Hi, my name is Roger and i'm a Citroen enthusiast. Well that gets that out of the way!
So what am i doing on the Renault 4 forum? Recently i met a gentleman who owns a Traction Avant so i called over to his home one evening for a chat. As i was looking around his shed, there in the corner, covered in dust, was a red GTL from, i think, 1985! He told me the history, how it had been in the family from new, used by everybody but been taken off the road and not used for years, just stored in the shed and worked around. He has now bought a 2CV so the space is needed and, despite me needing another car like a fish needs a bicycle, i'm getting a little interested!
After reading through the forum i got myself signed up in order to pick the brains of the knowledgable about this little car. I previously owned two 4s but that was about twenty years ago and only one was a runner; my experience these days is with a 2CV and Dyane.
I looked at the 4 today but didn't go poking about underneath, so this is only a quick 'surface' evaluation. The majority of the bodywork seems pretty straight and quite rust-free except the two front wings; the nearside is rusty along the top but the offside is holed through, including the top of the inner wing. The interior is complete and in good condition. Mileage is 50,000 and it has been off the road since 2001.
I know it will need the front wings attended to, a brake overhaul, fluids and service items changed and a set of tyres as the basic minimum before it could hit the road with the slightest hope of an MoT. Being laid up for 12+ years what are my chances of it becoming roadworthy without it costing an arm and a leg and a 2CV? I'll try to learn the Buyers Guide by heart before i next go to look at it with a long screw driver!
I hope hard 2013 reality kicks in before rose tinted 1993 nostalgia takes over!
Roger
Great site by the way
So what am i doing on the Renault 4 forum? Recently i met a gentleman who owns a Traction Avant so i called over to his home one evening for a chat. As i was looking around his shed, there in the corner, covered in dust, was a red GTL from, i think, 1985! He told me the history, how it had been in the family from new, used by everybody but been taken off the road and not used for years, just stored in the shed and worked around. He has now bought a 2CV so the space is needed and, despite me needing another car like a fish needs a bicycle, i'm getting a little interested!
After reading through the forum i got myself signed up in order to pick the brains of the knowledgable about this little car. I previously owned two 4s but that was about twenty years ago and only one was a runner; my experience these days is with a 2CV and Dyane.
I looked at the 4 today but didn't go poking about underneath, so this is only a quick 'surface' evaluation. The majority of the bodywork seems pretty straight and quite rust-free except the two front wings; the nearside is rusty along the top but the offside is holed through, including the top of the inner wing. The interior is complete and in good condition. Mileage is 50,000 and it has been off the road since 2001.
I know it will need the front wings attended to, a brake overhaul, fluids and service items changed and a set of tyres as the basic minimum before it could hit the road with the slightest hope of an MoT. Being laid up for 12+ years what are my chances of it becoming roadworthy without it costing an arm and a leg and a 2CV? I'll try to learn the Buyers Guide by heart before i next go to look at it with a long screw driver!
I hope hard 2013 reality kicks in before rose tinted 1993 nostalgia takes over!
Roger
Great site by the way
I took them to the photographers, got them developed and share them with you below. I'd forgotten how scruffy my two cars were, even the one that was being driven on a day to day basis.
