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Renault 4 GTL engine swap, advice please! :)

B

Blakey Boy

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I have just inherited a 1980s Renault 4 GTL with a seized engine, and as I am rapidly approaching 17 I thought it would be a good car to start on with low insurance etc... Being that the engine is seized I thought I would try and do the Gordini/Alpine conversion on a budget, R5 Gordini mark 1s don't come along often so I was thinking along the lines of a Volvo 340 1.4 engine which are easy to find and I believe is a Renault engine similar the the R5s and is longitudinal? I was going to fit a mini supercharger to the carb as well instead of turbocharging. My dad worked for Renualt so has some idea but any tips and suggestions would be greatly appreciated :)
 
Hello and Welcome!

I don't think the 1.4 in the 340 is a Renault engine although the 1.7 fitted to the same model certainly is. That said, it sits the wrong way round in the engine bay so making it fit whilst not impossible would be a 'big job'

R4s are great cars to work on though as they are relatively simple. Sourcing a replacement engine shouldn't be that hard although personally I'd stick to an 1108 as anything else will cost you fortunes in insurance at your age unfortunately.
 
renault 4 engine swap

hi nice to know younger generation getting involved in classic cars. if that was my car i would keep it with the right engine as there is to much work involved to put a bigger engine in. also the insurance would cost you over £1000.00 to insure.
i am the south west co-ordinator for the renault classic car club. and i live in exmouth not that far from you. so if you need any advice get in touch with me.
i am putting a club stand together at powderham castle on july7/8 2012. and would you like you to come with your r4. i am picking up a renault 4 in the next week to break and if the engine is any good i will let you know. could you email me some pitcures of your r4 so i can put with my other pictures.
you can contact me any time on home 01395271116//
work 01395263381//mobile 07970556163. or email speedwayrob@hotmail.com
hope to hear from you robert.
 
The 1.4 engine in the Volvo 340 is a Renault engine, I used one in a Dacia Duster back in the mists of time.

One of the things you'll need will be to get a bush fitted in the crankshaft as the Volvo engine has its gearbox at the back of the car it does t have an input shaft behind the flywheel. I'm not sure what else you'll need to complete the conversion, but good luck with your attempt!

The other thing that popped into my head is that converting to larger engine and doing all the adaptions to your car at just 17, you may find it difficult getting insurance. I'd be checking the insurance costs out before going ahead with any work if I were you.
 
I would agree with the comments on insurance. You may find at 17, that even a standard R4 might cost you almost £1000 to insure first time around.

Plus, anything other than standard will also destroy the car's classic status, which, again, will probably make the option of cheaper classic car insurance a no go!
 
Also, I think most classic insurance companies won't cover you at 17 anyway - 18 or increasingly 21 seems to be standard these days although the fact that it would be none standard doesn't mean you can't insure it on a classic policy - most will still cover you as long as you declare the mods.

Didn't know the 1.4 in the Volvo was a Renault lump - you live and learn!
 
being 22 with an R4

I would leave the poor girl alone till insurance companies trust you, when i was 21 and just passed my car test (had a motorbike from 17, whats the point of a car?)

was quoted £4000 fully company and Third part fire and theft wasn't nice either

http://www.renault4.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=4602
this guy has a GTL engine, just wack that in, get her going, pass your car test.


Lobster said:
Also, I think most classic insurance companies won't cover you at 17 anyway - 18 or increasingly 21 seems to be standard these days
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25 when i went looking but did get an offer of £100 fully comp as long as it was a 2ND CAR not main
 
Thanks for all advice and input :) I have quotes of £2800 for insurance but being that the minimum price to insure anything at 17 is about £2000 it isn't too bad. I believe the Volvo 340 engine is actually a 1395cc C series Renault engine that also went into the mark 1 renault 5 so in theory should fit quite well, my dad is an engineer and the conversion will be gradual so work shouldn't really be too much of an issue. I see how keeping the original engine keeps it as a classic car but after seeing 1.4 R4s on youtube that go like hell putting a bigger engine in is quite appealing ;)
 
just remember the brakes! Mates put a 1300 turbo engine in a mini and no matter what, they could not stop the thing.
 
Haha, the brakes will be pretty high priority being the car has not been on the road since 1990 :P has anybody else undertaken an engine swap for this car? Because it would help a lot as we are buying the new engine soon :)
 
http://www.renault4.co.uk/renault-4-restoration.htm

All that is on Malcolm's 1967 R4 Restoration with Gordini Engine with 5 speed box

The restoration of a 1967 Renault 4 modified with a R5 Gordini engine and 5 speed gearbox. And you thought you were daft!
Click to expand...

Which will help you on just about everything, i've gone to look at it when my R4 wants to have a funny 5 mins
 
My advice would be, for what it's worth, keep it at 1108cc for now and just enjoy it as a nice original classic car. You have plenty of time in the future to modify cars. But then, what do I know, I'm just an old fart.:D
 
Cornish4 said:
My advice would be, for what it's worth, keep it at 1108cc for now and just enjoy it as a nice original classic car. You have plenty of time in the future to modify cars. But then, what do I know, I'm just an old fart.:D
Click to expand...

just an old fart...thats about right....ring me up miserable
 
renault4mad said:
Cornish4 said:
My advice would be, for what it's worth, keep it at 1108cc for now and just enjoy it as a nice original classic car. You have plenty of time in the future to modify cars. But then, what do I know, I'm just an old fart.:D
Click to expand...

just an old fart...thats about right....ring me up miserable
Click to expand...

so what does that make me? As i'm with Cornish, and i'm 22, but have 3 points and a bike crash so want to wait till insurance companies trust me so i can whack a 1500 V4 engine in an R4 engine bay ;)
 
Straight 6 more like it

but look at how much work has gone into it
 
There are a few of us young'uns around here :) I'm 23 (clean license too Eoynteenie!)
For what its worth, I often toy with the idea of "pimping" my 4L with a bigger engine, but frankly if I wanted a faster car I'd probably be better off buying one that was meant to go fast!
 
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