1904 Peugeot Type 67A 1012HP Twin-Cylinder

1904 Peugeot Type 67A 10/12HP Twin-Cylinder Swing-Seat Tonneau

The Peugeot is the French car that still maintains its excellence and is the only firm of long-standing repute still manufacturing two-cylinder engined cars and with a range of models from 8 hp to 50 hp ... it is made apparent that the Peugeot cars are fully worthy of the high place they have taken in the motor world." - Max Pemberton. The Amateur Motorist, 1907.

Formerly producers of tools, coffee mills, umbrella spikes and corsetry, Peugeot commenced its long-standing connection with transport in 1885 when it added cycle manufacture to its portfolio. Amongst the world's oldest surviving motor manufacturers, the company commenced car production in 1889 with a steam-powered tri-car but soon abandoned steam in favour of the internal combustion engine, building a succession of ever larger automobiles before introducing the first of its famous Bébé light cars in 1900. Step by step Peugeot modernised its designs, adopting the steering wheel in 1901 on the Type 36 and front-mounted engines on all its new models in 1902. From that time forward Peugeot unashamedly copied the Mercedes style in miniature, adopting square-cut honeycomb radiators and reinforced timber chassis; even the twin-cylinder 9hp had mechanically-operated inlet valves in a pair-cast 'T-head' engine. Peugeot produced singles, twins and four-cylinder cars at this time, some with chain and others with shaft drive, the latter becoming universal after 1909.

Built at Peugeot's Audincourt factory in north-eastern France, this twin-cylinder engine displaces 1,817cc and is rated at 10/12hp. The car retains the original dual ignition system, while the gearbox has four speeds plus reverse. The drive from the engine to the gearbox is via a cone clutch and the drive from the gearbox to the rear wheels is by means of twin chains. The pedal control layout is as current-day manual cars. Braking is by a foot-operated transmission brake and a lever-operated rear-wheel handbrake. Drip-feed oiling to both engine and gearbox is supplied by an engine-driven Dubrule system. An auxiliary engine and gearbox oil 'top up' system is operated by a hand pump.

Descriptions & Pictures by bonhams