Remember "Funky car looking for new owner?"

[Mike from Spain]

Well I'm happy to say that I am the new owner. I towed it all the way back to North Wales on a one man towing dolly and it's safe and sound next to my blue one! But not for ever though! I'm thinking of taking it to Spain. It will be ideal on the mountain tracks!

Despite being stood for two years I got my battery pack on it and it fired up and ran sweetly even with the old fuel! The underneath is bordering on the immaculate, this due I suppose to the drier climes of Southern France.

Take a look, there's a good piccy of it a few posts back!

 

[malcolm]

The underneath is bordering on the immaculate, this due I suppose to the drier climes of Southern France.

Well done Mike. I must admit I didn't pay so much attention to the car at the time, but an immaculate underneath is such a good thing for a Renault 4. A purple car with an immaculate undernaeth - Priceless!

Spain? This isn't just a holiday is it? You've figured out life and spend half the year out there in the sunshine?

 

[Mike from Spain]

Spending slightly less time out there at the moment but soon to spend slightly more! Just got back and booked to go back out early July.
Bought a dero. Has taken the last 18 months to get deeds, planning permits and builders licence! Builders to start work next week and finish in August! Spanish bureaucracy; can't beat it!
Back to the purple peril! It's actually hand painted with "celly" but he's done such a good job that you wouldn't know within 3 feet of it! He's even painted the insides of the doors; in fact, every thing that was originally Old English white is now purple (except for the engine bay). There is no rot on it at all!
He wanted a pound for it but I found myself giving him a tenner! Paid my mate fifty quid for his time and a further fifty for fuel. So, a hundred and ten quid; mustn't grumble!

 

[La Poste]

What's the R4 situation like in Spain these days? I was at university in Valencia about ten years ago and there were still loads of them about then, but in my experience 99% of Spaniards aren't in the slightest bit nostalgic (hardly surprising given their history) and would much rather drive around in a diesel Seat Ibiza, so they're probably a bit thin on the ground now. Shame. I always remember the phone company Telefónica using F4 vans, and there was a tyre depot around the corner from my flat that had a really cool 3-speed van still in daily use. Probably all long-since scrapped... :cry:

 

[Mike from Spain]

There's still loads of them on the road; and R6's too! You also see a lot abandoned at the roadside. In fact, I've got my eye on one near Motril thats not turned a wheel since I've been going out there. A guy uses it to prop up his fruit and veg stall. I'm out there again soon so I'm going to stop and see if his boot lock is "se vende!" He'll probably make more out of spare parts than selling oranges at €1/tonne!