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Yellow R4
 
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Enrique

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I was at the race track watching one of the Copa-Doria races. Took some pics I hope you like...

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http://www.renault4.co.uk/forum/files/sv300026_764.jpg
 
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That's wonderful! I had no idea there was such a thing as a racing Renault 4. On the one hand it seems so unlikely with the low power as standard, but on the other hand they are really light, have decent suspension, and all the weight is low down in the chassis (even lower down for the cars in the photos). All you'd have to do is drop a powerful engine in....

Which class are the Renault 4s racing in?
 
The yellow/blue one and the red one run in the 0 to 1400cc. By the way, the blue/yellow one won it's category on sunday. The red one came in last :cry:
The white one is in the 1600 to 2000cc, but had engine trouble and went out after 5 or 6 laps.
 
If you liked any of the photos and want a hi-res (1MB a piece) version (for wallpaper, etc) just pm me
For further technical details about the car just wait a bit, I have to talk to my mechanic, he's better informed. He races an R9 and knows all those guys.
By the way, the hoods (bonnets?) look like they're open, but they're not. They're set that way for better cooling airflow (It can get pretty hot in there, we know about that, don't we?) and some aeorodynamic thing I don't completely understand. (I'll ask about that too).
 
Very cool pics! Thanks for sharing.

It would be very interesting to see some facts on the cars, such as engine mods, suspension mods, horsepowers, etc. Keep it coming!

Is there a site where one can go to find out about the races, like dates and such?
 
Hey guys ! Just joined Clementine's Renault Forum, it's awesome !
Enjoyed the R4 racing stuff a lot, didn't know there actually was such a racing event where R4's participated ?!
Cheers.
 
OK, here some tech details for the yellow/blue one:
These mods don't differ VERY much from what we have in our treet R4s...

Suspension:

Thicker stabilisator bars: Front - 19mm, Rear - 24mm (rear 24mm: does that ring a bell? Anybody???)
The rear suspension arms tend to move sideways while under heavy stress, so they installed transversal bars mounted on ball joints to keep them aligned.
Rear shocks are mounted vertically through the floor (with that and the giant fuel tank, there's not much space for luggage left :wink:
Cage: In this case, the cage not only provides protection, but makes the chasis more rigid. (hmm well, rigid)
The front suspension arm attachments were displaced to allow the car to be that low without reducing suspension travel and keeping steering and arms in correct angles (not just rotating the torsion bars, like I did). Everything mounted on brass bearings.
Coil springs around the shocks to increase stiffness.
Disk brakes on all 4 wheels, vented in front, solid in back. The pilot can manage the limiter valve from inside, to adjust it to the changing fuel weight.
Racing brake pads (I could have guessed that one)

Engine: 1400cc, aprox 130HP at 7000RPM
Camshaft was mounted on bearings, so it doesn't grind itself into the block, because of the much higher spring force.
Wavebraker in oil pan (well, of course) with some special sistem called Accusump (I think thats something like a dry oilpan without the extra pan, but I'm not sure)
Rebalanced crankshaft
Brass clutch
Worked camshaft with around 280 deg. duration (against stock 164 deg 22-62-60-20) don't know which direction they went (wouldn't tell).
Shaved head CR: 12.5:1, worked combustion chambers and intakes/exits, 35mm intake valves and 30mm escape, on special brass guides and double springs. Shorter, lighter pushrods.
Two Weber 40IDF carbs (I got only one) and "Iresa" Header towards 2" exhaust (got that too).
Special accel coil and cables (and got that too!)
Modified oil pump for greater flow and oil radiator.

Gearbox: Special 4 speed racing gearbox with exchangeable gears and transmission, tops from 170km/h to 210km/h, depending on gear selection

Price: they lost track of that years ago

Well, that's it for the moment. If I find out anything else, I'll let you know...
 
This is all great info, imagine you could do all that with an R4... 130 hp sound exciting. Thanks for the info!

BTW, brass clutch -- the same material as R4T is using. Is that standard on racing cars?
 
Cuno said:
This is all great info, imagine you could do all that with an R4... 130 hp sound exciting. Thanks for the info!

BTW, brass clutch -- the same material as R4T is using. Is that standard on racing cars?
Click to expand...

sounds to like a on or off clutch and nothing in between.

by the way 110hp is also fun..

a 24mm rear stabilisor..sounds big, alpine turbo is 19mm's only and is already firmer.
the rollcage sounds also interesting, home made is assume?
coil springs all around sounds great, front ones you can buy in france for the r5(250 euro a piece).

maybe we should start importing racing r4's from colombia haha, they really know wat they are doing there.
grtz
cees
 
24 mm stabilisor might just be a R5A cup version stabiliser.

If you're really looking for power, a 2.0 16v williams engine would fit to a R5AT gearbox, which will fit in a R4 quite easily.
With mods like mentioned, 200+ HP is possible. The only problem is how to put that on the track.
 
Jeeses... Incredible, those modifications !!
Could anyone telle me whether or not there is some footage available on those racing R4's ? I already saw the pictures, but are there no videos of racing R4's on the net ?
 
Yep R4AT, only this is more of a extended tuning project. I'm also totally restoring the car. Offbody offcourse. I'm having the chassis galvanised.
I welded all parts of the chassis solid together and will adapt everything to racing specifications. Gtt carb. and T2 turbocharger. Big mercedes sprinter intercooler. AT radiator, red adjustable koni suspension on all wheels, thicker AT springs on the back axle, AT stabilisors on front and back. Lowered suspension, discbrakes and racing compound brakepads on front and back. R5 AT dash. Seats from a Honda CRX and so on.

I have almost all parts together now. My chassis will be galvanised within a week or so and from that point on, the rebuilding can almost start.

By the way, I'm using the r5 TS 5 gearbox with a r4 GTL differential. Topspeed I estimate, will be around 220 km/h
I once had a site online, but due to a change of provider, not anymore. Will try to get it online soon, to show you guys some photographs of the project.
By the way, for a nice R5AT project, with a 1600 cc turbo engine, see www.beltbikes.nl
 
That's an exciting sounding project. You are doing a lot of the things I had considered. Let us know how the galvanizing goes - I thought about it but worried the heat might distort the floorpans.

How easy is it to fit the GTL differential into the R5 TS gearbox? I've never messed around with differentials. That sounds ideal even for a standard 1400 engine as the 5th gear as standard is lower ratio than the GTL's 4th gear.

Welcome to the forum :D
 
I don't know if the 1400 engine will move it much better, but the 1300 will have a handfull with the 5-speed (an HA-1), I don't know how much a diff change would help. I never even dared to try such a thing, didn't know it could be done. Mine (when I had the 1300) topped below 150km/h, no matter if in 4th or in 5th. Well, that at 2600m over sea level.
The car is light, but it's brick-like aerodynamics require quite some torque to push to higher speeds.
Now with the 1600 it's a whole different story....

By the way, I did try to film some, but it was already getting dark and I couldn't get anything watchable. Next race will be during the day, if I'm able to assist, I'll shoot some for yas.
 
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