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Quadrilette 1922-24 History
Here is a continuation of the Be'be' story.
This time again from ROAD AND TRACK February 1964.
IT IS MOST ILLUMINATING, if sometimes depressing, to look back into the past and see just what a merry dance the great manufacturers have led us. Like the famous Bourbons of France, they seem to have learned nothing and forgotten nothing.
Those individuals who think that everything before the 1948 Buick Dynaflow belonged to the Dark Ages of automobiledom should go to one or another of the vintage car meets and investigate the machinery. Cars like the Coupe d'Auto Delage, with its tremendous performance, are, of course, magnificent but one does not expect itchy little economy-cum-sports cars to be anything special. Indeed, there is a strong suspicion that a small two-seater like the Quad will be a horrid little mess with wire-and-bobbin steering that will fall apart a la Keystone Cops at the first bump. Some makes would, of course, and accordingly did not survive. In those days, unlike the present, shoddy work less acceptable.
Peugeot is a serious house and goes about its business in a serious manner. Desiring a small car to tap the yet-untold millions of non-motorists just before the Great War, they bought the design of the Be'be' Peugeot from one Ettore Bugatti, who in turn had adapted it from his first successful competition car, an ohc 1327-cc two seater, which did well in the 1911 GP of France.
The Be'be' was considerably detuned from the Bugatti, boasting of only 856-cc with side valves and 2-speeds provided by a double-row bevel gear, but even so, one competed so successfully in a 1913 cycle car race at Le Mans. Although these were made in fairly large numbers, an improvement was called for after the war and in 1922 or thereabouts the Quadrilette came into being. One would think from the name that it was destined to carry four persons, but in fact many examples were made as a tandem 2-seater like the Bedelia. Our test car, lovingly restored by "Steady" Barker of THE AUTOCAR, is fitted with a side-by-side English body which proves the common-sense viewpoint that young bloods of any era prefer to sit alongside their pretty girlfriends.
Technically speaking, the Quad is highly representative of the period, but at the same time shows that nothing is ever really new. The chassis is a welded-up punt, as one finds on sport cars today. The suspension is non-independent (transverse leaf in front and quarter elliptic at the rear) and innocent of shock absorbers, while the 3-speed gearbox lives in an alloy casting in the worm-drive solid rear axle. Gears are shifted via a sturdy lever in a quadrant gate immediately to the right of the driver; reverse is obtained by going right forward while straight back from there are neutral, first, second and third. As reverse gear is the same ratio as second, quite rapid times can be obtained in marche arriere. Top gear meshes by dogs, thus saving wear and tear on the fragile pinions of those days, which sound relatively silent compared to the other two, which sound (according to the owner) like a cow giving birth to a roll of barbed wire. The wood-rimmed wheel operates a high-mounted pinion and quadrant steering box, allowing quite accurate control and approximately one turn lock to lock. The characteristics of this arrangement can be modified by loosening both ends of the slightly zig-zag front axle radius arms and giving them a twist; this varies the caster angle somewhat.
The engine is fairly straight forward, being a 668-cc (50 X 66) 4-cyl with the head, block, and crankcase cast integrally from iron. One can inspect conditions inside by unscrewing large valve caps, but the valves themselves are at the side and driven by a single camshaft. Lubrication is of the pump less system, a fine mist being stirred up by the babbitt lined rods with dippers, which run on the 2-roller-bearing crankshaft. Carburetion is looked after by a tiny Zenith, which makes Crosley-type Tillotsons seem enormous--in the interest of cold running it operates through an exhaust-heated intake manifold. There is no water pump or fan, although it never boiled on a long trip to Spain a few years ago, and the drive back is looked after by 20 steel and bronze clutch discs that look like 45-rpm records. Ignition is by magneto and, in case night driving is contemplated, a battery may be housed in the triangular tail section.
Driving the Quad is no real problem, but it takes a bit of getting used to. There are three pedals as usual, but, perhaps as a heritage from the tandem days, the clutch is way over on the passenger side. The other two are a bit closer together, proving that heel-and toe is as old as the ages, but a large incautious foot on the brake can also lead to unwanted rpm. There being no driver's door, that section is taken up by the gear change, an even more solid handbrake operating the right rear brake (the foot pedal works on the left), and a motorcycle -type lever acting as hand throttle. This is indispensable when the engine is swung over and probably was used in lieu of foot control in the days of lighter traffic. Aside from those, little remains to distract the driver besides a push-pull advance and retard knob, an on-off switch, a choke, an ammeter, and a bulb horn giving Audible Warning of Approach. In case of rain, the clip-shaped wiper may be pushed back and forth across the folding screen. There is also a brass notice on the dash which says, Oil causes explosions, do not use it.
Starting is easily accomplished (I let Steady do it) by retarding the spark, advancing the hand throttle a bit, switching on the magneto, and making sure that the fuel tap is open . If lucky, a sound like the ladies knitting circle results and after vaulting lightly into the driver's seat (being careful not to get the handbrake up the trouser leg) the intrepid driver is ready to move off. After adjusting the idle to suit, one may also advance the spark a trifle and then select first gear, an option usually more silent than in a Mini, for example. By lifting up on its knob, the handbrake may now be released and the Peugeot can move away. Gear changing gives rise to some inquietude because of the horrid sounds emanating from the box. . . there is really not much of a definite neutral between the gears and a slight hesitation is recommended . . . but a certain amount of practice works wonders. Down shifting is a little trickier, in spite of the light flywheel, as there doesn't seem to be any place quiet to stop in the notched gate between gears. In practice, though, the low-speed torque is so good that one hangs onto high long after shifting would be necessary on more modern machinery.
The actual driving is surprisingly easy as visibility is excellent, the steering accurate, and the ride not so jiggly in spite of 42 psi in the extra-cord beaded edge tires. I am told that things are a trifle more fraught in the rain, due to the extremely narrow rear crab-track and high pressures, as on slippery surfaces the back end tends to hop itself down the camber. Most surprisingly, the acceleration is quite brisk and appreciably better than the diesel Land Rover in which I went to visit.
Steady. As the engine only delivers about 11 actual horsepower at roughly 3000 rpm, light weight must be the answer. We took some acceleration figures, slightly hampered by a slipping clutch on full noise, but really accurate calibration was rendered totally difficult by a lack of a speedometer. Handily enough, the ammeter shows charge in direct relation to engine rpm and thus 0-3 amps (which included the charge into top) took 10 sec while 0-4 amps, a good cruising speed, occupied 31 sec. In second, 0-3 amps was about 7 sec and is useful in traffic as one can bolt through the smallest holes imaginable. The normal touring gait, according to friends with speedometers, is 38 mph, approximately 50 mph can be attained with the screen folded flat, and just as a point of interest, the Peugeot is quicker than the Citroen 2-CV up hills. Quite a good average can be put up the winding English roads, in spite of certain trepidation concerning sharper bends, which tend to be taken leaning as in racing sidecar practice. This must largely be an illusion, though, as the owner has raced the Quad in VSCC meets at Silverstone without any bicycling effects. The hardest thing to get used to is sudden hazards, as one is only too conscious that the cable operated rear brakes are not of the latest design or caliber.
Fighting off the first impulse to change down with brake lever or vise versa, then a panic of not finding the clutch in its usual place. one finds that is possible to stop quite smartly with the application of either of the brake controls. The use of both, is recommended if steering corrective lock is to be avoided, but in spite of ghastly juddering noise under full pressure one does come to a halt in ample time.
Altogether, the Quad is a practical runabout even in this day and age. A fuel mileage of 48 mpg from the 3-gallon gravity tank is normal and the total lack of troubles from the usual host of electrical accessories would be refreshing. Driving it brings back memories of the first TC and, while the top could hardly be considered practical with no side curtains and a big gap at the top of the screen, it is almost as good as certain English tops today. Certainly it goes up and down more easily. There is something very attractive about beetling along the road seeing exactly what you are doing and simply enjoying yourself -- I wonder why Peugeot ever stopped making them?"
ROAD AND TRACK Feb '64.
Submitted by
PEUGEOT PETE
peugpete@aol.com
Pedigreed Junk Yard Dog
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