Owner: Will Bruinier
Found at: Shepparton, Vic. Australia [5 Apr 2017]
When I drove 3 hours to Shepparton to find a Peugeot 404, what I found was more than what I could have asked for.
Will's father is specifically fond of the Peugeot 404 from 1967, so much that he had three and one of them was a wagon and it was pretty much in its original state.
Most cars of this year have been restored to its previous glory days, but there is something magical about the ones that are a faithful witness of the passing of time.
You can feel the history these cars have gone through. I couldn't find an actual story about this one, but you can tell it would have been a different kind of car at the time.
This car is sitting in a carport waiting for its turn to be restored and it can't run. It feels like a grandfather who no longer can leave home and is always waiting for his grandchildren to arrive and tell them stories.
Dedicated to: Rebeca Flores
Who is Rebeca
She and her family used to be our neighbours at "Las Cañadas". Actually, she was the one who brought us to that amazing suburb by giving us the heads up about a house for rent.
They love to organise massive parties for whatever the reason. The point always is to catch up with friends and have a good time, and they had the perfect house for it. They also organised a memorable annual event to brand their cattle at their ranch in Tapalpa. Always good memories from a cherished friendship.
When we moved to Australia, they were the guardians of some of our furniture and paintings until we managed to bring a container with everything.
Why she picked this car?
"Few months after I was born, my dad brought home a brand-new 1968 white Rambler Guayin (Wagon).
I was the fifth daughter and therefore it became an absolute need to have a bigger car.
We kept that car for a long time, maybe 16 years or so. When my sisters went to Mexico City to study, my dad sent the wagon by train to limit the possible damage due to the long trip and to avoid driving such a long distance himself (as he was the only man in the family).
My parents thought that this was the ideal vehicle for my sisters in Mexico City, as it was not fast at all, it was old, so it would deter carjacking, and at the same time, we would have a car big enough for the whole family when we went to visit them.
When my sisters returned home after Uni, the wagon came back with them, again by train.
My mom died in 1982 and the wagon was still in the family.
This Peugeot Wagon reminded me of that wagon.
I can see myself having a ball driving it with the seats and the trunk full of food, luggage, our dogs going to a place to have a great time with my family or friends.
I love big cars. With them, I always have room to carry whatever I want: kids, dogs, guest, plants and flower pots."
