C&G 404's were only 35% Australian content. A problem because they were supposed to be 45%. Renault built ones were 55%. I think the warranty man was Ansing not Anson. His father was a rear drive Renault expert.
That sparks a memory of Ian talking of going with enzo I think to a blokes backyard garage late sixties early seventies out around Croydon area to get some gears made for the r8 rally cars.reckoned this bloke was a wiz and knew his sh&t.turns out was peter holinger if I remember correctly..jimHe was involved with the R8 rally team, I remember the papers said the diffs had failed in a rally and I made a snide remark to him about it. He put me in my place with a you shouldn't believe everything you read in the papers dismissal. Of course it wasn't the diffs, it was the universals.
Geoff Russell had a fantastic run in 403s around 1960, wins in Armstrong 500, Mobilgas Economy Runs, Victorian Rally Champion and Alpine Rally. We got to talk to him at Southport on the 2006 Ampol Rerun and he said it was a fantastic car. Geoff drove the Regans KF2 404 in the 1966 Southern Cross Rally and other events. Geoff was an excellent driver, also drove for Ford in Cortinas and was part of the Australian Works Team that took Falcons to the East African Safari in 1962. He was still racing Commodores in the 1990s I think.This advertisement for 1961 gives a clue to the problems which beset Continental & General. The price of 1218 pounds is inked out and replaced by 1278 pounds. Not such a big difference but it was because of a flawed government economic policy implemented at the end of 1960 which caused a major recession. Unemployment soared and car sales fell. There was an election at the end of the year and Menzies held power by 125 votes in one seat.
Peugeot sales were and are very price sensitive. Sales could double or halve because of price changes. The market had its own idea of what a Peugeot was worth which was not always the same as the importer. Factors beyond the control of the importer often frustrated attempts to increase sales beyond those achieved by the 203. True today when sales are not dramatically greater than 203 levels. The optimism of 1955 and the prospect of record 403 sales in 1956 was turned into a halving of sales by new government imposts.
At the end of 1959 the move to a single assembly operation in the modern ex Simca plant brought sales of the price reduced car in 1960 which topped those of the 203 only to be dashed by the Credit Squeeze never again to reach that level with either the 403 or 404.
The Credit Squeeze was quoted as the reason there was no timely release of the 404 but I suspect other factors.
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A 4 cyl Jowett Javelin was dearer than a 6 cyl Holden, no wonder they didn't sell many in Aus.View attachment 240572
South Coast NSW price list late 1952 or early 1953. De Luxe probably means a heater. Commercials have been cut off.