Remember how a couple years ago we were promised by Citroën that they would begin to offer a parts program for those undertaking restoration of their classic models? Then, when that didn’t pan out, PSA announced the takeover of Néo Rétro, a company specializing in the distribution of spare parts for old French cars. (We wrote about it on April 15, 2017). Well, it was announced earlier this month that to celebrate the 210th anniversary of Peugeot, PSA has initiated a classic car restoration program for their cars..
l’Aventure Peugeot will restore and then offer for sale classic Peugeot vehicles, commencing with the 205 GTi.
The Sochaux workshops of the Peugeot Adventure Museum will serve as a setting for this restoration work which, once completed, and before being offered for sale on the Peugeot Adventure website, will receive a certificate of authenticity as well as a marking “By the Peugeot Adventure”.
PSA says that this new program will be based on the talent and expertise of the museum’s specialists, from its master technicians to former factory workers, including bodywork restorers, upholstery craftspeople and other sheet metal workers.
L’Aventure Peugeot has obtained the stock of parts as well as the necessary facilities to carry out this restoration project. Historical subcontractors will be called upon to manufacture the missing parts, and 3D printing technology will also be used to manufacture parts that are no longer in production.
Isn’t nice to know that PSA values their Peugeot brand enough to begin a restoration program? Perhaps because of complexity, lack of expertise, or just that they are not valued in corporate structure of PSA these days, it’s a shame that other than a GS done up for 50th year anniversary earlier this year, (and introduced at Retromobile), other iconic Citroën models are not being subjected to restoration efforts.
