Lion VA restoration
Having loaded the remnants of the Lion VA onto our trailer in St. Emilion, near Bordeaux (see photo in The Peugeotist issue 141) we brought it home and roughly assembled the items on the lawn. (somewhat resembling something out of the Flintstones!!)
The priority was the chassis frame which we managed to refurbish in time to take it to CPUK at 'Cars in the Park' in July 2006, where it caused some interest. The rear axle was the next item and so we now have 2 wheels on our wagon! All Lion Peugeots were originally supplied with the chassis and mechanical items painted 'straw' (regardless of the colour of the coachwork).
The combined gear box and differential unit was in a sorry state, the differential itself having been filled with lead to make it drive on one half shaft only! We unbolted the two halves of the unit and thankfully managed to get the lead out in lumps without damaging the gears.
The spoked wheel at the side is a transmission brake with external cast iron shoes to be operated by the foot brake pedal. The letters 'P F' on the engine crankcase stand for Peugeot Frères, or more fully 'Les Fils de Peugeot Frères', who produced their range of cars under the Lion Peugeot marque from 1906 - 1915.
During this period they were in competition with the 'Société des automobiles Peugeot' which had begun car production in 1891. The two organisations came to an agreement in 1910 and had amalgamated their production by 1915 as the 'Société anonyme des automobiles et cycles Peugeot'. Also visible in the photo is the camshaft situated transversely across the engine. The piston (yes, there is only one!) is 80mm bore and also 80mm stroke, which is unusual for a car of this age.
The Lion restoration project continues …
John Horton
