Question about '62 w/ vehicle no. 1120879

[Runkersraith]

I am the proud new owner of a '62 R4 with the vehicle no. 1120879. That means in my understanding, that it is - of the series of 1120 - the car no. 879 build (in the very first series).
The car was registered as "first circulation" on March 2nd, 1962 by the new former owner, a farmer in the south of France. As Renault has started to build the R4's on the assembly line in September 1961 (as far as I know), I think that "my new R4" has been build a longer time ago before the "immatriculation" date in march 62. I simply cannot imagine, that Renault has build only around a few hundred R4 per month since production start.

My question: does anyone have an idea, how many R4's have been build (per month) in the first months after production started? This would help me to identify the real month of production.

Please see some images at: http://picasaweb.google.com/kitchener12/R4Dosingen#
I had around 10 R4s in my life, but this one is in many details different to the usually known ones; e.g.: this one has NO starter lock, has no hinge at the back door, has carpet inside and so on - it looks to me more like a "pre-series" or a later prototype.I will deliver more images "to proof it" at a later stage (too much snow here in Munich at this time).

THANKS for any information!

 

[Runkersraith]

Sorry, the correct no. is 1120876

Sorry, the correct no. is 1120876

 

[renault4mad]

wow,..welcome to the forum..
your 4 is a really early one and very similar in detail to my old 1962 4 which i had to let go.

have a look at my pictures

cheers
andrew

 

[mike4gtl]

Lovely 4L sir

 

[angel]

Welcome!...another 3-digit oval number in the last weeks, what's going on?!

Official production started on August 3rd 1961, and by the end of the year around 19000 R1120 examples had been built, so you can imagine that your R4 is really early.

I see that the front window frames are painted to body colour and not black, and the grille badge is the flat metal type, all correct for 1961.
Ignition on-off should be by a rocker switch on the side of the instrument panel, as on Mike's van. Door opening from inside must be by rod handles, not flap ones as we see on all R4s.
What do you mean about the tailgate hinge?
I expected to see the fuel filler neck placed low on the rear wing. So maybe it has been built after November 1961, or the wing has been replaced at some time. Seats are also from a later R4 (fourgonette?) bot the rest of the car looks untouched.

More photos please! :-)

 

[Runkersraith]

More photos and details of R4 produced 61

Sorry for my late reply, I had been on skiing holidays.

@ Angel, thank you for all the information. As requested, I have uploaded some more photos now at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/kitchener12/RenaultR44LProducedSep1961?authkey=Gv1sRgCLuu88yA5YrAIQ#

Also I had contacted a R4 fan club in Paris and they have confirmed thast "my R4" was built in September 61 (see email at the end of the photo gallery).
Also I have contacted in France the first and only owner of "my R4" and he explained to me the story: This car had been delivered to the local Renault dealer in Toulouse / South of France for presentation in the Renault showroom (it is logical that they needes the newly produced R4s to sell the cars) and this one had been in this showroom for half a year until it was sold as "exhibition car" in March 62 (this is the date when the pre-owner had registered the car).

@ Angel: you are right, the seats are not original, they seem to be really from a fourgonette. A special thing is that this car has no key for to start the car, but only a "lever" to start it. I can imagine that Renault did relinquish to install a starter key for the cars produced for show rooms.

Also I would like to address your attention to a very lovely R4-website at: http://home.planet.nl/~oeffe035/index_net.htm
This guy has great R4s!

 

[mike4gtl]

So was my R4 a showroom model then as it has no key? I think probably not rather early cars didn't have them ?

 

[Runkersraith]

Renault 61

So was my R4 a showroom model then as it has no key? I think probably not rather early cars didn't have them ?

You might be right, I have a German language manual of 64, where it shows a photo and the explanation, that some versions of the fourgonette (due to the country exported) have no key starter, but an "unlocker".
The explanation that I gave is based on the information of the buyer of the car.

 

[angel]

There was two types of "no key starting", the earliest models had that little rocker switch on the side of the instrument panel for ignition on-off. Later (63 onwards?) 4Ls were equipped with an ignition keyed switch, and solenoid starter. Cheaper R4 and Fourgonette still had cable operated starter, but ignition on-off was performed by a simple rotary switch, in place of the ignition lock barrel.
I think there was an option to replace the "keyless" ignition (not to be confused with modern Renaults, with card!) with a simple locking ignition switch (no starter position) that also locked the steering column.

Runkersraith's car must have been one with the low tank filler neck and bonnet without central nerve.