info on alternative seats and steering wheel

[aibremner]

I have just returned yesterday from collecting a 1986 Quatrelle from France - my first R4 for 35 years.

Can someone tell me whether the steering wheel from a 19 will fit a 4? If not, any other suggestions or has anyone a Momo or MotoLita boss as I need a smaller wheel. My knees foul the existing one when getting in & out.

Also, I need a pair of front seats. Has anyone some suggestions of which (leather?) seats from other cars will fit? The four mounting bolts are accessible and there are several alternatives offered by using the various holes.

Many thanks.

Andrew Bremner

 

[snailshed]

Alternative seats

Hi, I have a set of Renault 25 Monaco beige leather seats fitted in mine, and they almost dropped straight in, needing only a single hole drilled in each seat runner to fit. That said your problem these days would be finding a set (though they turn up on Leboncoin every now and then). It's possible R5 Monaco seats might fit (Malcolm has one, might be able to comment upon measurements and these are marginally more common).

The other thing to take into account is that most cars these days have the mounting points for the back ends of the runners mounted lower than the fronts giving the seats a natural rear cant. R4 seats have flat mounting points, with the rear cant built into the seat itself. It just means that newer seats can feel too upright to sit in (and cease to give you support under the backs of your knees). The seats sit on a big box section so rejigging the cant in with newer seats either means knocking the box about, or building up the front mounts which has the effect of raising the seat. This can mean if your tall feeling too high in the car.

Good luck!

 

[Lobster]

Mk1 R5 seats fit easily as do R25 seats. I'm told you can also fit seats from a Volvo 340 but haven't verified this myself. Someone on here (sorry, can't remember who immediately) has fitted seats from an Audi A4 although how much work was entailed I'm not sure.

R5 Monaco (in fact all Supercinq and R9 / 11) seats won't fit, the mountings are a lot closer together so wouldn't be compatible with an R4.

In terms of steering wheels - an R19 wheel should fit as would most Renault wheels from the '80s - some R5s had Momo wheels as standard - though you might need to change the boss.

 

[Cornish4]

Hello Andrew, try Europa Classic Car Accessories, they retail a steering wheel boss kit made by Springalex. It's made to fit a R5 but it fits the 4 too and is designed for MotoLita wheels. I fitted a Mountney 12 inch wheel but had to re-drill it to suit. It transforms the driving experience. Regards Brian.

 

[montenegro]

renault 5 alpine steering wheel [if you can find one] looks good.as lobster said most renault wheels fit but they are mostly larger than the original.

 

[Lobster]

5 Alpine / Gordini steering wheels do look good but seem to go for big money. I've got a GT Turbo wheel on mine which I rather like

 

[aibremner]

many thanks for all the input. i decided to repair the seats until i found something better. we stripped them down, replaced the stuffing with a variety of foam and bubble wrap and straw etc and did the stitching on tears etc. they will do fine until i get the MOT sorted out and get a UK number.

i also got a R19 steering wheel which will need some surgery but i think it will be OK. the splines seem the same but i shall not know for sure until i have shortened the boss surround as it fouls the plastic.

again, muchas gracias for my first exchange on the forum. adios.