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Need to stop students killing R4's

urm....are they thou? What happens to them afterwards?
Just because they are rare here doesn't mean they aren't else where.

Done one of these treks and fancy doing another better one!
 
Tis true they are not so rare in europe and to be honest if I was a student, and of the right age I would jump at doing such a trek - looks like top fun. Sadly I shall have to wait for my kids to grow up, at which point the rally will be probably be using hybrid cars
 
On the contrary, I would say.... A lot of wear and replacement parts simply wouldn't be in production if it wasn't for the trophy every year. A good example is the de Carbon shocks, another is driveshafts, the the list goes on- A solid market for spares, bought by people like youing engineering students who are competing and therefore want the best where it's needed, unlike many R4 owners who will never pay up for good quality spares and make do with bits of bent wire or secondhand parts that are only worth throwing away to start with.

I would bet a lot of Trophy cars get sold on to other competitors, and get fixed up again and again, over their lives.

I have spent a few happy summers in France and it is always fun to see hotted up trophy cars coming out of the woodwork on a sunny day and going for a fang down to the pub.

So don't fret too much!
 
I hadn't thought about it like that and yes the fact that they are developing stronger parts is a good thing
 
I cannot find a set of set of de carbon rear shocks for love or money!
 
I'm of similar favorable opinion regarding the 4L Trophy! It was the students in France who kindled my own interest in turning the everyday [they are lying about everywhere in Istria] R4 into something both fun and practical for today's usage. No one here thought of the 4L as anything more than a wheelbarrow with a motor; an embarrassment to drive. Now, with our 4 getting attention on the streets, local media and even Eurosport, many here are either restoring them to original beauty, or modifying them to suit whatever needs they might have. New life for the old goats...nothing bad about that.
 
Dare I mention it.....this R4 project of mine has been so much fun that maybe it has meant some new life for THIS old goat as well :)
 
I'm sure the 4LTrophy doesn't kill our precious R4's.
My R4 interest started back in 1980 when the Marreau brothers finished third in the one and only real Paris-Dakar rally with a beautifull R4 TL and a slightly bigger enige.
My first R4 was a 1983 GTL and I drove 450.000 kilometers within 5 years.
Now I've got my second a 1985 GTL in 1001 pieces as I'm currently in a full restoration.
And with my youngest son I have double the fun as uaz04 mentioned, for I'm an old goat as well :D
 
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Hi eoynteenie! -I think DeCarbon production is taken over by Delphi in the Uk-Have a search online.
Like you I think they're amongst the Best there is! -Reid.
 
Hi Eoynteenie, I've have found that KYB gas shocks are very good. I had a set on my previous 4, and they did a great job. I've fitted them to my present car, and I've no doubt they will give good service. You should be able to get them at your local motor factors, but make sure they are the gas ones. As regards to the availability of second hand spares, on a recent trip to Reims to the car show and autojumble with Derek of Renospeed we both noticed a distinct lack of Quatrelle spares, sure you can get new parts, to a point, but it looks like the old stuff has been snapped up by the enthusiasts over there. A bit like classic MinI parts over here.
 
I think de Carbon are still de Carbon but they are owned by Delphi. The factory when I last visited is near Nice. They do the R4 de Carbon shocks in batches each year and they are very quickly sold out over the summer holidays when everyone gets a set and fixes their R4 over the holidays. People like Melun can get them but you have to order well in advance. They are great shocks- built around and sepecially for the R4.
 
sorry to hijack Richnd1974 O.o

Going with KYB gas shocks like Cornish4 suggests.
I keep trying Piet but only got lucky once with a set of performance fronts and comforts back, but the back blew on fitting so wasn't happy and due to having them for a year on teh shelf waiting for Derek to have the car it was too late to do anything about it :(
 
reidalpine said:
Hi eoynteenie! -I think DeCarbon production is taken over by Delphi in the Uk-Have a search online.
Like you I think they're amongst the Best there is! -Reid.
Click to expand...
De Carbon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The de Carbon hydraulic shock absorber was invented in 1953, by Christian Bourcier de Carbon.[1] The De Carbon Company was also established in 1953, however, in 1997, Delphi gained control of the entire company. When BeijingWest Industries acquired the brakes and suspensions business of Delphi in 2009, BWI Group acquired the de Carbon brand.[2] Today, the shock absorbers are mainly sold as a key aftermarket brand in European countries....

So only Delphi makes the original De Carbon shocks everything else can't tip in quality or technology!. In the tread you find the current Delphi-part numbers also it's possible to find a reseller nearby.
 
Richnd1974 said:
http://www.4ltrophy.com/en/
Click to expand...

Thank you for opening this topic.
It's heart-warming that forum members have dismantled your suggestion, but you already did that by providing the "Trophy" link.
Students, world-wide, will help keep the Renault 4 alive.
Local authorities kill road vehicles in the UK with winter road-treatment.
Depending on ambient temperatures, they use between 2 and 3 MILLION TONNES annually.

Vive l'etudiant Français !

http://www.geutebrueck.com/en_EN/pr...uck-france-sponsoring-charity-race-42223.html
 
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