Six Cylinders Motoring Notes - a Workshop Day Today

[Surface Rust]

33 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

I’ve always seen R4 as the great 2cv rip off. Not helped by my parent’s first new car ( as I came along ) being a white Renault 4. It failed the first mot in 1976 as the floor was not attached to the body. That was the end of that as the dealer I’m told said it was nothing to do with them. I think it was briefly replace by a Humber super snipe ( px at the main dealer my gran worked at) before forty years of Citroens started with a 1977 green Dyane.

I'm not sure the 2cv was any better, my first car memory is of the 2cv my parents bought in 1982. It was three years old at the time and a bargain price as it was already on its second chassis as the first had rotted out!

Would like to try a R4 though, especially the van (Fourgonette?) with the funky rear doors.

[LightBulbFun]

On 14/01/2024 at 19:40, Mrs6C said:

I was wondering where the 'hers' R4 was hiding...

have you checked next to Dolly?  

 

I say that because Renault 4's where supplied by the Ministry on the Invalid Vehicle scheme to Invacar users who needed a vehicle with more then a single seat, Ie if they where married or had other dependents like children to cater for (contrary to popular belief you where not just lumped with a Model 70 even if you where mother of 5 or such!)

The Renault 4 was issued as it was found to be especially/uniquely  adaptable to the disabled where other cars where not and was the only foreign car the ministry ever issued I believe 

https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1973/may/17/disabled-drivers-vehicles

@Datsuncog gives us a bit of insight into what sort of disability might get you a Renault 4 

On 21/06/2022 at 16:02, Datsuncog said:

On 21/06/2022 at 03:21, LightBulbFun said:

Id love to know if any Ministry Renault 4's still survive out there...

You might know this already, but I understand Renault 4s were provided to people who had lost the use of their left arm and also needed to transport family members - the dashboard mounted gear lever could be modified with an extension bar so they could quickly reach across and shift gear with their right hand.

An automatic gearbox wouldn't necessarily have been suitable, as the selector button on an auto is designed to be pressed with the left hand thumb - and this would have been very difficult to operate while reaching over with the right hand.

I recall a schoolfriend's father who had lost his left arm in an accident driving a Citroen 2CV through Motability - as it was the only new car still available in the late 1980s with a dash-mounted gearstick. He'd formerly had a Renault 4, but they'd stopped making them by then.

Being in the car with him was memorable...

 

what I find quite interesting out of all that is that they found the Citroen Dyane an unsuitable replacement, I do wonder why that was given the similar control layout between a Dyane and an R4, to that Mr Cog says

 

On 21/06/2022 at 17:16, Datsuncog said:

On 21/06/2022 at 16:24, LightBulbFun said:

I know the Ministry trialed several cars to replace the Renault 4 including the Dyane but for one reason or another, they never found a true successor to the versatile Renault 4!

I'd guess that the R4 was a cheap, basic box with five doors which was reasonably easy to maintain, certainly more so than the Dyane - something fairly simple like changing the brake pads on a Dyane was a needlessly complex job, the inboard discs requiring the front end to be removed for access!

Interesting that the DAF 33 was also trialed - with the Variomatic transmission, I can see why that might have been useful.

I am curious @richardmorris/@chaseracer what be your thoughts on the matter as a Citroen owners?  

 

 

anyways hows that for a bit of obscure Renault 4 trivia for yall  

[Mr Pastry]

6 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

what I find quite interesting out of all that is that they found the Citroen Dyane an unsuitable replacement, I do wonder why that was given the similar control layout between a Dyane and an R4, to that Mr Cog says

 

A bit more space in the R4, and it has a conventional handbrake lever?

[grogee]

8 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

have you checked next to Dolly?  

 

I say that because Renault 4's where supplied by the Ministry on the Invalid Vehicle scheme to Invacar users who needed a vehicle with more then a single seat, Ie if they where married or had other dependents like children to cater for (contrary to popular belief you where not just lumped with a Model 70 even if you where mother of 5 or such!)

The Renault 4 was issued as it was found to be especially/uniquely  adaptable to the disabled where other cars where not and was the only foreign car the ministry every issued I believe 

https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1973/may/17/disabled-drivers-vehicles

@Datsuncog gives us a bit of insight into what sort of disability might get you a Renault 4 

 

what I find quite interesting out of all that is that they found the Citroen Dyane an unsuitable replacement, I do wonder why that was given the similar control layout between a Dyane and an R4, to that Mr Cog says

 

I am curious @richardmorris/@chaseracer what be your thoughts on the matter as a Citroen owners?  

 

 

anyways hows that for a bit of obscure Renault 4 trivia for yall  

Interesting stuff LBF. I wonder how the manual R4 was considered more disabled-friendly than an automatic Mini? (I know it's not all about the 'leg disabled' but you'd think that would be a consideration). 

Unless there's an automatic R4 I don't know about? 

[Stinkwheel]

7 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

have you checked next to Dolly?  

 

I say that because Renault 4's where supplied by the Ministry on the Invalid Vehicle scheme to Invacar users who needed a vehicle with more then a single seat, Ie if they where married or had other dependents like children to cater for (contrary to popular belief you where not just lumped with a Model 70 even if you where mother of 5 or such!)

The Renault 4 was issued as it was found to be especially/uniquely  adaptable to the disabled where other cars where not and was the only foreign car the ministry every issued I believe 

https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1973/may/17/disabled-drivers-vehicles

@Datsuncog gives us a bit of insight into what sort of disability might get you a Renault 4 

 

what I find quite interesting out of all that is that they found the Citroen Dyane an unsuitable replacement, I do wonder why that was given the similar control layout between a Dyane and an R4, to that Mr Cog says

 

I am curious @richardmorris/@chaseracer what be your thoughts on the matter as a Citroen owners?  

 

 

anyways hows that for a bit of obscure Renault 4 trivia for yall  

I know you didnt ask me specifically, but id have said, with a similarly flat floor and similar control layout and the option of the 'traffi-clutch' (a semi auto clutch that didnt need the pedal to be pressed for stop and start in 1st and 2nd gear) it would have been fairly useful as a disabled vehicle. 

Only possible thought is that the renault rear hatch/door offered easier access to wheel chair or similar?

[Mrs6C]

One of my university lecturers had one leg (I forget which) and he strode around the place at speed, with the aid of crutches. He lived in Belgium and commuted back and forth for term time. He drove a Belgian-registered Citroen 2CV.

I guess it had a hand throttle/brake facility fitted and the clutch pedal was retained either 'as is' or extended to the right, according to the available leg to operate it.

[wuvvum]

2 hours ago, Mr Pastry said:

A bit more space in the R4, and it has a conventional handbrake lever?

Only the later 4s had a conventional handbrake lever though.  Earlier cars had a fly-off umbrella handle under the dash à la 2CV.

[hairnet]

17 hours ago, Mrs6C said:

I was wondering where the 'hers' R4 was hiding...

Does he have bruises now

[Six-cylinder]

I when out to the Renault 4 today and found the battery was totally flat. Also the fuel line had disconnected itself from the aftermarket in line fuel filter.

It is now on charge and I will try again tomorrow. 

[hairnet]

anti theft measure no?

[AnthonyG]

Always astounds me, the way the gearlever connects to the box over the top of the engine!  

Interesting stuff about all the different vehicles available to the disabled - and all the ones they tested and discounted.

 

[Crackers]

So when are we getting the R4 vs. Ami race then? 

[Six-cylinder]

2 minutes ago, Crackers said:

So when are we getting the R4 vs. Ami race then? 

34 bhp vs 31 bhp!

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, AnthonyG said:

Always astounds me, the way the gearlever connects to the box over the top of the engine!  

Interesting stuff about all the different vehicles available to the disabled - and all the ones they tested and discounted.

 

It's Renner. My 16 was similarly weird

[quicksilver]

14 hours ago, AnthonyG said:

Always astounds me, the way the gearlever connects to the box over the top of the engine!  
 

Same as on Bob the R6, it looks so cumbersome. This one being RHD will be even more fun* as the clutch cable loops round the front of the gearbox to connect on the left.

[richardmorris]

Which one of you is car spotting bucks?

@Six-cylinder or @quicksilver?

[quicksilver]

13 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

Which one of you is car spotting bucks?

@Six-cylinder or @quicksilver?

Not me, but I have seen both of those cars today. I think it's a young lad from Milton Keynes.

[richardmorris]

43 minutes ago, quicksilver said:

Not me, but I have seen both of those cars today. I think it's a young lad from Milton Keynes.

Says the young lad from nr Milton Keynes!

[beko1987]

Chris must know him as in the sigma post he said he got to take it for a drive! (that and being stood fully in the drive to take that shot, the mondeo is a pathway snap at least. 

Maybe he was trespassing but Chris caught him and now he's an employee 😂. He'll wish he got a clip round the ear and told to eff off soon enough... 

[richardmorris]

1 minute ago, beko1987 said:

Chris must know him as in the sigma post he said he got to take it for a drive! (that and being stood fully in the drive to take that shot, the mondeo is a pathway snap at least. 

Maybe he was trespassing but Chris caught him and now he's an employee 😂. He'll wish he got a clip round the ear and told to eff off soon enough... 

put to work on the FOD fleet like the rest of us. Dawn to dusk in freezing conditions with a cup of coffee and a bourbon biscuit an hour.

[richardmorris]

I meant to post earlier, but Ms August in this years x1/9 club calendar is my car taken at the FOD. 

[hairnet]

On 14/01/2024 at 19:40, Mrs6C said:

I was wondering where the 'hers' R4 was hiding...

how about now

 

[Six-cylinder]

Yesterday @Slowsilver came to help move the Renault 4 into storage, but I could not get it started so for now the Morris got the spot.

We then went to the FoD to collect the black Astra and that started no problem. While we were there Slowsilver had a go at pumping the Tyres on the Royale but unfortunately one is so flat the bead is broken and it would not take air.

Last was a trip to get the spare key cut for the Sigma which now works better than the original.

[Six-cylinder]

Yesterday evening we used the Sigma to go to a Triumph club meeting and coming home it was difficult to change gear. Looking today it turns out the clutch fluid reservoir was empty. The area under the clutch slave is oily so I guess I have found the leak. The good news is clutch slaves are available in the UK and I have ordered one. That’s good news @MorrisItalSLX!

I want to keep using the car, what I don’t know is whether it has had a slow leak since I put it back on the road about 300 miles ago that has emptied the reservoir. Or has just started leaking and is gushing out!

[hairnet]

driving style obvs 

[richardmorris]

4 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

Yesterday evening we used the Sigma to go to a Triumph club meeting and coming home it was difficult to change gear. Looking today it turns out the clutch fluid reservoir was empty. The area under the clutch slave is oily so I guess I have found the leak. The good news is clutch slaves are available in the UK and I have ordered one. That’s good news @MorrisItalSLX!

I want to keep using the car, what I don’t know is whether it has had a slow leak since I put it back on the road about 300 miles ago that has emptied the reservoir. Or has just started leaking and is gushing out!

My guess would be that recent renewed action has produced the fault after inactivity. It did with my x1/9 slave cyclinder anyway. I don’t think it will get better anyway.

[Surface Rust]

I'd be wary of the condition of the clutch master cylinder too. I had a slave cylinder fail in a recommissioned car, and the replacement failed soon after. The source of the crud was actually the master.

[Talbot]

On 17/01/2024 at 17:27, Six-cylinder said:

Yesterday evening we used the Sigma to go to a Triumph club meeting and coming home it was difficult to change gear. Looking today it turns out the clutch fluid reservoir was empty. The area under the clutch slave is oily so I guess I have found the leak. The good news is clutch slaves are available in the UK and I have ordered one. That’s good news @MorrisItalSLX!

I want to keep using the car, what I don’t know is whether it has had a slow leak since I put it back on the road about 300 miles ago that has emptied the reservoir. Or has just started leaking and is gushing out!

It's a slow leak.

When the clutch was changed, the slave was put back together (it had spat the piston right out) but it looked ok, so the decision was made to leave it for the time being.  I've topped it up a couple of times, hoping that it was just air.  Clearly it's not, and it's weeping slightly.

I'd lob a new slave on it.  The master wasn't really affected, but the slave has been in bits so the bore may be damaged.

[Six-cylinder]

1 hour ago, Talbot said:

It's a slow leak.

When the clutch was changed, the slave was put back together (it had spat the piston right out) but it looked ok, so the decision was made to leave it for the time being.  I've topped it up a couple of times, hoping that it was just air.  Clearly it's not, and it's weeping slightly.

I'd lob a new slave on it.  The master wasn't really affected, but the slave has been in bits so the bore may be damaged.

It is due Saturday.

[High Jetter]

Years ago, you'd have gone into town and bought a seal kit off the shelf from the (Longlife?) accessory shop. Sorted, same day.