This model is number 70 in a series of 80 of which fourteen were retained by Renault itself. The list of entries and victories is impressive because this fast 4CV participated in all the great classics of the time: the Le Mans 24 Hours, the Monte Carlo Rally, the Mille Milles and the Tour de France Automobile, not to mention Liège-Rome-Liège.

Jean-Pol Warbecq, a well-known specialist among 4CV enthusiasts, took almost twenty years to find this real R1063. The previous owner had put the car away after his wife asked him to stop racing and the years passed until the day that the barn, which contained the rarity, collapsed and revealed the 'treasure' it contained. The 4CV, which was in a sad state at the time of its discovery, was completely dismantled and then carefully restored to its original Liège-Rome-Liège specification in 1954. It took Jean-Pol no less than 15 years to restore this 4CV to its former glory.

All 1063's were painted in 'Lasuli' blue or Renault blue 400, which can also be found on the Gendarmerie’s Juvaquatres. In the light, these colours on black and white pictures give the impression that these 4CV's are light or dark grey. Almost all 1063's were well equipped versions where the chrome mouldings were replaced by aluminium versions. Apart from a few small visible details, such as the two aluminium ventilation grilles under the bonnet and the four headlights specified for the factory cars, the 1063's looks were very similar to those of the standard 4CV. The most important difference was hidden under the bonnet where the small four cylinder engine was housed. It underwent special tuning and was fitted with aluminium connecting rods, pistons with curved profiles and a 35 mm twin choke carburettor. The fuel pump was replaced by a larger model, adapted to the needs of the twin choke carburettor and a quick filler for the fuel tank underneath the car was also provided. To absorb the increased revs of the 1063, which were much higher than that of the standard 4CV (5500 rpm instead of 3500 rpm), extra pulleys were added to the belt tensioners to prevent the alternator and water pump from running too fast. With a cylinder capacity of 748 cc, the 4CV was a formidable competitor in the 750 cc class.

The customer version of the 1063 produced around 35 bhp while the factory cars developed  another 5 bhp. As a result, the small four-cylinder car achieved a top speed of 160 km/h on the 6 kilometre straight from Hunaudières on the old Le Mans circuit.

The engine in this car is not the original but it is a genuine old racing engine coupled to a 5-speed "Claude" gearbox, named after the designer, engineer and driver André Georges Claude. The power unit was found a few years ago in Corsica  -  following an accident in the Tour de Corse, the engine hadn't run since 1956 and is therefore in absolutely original condition. The current owner won the bet that the engine would work in the car without lifting the cylinder head.

Almost the entire space in the front boot is taken up by a large extra petrol tank, the bottom of which follows the curved shapes of the 4CV. This is equipped with fillers on both sides to facilitate refuelling regardless of the layout in the paddock. For the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1951, an extra tank was fitted in the rear seat space, but this idea was soon abandoned because of the fuel vapours filling the interior. The little space still available in the front boot was filled by a nice wooden toolbox and the spare wheel which, like the standard 4CV's, was attached to the underside of the boot lid. A small riveted plate with the inscription 'Propriété de la Régie Nationale des Usines Renault (Property of the Régie Nationale des Usines Renault) indicates that this is one of the fourteen original factory cars.

The front was equipped with four headlights, the upper two with stone guards and the lower two with a anti-dazzle devices. For the record, this car arrived for the Liège-Rome-Liège in 1954 equipped with four headlight protectors but only two of them were still there at the finish line. Fortunate for the restoration by Jean-Pol who probably could never have found the two missing ones.

The interior was spartan in design but in terms of instrumentation nothing was sacrificed and the dashboard was completely different from that of a standard 4CV. It consisted of a odometer that went up to 160 km/h, a rev counter with a maximum of 8000 rpm, an ammeter and a water temperature gauge that was directly in the driver's sight. On the floor, the starter was located at the base of the gear lever as on the standard 4CV, as well as the tank change tap and the choke lever. In the front there were two 'camping seats' consisting of a metal frame on which rubber straps were stretched. The backrest could be laid flat so that the co-driver could rest for a while on the connecting routes during marathon rallies. These sleeping chairs were  produced by Flexomobile of La Garenne Colombe who did not market them exclusively for the 4CV, even though they were included in the model's accessory catalogue.

The presence of a normal rear seat contrasted with the stripped appearance of the rest of the interior but this can be explained from a marketing point of view; the small Renault in its Liège-Rome-Liège guise had to stay as close as possible to the average man's car. Other oddities are the small, transparent cylinders glued to the front door windows which appeared in 1954 and had the function of improving air circulation in the passenger compartment and preventing condensation on the windscreen.

The launch of the Dauphine marked the death of the sports career of the 1063. Most of the 14 factory cars were destroyed by Renault. Today the survivors can be counted on the fingers of one hand, making this specimen a true rarity and above all an important part of the French automobile heritage.

Jean-Pol's car is purely for photography. The 4CV entrusted to us by Renault Classic for a test drive on the Montlhéry circuit is a faithful replica of the car with which François Landon and André Briat won a class victory at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1951.  It was built on the base of a normal 4CV to honour François Landon for the fiftieth anniversary of the Renault 4CV but unfortunately François Landon died shortly before this special tribute.

On the day of the test of the small 4CV everything is in order. In spite of the veil of clouds, the track is fortunately dry, in contrast to the day before when the rain kept falling all day. Once on board I was immediately pleasantly surprised by the comfort of the rudimentary seats with rubber strips. The only drawback is that the seat is a bit too low for me, so the top of the steering wheel is in my field of vision. The pedals are microscopic and the diameter of the gear lever is not much larger than that of a knitting needle. I have the strange feeling of twisting the knobs of a toy. The interior is completely bare, making the exposed sheet metal visible from floor to ceiling. Thanks to its slimming diet, this 4CV weighs only 530 kg and delivers 43 bhp.

My eye is drawn to the famous speedometer which goes up to 160 km/h. I can't wait to get on the track. The test takes place on the oval of the Montlhéry circuit with two chicanes. I start the engine and then I carefully start a first test lap. In this configuration of the circuit, the first inclined plane is almost at the exit of the straight line along the pits. First remark: the 4-speed gearbox is not a masterpiece of precision. This initial feeling is confirmed when the fourth gear is engaged after a long shift from the third gear. I easily reach the maximum revs and take the opportunity to briefly release the steering wheel in the middle of the track. Despite the high speed the 4CV doesn't deviate from its course and comes across as very balanced. The brake pedal feels soft. Under these conditions it is wise to anticipate well when braking in order to pass the two chicanes on the track quickly and without problems. In the interior it is quite noisy, with the sheet steel walls acting as a huge sound box. I constantly glance briefly at the side mirror in order not to disturb the other more powerful cars with which I share the track. Driving a 4CV during the Le Mans 24 Hours surrounded by a Jaguar C-type and a Talbot-Lago 4.5 litre car, among others, wouldn't have been easy.