If your preference is solely for the Renault 4 with the first type of grille, then as a collector it would be natural to look for the oldest example that was originally sold in your own country. Bram van Oeffelt bought this car in 2013 and recently completed the restoration.
Bram already knew about the existence of this Renault 4L, registered on 31 January 1962, long before buying it. It rolled off the assembly line in December 1961. Evidence to confirm that this car is from the first year of manufacture is the serial number 17,176 as in 1961 exactly 19,542 examples of the R4 and 4L rolled off the assembly line at Billancourt.
Bram calls the colour Beige Scirocco a typical colour for export. "In France it had to compete with the very popular Blue Ile de France and Rouge Esterel”.
Bram investigated the Dutch history of the Renault 4 model: "The earliest examples of the R4 in the country had licence plates starting with the letters GG , which was followed by GP, and then GT. So it is not only the oldest Dutch Renault 4 that still exists, but also one of the first to be delivered. In any case, it is a very early 4L, characterised by a front bumper with two mounts rather than four. Originally it was supposed to have oval bumper stops on it, but at the moment I only found the rear one. If anyone has two more of these..."
"I bought the car in 2013", Bram continues. "About eight years after I first looked at it. At first I thought it was too much work. I found the car interesting because of the Dutch licence plate. As far as I could tell, it was the oldest existing one. A major restoration attracted me less. At first sight it looked not that bad, but it had a more modern power unit linked to a four-speed gearbox. Therefore the front cross member had been replaced by a more modern one. The frame of the front bench seat had been adapted to turn it into a self-constructed bench by the former owner. Closer inspection also revealed that the effect of fifty years of Dutch road salt had left its mark. So I left it there.”
Eight years passed by and then during the transfer of telephone numbers to a new telephone, Bram came back on the owner's trail. It started revive his interest again and he decided to ask what had happened to the Renault 4L in the meantime. The answer was clear, nothing at all. The battered beige Renault was still standing on the same spot in the barn and remained untouched all those years. A good moment for Bram to act as a saviour.
Bram got off to an energetic start together with his help and support in this area, Hans Veldkamp. Both men dismantled the car completely and then the body was dispatched to Bram's usual bodywork restoration specialists. Six years and many sighs from the restorers later, the car returned to Bram's home in a considerably better condition. The non-original front cross member had been replaced by a correct one and so rebuilding could begin. In the intervening years Bram had not sat still and had collected as many original parts as possible in order to rebuild the car to the correct specifications including a new interior and an engine of the right type.
A 1962 model year Renault 4 should have an engine type 680-01 which was not used after that. The engine was sourced from outside so before installation Bram tested the small 4 cylinder in a testbed and it ran fine. The complete interior was assembled in the meantime whilst the exterior also progressed in leaps and bounds.
On the left of the dashboard Bram mounted an original accessory, an Argentinian instrument cluster which recorded coolant temperature and oil pressure with the 4L symbol neatly in the centre. He also pointed briefly to the frame of the sliding part of the front door windows. These are painted in the body colour of the car which is also a unique feature of the first year of production . He tried to rebuild the car as original as possible down to the smallest detail. but given its age, liberties may be taken. As a tribute to the previous owner, he covered the inside of the tailgate with the attractive material of the non-original front seat. Much more fun to look at!
The funny thing is that this early Renault 4 looks just as modern or old-fashioned from certain angles as an example from the eighties. But when we see Bram driving in front of us to the photo location, it becomes clear that in more than thirty years, the Renault 4 has changed a lot. The wheels stand quite deep in the wings and funnily enough the hubcaps with the three flutes are a spectacle in their own right as they seem to be in constant motion.
Bram is very satisfied with the final result and is still seeking the finishing touches. However, he confesses that this is the last time he will completely restore a Renault 4. Really?
En détail...
Renault 4L R1120 1961
Specifications
Engine:
Type 680-01, 4 cylinder in line, displacement 747 cc, bore x stroke 54.5 x 80 mm, compression ratio 8.5:1. Carburettor Solex 22 IDS, power (DIN) 26.5 hp (SAE) at 4,500 rpm, torque (DIN) 55 Nm at 2,000 rpm. Electrical installation 6 Volt / 60/75 Amp/h.
Transmission:
Type 313, 3-speed gearbox, 2nd and 3rd synchronized. Gear ratios 1st - 3.80, 2nd - 1.89, 3rd - 1.03, reverse 3.80. Tyres front/rear 135 x 330 (13 inch), spare wheel under the floor luggage compartment.
Suspension:
Front independent, longitudinal torsion bar suspension, stabiliser bar. Rear independent, transverse torsion bar suspension.
Brakes:
Front drums 200 mm, rear drums 160 mm, parking brake on both front wheels.
Dimensions/weight:
Length 3,656 mm, width 1,532 mm, height 1,460 mm (empty), wheelbase left/right 2,395/2,443 mm, track width (front/rear) 1,246/1,204 mm, turning circle 8.60 m (between pavements). Fuel tank capacity 26 litres, luggage compartment 480 litres. Engine oil 2 litres, gearbox 0.7 litres, cooling system 5 litres.
Unladen weight 570 kg, kerb weight 600 kg, loading weight 250 kg, max. permissible weight 950 kg.
Performance:
Top speed 106 km/h, consumption 5.9 litres/100 km (average).