DANGEL Peugeot 504 Was The First 4×4 Offroad Peugeot
Well, we have seen a Dangel Peugeot 504 more than a decade ago in North Africa when we were on an off-road excursion
DANGEL is a French specialist automobile company based in Sentheim, Alsace and the company has been producing off road capable 4×4 versions of Citroën and Peugeot vehicles since 1980.
The company’s first conversion was the Peugeot 504 and since that date DANGEL has converted over 22,000 French vehicles with most of them still surviving in French colonies in North Africa and some parts east Asia.
So, the Peugeot 504 DANGEL from 1981 started the 4×4 journey for Peugeot and today you can still get an off road vehicle from Peugeot but its called the ‘Landtrek’ and it is a 4×4 lifestyle pickup truck.
Interestingly, DANGEL is not producing the Peugeot Landtrek and instead it a partnership with a new 4×4 company.
Originally a producer of competition cars, beginning in the late sixties, their first four-wheel drive conversions were developed with the direct assistance of Peugeot’s own drivetrain engineers.
In the 1978, the French engineer Henri DANGEL developed an 4×4-drive conversion for the Peugeot 504 Break and pickup, which was presented at 1980’s Paris Motor Show.
For the conversion, a separated frame was installed under the chassis of the 504. The original front suspension was replaced by the rear axle and differential of the large Peugeot 604 sedan.
The original rear axle remained, but with sorter gear ratio in the differential. The body was to be raised by 160 to 180mm. The front of this vehicle was widened by 70mm, which means they needed to add new fender flares. The wheelbase was increased by 20mm.
Inside the only difference from the rear wheel drive family friendly 504 was the additional lever that engaged the short gear ratios. The first prototype was presented to Peugeot by DANGEL in 1978.
The company convinced of the project’s commercial success This is how “Automobiles Dangel” was born in 1980. The 504 Break / Familiale Dangel was included in Peugeot’s official range in 1981. It was initially available only with the 2.0l normal aspirated petrol engine.
The diesel was only by available later, as was the pickup version, which retained the original leaf springs.
Success came very quickly with orders from EDF and the Gendarmerie. Many companies were also attracted from the access to muddy or rough terrains, as were individual farmers.
Additionally, the Rally Raid race series successes helped build the car’s reputation, as was the second place in the 1982 Paris Dakar rally just two days before the finish. The car featured here is an early model from the 1981 sales brochure.
It has the 4-cylinder 1,971cc XN1 engine, which produced 96PS / 95HP / 69Kw at 5.200rpm and 161Nm at 3,000rpm. Power transmitted permanently to all wheels through a four-speed manual transmission.
There is also a short ratio gear box. There were 279mm disc brakes at the front and drums at the rear wheels.
In terms of performance, the top speed was governed at 146km/h and it had an average fuel consumption of 12.73l per 100km. Dimensions of this 504 were as follows. The length was 4,800mm, the width was 1,730mm, the height was 1,740mm, the wheelbase was 2,910mm and this car weighed in at 1,525kg.
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