We've got a live one here..

[Pete-M]

I once towing-dollied a MR2 Automatic from gretna to gloucester and the auto box didnt seem to mind!This R30 is an amazing find, heartening to know such treasures are still out there waiting to be discovered. How did you track it down?

A lurker on Practical Classics owned it, lives reasonably locally to me and saw a post from me stating that I'd love to own a 30 TX. I think he figured that there aren't that many people who know what a 30 TX is - never mind people who live near him, own a fleet of bizarre and mainly unorthodox shite, have garage facilities to do one up and have wanted one for 20 odd years so I was the right man for the job. I think the fact that I went to see it as quickly as possible, made all the right "ooooh" noises when I saw it and arranged to pay for it and pick it up the next day probably helped.Using the W&P Turbo Rangie as a tow vehicle seemed to assure him that the Renault has truly gone to someone insane enough to restore it properly.

[mk2_craig]

Excellent stuff!! Stories like this give me reassurance that someone somewhere is dry-storing a low mileage RHD Renner 14 with my name on it.

[Pete-M]

Oh, and for further proof that I'm certifiable, I've just agreed to buy this if it's solid when I go to view it..

 

 

 

 

should be fun driving that the 1000 or so miles home..

[MrRegieRitmo]

Excellent stuff!! Stories like this give me reassurance that someone somewhere is dry-storing a low mileage RHD Renner 14 with my name on it.

[Milford Cubicle]

Great stuff! I've never seen a 20 or 30 on the road either.

[MrRegieRitmo]

My memories of 20s & 30s are mainly based on visits to the continent although I have had odd sightings over here, there was a gold Renault 20 towing a caravan I saw in Bognor in recent years, a dark red Y reg probably R20 (only saw the back of it) in a driveway in Teignmouth back in 2000, the gold / silver R30 that lives in Southsea belonging to Andy Mitchell (?) something like that (a picture of it was posted on someone's Bromley pageant spots this year) spotted in......Southsea! A maroon Y reg R20 at Bromley in 2005 when I was there with the R14, then there is the ones I've seen advertised for sale over here, although they don't count as spots.Contrary to popular opinion I actually prefer the look of the R20, so my ideal combo would be an R20 TX with R30 powerplant!

[andrew e]

My old Cub leader head one, I remember him hammering this white 20 through the woods

[mr-reno-139]

lovely car ,recently passed nearly all my remaining R30 parts onto mouseflakes so give him a shout if any thing needed regret breaking up the Y reg 30 turbo diesel i had 10 yrs ago but it was a little tatty so transplanted all into a 25 monaco also regret scrapping my LHD 25 turbo dx as i needed an espace engine 2 yrs ago - still ive got the limo to rescue now ps have got a R20?30 tow bar if any one has a use for it

[Ratdat]

I was lucky enough to experience an R30 in person in my youth as my Dad had a black TX. Gorgeous car and I remember being awestuck when he clocked 118mph in it once Sadly he nodded of at the wheel in it one day and launched it into the scenery which wrote it of

[pogweasel]

My memories of 20s & 30s are mainly based on visits to the continent although I have had odd sightings over here...

I guess you are probably too young to remember the R20 that my father owned around Hitchin in the '80's then Reg.... My dad had a fleet of Minicabs in Hitchin comprising various assorted 'shite', and the R20 was always the go-between, never licensed as a cab but used by his employees to shuttle about in. The registration was GTM966T, manky off-white with rust. One of his chaps lived off Nightingale Road and used the car regularly for personal use when my pops was using one of the 'plush' cabs....

[Pete-M]

Had a primary fiddle with the 30 today, nothing much, but the initial 'right, what does this need?' prod about.First job was to get the tyres sorted, it was stored with the wheels off and the wheels have suffered in the way untouched alloy does over a long time. Whipped the wheelbrace out from under the bonnet, had a quick fiddle about with odds and sods and discovered that the little spanner clipped to the jack is to undo the header tank cap..Jacked it up, sills are fine - the previous keeper had new sills fitted shortly before it was parked up (it was an 8 year old Renault at the time, don't forget...), shoved it up on axle stands and trundled off to my mates tyre fitting bay. Took the tyres off and inspected them carefully, tyres seem to be in very good condition (but will be replaced soon as I find a newer set of 190-65-390 Michelins). Spent an hour or so refurbing one of the alloys just to see how hard they're going to be to get perfect. There's a couple of days polishing by hand coming up I fear..Popped a battery in it to see what needs doing electrically. Somewhat incredibly everything I tried actually worked first time. Was only hitting random things and haven't checked everything but stuff like indicators, wipers, horn, heater, electric windows, central locking and the radio all appear to be in fine fettle. Not checked the outside lights yet as I want to clean the lights and change a couple of lenses first - and find the number plate light :-S.Brakes seem to be in good order and aren't sticking - previous keeper had rebuilt the rear calipers 15 miles earlier when it passed the MOT. Need to have a close inspection of the metal brake pipes but the flexis seem to be in perfect condition.Next stage will be cleaning out the fuel tank and lines and setting up the fuel injection system. Then I'll build it all up and see exactly what's what. I'll clean up and paint everything that needs it as I go along.Where the hell will I find a backbox for it?

[Spottedlaurel]

Get a stainless one from a Powerflow type place? You don’t have to get one with a 2’ diameter outlet or anything crazy, they do stock-ish stuff too. Having said that, might be nice if you let that V6 burble just a bit more purposefully?...

[mouseflakes]

Where the hell will I find a backbox for it?

Try this Pete - they have a back box and other bits at the moment. I'd recommend you get the link pipe too - and the middle box!Grays Motor Factors Ebay ShopWhen you've got the TX parts from them I might see which TS bits are left to suit mine

[Pete-M]

Thanks man. I tried searching ebay and couldn't find that. Ta!

[Ratdat]

Also, try Glynn Jones. He now sells on ebay as glynnexs. He's always had whatever I've needed, even when they've been pretty obscure. I just bought a full system for my Cherry Europe from him and he's got complete systems for my R15TS, G10 Charade and Violet SSS which I'm having as well.

[mouseflakes]

Ah yes - I got a full R30 exhaust from that Glynn chap some time ago. Very helpful and reasonable too. Forgot that - good one Ed.

[Cavcraft]

Had a primary fiddle with the 30 today, nothing much, but the initial 'right, what does this need?' prod about.

 

First job was to get the tyres sorted, it was stored with the wheels off and the wheels have suffered in the way untouched alloy does over a long time. Whipped the wheelbrace out from under the bonnet, had a quick fiddle about with odds and sods and discovered that the little spanner clipped to the jack is to undo the header tank cap..

 

Jacked it up, sills are fine - the previous keeper had new sills fitted shortly before it was parked up (it was an 8 year old Renault at the time, don't forget...), shoved it up on axle stands and trundled off to my mates tyre fitting bay. Took the tyres off and inspected them carefully, tyres seem to be in very good condition (but will be replaced soon as I find a newer set of 190-65-390 Michelins). Spent an hour or so refurbing one of the alloys just to see how hard they're going to be to get perfect. There's a couple of days polishing by hand coming up I fear..

 

Popped a battery in it to see what needs doing electrically. Somewhat incredibly everything I tried actually worked first time. Was only hitting random things and haven't checked everything but stuff like indicators, wipers, horn, heater, electric windows, central locking and the radio all appear to be in fine fettle. Not checked the outside lights yet as I want to clean the lights and change a couple of lenses first - and find the number plate light :-S.

 

Brakes seem to be in good order and aren't sticking - previous keeper had rebuilt the rear calipers 15 miles earlier when it passed the MOT. Need to have a close inspection of the metal brake pipes but the flexis seem to be in perfect condition.

 

Next stage will be cleaning out the fuel tank and lines and setting up the fuel injection system. Then I'll build it all up and see exactly what's what. I'll clean up and paint everything that needs it as I go along.

 

Where the hell will I find a backbox for it?

Classy car, loving it and I remember seeing them 'in the day'. TRX metric tyres will be fun to find and I doubt cheap either but Topgear tyres in Ellesmere Port might be worth a try. For the exhaust you could try Chester Exhaust Supplies, Bumpers Lane, Chester (just down the road from the mighty Chester City FC). I'm told they can supply pipes for all manner of older models so might be worth asking.