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Bonnet mounted spare

S

stork

Enthusiast
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52
Hello all,
I don't know if this was an R4 option but I have seen a picture (which I can't find now!) showing an R4 with the bonnet mounted spare. So I ran across the 2CV Sahara with a reassessed hole for the spare (see below) and I was wondering if there is enough space between the bonnet and engine/aircleaner to drop a hole to place the spare inside?
Since I am a Land Rover owner I am particular to this set up, and I think it would look great on a Sinpar R4...:D
 
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I think the bonnet is not strong enough... I have seen somewhere a picture of an r4 (maybe modified for a 4L trophy) whit the spare on the bonnet, but I think this would include a structural work on the other side...
Some one has his spare wheel on the rear bonnet, but others said the hinges are not strong enough too...
 
picture.php
 
Amedeo's car "Renault 4 sulle strade del mondo" is quite famous...
 
Cool... I wonder if they placed any reinforcement under the spare. From pictures of bonnets that I have seen, I can tell that there is a beam support around where this spare is.
So if one cuts out a hole (drops the metal then welds a band (plus supports)) to make the spare fit into the hole... how deep can that hole be?
How much space is there between the mechanicals and under the bonnet?

Found these other pictures. I figure one could add a third hinge to give strength to the rear door...
 
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I met Amedeo at last years 4L international and took this photo. He had detailed drawings of all the extra fittings on his car including the spare-wheel cradle, and I seem to remember he had fitted a reinforcing plate on the underside of the bonnet (hood). The point-of-balance was important, so as not to put a strain on the bonnet stay.
 
I think if you put a spare on the rear door, you'd be better off modifying it to open at the side, like that white GTL (you can see the new hinges). The support mechanism is quite finely balanced and wouldn't hold the weight of a tyre, and you couldn't add a third hinge easily because the top of the door is curved.

The only reason you'd need to move the spare from underneath (apart from 'the look') is if you had a Sinpar conversion, in which the petrol tank is moved into the normal spare wheel position.
 
iMac, yes I thought about it for a while and you are right. The other way would be to connect the rear spare to the bumper via swing, then you would not have to work on the body. Might be an easier option. But I would still like the bonnet mounted spare instead.
I have been thinking about the fuel on the R4 and since Sinpar moved the tank to the spare area under the boot I thought why not just add a second tank and double the fuel! I am sure this has been done before, effectively doubling the range of the R4 which would come in handy if doing endurance rallies or long distance dessert runs etc.
If I where to do this I would keep both tanks separate (Ala Mini S cooper) with the fuel filler on each side of the the R4. Only other mod would be to protect the tank with reenforcement around it in case of a rear end collision.
Robert
 
iMacThere4iAm said:
The only reason you'd need to move the spare from underneath (apart from 'the look') is if you had a Sinpar conversion, in which the petrol tank is moved into the normal spare wheel position.
Click to expand...


Or if you have a lpg tank in the spare wheel's place...
 
I still reckon the spare-wheel looks best on the roof, of course with a pair of auxiliary lights.:smile:
 
In 1977 we had a R4 and I fotted a second tank in the spare frame with a T piece in the filler hose, it did about 500 miles on a fill, but could we afford to fill it now??
Allan
 
Does anyone have a picture of this type of roof rack that was available for the R4? Here is a drawing from the #37 Gazoline magazine
 
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I have in my garage a roof rack from Fiat 500. After that we used it on R4 and on a Zastava 101
 
The roof racks are available for a classic roof rack company. a friend of mine restores type2 and type3 vw campers for a living and he is always putting these little racks on them.

Search for companies like retro racks but beware they are not cheap.
 
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