I’d be guessing there seems to be more private import R4’s kicking around than the Australian production ones. From what I can find, my R4 would appear to be the last (or second to last) Australian production one registered in Australia. There would have been a few in Melbourne, a lot of early cars that just have disappeared. There was an early breadloaf grille car that was fully rebuilt in bright red at a Roundup back in 1989, then Alain Newton’s restored red car that has dropped off the map since he sold it. There is also a very low mileage original car from the same batch as mine in Melbourne, Drovers Gold in colour, but that car also seems to have fallen off the face of the earth. There are also other Melbourne based cars such as the nicely patinated early original brick red car that appeared at an FCD back in 1997 never seen again.
In Adelaide again most seem to be private imports, a couple of South African ones with the flat top four speed (again now whereabouts unknown). There was an ex-Canada car with the 7” sealed beam headlights that was very rusty, it was cannibalised. The bonnet and headlights went onto a restored Le Mans green R4, that was very nicely rebuilt, but again now whereabouts unknown.
Most would have started dropping out in the early 1980’s, the original brick red, toothpaste blue and appliance white cars being uncommon but still seen. But my guess is that rust finally took its toll, as well as the early parts, like driveshafts, basically being unobtainium in those post Renault Australia days. By the time I got mine in 1986, they were basically never seen. When I was rebuilding my car, there was a guy who had worked with them when new, he said eight out of ten leaked water when they were new, yours must have been one of the two that didn’t.:-)
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