R20 Update....

[Baz]

Well, it seems that my R20 may finally be nearing completion (so soon, I hear You say?)....Seems that we're just waiting for a suspension bush or two, and the filler neck to return from being reconditioned, then the car will be M.O.T'd, then it's mine at last!

 

I've received a few more photos recently....Thought I'd share them with You all....

 

The view from the rear....Illustrating the slight paint mis-match between the tailgate, and the rear wings....I think this may have been rectified (I'm losing track of what's has & hasn't been done ) but it's nothing I couldn't have lived with!

 

The view from the offside....Nice looking car, huh? Apparently, despite appearances, the car is actually GREEN....And I'd been under the impression for the last ten months, that I'd bought a gold car! Gold....Green....Whatever....I just can't wait to get my grubby little mitts on it!

 

The "new" front wing....The front wings were apparently away for respraying (again, to rectify a slight colour mis-match from when Darren had some work done a few years ago), and the bodyshop lost a vital "flange" required to fit the O/S one....This wing/flange assy is replacing it, and as You can see, it's from the Marreau brothers' 1982 Paris-Dakar winning R20 Turbo 4x4! Shame to have to use such an interesting piece of Automobilia really (It'd have looked great hanging on my garage wall!), but all in a good cause!

 

So, hopefully we're just weeks away from another Shite collection mission, followed by a full photo gallery!

[mouseflakes]

Words fail me Baz - it looks better than ever! Definitely green.As you say, shame about the wing having to be used. Nice to have a real bit of sporting history attached to your car though!

[michiel]

Sacreblue, that looks very good! Love the old Elf/Europe 1 stickers on the wing.

[wuvvum]

Wow. That is just bootiful. If you need a ride up to Staffs to collect it you know where I am.

[Torsten2001]

Is that car in South London? I swear I saw it recently in a driveway but didn't have my phone/camera on me

[Baz]

Is that car in South London? I swear I saw it recently in a driveway but didn't have my phone/camera on me

I sincerely hope not....It's supposed to be in Bury, Lancashire!

Wow. That is just bootiful. If you need a ride up to Staffs to collect it you know where I am.

Thanks Wuvvum....If my geography serves me correctly, Bury in Lancashire (where the car is actually located) is quite a bit further than Staffs, so I won't hold You to that offer!

[Torsten2001]

Do you know what, I'm sooooo sure it was that car, the reg was certainly similar, it was as gorgeous to look at and that colour was exactly the same, there really can't be many like that!

[Baz]

Well Torsten, should You happen by that way again, and if it does turn out to be the same car, I'd be interested to know about it, cos as far as I'm concerned, it's currently on axle stands at the other end of the country!

[Milford Cubicle]

Is the wing being kept in racing colours?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

That wing is class, seems a right shame to cover it up. can't you just put it on as it is?

[55bloke]

That's a truly glorious motor, I can only hope- for your sake- that it's worth the wait!!

[Torsten2001]

The more I look at that car the more I am sure I saw it in Addiscombe Road, Croydon, on the corner of Northampton Road in a driveway, it was there for 2 days around April

[marinast]

Why not paint the rest of the car to match the wing??

[Guest]

It really is quite something - what a machine! What a bizzare source for a front wing too.

[Dukestar25]

Baz wrote:

 

Looks like gold, with an-ever-so-slight hint of green from the photos. My dad's X-reg was a TL and looked exactly like that one of yours.

 

Beautiful condition hope you'll put some more piccies up soon...

[Spottedlaurel]

Great to hear some good news about this at last Baz!Reckon it'll be ready in time for the Norfolk Polica Gala do in early September?...

[Baz]

Reckon it'll be ready in time for the Norfolk Polica Gala do in early September?...

Would be nice to at least take it to SOMETHING this year, but I don't know if early September is gonna be feasible....I've seen some banners for this event....Looks interesting....My stepson is an officer of the law, I think I'll see if I can find out more!

[MrRegieRitmo]

I think once that wing is in place you'll have to treat it with kid gloves - I mean you'd hate to be responsible for wrecking a piece of heritage! Yes it'll be all painted up and what have you, but you'll still know what it is, & the responsibility might keep you awake at night!

 

Kinda like following a celebrity on the V5 of some vehicle - oh the pressure of keeping it straight so you can keep telling people with pride who's former car you own!

 

Kinda scary that the only part they could get hold of ended up coming from such a source!

[Alpineandy]

So you don't want this instead : http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RENAULT-30-TX-AUT ... 43935453QQ

[Volksy]

Think that Renault 30 is gonna haunt us foreverMwuhahahahahahahaha.....

[mouseflakes]

Less than a day to go and it's not met the reserve yet.Did the Irish dealer lose interest after the original auction?

[Volksy]

Still no news on condition for the 30, so gonna give it a miss. Shame as i doubt another will come up anytime soon.

[mouseflakes]

Bidding just leapt to 2 grand - I wonder how it's all gonna end?

[Baz]

Bidding just leapt to 2 grand - I wonder how it's all gonna end?

With somebody paying lots of dosh for a car that's gonna fail it's M.O.T. in a month's time I'd say! This is how the car was described to me:

Hmmm what a disapointing Tuesday,I could not believethat the car was not as he described!At an initial glance it did look fantastic and theinterior was superb apart from the nicotine stainedheadlining,the rear parcel shelf drilled for stupidpod speakers and the centre console drilled for aradio fader knob.under the bonnet was a disapointment,corrosion waspainted over with green hammerite(a good match for thegreen paint)and the inside of the front edge of thebonnet had been painted with the aforementionedhammerite.There was small hole in the inner wing thathad fibreglass in it and there were small patches ofrust that I know were the tip of the iceberg,of whichyour 20 has none....both front wings were bubbling through on the frontbottom edges where they meet the front panel and theo/s/f wing was also rotten on the back edge at thefront of the sill,and we know how rare wings are don'twe!Both rear wings were rotten where they meet the rearof the sill and under the rear bumper next to the rearpanel.Now sills and rear wings have not been availablefor at least ten years so that presents a big problem.the rear wheel arches were bubbling through and had adose of the ubiquitous hammerite.Now if you wanted a car to restore to concourse,moneyno object,it would be ideal,apart from thenon-availability of the panels, but I wanted a car Icould drive home,park up and polish,I have too manyprojects as it is to take on another one....

....Not two grands worth of R30 methinks!

[wuvvum]

If that had been me I'd have negged the seller to warn other people off it. Especially since the chap called him a "timewaster" for daring to declinde to purchase a mis-described car. Vehicles in "almost new condition" do not have rust on the rear arches painted over with green Hammerite.

[AnthonyG]

Baz, whats the story behind the wing? Just seems bizarre to break up a historic rally car for parts - was it a spare one painted in the same livery at the time in case the rally car had a front end smash? (fairly likely on the Paris Dakar I would have thought!)

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Hey baz!

 

UR man there says sills and wheelarches have not been available for 10 years, well these guys are still selling em, check it:

 

 

 

http://www.warny.be/data/pieces.php?p_id=269&p_trade=5

 

I've got their price list on my work computer if you/he are interested.

[Baz]

Hmmm, interesting....I'll mention this to Darren the next time I speak to him, thanks Mr.B! My R20 won't be needing anything like this for a while, but it's certainly worth knowing!

[MrRegieRitmo]

This is also good to see! http://www.warny.be/data/pieces.php?p_id=266&p_trade=5

[Daniel R25]

Oh,what a great car. I want it! Renault 20 TL, 1977- that red interior is just incredible!!!http://cgi.ebay.fr/renault-20-TL-climat ... dZViewItemDaniel