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David M

French car tragic!
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181
NO, not necessarily Old Stock - but that would do. I really mean OVERSEAS.
Can anyone here help?
My fougonette in its original form is a 1968, 850cc 3 speed.
The body is in fair condition.
The chassis was painted 28 years ago by a mate who died some time later of cancer. I believe the chassis to be in very good order. But it will need "treatment" before I can use it.
I have the mechanicals/suspension from a Renault 6, so I plan to update the van. A 1289cc engine and matching gear ratios are what I have in mind - including a rear hand-brake. Call me crazy!

What I require is the front crossmember to which the gearbox mounts and to which the bonnet is hinged.

I would prefer a new part for ease of fitting. That's not essential though.

Any suggestions about how to navigate this from the antipodes?

My recent Internet dealings with (non-car) suppliers is they don't want to know Australia.*















*mind you the way we're currently playing cricket, I can understand!


Regards,

David
 
Get them in Melbourne!

Dave,
you can get this from one of 3 sources in Melbourne depending on how long you wish to to wait and how much you want to pay:
Quickest and Most expensive:

City Automobiles Parts Dept in Church Street, Richmond. Ph 9429 0429. Ask for Brendan Wollin in Renault parts department. They are a main Renault dealer, they have Renault 4 PR 1104 and PR 1005 catalogues on dialogys, and Brendan has got in piles of stuff for me in the past including an R4 tailgate and a new type 354 gearbox. Renault Australia undertake to get anything in usually within 3 weeks provided you can come up with a good part number. They get regular bulk air freight shipments in so its quick.

I will look up some part numbers tonight from my old part catalogues and post them here.

Next:
Try Caravelle Motor Inports at Box Hill. (in the yellow pages). Very good if you are prepared to wait for sea freight shipments, sometimes take a while to get stuff in, probably cheaper than Renault.

Final:
Try Alain Newton at AN Auto Imports out at Scoresby (white pages). He is a Citroeniste but used to get in a lot of R4 parts, he has a soft spot for R4s. He got an old style bonnet for me a long time ago. He's french and his brother is a Renault dealer in France, so he has connections.

Best of luck!
 
Further Info

crossmember details:
latest part number I have from PR 953 (1971-75) is 08 20 664 400. This is in page 50.05. The part number may or may not have been superseded since then.

I havent printed out the page for PR1005 (1976 to approx 1982) but it will be the same page number, 50.05 or close to it in the Dialogys version (under Renault obsolete range).

In PR 1104 it is around the start of section 40 (Renault changed their section numbering around late '70s which is a pain).

Ideally find the equivalent part in PR 1104. Otherwise start in PR 1005. Its a bit of fiddling about. Tell Brendan to call me if he's scratching his head.

Incidentally if you want a copy of PR 953 or PR 808 (1965-70) I can do it for the cost of the photocopying. I have fiches for the later cars but copying them is a little more involved!

Caravelle Imports is 14 Rowen Crt , Box Hill, 9890 9061. They are very helpful and have a few odd old parts, getting less for R4s though.

AN Auto Imports is at 3/7 Rocco Drive, Scoresby, Ph 9764 9195 (They don't have Dialogys or Renault parts manuals but are very nice and terrific for Citroens, can also get Valeo parts).
Cheers
 
Get them in Melbourne!

Thanks for the replies.
I will naturally chase up the part locally if I can.
I have known Ken at Caravelle for many years. He lent me his catalogue, but it does not have the part that I need.
Thank you Pieter for the additional contacts. They sound like excellent sources. Well done!
One can never have too many contacts.
Thanks also to John Doe. I did look at their page. I'm going to trawl their site!

Thanks again

David
 
Still need help

HI again!

Thanks to Pieter I have contacted all the local suppliers with limited success, unfortunately.
Only the Renault franchise can help (they think). Their quoted price was 185EUR, or $315 in the local currency. 160 pounds UK. This seems exxy to me!
So I went on to the der Franzose site (english translation) and this is what I found.


PART 1

cross bar front Renault 4 (Napoleon Hut ) fair average quality (Front cross bar front Renault 4 (F.A.Q.) Last Version
R4 No.: 87103
47EUR

PART 2

cross member front Renault 4 simple quality
R4 No.: 87100
40EUR

PART 3

cross member Renault 4 front old version, good quality 4 Or. No. 820664400
R4 No.: 87106
60EUR

Question?
Which part to get?

Answer?
I assume part 1 because it is the last version.

I haven't worked out the postage/shipping rate yet!

Any further suggestions?

Regards,

David
 
The partnumber is the same, but my guess is you'll get the latest version IF it's available. This will be somewhat heavier in construction compared to your original crossmember and might not fit properly as a consequence. You may need to adapt things by means of an anglegrinder.

See if Der Fransoze can send you a picture. Considering your car is a 1968 vintage my guess is you'll need the OLD version. As said the latest incarnation is somewhat bigger and heavier.
 
If you have the 334 gearbox and wish to use the starting handle, make sure that the crossmember will have the hole as many later reproductions had this hole deleted.
 
Progress

After exchanging a few emails with der Franzose I am a happy camper. The part is coming "soon" into stock and I have reserved one. Cost 40Eur (35GBP) plus transport across the world 45Eur (38GBP).
What excellent service!

The delivered price is about half that of Renault.


David
 
Let me know what it's like when it makes it over there. I've half an idea to buy one for a project of mine (see the save Ornella thread :D ).
 
hi
I suppose you know that renault had to modify the front of their chassi to fit a 4gears box and how are you gone put a 1300 into a 68 r4 modify the bonnet displace radiator and all .simce a bit mad to me to do that to a old 68 lady but what the hell it s yours.
anyway good luck and if you could show some pics it ll be cool
:)
 
R4 mods

Hi Corky,

I have an article (in French!) from the r4L magazine. They featured a Spainish vehicle which had the Sierra motor fitted without changing the original radiator position. An electric fan was fitted. I hope to be able to do the same, but I'm prepared to make the changes that you mention.

Regards

David
 
Napoleon's Hat Update

The parcel arrived yesterday. The quality is OK-Good. The shrinking creases at the extremities could be neater, but as they are unseen then it shouldn't be much of an issue.
What I didn't realize and the Der Franzose pic didn't show was that there is a shorter reinfocing piece that joins on to the two chassis rails as well as attaching to Napoleon's bloody Hat! Damn! I thought I was buying a coss-member - not just half of it!

The part number that NOW need I have discovered is 03 54 239 300

Der Franzose don't stock it.

Bugger!


David
 
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