For Sale French chod obtained: 1974 Renault 5 ... Now SOLD

[Alexg]

As you guys may well have seen, I spotted a little R5 on Leboncoin a few weeks back that tickled my fancy. It was fairly priced, and then later slightly cheaper, and just 60 odd miles from Calais. After a two attempted emails to the seller in 'French' using Google translate I received nothing in reply. In stepped Autoshite superstar Mr. Bollox who kindly boshed off a coherent email that yielded a telephone number and bonus news... the seller is actually English!

A chat with with the seller Eli (E-lie) over the phone built confidence in the car; he described a solid reliable motor with a slightly noisy wheel bearing and bags of character. I was hooked. Arrangements were made to drive down with my Dad Wednesday, and drive it home on Eli's insurance. So here we are, Wednesday.

7.50 am - boarding LeShuttle in a not-at-all Autoshite 2014 Nissan Qashqai, loaded with tools, gaffertape and an adequate vocabulary of swearwords. Not the best day for it mind



Out into France, similar shoddy weather and towards the A16 Toll, before turning of into lovely French countryside towards a quaint area called St Remy au Bois...







About an hour and 15 minutes of driving we arrive...



'Tea Together', a small Jam making buisness in a tiny village ran by Eli's Dad, Nick. Eli had popped out, so whilst waiting we were shown around the Jam making facilities and to Nick's 1926 Citroen... a car in constant use! Although it's currently having the engine removed







Nick turned out to be a fascinating chap who moved out to France in the 1980's after working as a documenatry film maker. His small French farmhouse based business supplies Jam all around the world (there were boxes labeled up for China) and to high class places including Claridges. A small tea room was also part of the setup.

Eli arrived after about 20 minutes and lead us to his place, about 15 minutes away, where the little 5 was living. A first glimpse...



Back it out for a proper look....



Excellent, I was dead chuffed. The car was a tad filthy with plenty of patina but exceptionally solid. The floor, sills, rear inner wings, boot floor displayed no rot at all - Amazing! It apparently had lived in the south of France, belonging to one family, before being barn stored for 15 years. Eli had a friend buy the car for him, recondition it before driving it up to the North for his girlfriend. Unfortunatley the waterpump failed and the thing overheated like a bastard 200 miles in. The car was recovered the rest of the way and treated to a head skim, new gasket waterpump etc. He's now separated from his partner and no longer needs the car. We went for a 20 minute blezz about and it drove very well, rolled though corners in a loveable French way and gave reasonable pace once pushed. The apparently worn front wheel bearing as quiet as a mouse... although there was a right racket from the alternator.

Eli had been so good, the car was spot-on and he put me on the insurance. It was advertised for 1500 euro sheets, £1270, and I was in no position to negotiate. Anyway it would have just been rude, so I handed over the cash and headed back following the Qashqai towards Calais...

Straight out on my own and that wheel bearing suddenly as noisy as you like, great, something to worry about at least until I get to the UK.



About 10 miles into the toll road running at about 55mph and the steering began moving about in a manner that would suggest I was about to lose a wheel. For about 10 seconds I was thinking though about my options, before noticing the huge spinning wind turbines going full beans.... the road dipped into a valley and all was calm again. Phew... it was just the wind. Probably



Calais was reached in about 1 hour 30mins. Excellent, AA relay counts from the border.



Just out of shot says no photography...



...oops.

Boom, daylight - back in the UK! The aeriel is super long and as I drove onto and through LeShuttle it rattled along the roof of the carriages like 50 ballbearings down a metal staircase. I didn't adjust it, so caused identical commotion upon exit...



From LeShuttle I stuck mainly to the A20 rather than M20 so I could move at a more relaxed pace. 4.00pm and I pull up at it's new temporary home - The folks driveway, as there's sod all room at my gaff



Right I'll get some proper photos up in a sec... Hold tight

[Alexg]

 

 

 

Patina...

 

 

 

 

Lovely headlining

 

 

Interior a bit of a mix, rear bench different to front seat and a bonus lashed up radio console!

 

 

 

 

Freebees

 

 

 

Plans..... MOT, wash, change nothing, enjoy.

[Ratdat]

Marvelous! I think I have some headlights for a Mk1 if you need them.

[Angrydicky]

Excellent work, what a cute little thing! Love it. '74 is very early as well.

[Alexg]

Marvelous! I think I have some headlights for a Mk1 if you need them.

If you have that'll be amazing! Pm me if you can find with cost etc! Cheers!

[HMC]

Fantastic! That 5 just looks perfect

[stuboy]

lovely lil thing

[mouseflakes]

Love it - great colour too!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Flipping GRADE A!!!! That looks class in a glass man. Nice work!!

[Luckythirteen]

That's so lovely. Sounds like a good road trip too - not too long. Hope you're happy with it.

[eddyramrod]

Excellent work!  Well done!

[Jim Bergerac]

Great stuff. An absolute stunner.

[trigger]

Bloody excellent! That's such a cool looking little car too. Get yourself a set of those raised digit plates from Tippers once you've got it re registered and that will look spot on!

[rml2345]

Superb! That looks a canny wee motor and wears it's years very well indeed. Top work man!

[capsuleboy]

Top top stuff, remember to get straight on to HMRC for the Nova part of, the now longwinded, registration process.

 

Here is mine enjoying a day out at the seaside...

[hairnet]

alex 1 eddie 0 (only kidding ratdat san)

 

le cinq est incroyable

[forddeliveryboy]

Excellent result - love the look and patina resulting from a life in the South. It's how alot of French stuff used to look - nicely oxidising paint to reduce the power of the sun's rays, parking scuffs and so on. Does it smell like a Renault, or is it more bouillabaise and garlic?

[Parky]

Expect a vast unsolicited offer of cash money should I win lotto! Both you and capsuleboy have impeccable taste in tiddlers, much kudos sir

[Junkman]

5 - un sacré numéro, etc etc.

[Junkman]

And etc.

 

[Junkman]

Bunny magnet.

 

[Junkman]

[warren t claim]

Proper tat collection. I thought it'd be a dash change model though.

[vulgalour]

That centre console looks a lot like a modified 70s magazine rack.

[Louise2cv]

Yes yes Yes!

 

Some excellent stories and cars on here at the mo, how fab to have another.

 

I was expecting dash change too. Was that to do with engine size/spec or was it just the very first ones (72/73?)? The floor change looks miles away too, have the french got go go gadget arms?

[Cavcraft]

Brilliant! If ever a car needed no changes, it's that one. Looks quite an early one, when did they first arrive on the scene?

[Ratdat]

I think dash change was only standard for the first year then after that floor change or dash was optional for a bit.  That console looks like a proper one, possibly a Boutique one but more likely aftermarket. 

[nigel bickle]

Proper old French chod - absolutely lovely.

 

Once its Uk legal,  (tape on the headlamps will get it through the MOT) get it waxoiled & rustproofed, whilst its warm & dry out there.

 

Now you've done this once, successfully, are you going to build a French fleet. Its very contagious ,and dead easy! 

[Shep Shepherd]

Just fabulous!

[lisbon_road]

Fab, very impressed.  Keep it dry!