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My new '68 Renault 4

malcolm

malcolm

& Clementine the Cat
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Bedford UK
Here are some photos of my new purchase. It's a '68 Renault 4 which was used on the road until about a year ago, then retired to a back yard.

I've been after a 68 to 72 car for a while. I like the old features, and this car seems to have the full set (apart from the bench front seat which I'll source seperately).

I'm still trying to figure out whether it's a sensible restoration project. All of the doors and wings would need to be replaced (a lot of spare ones with the car), as would the floor and the luggage compartment floor. That's on top of all the normal Renault 4 rust spots. I'll have plenty of time to think about it as I'm not planning to start work until the summer.

If it does get restored then I'll probably upgrade the brakes to discs (while retaining the dash mounted handbrake lever) and fit the 5 speed 1400cc engine.

68-front_187.jpg
http://www.renault4.co.uk/forum/files/68-front_187.jpg

68-rear_895.jpg


68-dash_199.jpg


68-engine_223.jpg
http://www.renault4.co.uk/forum/files/68-engine_223.jpg
 
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Not sure congratulations are in order. I was expecting more like "what on earth did you buy that heap of *Renault* for". It looks a lot better in the photos than it really is.

Still, I've decided it's a do-able restoration. Or at least an entertaining project. One thing that's bugging me: I can't decide what colour I'd like it to end up. It'll have a burgundy bench seat interior which will match the "sunglasses" steering wheel and gear knob, and I don't like the current blue colour. I like bright colours, but yellow isn't going to cut the mustard on this one.

Any inspired ideas?
 
Clementine said:
Not sure congratulations are in order. I was expecting more like "what on earth did you buy that heap of *Renault* for". It looks a lot better in the photos than it really is.
Click to expand...

I just love how deceptive R4’s can look! From a distance they look nice straight tidy cars. Then you pop up the floor mats which reveals the PO would have to be Fred Flintstone with the family contributing when overtaking is required. Even then, they say “it only needs new floors” I just tell them to get a screwdriver and poke up through the jacking points and under the toeboard. Then the Aussie 800 spec cars have the double skinned reinforced chassis rails, they rust out at the sides first so you can’t see the rust under all the crud, but they feel perfectly solid from underneath. Then again in AUS there are probably plenty of cars that have been scrapped whch would be considered good restoration projects in the UK :-)

As for colour suggestions, with a burgundy trim, a 1960’s like off white would be my suggestion, or something like an eggshell pale blue colour. I’ve seen dark green ones with red trim, but I’m not a fan of red and green cars. Hmm, ruby red with burgundy would also be nice and set the chrome/ally off nicely. My preference would be for light colours though, it masks any imperfections nicely, and if bumped they don’t stand out as much.
 
I agree one of the lighter colours would be the way forward. Here's an artists impression of what it would look like in cream.

cream-r4_144.jpg
 
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Burgundy is a nice colour for upholstery, but it doesn't leave many options for exterior colour.

Black goes with it well, but isn't really a Renault 4 colour
 
We're not having blue. The colour does make the car look nice and old fashioned (like a pre-war Morris), but it grates with me for some reason.

There was a burgundy bench seat car on ebay earlier in the year but I didn't go for it as the only colour combination I could think of for it was white. It does make things tricky. I'll nip into the paint shop with the colour codes from that German R4 site and find out what the alternatives are.
 
Beige was one of my thoughts too, but I figured it would be closeish to yellow, even though it would be a period colour.

Black on an R4 would only work with the Parisienne wicker panels on the side :-)
 
I would suggest a "vert amande" "almond green".
I think that there is no better mach of burgundy with that pale green...
The choice is yours :lol: :D
 
No bright colours look good with chrome. Unless Metallic Blue or green? You seem to want something original... Your choice of upholstery is restricting
 
Only one way to go....Bright orange....
I've seen it on a restored 60's 4 and several mid 70's citroens ....
Simply the best colour ever...
My 73 van will go that way if I ever get it painted...I'm sticking with the original custard yellow and primer for now...
 
Aubergine with the red interior and some nice shiny original chrome R4 items including the early 60s number plate surround and to top it off R5 TS or Gordini running gear .
The Ford Cortina 1600E of the late 60/70s had a lovely dark Purple/Aubergine colour.Nothing to outrgeous but something with a very deep colour and a top quality paint finish .
 
Congratulations! The car is great! I am sure that you will find a good colour for this one. I just don´t understand why would you like to put a 1400 cc engine and the disk brakes in this car. It is the real oldtimer and it would not be original any more. Unless you are planning to drive it every day :wink:
 
I know... That's why I bought one that would have been scrapped. I couldn't bring myself to put a 1400 in one that would otherwise be saved.

It's going to be an everyday car.
 
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