1970 Renault R4

[GShaw]

This is a 1970 LHD Renault R4 for sale. It actually belongs to my Dad so I will include his number at the bottom for any enquiries. The clock says 173,149km. It is fully renovated using rust-free French shell. MOT until July 2013. He is looking for around £2,200. He is based in Selkirk in the Scottish Borders. I can email a set of photos but here are a few to be getting along with.
I realise I haven't included all the detail I should have so my Dad's number is 07733 448985. I will email the photos if you want to get in touch with me. Some show some small flaws.

 

[benchseat]

This R4 has a 1970 plate but in all other respects it appears to be a mid or late 1980s model. The obvious giveaways are : plastic grille at the front, concealed hinges on the side doors. Possibly the engine and chassis are original — the engine number (and capacity) and chassis number would provide further clues.

On first glance I would be suspicious as to whether, if the vehicle is registered as Tax Exempt (presumably it is), it is actually entitled to this. It looks much newer with the exception of the numberplates. Of course, it could simply be a newer vehicle with the old numberplate transferred as a cherished number (in which case there would be no problem other than the minor quibble that it should be carrying white/yellow numberplates).

There was a similar situation described in 2010 under the Thread "Red Renault 4 in Lincolnshire".

The difficulty is that, as most garagistes do not know the difference between a new R4 and an old one, it is easy to get a car MOT'd every year without anyone questioning its history — all you do is restore it, take the numberplates off an old model which is tax exempt and for which you have the V5, and then present the whole thing at an MOT as the older vehicle. But it is not in the interests of the Classic Car movement if liberties are being taken in this regard.

I am not saying categorically that this car is not entitled to Tax-exempt status, but to any R4 expert it certainly looks a possibility.

 

[snailshed]

Benchseat,
You may be right or noting that it is lhd there may have been some 'lost in translation' (intentional or otherwise) in its age registering when it was registered here. It does however look a very nice and tidy car for the money so GShaw I wish you luck. As I am at the other end of the country I'll content myself with looking at the pictures...

 

[GShaw]

Thank you for looking
I think if you have any questions it is best to call my Dad, George, on the number I've listed. He has spent a long time working on it so I suppose he has got lots of bits from various places and so renovated is probably a better word than restored to use.

 

[mike4gtl]

That is a sound looking 4. I wish my clan polished up like that. Chrome bumpers looks good against white. All the best selling it. M

 

[angel]

The difficulty is that, as most garagistes do not know the difference between a new R4 and an old one, it is easy to get a car MOT'd every year without anyone questioning its history — all you do is restore it, take the numberplates off an old model which is tax exempt and for which you have the V5, and then present the whole thing at an MOT as the older vehicle. But it is not in the interests of the Classic Car movement if liberties are being taken in this regard.

Out of curiosity, don't MOT stations check chassis number/VIN compared to that printed in the registration papers?

 

[snailshed]

Hi Angel,
The problem of changing the identities particularly plagues Citroen 2cv's in the UK and the key reason for this is that 2cv's have the Vin number stamped into the original chassis leg and on the VIN plate. Over time most 2cv's have now been rechassis'd and there is no stipulation that you have to restamp the VIN number into the new chassis, which leaves the vehicle identity solely down to the bodyshell VIN plate which is attached by two pop rivets.

Its takes about two minutes to remove the VIN plate on a 2cv so its childs play to swap the VIN plates between bodyshells and if you have the ownership document for both cars then upon submission to the testing station the number plates and the VIN plate match up when checked. Some stations check the VIN, my regular one certainly does but given I had to tell them where to find the VIN plate first time I bet many don't bother...

 

[greycharlestoner]

I did pm bt no reply, I wonder if this car was sold in the end?