G'day.

[Sunny]

Well, I'm nearly a 15 year old boy from Finland, and I've discovered that my dad had a Renault 4 in his garage, yellow old thingie. Seems to be two doored. I'm thinking that this summer when I go to his place, I'm gonna make that thing work. Atleast somehow. So I started digging up places that know about Renault 4, and this came up. Hopefully you can help me somehow on my journey.
First off, I know I wont be starting the project in weeks, maybe months, I'd still like to know what should I do first, (of course wash and clean it through and through) but it has been standing in the garage for maybe even 15 years or more (most likely even 20+ ). So any ideas are welcommed.

 

[Steve Hennessey]

Welcome to the forum - it's nice to think that someone your age is keen on R4's. There is a lot of good advice already on the forum so I suggest that you read as much as you can, and please post some photos of your car here.

 

[tim1casa]

Fresh petrol in the tank, and a good healthy battery should have her running. If not you will possibly have to clean the carburettor and ensure the ignition is functioning.

To hear what they sound like when they start, listen to the song by the Le Festival Robles, L'amour en 4L.

I'm sure you'll have a rewarding and entertaining time.

 

[Sunny]

Thanks both of you, and I'll try to get those pictures as soon as we'll get the car out of the garage to day light. (:

 

[pepper]

If it's two doored, the chances are its more likely a Renault 5.

Welcome to the forum and here's hoping its a 4

 

[Sunny]

Yeh, it does have 4 doors and a back door (ofc). So no worries about it. It's yellow, don't know if that tells what model of Renault 4 is it, does it now? Possibly bought at 79'

 

[angel]

Hello Sunny

When I was at your age, i came across a Haynes workshop manual for the R4 at a local bookstore...and I immediately bought it.

That was the start for a lot of things...some more R4s and my carreer among others! So I suggest that you do the same and the rest will follow...We are waiting pictures of your car.

 

[Sunny]

And you'll get some as soon as I get to my dads place next weeks sunday. Don't worry.

 

[Sunny]

Currently I'm at my dads place, and hopefully during the next days I'll be getting some pictures off the car. My dad says it's made at 75' or 76', and after he saw some pictures here, he thinks it's a GTL. I hope it's quite good then

 

[Sunny]

http://j.imagehost.org/view/0517/Kuva0045
http://h.imagehost.org/view/0380/Kuva0046
There you go! Well, not really good shots, but we didn't get the car out yet.
Few things, it's DEFINATELY 4, as you can probably see. It has 5 doors, and tip down backseats
It has some tiger skin kinda thing on the benches, and from the interior, holy f**k, it looked soooo awesome. On the outside I saw some rust spots at the front, the wheels, and at the few rear panels and at the seams of most of the panels. It has intact lights both front/back. We looked at the engine, looked good outside, but I'll try to get pictures of it, and probably it'll be looked upon well soon enuff.
We noticed that it had sank in the ground, bad thingie. One of the tyres popped as we fiilled it, but we had a spare in the warehouse. There was also one extra rim, so now we've got two spare rims, same kinda as in pics. :P

Questions now, my dad tried to pull it abit, and it didn't move, could it be that the long sitting there might've made the brakes break, so that they'd just brake there?

Cheers,
Sunny (:

 

[Sunny]

More pictures. (:
If you can say anything about the over-all health of the car by the pictures, please share. Also one picture of the engine.

Feel free to say a word, I'd need a few!

 

[malcolm]

I'm trying to guess the year. It's somewhere between 1968 and 1972. Is the battery 6V or 12V? The black grille at the front is not original - it should have the aluminium grille which would make it very cool.

Difficult to say much from the photos. Get it outside and take some more. Almost all mechanical parts are still available for those cars from France and Germany.

 

[Sunny]

I'll get it outside as soon as the wheels turn

 

[angel]

I'm trying to guess the year. It's somewhere between 1968 and 1972.

I don't think so... Steering wheel and dashboard are black (post '73). The chrome finishers below the sliding windows are the "short" type (post '73 too) and the battery is 12V. As it has a dynamo it's earlier than '76. I guess it to be 1975, as it seems "untouched" so the platic grille must be original. :-)
Sunny, could you give us the oval plate numbers ?(the aluminum oval shaped plate next to the fusebox).

P.S. Nice colour, too!

 

[Sunny]

Yeh sure, I'll get it today for ya. And I'll also be making sure the brakes start to move with a hammer. After that just see if we can get the car out in the sunlight already today. Better photos ;D

 

[Sunny]

There. It's the oval thing, hopefully.

 

[angel]

Yes it is a 1975 model. (August 1974 to July 1975 R1123s have oval numbers 1494029 to 1628749)

My own 1975 R4 has oval plate no. 1546148 and build date November 26th 1974, so yours is some days older :-)

 

[Steve Hennessey]

....and the Carburettor ID is tucked behind the oval plate tag!! Don't lose it!

 

[Sunny]

angel, seems like you're the guy atleast looking at your car and my cars manufacturing years, to ask about when I'll start the renovation. :P
And Steve, I hopefully wont loose it, whatever the thing points

 

[Sunny]

long time no see! this project is back on tracks. In a year ill be turning 18, which is the age when i get my drivers license in Finland, and my dad has gotten the car out into a garage. Ive got new photos to show, it has rust, at the back in panels and wheel arches, and also at the front. But i havent seen any rust on the chassis!
We'll try to get the motor running, and then start to strip it down so we get the body off for welding and other stuff that it needs. And also some part of the rear brake thing is rusty. But well get over it! New photos will be here on sunday evening, finland time.