504 Buying Advice

[wuf810]

Hi all. 

Just wondering if anyone can offer me some general buying advice for 504. 

I’m currently interested in RHD 1973 Cabriolet for sale in Scotland. 

Is there anything i should be particulaly weary of?
How important is originality? Matching numbers?
is there a registry of sorts.
Do Peugeot have a database of models and serial numbers?

Any other hints and tips?

Although ive owned a classic in the past, I know little of Peugeot’s. 

Thanks in advance,

Michael. 

[oldpug]

The number one is RUST!! 504 cabriolets are lovely models but the Pininfarina body just rots away. So only consider one that has had a ground up,bare shell restoration. Or,be prepared to do this yourself? 504 Pininfarina Body panels,trim parts and headlamps are practically non existent,but all the mechanical stuff is the same as a normal 504 TI saloon with most parts available new or second hand. The Kugelficsher injection system can be problematic,make sure the car starts on the button and runs properly on FOUR cylinders.Because of injection system problems there are a lot of 504 cabriolets that have had a normal 504 carburetor engine fitted. No problem with that,if its been done properly, but its not original so looses the car`s value. I`ve always said a classic car should be original. Mucking about,altering things,fitting "modern" components just spoils it.

Everything else is what you would look for on a 45 year old cabbriolet,particularly the hood.Make sure the guy selling is genuine,all the details on the V5 match him and the details on the chassis plate,that sort of thing.

As far as a data base etc I would suggest you contact the 504 registrar on this forum.

[wuf810]

Thanks for the reply. Safe advice and much appreciated.

Regards, Michael.

[miketippett]

Yes, rust, rust, rust and ...rust!

I would not buy any Pininfarina built car without a photo-documented restoration. I've just done one myself to my 404C and it was wiltingly expensive, but at least I know it's as solid as a tank. And now, rustproofed "when new".

They're beautiful cars, and that makes them so easy to fall for.

[oldpug]

   



     I helped a friend of mine with his 504, the more parts we removed the more rust we found,it ended up a bare shell. Luckily we knew an "old school" body builder who made inner wings,floor panels and other bits. The end result was this. A perfect shell. By the way the whole job from start to finish took FOUR YEARS.