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The 203 was here in USA - and some members of the old P.O.C club have/had them - thought mostly popular in the E/W coasts area. Before Peugeot corp started to bring cars over here (USA), (starting with the 403) almost anyone with $$$ could bring over a car and import it just like that. But, there was an independent company that bought over motorcycles, and all kinds of (motorized) items from different Euro companies, and it was called Eastern Auto Importers. Thought my history is fuzzy - either they had a contract from France PSA - or they bought them (403-404) and imported them here in USA and took their chances - but in effect - Eastern Auto started the Peugeot Craze!!!!! as for the 203 --the history is murky - either fitted with a 203 motor or a 403 left over motor - horsepower was somewhere in the 40 to 50 hp at MOST, and very bland looking car - or at least a functional one... Brian Holm knows the history of the EA company and the 203 cars better than I do - and perhaps it was discussed here before - but -in a nutshell- the 203 was NOT an official PSA Imported car, so very few remain here today.
Joe Wagner in Cincinnati.
Joe
I worked for Frank Blocker, EAD (Eastern Auto Distributor), Norfolk, VA., and was a member of P.O.C. When Blocker took PMA to court, and lost, except what PMA bought back, he sold all of his Peugeot stuff at auction, that's where I got most of my shop tools. And I still have my POC sticker for the side glass. :-)
PP
Hi Pete
I knew about that auction for Peugeot stuff --and heard that most of it did not sell and got tossed-- what a shame... but tell me more when the legal stuff started --PMA versed Eastern... and tell me when Eastern got started in selling Peugeot 403- it was late 50's right or in the 60's????
thanks
Joe
According to the pug data base, http://www.angelfire.com/tn/pugdatabase/ Eastern also brought the 204 over, and they were not recognized as official imports of PSA.
Bill D.
To add to what Bill & Joe said, the first 203 rolled off the line in 1948, and Pininfarina creates the 403 in 1955. Peugeot Motors of America opened their doors in NY, in 1958, where Eastern Auto Importers changed their name to Eastern Auto Distributors. In 1992, when PMA closed their doors, Frank Blocker (EAD) was the last individually owned dist in the world, and it took a US Federal Court to take it away from him. They put the first diesel in a 403 in 1959, and brought out the 404 in 1960. FYI :-)
PP
At this point, I figured to go ahead and tell what I knew about the whole thing.
Joe
Samuel Franklin Blocker, Sr started a shop in downtown Norfolk, VA, USA, back in the 30's and Jr. grew up around this shop. As the men were coming back from Europe after the war, some (mostly mid and higher ranking Military) were bringing a few novelties back with them. In the late 40's and early 50's the import laws were not as strict as they later became. The Blocker family had worked their way up the financial ladder and was supplying friends (that had money) with new status symbols from Europe.
After creating a very large network of friends (the majority of the eastern coast and west into GA, W.VA, Tenn., to name a few) was a key instigator in getting Peugeot to open an office in North America (in other words do their own importing, even if it was only on paper). So in 1958 PMA was formed to handle NA and opened an office in NY. They later moved to a big complex in NJ. Sr was one of about 5 or 6 Distributors in all North America, one in Mexico., one in Canada, and 3 or 4 in the USA. Rumor has it that Peugeot signed a lifetime contract with Sr. and the few times I met the man, I can believe it. He had pulled away from the day to day and Jr. took over. He's the one I went to work for in early 82. Sr died in 83, and Sr's mother died in 84. Jr. never married (there was rumor but I have no knowledge).
He had three (3) locations, warehouse, port and the dealership. The cars were driven off the boat, if something was obvious it was brought to the shop (at the dealership) other wise it was put on a car carrier for the 4 winds. You've got to know Norfolk to figure out we were east of where the ships docked. We had 6 bays, lube bay, alignment, and a flat bay for a total of 9 stalls. One side AUGHT-NOT's (Renaults) and the other Peugeots. At the warehouse were parts for all his dealers and Fred Weaver taught school. He had school all year long. It took him a year to go through all the subjects, gas eng, suspension, brakes, diesel, electrical ETC, so every tech had to be school trained. Every one was taught everything. You were issued a PASSPORT, same size and texture as my travel passport issued by immigration. Dark blue with the lion head on the front. Each course was listed, dated, signed by Fred and a raised seal was embossed on the page.
I started with him in May 82 as technician and by July 86 started as Service Manager. By July 87 was all I could take of Jr. So I went on my own as I FIX PEUGEOTS, INC.
In 91 Peugeot stopped shipping cars, and later the Federal court told Jr. he was no longer the only independently owned distributor of Peugeots, in the world. The firm that handled the case for Peugeot was Wilcox & Savage PC, with Walt Kelley, one of the senior board members/partners or something, arguing for Peugeot, was one of my customers, he had 3 Peugeots of his own. At the moment I don't remember the year, but I got word and filled my shop with every tool you can think of at the auction. Another tech that worked there (Will Johnson) had more capital and picked up 2 tractor trailers full of engines, tranny's, bumpers steering racks, fenders, hoods ETC.
The story you received was from people that came there to pickup brand new cars and saw used tools, warranted used parts and an assortment of new parts that if you didn't already have a shop working on Peugeots, was useless to you. The people at the auction screwed Jr. by not segregating the parts, warranted engines with used tools, a Peugeot bumper, Ren fender, motor cycle batt's, and a bunch of odds and ends, on a pallet. They were told, you bid, you pay, you haul, leave nothing and no swapping on site, all items had to leave that day, no exceptions. Most of the people walked through, turned and left.
All this from a junk yard dog with three terminal deseases CSS, CHS, CRS, Cain't See Squat, Cain't Hear Squat, Cain't Remember Squat. It's not much in the details dept, it's just the memberences of a damn old junk yard dog. Maybe you remember it different. Maybe with a different Distributor/Dealer and have another page to add to the HISTORY OF PEUGEOT IN THE USA. That's what we're here for , isn't it?
(Joe left out the type-o's and greasy thumb prints... Thanks Joe) :-)
PP
Compiled and Authored by
PEUGEOT PETE
peugpete@aol.com
Pedigreed Junk Yard Dog
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