There was no such thing as four-wheel drive on standard passenger cars in the 1970s. But Sinpar could build you a 4x4 variant of several Renaults on order. Of the 12 for example. This is a rare survivor, which received a nut-and-bolt restoration ten years ago.
Fire brigades, governments, police and foresters generally have very specific wishes and requirements when it comes to their vehicles. Especially in mountainous areas, where the ruggedness of the territory is often an obstacle. That is exactly why Sinpar of Colombes supplied various Renault models with selectable four-wheel drive from the 1960s-on. First of them was the Renault 4, but also the Renault 6 and 12 underwent this modification upon request. Originally, Sinpar was an independent company, but it was later taken over by Renault.
On March 31, 1977, Sinpar completed the conversion of this particular Renault 12 Break into a 4x4. Together with a sister model, the two cars were sold to the French state impounds, which used the four-wheel-driven Renaults for archaeological research. The cars were located at Le Puy-en-Velay, in the Haute-Loire region. And they certainly weren’t treated gently there. If one of the cars was loaded too heavily to take the muddy slopes, the other was used to give it a push. For this reason a wooden beam was even bolted to the front. When the archaeological work was completed several years later, the cars were donated to the owner of the site on which the Sinpars were active and left there.
Fast forward to 2007, when Bruno Taillet of Poitiers is behind his computer one evening. He holds the telephone in his left hand to talks to a cousin who is just as mad about cars as he is. Meanwhile, Bruno is browsing the ads on Leboncoin with his right hand. “When all of a sudden I saw it, for only 350 euros: a Renault 12 Break Sinpar of 1977. I interrupted the conversation with my cousin at once and immediately called the seller. Build year 1977 meant a Renault 12 of after the facelift, but because I am not a big fan of that model’s radiator grille and higher placed front bumper, I decided to restore it with the details of the first generation model. The dashboard remained unchanged, because the basic version of the first generation Renault 12 was still used, with its three round clocks.”
For Bruno it was especially important that all the details, characteristic to a Sinpar 4x4, were in place. All the technology and the relevant pictures to prove these were there and all of the paperwork was correct, too. It was the start of a new adventure.
“The car was in a bad state”, says Bruno, “but that was just the challenge to me. I prefer to get rid of all the tinworm on a body, make new sheet metal parts and weld them in. And I was able to enjoy that particular hobby to the fullest with this car. This Renault 12 Sinpar had heaps of rust. The engine compartment was completely brown-coloured while the engine was seized. It was the result of intensive use and years of neglect.” But despite those rotten chassis beams, sills, wings and doors, the 12 Break re-emerged in a better than new condition.
“It’s the restoration that I love most, while my wife Christelle prefers to drive it. Restoring this car also meant using a lot of parts from donor vehicles, that was a necessity. Think of doors and wings, but also the entire engine.” Bruno shows photos of the hulk of rust he found. But he’s also proud to show images of a new floor, perfectly prepared doors; restored wings and a virgin engine compartment painted baby blue. “Yes, I sprayed the engine compartment, the interior and the floor in my personal spray booth. Well, that's what I call it, because in reality I did it just outside on the drive. The outside of the body was sprayed in a spray booth, though, as it had to be perfect.”
Normally the 12 Sinpar used the same 13” wheels as the standard Renault 12 Break. But Bruno wanted to give the car more charisma and chose to fit 14” Fergat wheels of a Renault 16 TX, which fill the arches of the slightly higher car better. You’d think it was simply sold like this when new. But it’s also due to the Rally Raid version of the 12 Break Sinpar being kitted out with this type of wheels.
Both the front wings as the boot come with a decal that says ‘Sinpar 4x4 4 Roues Motrices’. This was not on the car when it was offered for sale on the web, though. But Bruno knew it from a picture on the internet and with that picture he went to a design studio who copied it in the right format. For other mentions of the Sinpar name, we have to get down. The manufacturer’s name is also spelled out on the driven rear axle. “Originally the script was in white”, Bruno knows, “But that turned out not to be really legible, so I made them red.”
In the interior you’ll find an extra lever on the left of the normal gear lever to controls the clutch, placed behind the gearbox. This engages the drive shaft to the rear. Bruno: “I must admit that even after ten years I have never switched on the four-wheel drive. But I do understand that you should always do this while driving, never during a halt.”
The admiration for the restoration that Bruno realized in just 11 months time grows when you look at the car from under. Ten years ago, the French club celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Renault 12 and this car had to be present. That meant that the entire body preparation needed to be carried out in a record time, while also the engine had to be overhauled from another Renault 12. Although he carried out the work at home, his wife saw Bruno very little at the time.
He adds: “Many elements at the underside are totally specific to the Sinpar and a number of them could not be saved anymore. That meant I had to make them myself. I even had to make a mould to make a flexible coupling in the drive shaft to the rear differential. It is an important part to absorb vibrations in the powertrain and this one is now slightly softer than the original, but luckily it does its job well.
Under the car, two large sheet metal parts painted gloss black stand out. It’s the protection plate for the fuel tank at the rear and a preformed part to prevent the sump from damaging at the front. These two parts also needed the necessary welding. The exhaust is a special part, too. Running also under the floor, but now on the other side compared to a standard 12 Break. One special exhaust part situated under the engine needed special attention. Bruno knows from experience that you can only place this specific part with the engine removed. After installing the engine, there is no manoeuvring space available anymore. Furthermore, the parking brake lever is modified and the gear lever is placed 7.5 centimetres further to the right, because otherwise it would get in the way of the drive shaft. The 12 Sinpar also has the reinforced wishbones of a 12 Gordini.
Like the exterior, the interior also looks as if it is new. But Bruno tells us that nothing of the original car’s interior was usable anymore. Seats, rear seats, carpeting and sides of the cargo space all come from donor vehicles. This 12 Sinpar did not make many miles in its working life, but they were certainly heavy ones.
“When I take it to events, most people do not notice that this is quite a special car”, laughs Bruno. “Many think I just put a 4x4 decal on it. But I then always show them the addition to the parts book as a proof that it really is a model that was sold at the time. The production numbers that I hear of are very sketchy. Most sources say 350 or 617 were made. As far as I know, there are still about 12 left. The car that was used at the same time with mine, ended up with another enthusiast, who built it up completely as a replica of the Rally Raid car of the Marreau brothers.”
Bruno now not only uses his special Renault 12 for events, but he also takes it out on holidays with the caravan behind it. The dog, of course, always comes along.
En detail..
Renault 12 Break 4x4 Sinpar (R1330)
Specifications
Moteur:
Type 810-02, 4 cylindres essence, alésage x course 73 x 77 mm, cylindrée 1.289 cc. Puissance maxi 54 cv DIN à 5.250 tr/min, couple 88 Nm à 3.000 tr/min, taux de compression 8,5:1. Boîte manuelle à 4 vitesses, type 352-32. Couple conique specifique 9 x 34 ou 9 x 38 avant et 9 x 38 arrière. Vitesses à 1.000 tr/min: 1ier - 8,09 (7,24), 2ième - 12,51 (11,19), 3ième - 18,91 (16,92), 4ième - 26,98 (24,16), marche arrière - 9,07 (8,11) km/h.
Suspension:
À l'avant independante avec ressorts helicoïdaux, bras de suspension renforcés (12 Gordini), à l'arrière arbre rigide entraîné, ressorts hélicoïdaux. Freins à disque à l'avant, tambours à l'arrière (diamètres 180 mm). Pneus: 155 x 330, roues 4,50 B 13 (standaard).
Dimensions:
Longueur 4.404 mm, largeur 1.616 mm, hauteur à vide 1.455 mètres, empattement 2.441 mètres, voie avant 1.324 mm, voie arrière 1.324 mm. Coffre à bagage 910 - 1.650 litres. Rayon de braquage 10,1 mètres. Poids: à vide 995 kg, poids supplémentaire de la transformation 45 kg, poids total autorisés 1.385 kg, poids de remorquage (freiné) 850 kg. Réservoir d'essence 50 litres.
Performances:
Vitesse maxi 110 km/h.