Small but brave

Photos: Kevin is absolutely delighted with the recently acquired 1959 Renault D16. Equipped with a Kuhn-Renault potato harvester, the compact tractor may immediately go to work in his vegetable garden.

And that's where we come across this one too. Kevin Servoingt is only too happy to demonstrate his latest acquisition. It is a Renault D16 that got its registration number on 4 February 1959. In May this year, he happened to bump into this tractor. The Renault is in good, original condition. Kevin actually only replaced the diesel lines after purchasing it. The tractor was only 20 kilometres from his home and changed hands for a small price.

Kevin did dot a few i's by fitting a new front logo in the correct brown/red colour. He also restored the piping on the grille. Three were still on the tractor, a fourth he got from his own parts stock. Other than that, it was a matter of starting, running and working. Because Kevin does use his smallest Renault for modest work.

For this report, a single-row Kuhn-Renault potato harvester hangs behind it. Kevin has several rows of potatoes in front of his house in the vegetable garden. As soon as the D16 gets moving and the harvester's forks start turning, the fresh potatoes fly through the air. The harvester also neatly bears the corresponding type plate, so it is immediately clear that this Kuhn machine was supplied by a Renault dealer. Shortly after making this report, he also found a Renault La Fourmi trailer from the same era and matching the D16 in size.

Kevin: "I am very happy with my D16, not only because of its good condition, but also because it is the rarest of the most compact model." Between 1 November 1958 and 1 February 1960, exactly 3,745 examples of the D16 (R7053) were produced. This was followed by the similarly shaped N73 and its derivative vin version, the V73. Of these, a further 9,020 units saw the light of day. That was not the end of the matter. Between 1 June 1964 and 1 September 1968, the model remained in production, keeping the name and shape of the V73, but giving the N73 the rectangular bonnet of the Super Series and a name change to Renault Junior. Of these two, 5,146 were eventually made, bringing the total counter for the R7053 to 17,911 units.

From 1948, Renault experimented with a compact tractor for use mainly in viticulture. By 1953, the prototype was ready and presented to the commercial management, which did not approve. The model looks atypical with the engine above the rear wheels, while the driver sits in front. The designers have to go back to the drawing board to create a more widely accepted proposal. Meanwhile, the D-series is in the process of being developed, and it ultimately seems more logical to make a compact tractor based on it. Like the D22, the D16 is powered by a 2 cylinder M.W.M. diesel, but with a smaller displacement of 1.4 litres. This engine is air-cooled, as was common in those years, and is fed from a 30-litre fuel tank.

Although the design is identical to the other D-series models, there are technical differences. Instead of the agri-route 6-speed gearbox, the D16 also features a 6-speed gearbox but one that is built under licence from ZF and on which no doubler is available. This is obviously due to lack of space on such a small tractor with a length of just 2.72 metres. Behind, we see a so-called portal axle. From the two output shafts of the gearbox, the wheels are driven via a gear transmission. Drum brakes are on either side of the gearbox.

Power take-off and linkage are standard. The little Renault can lift a maximum weight of 1,200 kg, which corresponds to the weight of the tractor itself.

A steering rod runs from the steering box to the rear of front axle. From the two wheels, short steering rods run from the front of the axle to the centre below the nose of the tractor, which are cross-connected. The main steering rod steers the left wheel, the right wheel is connected to it using the two short rods and follows.

As usual with M.W.M. engines, the exhaust is on the right side. There we also find the oil bath air filter. Despite having a smaller engine than the D22, the D16 does produce a similar sound.

On the right wing sits the optional seat, basically nothing more than a tube bent into a rudimentary backrest. In the centre of the left wing is a small toolbox.

As mentioned, the Renault D16 was only at the beginning of a series of successive compact tractors. Within the D-series, the most compact tractor was followed first by an N-series variant, initially keeping the grille identical and replacing it with a grille a little later. The power of the 1.4-litre engine increased slightly to 18 hp. Behind the bonnet directly in front of the steering wheel, the tractor received a higher-set dashboard, which was retained in the transition to the Junior.

En détail...

Renault D16 (R7053)

Engine:

Type M.W.M. AKD 311 Z, 2 cylinders in line, bore x stroke 90 x 110 mm, displacement 1,400 cc. Power 16 hp at 1,850 rpm, compression ratio 19:1, air-cooled, oil bath air filter possibly with pre-separator.

Gearbox:

Type: 159 ZF, 6-speed. Speed at rated speed (km/h): 1st - 1.5, 2nd - 2.7, 3rd - 4.6, 4th - 7.5, 5th - 11.7, 6th - 20, reverse 3.7. Steering: Gremmer type 64.

Brakes: Mechanical, drums on the differential axles. Lifting device: with gear pump driven by engine distribution gear, working pressure 118 bar, oil reservoir 6 litres, lifting capacity 1,200 kg. Tyres: front 4.00-15, rear 9-24.

Dimensions/weights:

Length 2.72 metres, width 1.50 - 2.03 metres, height to steering wheel 1.50 metres, wheelbase 1.66 metres, ground clearance 0.34 metres. Weight: 1,120 kg/1,420 kg with optional ballast weights. Tank capacity 30 litres.