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Sinpar - some of the greasy bits

simonandjuliet

Enthusiast
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146
Sinpar re-build continues ,as usual the R4 side of things is straight-forward but the Sinpar side less so. We are remaking the trailing arms using standard 4L arms and welding on the old hubs - an old chassis is providing the jig. The driveshafts are "quite tired" so they have gone off to Birmingham in a parcel today, hopefully returning as shiny new shafts ready to pop on - I am the eternal optimist. The sub-chassis is really very light and insubstantial, surprising it can take the torque. It is bolted on to the rear bumper mounts and the suspension mounts at the front. Anyway, if anyone is interested I will post progress as I go !
 
Oops - forgot the interesting bit (Sinpar)

Oops - forgot the interesting bit (Sinpar)
 
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Wow I hadn't seen the Sinpar parts before, can you post more pictures please?
 
Yes, please! Do post progress and pictures as you go :)
 
It's rare for us over here in the UK to see Sinpar equipment, so more details of this system would be great to see.
 
More greasy bits

A couple of pics of the greasy stuff in situ - diff bolted in place on the sub-chassis, which replaces the petrol tank. The petrol tank is moved back to where the spare wheel was and the spare wheel .....
Inside there are additional plates to take the prop shaft.These use the rear seat anchors (in a saloon, I think) with the silentblocks bolted through the floor. The 4x4 stickers were one of a very few ways of identifying a Sinpar from a distance, someone has reproduced these so once the body is done they will emblazon the front and back !
"Vanessa" my everyday F4 is demonstrating how to keep the cabin temperatures down - aircon ? - she is an amazing beast, used everyday for 33 years and all you have to do is fill up the petrol, change the oil and replace the bits that fall off.
 
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Is the fuel tank a special one? And even if so, do you think that a usual R4 fuel tank could be modified to fit?
 
Fuel tank

Hi Angel, yes there was a special fuel tank - smaller volume (26l I think) with a protective plate.
Mine has a full size tank (34l ?) and no protection which may or not have been original.
When I have a moment I will photograph the tank alongside a standard F4 tank so you can see any differences for yourself
 
Sinpar petrol tank

The Sinpar tank on the left, next to a standard F4 tank - almost a mirror image ! But then it is fitted "backwards" ie the single fixing point uses a special bracket where the spare wheel clip was and the other 2 fixings are on the diff sub-frame - hope that makes sense !
 
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Better get some protection on that tank, it'll be damm difficult too get another I bet!
 
A thing of beauty

After several months of "yes we can" & "No we can't" rebuild of the rear suspension arms, I managed to source a new back axle and gearbox protection plate from Tarbes (near Lourdes - so obviously some kind of devine intervention).
The saga has been .... challenging - the original arms are utterly shot, the chap who was going to sort them out is horribly busy, so, delay after delay after delay, I decided another route was needed;with the car I had a second pair of arms but with a stub axle missing. A quote for remaking a stub axle was beyond extortionate (680 € !) so completely out of the question.
So, after constant eBay-ing and LeBonCoin-ing I found a complete axle with cast iron arms.
Now cleaned up, brakes rebuilt and ready to fit ........
The size of the rear hubs makes fitting of the brakes very difficult , especially since it also has the auto-regulating shoes. I ended up fitting the complete cylinder/shoe unit as a single piece, just the bottom spring and shoe retaining clips to add once in place. Whoever designed the retaining clips should be shot !

The protection plate is super-thick steel and as you can see very intricate. All this adds significantly to the weight of a Sinpar ! (- will post vital stats. another day)

Next job is to fit it along with rebuilt brake limiter
 
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First drive

For the first time in several years she has 4 wheels and can be driven under her own steam albeit only for a few yards since the brakes are not yet connected !

The back axle was a bit of a fiddle to fit but the brake limiter took longer, who "designed" this - they should be shot as well (viz rear shoe fixings) ?

New drive shafts are excellent (remade by a co. in Birmingham) and the ride height looks good, sits a bit higher than a standard F4

I haven't refitted the petrol tank or seats yet so a jerry can in the passenger well and a trolley in the driver's side have to suffice
 
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Hi, looks brilliant, after Thenay my son's looking to converting his R4F4 into 4 wheel drive, no doubt with my assistance so we will be searching various sites now for the means of doing it, so it good to see what you've been doing and what is involed, well done and good luck with it.
I've just acquired an R4F4 from France with very little rust so might be tempted.
 
From what Tom was saying, the complete kits are available for the 4x4, but cost around €500!!!
 
4x4 kit

I think you may have to budget for a bit more than that ! I paid a bit less than that for a complete back axle ......and I had been looking for several months

Asking prices range from 800-1500 euros - it is almost better to buy a whole car and strip it because then you get the whole kit. There are all sorts of subtleties like the engine mount wedges, transmission tube support plates, petrol tank supports etc that are needed

The "problem" parts are the rear arms which are nearly always cream-crackered
 
Push me , pull me ....

Today finally had a chance to start on some of the visible bits - does anyone else find it frustrating that we spend hours, and hours , and hours on bits that no-one ever sees ?
I decided not to take the engine and box out because they work ! But it means you do have to work around it, so careful masking before painting the scuttle. It had previously been been painted in some kind of cellulose finish but had reacted badly with the undercoat so I had to scrape, strip, remove and prepare all the previous layers, so it is never going to be perfect !
Having said that, this car is going to be used everyday so it really doesn't need to be perfect (What is perfection and does it exist - another topic possibly .....?)
Firstly a pic of the new and beautiful driveshafts with the boomerang anti-roll bar......
After that , the second gearlever for the transfer box showing the additional SINPAR plate and the bulkhead support, then the additional rad. bracket and so on. Plus the levers on the inside.
I have also added a very poor photo showing the wedges on the engine mounts. The engine needs to be raised by about 8 mm for the transfer shaft to clear the front anti-roll bar.

Next, I need to bleed the brakes - new M/C fitted so will be fun ......
 
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I hope I will be able to find a SINPAR kit at some time...for the time being I can only dream by looking at your photos!

Were these wedges originally fitted to all SINPAR cars?
 
still got this 4x4 sinpar f4 in friends barn plus other bits maybe cost too much to ship over to greece though!!
oh and there is a 4wd renault 6 chassis too

original plan was to use gear in one of the 2 rodeos sitting there but think selling them sounds an easier option

nice job on the restoration be a shame to get it muddy
paul
 
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