A little history
The Peugeot D4 panel van, inherited from Chenard & Walcker right after World War Two, was showing many wrinkles by the Sixties. In June 1965, Peugeot replaced it by a brand-new panel van, the J7, retaining the cab-over design, front-wheel-drive and all-independent suspension of its predecessor and adding a few more modern features, sliding doors being among them. Power came from engines borrowed from Peugeot’s 403 and 404 passenger cars: a conventional 1.5-litre four, or a 1.9-litre diesel. Peugeot was, after Mercedes-Benz, the world leader in diesel engines for automobiles and light truck, an advantage that was put to good use in the commercial vehicles’ market.
New bodies aimed at various professions, a longer wheelbase, a heavier-capacity version (the latter powered by larger 1.6-litre gasoline and 2.1-litre diesel engines) gradually appeared during the first year of production. Then, the J7 didn’t change much anymore. The biggest improvements it ever got were larger engines, when for the 1971 model year the lighter version received the blocks of the heavier one, while the latter was fitted with 1.8-litre gasoline and 2.3-litre diesel engines; and disk brakes on the front wheels, in 1974. From then on the J7 was in its final form. It was built with unquestionable success until 1980, when the last J7 out of a series of more than 330,000 rolled out of the Sochaux factory.
When the J7 was retired, Peugeot felt its van still had a strong potential. Though an agreement with Fiat had already been concluded, bringing a rebadged Fiat Ducato (studied in common but built by the Italian company) to the French market as the Peugeot J5 and the Citroën C25 during the following year, an updated J7, the J9, was introduced for model year 1981. Though basically similar to its predecessor, the J9 received a new plastic grille which encompassed the headlights, new larger square lights at the back, and yet bigger engines (2.0-litre gasoline and 2.5-litre diesel) for the heavyweight version. Even if the J9 was still the vehicle of choice for some administrations, most notably the police, the public progressively turned away and seeked newer vehicles. Nonetheless the J9 carried on until 1989, when it finally left the J5 as Peugeot's sole offering in this field.
About the models
Popularity of colourful commercial vehicles as a die-casts collector’s line + iconic aura of the J7 in France = guarantee of a lot of releases in press series. Here are but a few:
Model: Peugeot J7
Year: 1965
Maker: Norev
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Atlas as no.3 of its La caravane du Tour de France press series
Acquired: brand new, in December 2004, in Souillac, France
This model depicts the “voiture-balai”, cunningly sponsored by a long-gone manufacturer of vacuum cleaners: this van tailed the caravan of the annual Tour de France bicycle race, picking up along the way exhausted entrants wishing to retire (voiture-balai litterally means "broom-car" in French). Nice casting, nostalgic decoration, but unfortunately its age shows in the narrowness of its tyres, a flaw shared by many older Norev models. Too bad… 11/20.
Model: Peugeot J7
Year: 1965
Maker: Norev
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Hachette as no.3 of its Police et Gendarmerie press series
Acquired: second hand with neither stand nor box, in July 2006, in Brive, France
Same remarks as the previous model, but I should add that mirrors don't have lenses and the loudspeaker has a terrible plastic-like look. For all these reasons, only 10/20.
Model: Peugeot J7
Year: c.1968
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Altaya as no.4 of its Michelin press series
Acquired: brand new, in November 2007, in Souillac, France
This Michelin “jeu de plage” version roamed around French beaches during the summer holidays, providing various attractions and games sponsored by the famous tyres manufacturer. A recent die-cast, Ixo’s model of the J7 has well-proportioned wheels, but somehow seems less refined than the Norev version – a common, but hardly explainable flaw to many Ixo models. Overall, neither better nor worse than the Norev: 11/20.
Model: Peugeot J7
Year: c.1968
Maker: Eligor
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Atlas as no.7 of its Les petits utilitaires des années 50-60 series
Acquired: second hand with neither stand nor box, in October 2007, in Brive, France
A rather nice model, that was originally sold only through subscription at an extravagant price (22,50 euros with shipping, I think). Unfortunately at least one among the pair of very thin mirrors is likely to be missing if you’re hunting for a second-hand model – believe my experience! The rear doors can be opened, and the side loading door can be slid, though the mechanism for the latter is a little too much visible. As with the Norev, wheels are too narrow, though only slightly, and wipers are moulded with the windshield. I’d give 12/20 to this model.
Model: Peugeot J7
Year: c.1968
Maker: Eligor
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Atlas as no.27 of its Les petits utilitaires des années 50-60 series
Acquired: second hand with neither stand nor box, in October 2007, in Brive, France
Eligor also proposes this J7 equipped with side windows, a variant which was introduced a few months after the original panel van. Many of these were passenger vans, but in the present case, it belongs to salt-producer La Baleine and is loaded with bags of salt at the back. As on the real vehicle, rear doors open in a different way as the previous model's ones. Again, mirrors seem way too fragile, but overall this die-cast is well done. A 12/20 rating.
Model: Peugeot J9
Year: c.1985
Maker: Norev
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Hachette as no.31 of its Police et Gendarmerie press series
Acquired: second hand with neither stand nor box, in July 2006, in Brive, France
Not only the J9 itself has been updated here: compare the typical decoration of a French police van from the Eighties versus the police J7, two decades its senior. Realistic enough to be given a 13/20.
The Peugeot D4 panel van, inherited from Chenard & Walcker right after World War Two, was showing many wrinkles by the Sixties. In June 1965, Peugeot replaced it by a brand-new panel van, the J7, retaining the cab-over design, front-wheel-drive and all-independent suspension of its predecessor and adding a few more modern features, sliding doors being among them. Power came from engines borrowed from Peugeot’s 403 and 404 passenger cars: a conventional 1.5-litre four, or a 1.9-litre diesel. Peugeot was, after Mercedes-Benz, the world leader in diesel engines for automobiles and light truck, an advantage that was put to good use in the commercial vehicles’ market.
New bodies aimed at various professions, a longer wheelbase, a heavier-capacity version (the latter powered by larger 1.6-litre gasoline and 2.1-litre diesel engines) gradually appeared during the first year of production. Then, the J7 didn’t change much anymore. The biggest improvements it ever got were larger engines, when for the 1971 model year the lighter version received the blocks of the heavier one, while the latter was fitted with 1.8-litre gasoline and 2.3-litre diesel engines; and disk brakes on the front wheels, in 1974. From then on the J7 was in its final form. It was built with unquestionable success until 1980, when the last J7 out of a series of more than 330,000 rolled out of the Sochaux factory.
When the J7 was retired, Peugeot felt its van still had a strong potential. Though an agreement with Fiat had already been concluded, bringing a rebadged Fiat Ducato (studied in common but built by the Italian company) to the French market as the Peugeot J5 and the Citroën C25 during the following year, an updated J7, the J9, was introduced for model year 1981. Though basically similar to its predecessor, the J9 received a new plastic grille which encompassed the headlights, new larger square lights at the back, and yet bigger engines (2.0-litre gasoline and 2.5-litre diesel) for the heavyweight version. Even if the J9 was still the vehicle of choice for some administrations, most notably the police, the public progressively turned away and seeked newer vehicles. Nonetheless the J9 carried on until 1989, when it finally left the J5 as Peugeot's sole offering in this field.
About the models
Popularity of colourful commercial vehicles as a die-casts collector’s line + iconic aura of the J7 in France = guarantee of a lot of releases in press series. Here are but a few:
Model: Peugeot J7
Year: 1965
Maker: Norev
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Atlas as no.3 of its La caravane du Tour de France press series
Acquired: brand new, in December 2004, in Souillac, France
This model depicts the “voiture-balai”, cunningly sponsored by a long-gone manufacturer of vacuum cleaners: this van tailed the caravan of the annual Tour de France bicycle race, picking up along the way exhausted entrants wishing to retire (voiture-balai litterally means "broom-car" in French). Nice casting, nostalgic decoration, but unfortunately its age shows in the narrowness of its tyres, a flaw shared by many older Norev models. Too bad… 11/20.
Model: Peugeot J7
Year: 1965
Maker: Norev
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Hachette as no.3 of its Police et Gendarmerie press series
Acquired: second hand with neither stand nor box, in July 2006, in Brive, France
Same remarks as the previous model, but I should add that mirrors don't have lenses and the loudspeaker has a terrible plastic-like look. For all these reasons, only 10/20.
Model: Peugeot J7
Year: c.1968
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Altaya as no.4 of its Michelin press series
Acquired: brand new, in November 2007, in Souillac, France
This Michelin “jeu de plage” version roamed around French beaches during the summer holidays, providing various attractions and games sponsored by the famous tyres manufacturer. A recent die-cast, Ixo’s model of the J7 has well-proportioned wheels, but somehow seems less refined than the Norev version – a common, but hardly explainable flaw to many Ixo models. Overall, neither better nor worse than the Norev: 11/20.
Model: Peugeot J7
Year: c.1968
Maker: Eligor
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Atlas as no.7 of its Les petits utilitaires des années 50-60 series
Acquired: second hand with neither stand nor box, in October 2007, in Brive, France
A rather nice model, that was originally sold only through subscription at an extravagant price (22,50 euros with shipping, I think). Unfortunately at least one among the pair of very thin mirrors is likely to be missing if you’re hunting for a second-hand model – believe my experience! The rear doors can be opened, and the side loading door can be slid, though the mechanism for the latter is a little too much visible. As with the Norev, wheels are too narrow, though only slightly, and wipers are moulded with the windshield. I’d give 12/20 to this model.
Model: Peugeot J7
Year: c.1968
Maker: Eligor
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Atlas as no.27 of its Les petits utilitaires des années 50-60 series
Acquired: second hand with neither stand nor box, in October 2007, in Brive, France
Eligor also proposes this J7 equipped with side windows, a variant which was introduced a few months after the original panel van. Many of these were passenger vans, but in the present case, it belongs to salt-producer La Baleine and is loaded with bags of salt at the back. As on the real vehicle, rear doors open in a different way as the previous model's ones. Again, mirrors seem way too fragile, but overall this die-cast is well done. A 12/20 rating.
Model: Peugeot J9
Year: c.1985
Maker: Norev
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Hachette as no.31 of its Police et Gendarmerie press series
Acquired: second hand with neither stand nor box, in July 2006, in Brive, France
Not only the J9 itself has been updated here: compare the typical decoration of a French police van from the Eighties versus the police J7, two decades its senior. Realistic enough to be given a 13/20.
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