RENAULT 4

is officially CLASSIC

a proud moment at the end of quite a year in the world.....(2021)
K's photo of our car was used on the front cover of the Renault Owners' Club magazine!




The timeline of this page is all over the place, but to avoid having to scroll through old posts,
I am now posting newer news near the top whilst leaving the cover 'girl' in place...



1961 original poster!

2024
has not started well for our vehicles...
F6van needing welding to get through MOT.....good news soon....(May 2024!)
R4GTL currently out of action, miraculously passed MOT, but needs tender maintenance from an expert.
July 2024
It's back on the road!!! Heading over to France this summer (fingers crossed)
Autumn 2024 -both car and van back on the road so far.... we have found a super mechanic
( who specialises in VWs) in the wilds of Romney Marsh

MEANWHILE - AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF PARIS OLYMPIQUES 2024
Renault 4 is centre stage as Zinadine Zidane weaves his way through the vintage tableau carrying the Olympic torch.

2023
2023 was touch and go....
the ignition coil on the car decided to explode when we were en route to France.
Just through passport control, but not yet onto the Shuttle!

Luckily we were able to swap over to the 'dirty' van and the holiday escapade continued
Hurrah for Euroshuttle.

August 2022
We have just been given a beautiful 1970's enamel pin badge which we think was only worn by the showroom staff?



my letter is in the autumn edition of the Renault Owners Club magazine, so we await more info.....

Here is a poster we would like to find....



spotted by Tyrone Messiah © in Marrakesh 2022
real deal spotted by Stephen Rothholz © in Marrakesh 2024


July 2022
The R4 has had bodywork rust dealt with and has passed MOT,
thanks to Simon,
so hopefully road ready to go over to France in August!
Pleased to report 500 miles in France without a squeak.
We were surprised that we only saw one other R4 in Normandy and it was
just a shell on a pick up truck trailer!


January 2022
and this time no snow.
The F6 has passed its MOT



and here again, February 2021, we have rare snowfall at the seaside...

50th anniversary year 2011

Folkestone is where we have been since the millenium,
but as you see in the postcard above the Renault 4 was here long before.
This is a view of the East Cliff Folkestone.

Below, is our trusty 4GTL with over 200,000 miles on its original engine,
2013 now fully reconditioned by Derek, so here's to 200,000 more.....
My dear dad bought me this beauty brand new in 1986 from Radbourne Racing in Wimbledon.
We specified the sliding roof on purchase, which is a brilliant asset in the hot summers.

(the car, not Paul, although he says he is beginning to feel the miles!)

Renault 4 car

compare and contrast - look how lovely the 'new' old chrome radiator grill and bumper look? (offically it is the style of grill for an older model)

(film noir image by Dave Hendley)



stupidly, we always love it when we can park the two vehicles one behind the other : )

 

renault 4 rally

at squerryes court

may 3rd 2009

renault 4 convoy

 

 

renault 4 rally

 

renault rally picnic

 

renault line up showing two R16's

there were 20 renaults present, one came all the way from Weymouth, Dorset!

+ two renault 16's

it was jolly good fun,

 

and some superb topiary and landscaped garden - well worth exploring...

paul at squerryes court karen at squerryes

gnarled tree root at squerryes court

 

vintage Renault at the heart of 1968 protest in Paris!

renault 4

and the three classics together 'in protest' 2CV, R4, Fiat 600


and below - spot the 'quatrelles' in vintage Doisneau photograph...

and stylishly in the background of Diana Ross and the Supremes sashaying down the Paris Champs Elysées

whilst singing 'Where did Our Love Go?'' in 1965

or
Jane Birkin posing artfully

and more recently spotted in 2023 Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny



WHAT A FINE 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

at Brooklands Motor Museum in Surrey on 10th September 2011.

Paul with Renault F6 van

Renault 4 line up

and there is loads to see Raleigh bicycles, motorcycles, classic Lagondas, and beautifully restored buses

Paul in Cobham Bus Company museum at Brooklands

Paul always happy to see fine examples of Johnston lettering.

Pempoul by Maggie Gravett at Railex 2009

Maggie Gravett's marvellous model railway layout entitled Pempoul, exhibited Railex 2009

with very authentic Renault 4!

and fine Loupot St. Raphael advertising on side of 1950s R4.


Renault 4 - outsider art choice 1970s


outside Atelier 11, Cite Falguiere, Montparnasse Paris © Jacques Mauve 1980

 

September 2013

Pope Francis is now the proud owner of a pure white Renault 4,

an inspired gift from Father Zocca.

The car has 300,000 km (190,000 miles) on the clock.

Apparently he used to drive this car back in his native Argentina.

Pope Francis and Renault 4

 

MAY 2014 rally at Marle Place tucked away in the Weald of Kent.

Glorious mature trees, dovecotes and even a swing for Renault fans.


This fine specimen spotted in Rome by Colin & Mary W

this 'banana' coloured example spotted by Alan B in Mallorca (2019)


and this fine specimen caught 'unloading', photo by William Webb!

HERE WE ARE at 2015 rally at beautiful 16th century Lullingstone Castle Kent

The oldest at this years rally, c. 1960s and the most well travelled and photographed 'Marigold' and glimpse of very pretty East German NSU ( the back lights are like cupcakes!)



Here we are in the wonderful World Garden at Lullingstone.

two stills from Jacques Tati's 1971 classic film Traffic ( note the gastronomic tip which we have not tried!)

stopping for le picnic august 2015

and the one on the right is an 'airfix' model! - pretty convincing.


we have this book for sale in the shop, but look closely...the artist Glynn Boyd Harte put a R4 on the cover.

talking of design - this is one serious look at R4 design...

 

spotted on a documentary about the historic LIVE AID concert at Wembley in 1985
the R4 was the first vehicle on site!

and it seems a Renault 4 was used in the historic antique watch heist of the Breuget Marie-Antoinette

in Paris in the 1980s! Here is the proof.

cool '70's styling - spotted on TV drama by Luc Besson 'No Limit'...

and here taking centre stage in Sicilian thriller 'Maltese' (blood on the screen!)

Clive James 'Postcard from Rome' skulking past a R4 c.1990



quite a number of Renault F4 vans spotted in Erich Rohmer's The Aviator's Wife (1980)
and centre stage in The Good Marriage ( 1982)
and Pauline a la Plage 1983


Les Visiteurs, 1993


a fleeting image captured from the 1979 tv serial adaptation of John Le Carre's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy


spotted in gritty Sicilian mafia drama Il Cacciatore (2022)


in Claude Chabrol's Fleur du Mal (2003)


and of course the classic French Connection from 1971 ( we shall be watching French Connection 2 for more!)


2024 classic 1970s TV crime series 'SpyMaster' - there seem to be a good display of Renaults (various) throughout 1970s Roumania



one R4 spotted in Jonathan Gili's charming documentary 'To the World's End'
following the bus route from Camden to Chelsea in 1985

and in the advertising backup supporting the Tour de France 2022!




and the celebrated Eddy Mercx being overtaken by a Renault 4 in the 1970s.
Paul was honoured to have met Eddy.

UPDATE AUGUST 2016

Our blue car is being given a 3rd life ( already reconditioned engine by Renospeed), now major reconstruction!

The chassis is being replaced...

see progress on Derek's website - here

a few photos to show the project, hopefully we shall be back 'on the road' in 2017.

In the meantime, the Fourgonette is living up to the mark and enjoys an occasional trip over the Channel to Calais and Boulogne.




April 2017 - our car has passed it's MOT and we should be back on the road in a couple of weeks!

Here we are with the trusty van at this year's Renault rally.

It was the most international event yet in the UK. A true 'bon viveur', ( not sure about Italian translation ),

Italian policeman! arrived from Northern Italy and proceeded to wow the crowd

with a purpose built tray that neatly fitted across the moulded bonnet of the car, and was laden

with Italian delicacies of cheeses and meats and a few bottles of Limoncello.

There were Belgians too with customised renault 4s. One a military drab finish and now a four wheel drive.

Some excellently varied colour combos this year - from 1970s factory orange to customised aubergine and William Morris

upholstery too......


May 2017
The prodigal car has returned thanks to total rebuild by Renospeed....hurrah! and it is in Classic Car mag this month too.

 

La Renoleta
- fun music video by Argentinian duo Los Cabezas 2016
filmed in a red classic R4!

 

model Renault garage c.1965

and here is the return of our vanilla F6 van fresh from Derek's refrigerator February 2018!

 

Thanks to a friend this quotation says it all:

Alice let herself sink into the fabric upholstery of the aluminium-framed seat
which reminded her of a lounge chair and, looking at the gear shift
next to the steering wheel and the tiny dashboard that made it look so much like a toy car,
put an expression on her face that was a mix of the amused and the apalled.

"What kind of car is this?"

"The legendary Renault 4. It was made in 1989. It belonged to my father.
It's the only tangible thing I've held on to in my life.
They say there are only two things you can never change:
your parents and the team you root for.
Well, I'll say the Renault 4 is the third item on that list,
if you ever been lucky enough to own one.
Upkeep isn't cheap but..... "

From: Suburra: Carlo Bonini, Giancarle de Cataldo. 2013. Clunky translation  by Anthony Shugaar. 


2018 rally at Seasalter Kent
the car is back in line and Paul has been given French reading matter!

2019 Himalayan Garden, Riverhill 2019
smaller turnout than usual.but a fun time was had.
.

 

STOP PRESS SUMMER 2019
first draft of an official Renault e-plein air vehicle with digital dash!!!
just thought of the caption...
"E-Plein... Elan" (©Karen Rennie)





here is the man who used to keep my car on the road - off duty


taken with Solida1 at Seasalter

to return to main index page - click here

 

for more renault expertise...

http://www.renospeed.co.uk

http://www.renault4.co.uk

http://www.renaultownersclub.com