1982 Peugeot 505 GR Estate

Highlights

Former barn find with just 33,000 miles on the odometer
Exceedingly original and superbly preserved
Impeccably presented
Lesser seen basic 'GR' specification
Automatic gearbox

The Appeal

Travel to a country where durability and ease of repair matters - Morocco, say, or Chile - and alongside the usual '70s Mercedes, you’ll see your fair share of old Peugeot saloons and estates too - particularly 504s and its replacement, the 505.

The 505’s longevity is at odds with its elegant styling, the work of both the company’s internal stylists and Pininfarina. By the time production in Europe ended in 1992 it was the company’s last rear-wheel drive model. By then, front-wheel drive had taken over in all the French brands, but it gave particularly the sportier 505s (their number including turbos, GTIs and V6s) a different character to the front-drive 405 that replaced it.

Durable they may be but good surviving examples are a rarity. We sometimes find the range-topping GTI models as these often lived easier lives, but it's almost impossible to find a more basic 505 as most covered stratospheric mileages and were quite literally run into the ground.

That makes this 1982 GR almost totally unique. A former barn find that was evidently kept very dry indeed, we don't think we've ever seen one so original, well-preserved and with just 33,000 miles on the clock!

First registered on December 3rd, 1982, an estate in modest GR trim with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a four-speed automatic gearbox.

The story goes that the car was discovered by a property developer purchasing properties from probate. It was then recommissioned by a dealer and sold to the previous keeper. During present ownership, the vendor has covered a mere 500 miles, ensuring the continued preservation of this very special French estate.

History & Paperwork

Formerly a barn find
Unearthed by a property developer and recommissioned by a dealer that then sold the car to the previous keeper
Collection of tax discs - the car had been untaxed from 1991, suggesting the bulk of its 32,000 miles were completed in the first nine years
The dealer that recommissioned the car had to apply for a new V5C
Now located in the Republic of Ireland
The vendor acquired the car with 32,576 miles on the odometer and has covered around 500 miles since

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The Condition

Highly original throughout to its lowly GR specifications
Very few signs of wear in line with the ultra-low mileage

Kudos to the original owner for choosing bright red for their 505 estate, as it still looks great to this day and really brings out the best in Peugeot and Pininfarina’s handsome lines. That might not have been the case of course had the car led a hard life, but as a true barn find and out of the elements for the last few decades, it’s done better than most.

It has commendably straight panels, bright paintwork, no obvious damage to the glass or light fixtures (the front light units have been replaced), and all four wheels are wrapped in Cooper tyres. All is said to be in very good order underneath.

GR trim may not have been at the top of the tree when this 505 was new, but nearly four decades down the line, its combination of woven cloth trim, a simple two-spoke steering wheel and a basic instrument package has plenty of character.

Open each door and the door jambs look as tidy as the exterior paintwork, and all the seats look as plump as the day they left the factory. The door panels are also completely original and seemingly undamaged, while the carpet is showing no signs of distress, though is covered by replacement floor mats front and rear.

Potentially brittle parts like the seat adjustment levers or the centre console are all in exactly the shape they should be, as is the dashboard and all its switches and stalks. The steering wheel still retains its original texture, evidence of the low mileage, and the digital clock in the dash still appears to be working.

The instrument cluster is basic with just a speedometer, coolant temperature gauge and fuel gauge and a wonderful period touch in the form of the “Econoscope” - an early measure of economical driving much like we’re now used to in modern cars. The other area that matters in an estate - the boot - looks like it’s barely ever been used to haul anything significant.

The Mechanics

2.0-litre carburetted Douvrin l4
Automatic gearbox
Exceedingly original engine compartment
Said to be in good running and driving order
Used vary sparingly during current ownership

The seller says the 505 starts and drives superbly as you'd expect from an example that's covered so few miles.

After the car was recovered from its slumber, the dealer fully recommissioned the mechanicals, giving it a fresh set of tyres, new brake lines, and a full set of filters and fluids (including transmission fluid for the automatic gearbox).

Under bonnet images show the 505 to be as tidy as its history would support. Structural elements all appear in great shape and unaffected by corrosion and the simple, four-cylinder engine sitting lengthways in the bay is predictably fresh given its low mileage.

BEFORE YOU BUY

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