R4 GTL 1985 Restoration

JdeW · Jun 7, 2024

Further with preparation of the cars body in the "cleanroom".
It's amazing to see how many small scratches, paint wrinkles and pits caused by stone chips you encounter when you put your nose into it with preparatory sanding.

Still no rush with the paintjob as the weather still has to improve and time is not on our side.
Our anniversary party is next week, holidays are starting in a forthnight and I had to do a minor repair on our Honda CR-V as the wife drove backwards into a pole causing a dent in the plastic bumper cover corner.

Cheers :waving:

JdeW · Jul 27, 2024

Just a small update.

Vacation weeks were very fine but sadly all good things come to an end and work has already started, likewise the restoration hobby.

Continuing the preparatory very fine sanding of the body, as well as cleaning and decreasing the lot with various solvents so painting will start after the weekend.

Meanwhile I was looking for more original and better parts for the rebuild, I'm in contact with a forum member about a part and just a package arrived with a very nice copper radiator which I bought from Leboncoin.
In my first GTL I also had a copper one when the original weak and cheaply produced factory one (aluminum with plastic pans) failed.

Cheers.

JdeW · Aug 10, 2024

I bought the Ducellier 514012 D alternator from @jcarruthers2 it took just a forthnite from ordering to delivery at my home.
Thank you Chris for doing business, I'm very pleased with it :clapping:

JdeW · Jun 1, 2025

Here's an update.

Since september last year a lot has happened and work on my GTL came to a halt.
But since a month I picked it up and started with spraypainting. Two base coats and 2 clear coats were applied.

The improvised spraybooth has been torn down and here she is in the very nice purple/blue colour "Renault 417 Bleu Versailles".
The body again hoisted back into the ridge and started to paint the underside as well as the wheel arches.

Now there's room to continue working on the chassis but that's revealed next time.

Cheers.

JdeW · Jun 7, 2025

As you all have been able to read over the past 8 years, the complete restoration sometimes came to a standstill and then a short restart.
But now we are going full steam ahead again, albeit occasionally interrupted by vacation (Athens here we come), the wedding of daughter 1 and the renovation of daughter 2's house.
I notice that the older I get, the busier I get, but that keeps you young

.

The chassis lifted onto the trestles en first some small welding on the floor lips from both the rear beams.

Next is the front beam which was collecting dust after all those years.

As expected with an aftermarket product it doesn't line up at several points.
On the right it lines up beautiful with the bumper support.

But on the left... well you can see.

Time to cut an oval piece of steel and weld it in and make a new slot at a later moment.

Holes at the bottom didn't line up as well so again I'll close it and drill them out at a later moment.

More next time.

Cyprusnoddycar · Monday at 9:13 AM

JdeW said:
As you all have been able to read over the past 8 years, the complete restoration sometimes came to a standstill and then a short restart.
But now we are going full steam ahead again, albeit occasionally interrupted by vacation (Athens here we come), the wedding of daughter 1 and the renovation of daughter 2's house.
I notice that the older I get, the busier I get, but that keeps you young .

The chassis lifted onto the trestles en first some small welding on the floor lips from both the rear beams.
View attachment 35395 View attachment 35408

Next is the front beam which was collecting dust after all those years.
View attachment 35398

As expected with an aftermarket product it doesn't line up at several points.
On the right it lines up beautiful with the bumper support.
View attachment 35399

But on the left... well you can see.

View attachment 35400 View attachment 35401

Time to cut an oval piece of steel and weld it in and make a new slot at a later moment.
View attachment 35402

Holes at the bottom didn't line up as well so again I'll close it and drill them out at a later moment.
View attachment 35404

View attachment 35407 View attachment 35406

More next time.

Nice job...nothing ever fits properly on Renault 4's ! And you need a lot of patience working on these cars.

JdeW · Monday at 1:41 PM

Continuing the work on the front beam.

Lining up the beam, maintain the symmetry with the chassis and drilling the holes at the bottom.

And next all the well known preparation steps for plug welding as there are drilling the holes, sanding away the zinc and applying the weld thru primer.