Arnoud Hendricks has a soft spot for rear engined Renaults. No surprise that he added a 4CV after his first purchase of a Dauphine. Together with his father, he tackled the project of restoring it. The result is a car always manages to please the crowds due to its appearance and decoration.
There is no doubt that this jet-black Renault 4CV is a car of 1954 vintage exactly. That model year was the one in the history of the 4CV, which can be recognized at a glance. In late 1953, Renault not only switched from six to three so-called ‘moustaches’ on the front of the model, but also placed a round logo in its centre. One year later only, the familiar losange logo returned.
Right after having purchased his Dauphine, Arnoud was already looking for a nice 4CV. And that’s when he stumbled upon this particular car. Arnoud: “It needed a lot of work though. The car was beautifully painted and was on its wheels. But the owner had died during the restoration, and it was complete except for a few details. The shock absorbers had lost their function, the rubbers were a mess and the gearbox whined as if it were an animal due to worn-out bearings. Furthermore, the headlining had gone and the doors came without their covers. The widow who owned it was very happy that her husband’s hobby car went to e new enthusiast.”
With his father as a faithful companion, Arnoud picked up where he’d left the project and built up the car in a beautiful condition. The entire braking system was dismantled, the main brake cylinder replaced and new hoses installed. Due to the troubles with the gear bearings, another gearbox was sought and found. Father and son applied a new headlining as well as they retrimmed all of the carpeting. Although the body had been beautifully painted, that did not go for the dashboard and the distinctive star shaped wheels. Naturally, these also received a new layer of paint.
Restoring the car’s interior provided the duo with a pleasant surprise. Arnoud: “It seemed to have vinyl upholstery, but this concerned seat covers. They must have been on the seats from new, because underneath them, the original upholstery from 1954 hid in a new state. In a record time of just a few months the 4CV project was fully restored to this result. It did take us a while to find the right manifold and starter motor, but eventually we tracked these down, too.”
Whoever looks at the car in its current restored condition will also be drawn to the original OLD roof rack. Arnoud bought this at the beginning of last year from a member of the Renault Club. The seller no longer used it and offered this beautiful accessory including the suitcases.
It gives the car lots of extra character. Arnoud uses the suitcases to carry vintage skates while a fishing rod is also part of the equipment. The 1950s theme was carried on into the car’s interior by adding more memorabilia. You can find an old camera on the parcel shelf and a rug that’s been made by Arnoud’s grandmother. His wife is also full of the 4CV and when the couple married in 2014 that simply had to happen in the fully restored 4CV.
The work carried out commands respect in all its detail. Unlike the Dauphine, which Arnoud wants to keep as original as possible because of it’s unique history, the 4CV’s restoration has been carried out to perfection. The Renault name is spelled out on the front in a graceful font, as well as the Grand Luxe designation, although that equipment level was officially only used on the Décapotable variant. The round badge is brand new and is composed of a chromed ring which reads ‘Regie Nationale des Usines Renault’ with a red centre with the famous losange, chromed once again. There is no further mention of the Renault name. The nostalgic looks are complemented by an original fog lamp, ‘eye lashes’ above the headlights, chrome finishers along the rain gutters, decorative strips under the door windows, aluminium shells under the door handles and white wall tyres. It may be hard to imagine today, but back in 1954 this was all very luxurious.
The load volume is very limited. That is because the spare wheel is placed upright directly behind the car’s front. Arnoud neatly upholstered this space, too, and placed a divider behind the wheel to prevent small pieces of luggage from falling.
The 1954 model still used the dashboard of the second type, with its instruments placed centrally. These consist of a round speedometer with odometer with a temperature gauge on the left and a fuel gauge on the right, completed by indicator lamps for oil pressure and Volts. The varnished steering wheel comes in the same hue as the dashboard with a gold-coloured decoration in its centre depicting a sailing boat (‘Volants Quillery Paris’). Another funny detail is the wire with fixing eye, top left of the driver, which can be used to change the position of the roll cover on the radiator grille. The round interior lighting directly next to, is a design feature that could be found on almost all of Renault’s models for years to come.
Before opening the bonnet, you will also notice the Renault name in a beautifully chromed font. Furthermore it is also striking that the 1954 4CV still used rear lights of the first type. Originally, the car was only equipped with semaphore indicators in its c-pillars, with a little white light to the front and red or orange light to the rear. They can still be found in their original condition on Arnaud’s car, which comes without added indicators on the front.
Although the car tells a story by its appearance and decoration alone, the impression of it can only be complete when we take it for a drive also. The engine purrs like a charm, sounding lovely in the rear. High speeds and smooth acceleration times cannot be expected, but thumbs up and smiling faces are. The gearlever makes you switch gears as if it is a knitting needle and as long as you look a little further ahead than you may be used to, the four drum brakes will also make you stop on time. This is a typical car for tourist journeys on winding country roads. A real delight!
En detail...
Renault 4CV 1954 (R1062)
Engine:
Type 662, 4 cylinder in line, displacement 747 cc, bore x stroke 54.5 x 80 mm, compression ratio 7.25:1, carburettor Solex 22 IAC, power 21 SAE hp at 4,200 rpm, torque 4.8 m.kg at 2,100 rpm.
Transmissin/suspension:
Type 289, manual 3-speed with 2nd and 3rd gear synchronized. Gear ratios: 1st - 3.70, 2nd - 1.81, 3rd - 1.07, reverse - 3.70. Final gearing - 4.71 Front suspension independent, helical springs, torsion bar. Rear suspension independent, coil springs. Brakes: drums on all four wheels.
Dimensions/weights:
Length 3,630 mm, width 1,430 mm, height 1,470 mm, wheelbase 2,100 mm, turning circle 8.40 meters (between sidewalks). Fuel tank capacity 27.5 litres, engine oil 2.0 litres, coolant 4.6 litres, luggage volume 87 litres. Total weight 560 kg, maximum permissible (GVW) 880 kg.
Performances:
Top speed 100 km/h, consumption 6.0 litres/100 km.