real life
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The famous 4004 and 403 at the Peugeot Museum in France; Maitland Peugeot dealer Bruce Mudd and Rod in the winning 404 Group 5 Rally car; rod’s pride and joy – the 1963 403b; Rod with his winning 404 and the many trophies the car won; Carol in front of the Peugeot Museum in 2009; Rod took a ride in a 1935 Peugeot around Sochaux, France in 2009
Pug & Me Rod Doherty lives in the Hunter Valley with his wife Carol, and together they have four children and 10 grandchildren. Rod retired as manager of the Hunter Region Business Centre in December 2010 and now concentrates on his role as the president of the Kurri Kurri District Business Chamber, focusing on growing the economy of the Kurri Kurri district. He is also an elected councillor with Cessnock City Council. Over the past 40 years Rod and Carol have owned 10 Pugs, including the 403, 504, 604, 405 Turbo Diesel, 306, 405 Mi16, 206GTi and 4007. Rod tells Tatyana Leonov his story.
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“I was around eight years old when I first learned about Peugeots,” Rod remembers. “I was watching the 1953 Redex Trial and saw Ken Tubman, in the Peugeot 203 winning car, go through Muswellbrook. I was hooked”. Luckily for Rod, learning about Peugeots was easy because of his family’s strong connection to the motor industry. “Every Saturday night there would be chatter in the men’s shed about cars, and as a young boy I just loved the banter. I told them I’d own a Peugeot one day and they all told me I was mad for wanting one of those ‘funny French cars.’” Rod laughs. “When I started my apprenticeship in fitting and machining I began reading an American magazine called Car and Driver. They listed the top 10 cars in the world and the Peugeot 403 was listed number 10.” It wasn’t until 1972 that Rod purchased his first Pug, a tired old white 1964 404 rally car that had seen more rough gravel roads than most cars would see in a lifetime. “I was immediately hooked on this car that had won six times in the East African Safari from 1962 to 1968 and also winning the manufactures trophy.” His trusty 404 went on to win the Group
5 Motorkana series three times, the New South Wales Motorkana series, and was runner-up in the Australian event in 1975. “It was a great car, strong, reliable and nimble. My one regret is that I don’t still have one today.”
As a young boy I told them I’d own a Peugeot one day and they all told me I was mad for wanting one of those ‘funny French cars’.
Rod’s 404 eventually retired from motor sport and two 403’s joined the family. One 403 was used for a couple years in motor sport and setting car trials before Rod eventually retired from the sport completely to concentrate on his career as a New South Wales ambulance officer. “Since those days I’ve had the opportunity to own a fully imported V6 Manual 604. This car had had only two previous owners, one being the Austrian Consulate.” Rod smiles. “It was a magnificent vehicle and had all of the mod cons that the new breeds today have and then some.” DRIVEN 77