Seventies Renaults

[CitroJim]

And awful fuel economy I'd expect. I too remember the R16 being very soft and comfy....

[demag]

It didn't stay like that for long Jim it was an accident waiting to happen. But for all its faults I loved it. What a nice car. It had something that most modern cars don't have, character.

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[CitroJim]

Exactly my feelings on them. A car so easy to fall in love with. I'd say it is one of the best Renaults ever, right up there with the R4.

[harryp]

Been perusing this thread again. The auto carb on the 20TL was a real piece of art. It had a vacuum piston for cold starting. I had to wait for the temp to drop to -5C to set it up properly despite having the Renault workshop manual. I then drove it from stone cold on another -5C day with a C02 probe up the exhaust. It started and ran perfectly and the C02 reading never varied at all from start-up to fully hot. IIRC it was priced at around £150 - the comparable one for the Ford Cortina was £27 - and boy couldn't you tell the difference!
A friend had a 30TS. My word they could fly, but the lights were much better on the TL. Similarly I replaced the 16TS headlamps with standard TL ones for the same reason. Really superb lights with a brighter and better beam pattern than my xantia.

[momag46]

Hi All

I bought a 1972 red R16TL when 3 years old and no mileage; bought new by a retired farmer, used for 3 mile runs twice a week for the first year then stood for 2 years after his death. This was my first “foreign” car and the first with front wheel drive, what a revelation, comfort beyond anything I’d known before and a ride that just ignored poor roads and sleeping policemen. I ran it for about 7 years but scrapped it when it failed the MOT on rust at the rear chassis, I was out of work at the time had no money for repair, a sad day.

Move on to 1984 and I bought my first new car, a 2CV and have been using Citroens ever since though I did run a 1974 Renault 12TL while I had the 2CV, again the R12 was a cracking car but rust was a problem and following a minor accident it fell apart and left a pile of rust on the road.

I’ve been with Citroen ever since but it was the R16 that started the French car thing. What a car, a mate still talks about the seats and ride.

Maurice

[bobins]

I had a lovely R20TS way back in the 1980s - my first proper big car ! It eventually started suffering with a dodgy starter motor and rough running. I was well practiced in popping the bonnet, dashing out and clobbering the starter motor with one of those small fire extinguishers that weren't much use for anything fire related, and then jumping back in and starting it when the starter motor would play up. It was such a comfy car

[harryp]

To follow up, well remember replacing the brushes in the R20 TL starter. My solder gun was not really up to the job and it took ages. Great result when back on the car though. Happy days!!

[NewcastleFalcon]

If Renaults are your thing you may find this extensive catalogue of original brochures interesting.

I often raid it for an interesting image. So at random from the "Gammes R" list from the Seventies we have this which I presume is a Renault 12 4wd Estate from 1971 at a guess!



Regards Neil

[CitroJim]

If Renaults are your thing you may find this extensive catalogue of original brochures interesting.

That's a great find Neil

I've just spent some very enjoyable time there and having fond memories of my old R4s brought back...

[harryp]

I remember the French Police used Renault Alpines on the Autoroutes (1970's). On startup and when idling sounded a complete bag of nails. Then Monsieur accelerated down the slip road and the transformation in engine note was a thing of beauty; very refined once "going", and boy did they go . Maybe the distance of time adds enchantment to the view, but we can all dream

[harryp]

Regarding the R16TS, I only found out about the "poor road" torsion bars from the official Renault Workshop Manual which I purchased, as it contained everything mechanical in fine detail, including how to rebuild the gearbox. Bodywork came in a separate manual which I did not get as IIRC they were of the order of £40??? Someone may well correct this, but they were indeed expensive.

[CitroJim]

Bodywork came in a separate manual which I did not get as IIRC they were of the order of £40??? Someone may well correct this, but they were indeed expensive.

Expensive because they came complete with a free welder and a lifetime supply of gas

[demag]

I remember some years back being in Tunisia and strolling down the road with the missus and a beat up old R4 pulled up with a swarthy looking guy shouting "Taxi!" at us. We decided to jump in only to find another English couple in the back hanging on for dear life! It was a bit tight with 5 of us in there but we had a good laugh and the other couple looked relieved to see us.

[CitroJim]

Having had a couple of R4s Dave, it always amazed me at just how Tardis-like they were!

I once got two automatic washing machines in the back of one of mine....

[NewcastleFalcon]

Having had a couple of R4s Dave, it always amazed me at just how Tardis-like they were!

I once got two automatic washing machines in the back of one of mine....

.....of course blokes who put two automatic washing machines in the back probably weren't the target market for some incarnations of the R4





regards Neil