Anybody Have a Peugeot Type 161 or 172?

[Guest VeloMan]

I'm planning to restore a 1921 Peugeot Type 161 Quadrilette (located near Philadelphia). Does anyone know of any similar cars in the U.S. I could inspect or get detailed photographs of?

Philip Jamison

West Chester, PA

[1937hd45]

That looks real solid, any parts in common with the Bebe Peugeot? I guess you know about www.PreWarCar.com a want ad there should help. Good luck with the project. Bob

[1937hd45]

By the way his big brother was in Rochester, New York in 1922....if you know were he is CALL ME!

[Peter J.Heizmann]

Philip,

Our AACA Library & Research Center is a repository of thousands of original automotive books, spec sheets, and, sales literature.

You could do two things:

1. Click on Library under the Resources block above for an overview of our Library & Research Center and Request Form info...or,

2. Phone the L&RC and speak with Kim Miller, Librarian or any other staff members. (717-534-2082)

Best,

Peter J.

[Ivan Saxton]

I knew two of these in reasonable unrestored state about 1964. As I recall, the engines were fixed head side valve, with one threaded screw plug with copper/asbestos sealing ring covering both tiny valves in each of the four cylinders. My feeling was that it would be a great little car for shopping, as long as you did not have far to drive or a big shopping list.

One belonged to a man I knew well, whose other three cars still survive. Ken has been gone for probably 30 years. I will ask around to see who might have the little Peugeot now.(Two of his cars were 30/98 Vauxhalls).

The other was one of two old family cars in a shed on a large farm property in far western Victoria. The other was a Wolsely about 1912. In an era when you could purchase old cars for very little, they had no wish to dispose of them. (I never thought to ask, but I am sure that a member of the extended family was quite a bit older than I when I was first sent to boarding school. Very possibly the Peugeot is still in the same ownership. I shall see what I can find out.

Peugeot built an amazing diversity of cars in the 1920's. The size ranged from the tiny Quadrillette which my piston listing shows had a 50mm bore size until 1925, when it increased 1mm; right up to the 6cyl 6 litre Type 156 cuff-valve model. One friend who owned one of these as a hack vehicle in the mid-late 1940's compares it more than favourably with the Isotta Fraschini and the Hispano Suiza of the same era that he owned at the same period. Peugeot made about 180 up till 1923. Jean-Pierre in France has one restored, I have enough parts from remains of six or eight cars to reconstruct two. In between the Quadrillette and the Cuff-valve were a lot of models of different size, some side valve, some ovehead valve. There were also sleeve valve models. The 3.8 litre 4 cylinder sleeve valve was a very fine and well performing car. This was not surprising.

It was very similar to the Voisin, and was the work, apparently of design staff who had moved from Voisin to Peugeot. Sleeve valve engines would run at a higher compression ratio on the same fuel than poppet valve engines would tolerate; and it is written that Voisin learned this through a mistake in compression height of pistons in one car.

I'll try to find where those cars are now, but I suspect that you may learn most of what you would need to know from your own very good example.

Ivan Saxton

[Guest VeloMan]

Thanks for the comments. The Quadrilette is not related to the Bebe (which was designed by Ettore Bugatti about 1903, I think). The Type 161 Quadrilette was introduced in 1921, just after WWI when gas was very high in France. It was succeed in 1922 by the similar Type 172. Peugeot made much of it's economy (5 litres per 100km). It is a tiny car! I'm glad I'm thin, or I'd never fit a passenger in. The transmission housing was aluminum, as were the pistons. My 161 was not-so-very-well restored decades ago, so it's tough to tell what is correct or not. Hence, my desire to see another. Of course, a trip to France would be nice, but I spent all my money on the car! Maybe I could find someone to take a load of photos for me at the Peugeot or National Automobile Museums in France.

Philip Jamison

[Guest onelung]

... Peugeot built an amazing diversity of cars in the 1920's - right up to the 6cyl 6 litre Type 156 cuff-valve model. One friend who owned one of these as a hack vehicle in the mid-late 1940's compares it more than favourably with the Isotta Fraschini and the Hispano Suiza of the same era that he owned at the same period. Peugeot made about 180 up till 1923. Jean-Pierre in France has one restored, I have enough parts from remains of six or eight cars to reconstruct two...

Hi Ivan - my understanding of the Type 156 Peugot is that it has a sleeve valve engine. Is this the same as your "cuff valve engine", or is the cuff valve system something else altogether?

Looking forward to some clarification, please.

Regards, Geoff

Adelaide