My 1st Reanult 4!

[kwakba]

Hello,

Been doing a bit of research into Renault 4's as it's been a bit of "dream" that when SWMBO and myself finally move to Cornwall, I can have a R4 or if not a 2CV to use for bumming around in during the summer...

So, today I collected my new car, she's been locked up in a garage for 12 years, and needs just about everything doing to her! A real state!

She was born in 1976 on an R plate, is an 845cc version and has been "hand sprayed" in dark green... A family of mice lived between the front seats and the inside smells worse than a very smelly thing! All the tyres were flat or nearly flat but pumped them up and with a bit of commitment we dragged her out to daylight!

I'll add more later with some pics! plus several million questions!

Cheers!

 

[kwakba]

And

She's a bit sorry... Spent a couple of hours tinkering today and compiling a list of "needs" - I ran out of paper...

 

[malcolm]

Looks much nicer than my everyday R4. Good wash and polish and she'll be as right as rain

So what needs to be done? I guess the side windows and the windscreen wiper spindles will be seized after 12 years sitting around, but they are easilly sorted by soaking the whole car in a big bath of parrafin.

How's the rust? That's the main thing.

 

[kwakba]

LOL! The rust is indeed the main thing!!!

I need to get her started before deciding what to do. If the engine works without too much attention then I'll start looking at the chassis... Body work isn't too bad, needs a new both front wings, bit of welding to the bonnet (where the indicators live), rear quarter panels are a bit rusty. Needs sanding back to something that can be worked with - white was the orginal colour so that's the target...

Interior is very good... Rear suspension bits looks a mess...

It's going to be interesting!

 

[malcolm]

The rear suspension area on the chassis is normally a mess. Floors and a couple of other odds and ends can be shaky too, but time and a MIG welder will sort those.

There's nothing much else that goes wrong other than the service bits. My current restoration isn't going to cost me more than time and paint.

Do post about the rebuild and ideas and concerns along the way.

 

[Caro]

Yr lovely green R4

How on earth do you give it a bath in paraffin? I'm presuming not literally here?

It looks nice in that green though - but then I'm a bit of a green freak. (non-ecologically ie artistically, visually, ) White would be nice too ;-)))


In fact, it looks very wonderful altogether sitting in that car port!

Caro

 

[kwakba]

I'm off to Manchester next week to collect doors (inc. rubbers) interior bits, etc. that I won on ebay - loog drive but my R4 needs serious help!

Any spare bits I'll put up on this forum.