Bonjour mes amis! I have recently acquired this car from a national museum when it came up for disposal from their reserve collection. I have to admit I am not a Renault man, but the car needed saved and, well, there you go. Having got the car home and considered my options (and sanity), I have decided it would be best passed on to a Renault enthusiast, allowing me to concentrate on the rest of my ailing fleet.
The car has had four owners - me, the museum, the donor, and the first owner. It has covered just 24,500 miles which appear to be genuine - the tyres are correct 3/4 worn matching Michelins, the spare is unused, the interior would valet to be concours, and the body is remarkably straight. I have no history, but the museum put the car in dry store in 1990 so it has only seen 13 years of use, and going by the foul seatcovers and cushions adorning the inside when I got it I would guess at an elderly owner donating the car. It certainly appears to have been looked after by Renault going by the filters etc. The interior really is ridiculously good - no marks anywhere that I can see, just needing a light valet. I think some sort of preservative may have been poured onto the floors under the rear plastic mats, but it seems to have done it's job. Some of the electrics work, some don't but I haven't made any effort to trace faults - poor earths are probably to blame. The lights all seem fine with no damage to headlamp reflectors, and all the stainless trim seems to be in fine condition. The bumpers are mostly in good condition but you may wish to replace or rechrome one or two sections, likewise the hubcaps. Screen rubbers, door rubbers etc all remain supple - I pressure washed the car and not a drop of water got inside.
I checked the oil, lobbed some fuel down the carb, hotwired it (ignition switch seized) and it started instantly and ran fine for a few seconds - you'd think it had last run five minutes, not twenty five years, previously. The clutch feels like it is working but the brakes are dead - a total overhaul would be on the cards anyway. The car will push around but it takes a couple of stout fellows to do the job as the brakes are binding a little.
However 13 years is enough exposure to the elements to cause some rot. Drivers door skin is toast and the passenger front is heading the same way. The other two doors, rear quarters, wings, bonnet and boot appear to be in good condition, with just a scab or two here and there - nothing to replace a panel for. Inner wings seem fine as do the floors and the boot floor. The sills will both need repair, as will the a-post to sill join behind the front wheels. The trailing arm mounts (a weak spot I believe) will undoubtedly need repaired in some way but are by no means hanging off - a cursory inspection revealed no gaping holes.
So, if you are looking for a low mileage, RHD, 16 to build this is a perfect candidate. Welding and service items aside, I can't see much that I wouldn't be happy to refit to a repainted bodyshell so there shouldn't be much need to trawl the internet looking for obscure trim. It has really impressed me with it's build quality but it's not really my thing. The car is in Dumfries, southwest Scotland, just 30 miles from Carlisle and can be viewed anytime. I'm asking £900 which I think is fair, but reasonable offers, interesting non-French part exchanges (BMC Farinas and W124's are my thing), and the smell of folding cash may sway me. PM me for my number if you have any questions or would like to view. Onto the pictures....
The car has had four owners - me, the museum, the donor, and the first owner. It has covered just 24,500 miles which appear to be genuine - the tyres are correct 3/4 worn matching Michelins, the spare is unused, the interior would valet to be concours, and the body is remarkably straight. I have no history, but the museum put the car in dry store in 1990 so it has only seen 13 years of use, and going by the foul seatcovers and cushions adorning the inside when I got it I would guess at an elderly owner donating the car. It certainly appears to have been looked after by Renault going by the filters etc. The interior really is ridiculously good - no marks anywhere that I can see, just needing a light valet. I think some sort of preservative may have been poured onto the floors under the rear plastic mats, but it seems to have done it's job. Some of the electrics work, some don't but I haven't made any effort to trace faults - poor earths are probably to blame. The lights all seem fine with no damage to headlamp reflectors, and all the stainless trim seems to be in fine condition. The bumpers are mostly in good condition but you may wish to replace or rechrome one or two sections, likewise the hubcaps. Screen rubbers, door rubbers etc all remain supple - I pressure washed the car and not a drop of water got inside.
I checked the oil, lobbed some fuel down the carb, hotwired it (ignition switch seized) and it started instantly and ran fine for a few seconds - you'd think it had last run five minutes, not twenty five years, previously. The clutch feels like it is working but the brakes are dead - a total overhaul would be on the cards anyway. The car will push around but it takes a couple of stout fellows to do the job as the brakes are binding a little.
However 13 years is enough exposure to the elements to cause some rot. Drivers door skin is toast and the passenger front is heading the same way. The other two doors, rear quarters, wings, bonnet and boot appear to be in good condition, with just a scab or two here and there - nothing to replace a panel for. Inner wings seem fine as do the floors and the boot floor. The sills will both need repair, as will the a-post to sill join behind the front wheels. The trailing arm mounts (a weak spot I believe) will undoubtedly need repaired in some way but are by no means hanging off - a cursory inspection revealed no gaping holes.
So, if you are looking for a low mileage, RHD, 16 to build this is a perfect candidate. Welding and service items aside, I can't see much that I wouldn't be happy to refit to a repainted bodyshell so there shouldn't be much need to trawl the internet looking for obscure trim. It has really impressed me with it's build quality but it's not really my thing. The car is in Dumfries, southwest Scotland, just 30 miles from Carlisle and can be viewed anytime. I'm asking £900 which I think is fair, but reasonable offers, interesting non-French part exchanges (BMC Farinas and W124's are my thing), and the smell of folding cash may sway me. PM me for my number if you have any questions or would like to view. Onto the pictures....
