed registration of around 90 202's in 1948 - 9 there isn't much room for 203 registrations beyond the 3 we know about.

 

[lo203404]

Go hard harry...........

Harry was the fifth placed 203 losing 255 points compared to Tubmans 19 but he did win the prize for most successful WA entrant. J. Jeffrey from NSW lost 33 points and John Crouch 37. Orrmans car lost 127, C. Graham from NSW lost 306, Arthur in a Victorian 203 lost 337, and Gosford dealer R.W. Boddenberg in the Advanx Motors car lost 458, both topped by F.M. Higgins from the ACT who lost 1726 and Burgin in the other Advanx Motors car who lost 1829 after missing a section. E.W. Gray was a non finisher. Pulled out in Adelaide, reportedly with a broken windscreen. As a contemporary rally driver told me, nobody pulled out with a broken windscreen, either there was something seriously wrong with the car or the team had run out of money. Didn't stop people always saying 11 Peugeots had entered and all had finished. Poor old E.W. Gray and his 12th car were airbrushed from history.

A few more write ups and images of Harry Smith's '53 Redex run..

 

[Russell Hall]

Harry certainly knew how to get the best out of his car.
The last Australian assembled 203 was made in 1957 and the last Australian deliveries made that year. The RHD 203 was available right up to 1960 and Gordon's figures have 4 new registrations in 1960 and 9 in 1961, something of an anomaly.
All Australian assembled 203's had semaphores and 16" wheels although in 1956 dealers could supply 15" if asked.
A 1958 model built in South Africa was on offer in the 1960's but the finish was not impressive.

 

[GRAHAM WALLIS]

Plenty of 203s with 15 inch wheels. I bought a SA 203 in 1973, may have been the same one? Finish was perfectly OK, maybe the seats weren't quite as good. Had a plastic headlining instead of the fabric one, much better. Car is now in Canberra.

 

[Russell Hall]

Indeed there are plenty of 203's with 15" wheels but the large supply of 16" wheels from Rubery Owen still on hand meant the smaller wheels were not fitted as standard. There were so many 16" wheels that in 1967 Renault were offering new 16" wagon wheels for $5 to clear them out. I was not impressed with the SA 203 I saw which had a rebuilt engine at 30,000 miles and was in need of a paint job in 1967.

 

[lo203404]

'Miss Narrogin' lives on......

Some last snippets of Harry's Redex adventure.

 

[Steven King]

Hardly off-topic but this will annoy everyone interested;
https://www.shannons.com.au/club/vi...:2441&cmpid=SHN:GI:NPS1:NPS:EDM:20180426:6501
- just not worth a thread of its own to share it though.

 

[neil s]

Well that took up the last hour or so! I just had to look at the 203, 403, 404, and 504 videos. I had a 403, 2 404, 3 504s [ one twice]. All that remains are a few of the rubber floor mats still doing sterling service in 2 of our cars 40 years later! Also a few workshop manuals and a few odds and sods but lots of great memories. Neil