Jump to content

David_Ba11sack's Mk1 Renner Trafic love-in


Mr_Bo11ox

Recommended Posts

I've got rid of a few motors lately and am feeling a bit like my shite habit is under some sort of control. Unsurprisingly I've thus been having 'the urges' again - inexplicably for one of these rusty old heaps. It started off with this one:

 

s-l1600.jpg

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/039-96-Renault-Trafic-T1100D-SWB-band-van-minibus-66500-miles-/162916901167

 

Miles away from home of course, non-running but never failed an MOT on rust and looked a straight old tank. I really wanted it but it made £440, which with the cost of shifting it seemed too salty for me.

 

Why do these appeal? I know theyre shite of course. But they have got a bit of that old French 'market trader' van vibe left over from the H-van days I reckon. Weedy petrol engine offerings (1397cc pez!!!!), mega low load floor, and some good utilitarian touches - I think the windscreen is flat for one.

 

The early ones with the smaller petorl engines look great, I guess you need to look over the channel to find a good one:

 

42ffc6af6b53bfafbb58c090e963bed5f56f3e73

https://www.leboncoin.fr/utilitaires/1398439441.htm?ca=12_s

 

Aint that a beauty? 1200€ hardly seems a mega rip off.

 

 

119d46707249d035c489e42cbee4b3a171e32e38

https://www.leboncoin.fr/utilitaires/1396001847.htm?ca=12_s

 

FUCK!!! That looks the business and only 600€

 

08ae516a7bbacae880011d22b7e2c0d8986e8758

806ad2ff45a0505bd7a2bc057623790fb50b845c

https://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/1393057667.htm?ca=12_s

 

OMG 1397cc petrol!!!!! 1500€, again doesnt seem like a rip.

 

Theres a minibus one of these festering in a yard near my house, its a W-reg (W942XBV - never been through an MOT seemingly??) so a vey late one and is covered in green mould. Of course its got the later face on it which looks rubbish but I might go round and see what the crack is with it.

 

Something that would offset the disappointment of a later one would be to find a Vauxhall Arena-badged one. None have appeared on the bay for a long time though. Were those built in Luton?

 

Anyone got any experiences of these old crates?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nothing in terms of working on one. Mate used to have an E plate one though.

 

Was a decent old steer actually - loved the dash (shared with the Renault 18 and Fuego I think), which had a million clear lensed warning lights.

 

Can't remember what engine it had, but being an ex-ambulance probably the largest option, certainly went well. Exactly how well I don't know as the speedo had been jammed at 43mph for years...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2f53b15a2e67ff43a7b398018ef5c817310346c5

https://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/1390004644.htm?ca=12_s

 

Heres a low mileage 1.4 just near the ferry for 1500€. Fantastic!!!!!

 

I am starting a new job soon which will hopefully get me off skid row, if so I am not gonna be able to resist one of these I think

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, I reckon these look great. I've long lusted after a mega early flatface pez panel van. You could get them with brown dash and interior plastics and beige cloth seats!! I have a load of great launch press photos saved on my computer somewhere with a really early Master alongside. I reckon these were pretty much the last vans that had actual proper 'styling'.

 

I'm guessing they weigh nowt by today's standards, so maybe a sweet, revvy little 1400 isn't such a horrendous proposal if they've got the gearing sorted, at least until you put anything in the back?? If you can find a nice early one in France I'll buy it of you when you get bored (maybe).

 

(Self-evident brown dash comments typed before you'd posted that one)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I worked in the parts dept of a Renault dealer back in the late '80s and used to hoon around in a series of these, they were ace.  The 1.4 went well; it was more revvy than the 1.7 and on the road there was little real difference, though I was usually driving them empty.  In the wet I'd get them around roundabouts by wanging on a load of lock, then using the throttle to understeer it in the direction I wanted to go.

 

Diesels were breathless and awful, totally different to drive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What the HELL is wrong with you man, I can't ever read a thing you post without practically pissing my kecks laughing, especially after the first decent night out on local gut-rot in years.

 

:|

 

I gotta say. A manky old Renner Trafic appeals enormously, if only because a five year-old visiting Jersey's Faggot Road Garage in 1983 could see the potential in fitting a surplus kitchen sink into a bog stock standard panel van one of these, while ignoring the long term investment value of a metallic blue R5 Gordini in the same somewhat cramped showroom.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No need to go to France, this gem is awaiting a bit of TLC in the Peak District:

 

37826280626_7d72622854_c.jpg

1987 Renault Trafic T1300 LWB 2.1D by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

I'm envious of Bram's trip to France, he'll see scenes like this where it appeared a retired garage owner was living the proverbial dream:

 

28875537052_50f349f76a_c.jpg

Renault Trafic T800 and others by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Surely the only thing better than a T800 with a 1.4 is a T800 with a high-roof?

 

29235447556_6cbe0e47a6_c.jpg

Renault Trafic T800 High-Roof by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Stylish motorhome options are also available:

 

20188343678_e09f7154d9_c.jpg

Renault Trafic Eriba Motorhome by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Got to ride in one of these last year:

 

35886218503_d86cb7db45_c.jpg

Renault Trafics x2 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

It was alright actually, felt like a simple and sturdy thing that would keep plodding on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

trafic is a great idea. I remember seeing a minibus version parked next to a mk1 Espace when they were both new, and thinking I was probably odd to prefer the trafic.

 

Anyway, there is this

post-17481-0-97320200-1521273525_thumb.jpeg

 

which almost has your name on it

post-17481-0-40646300-1521273583_thumb.jpeg

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Project-van/263544545843?hash=item3d5c7aa233:g:faQAAOSw7VhapZkn

Link to comment
Share on other sites

.post-5435-0-92488800-1521278060_thumb.jpg

 

My old man had one seen in the background here.. he loved it but the box went French. He wouldnt part with it but didnt want to tax it so he parked it in this raised flower bed between the road and footpath. Argued somewhat successfully that it wasnt on the road or blocking the footpath when challanged about its lack of tax or insurance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1988 my boss bought a new 1.4 petrol Trafic.

Can you imagine anyone buying a petrol van now?

 

Sadly it was not a quality product. In the first 6 months, Renault replaced the carb and the distributor and tinkered endlessly trying to get it to run right.

 

It never did and got traded in against a Cx Estate and a shitty metro van.

 

When I think of the shit he bought the mind boggles.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Used to drive one regularly, belonging to a friend. It was his family 'Dingle Bus'

 

An imported minibus converted to RHD, with the side door on the wrong side unloading passengers into the road.

 

It was a very reliable old van, never went wrong. Towed a huge caravan all over France. Undergeared though, at 50 it was just about happy but no more than that.

 

Some rot but nowhere near as bad as the equivalent Transit.

 

He still has it festering away in the garden

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I actually saw a Vauxhall Arena earlier this year, it was on the road and everything and looked like it was still being used by a tradesman. There's something so characteristically French about the 80s Renault vans, a charming simplicity that's disappeared and modern vans are all hideous.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...