1989 Renault Express 1.6 diesel thread - DAILY EXPRESS - UK registered, house prices rise wherever this is parked

[Lacquer Peel]

My pals are a bad influence and enablers but this needed to be bought. 

 

Radio and cigarette lighter very much optional.

It took a fair bit of cranking today, I suspect it's the glow plugs. It's a 1.6 diesel with 54 bhp, it goes well at low speeds but runs out of puff at about 50MPH. It's happy enough cruising at 65MPH though. Before I buy glow plugs does anyone have a set for an XUD or something? Nearly all 80s/90s IDI diesels use the same glow plugs.

Not to stereotype but that's a snail's shell.

Cabin is austere and it's like a big drum with all the exposed metalwork but it's really comfy, the driver's seat (from a later Express or 5?) is squishy and there is loads of headroom.

It has a UK MOT but it has some foibles including now non functioning indicators. Looking forward to registering it and carrying baguettes around.

[cort16]

Cool van. How  much of a ball ache is it to get it on UK plates? Did we get these in the UK I can't remember ever seeing them?

[Lacquer Peel]

Just now, cort16 said:

Cool van. How  much of a ball ache is it to get it on UK plates? Did we get these in the UK I can't remember ever seeing them?

It will cost £55 plus 6 months tax at least, I have the French documents they need and it's already MOT tested and has been NOVA declared. It's a fairly straightforward if slow process.

Yes we did get them in the UK as the Renault Extra but they have all but disappeared. They are probably more commonly seen as a facelift version with a more modern grille and teardrop headlights.

[phil_lihp]

That's a cool little van, well bought - looks pretty tidy too.

[320touring]

Oh my..

What a honey!

[MJK 24]

Great machinery!  How has it ended up this side of the channel?

[Lacquer Peel]

5 minutes ago, MJK 24 said:

Great machinery!  How has it ended up this side of the channel?

It took its previous owner from the south of France to Edinburgh.

[Lacquer Peel]

16 minutes ago, phil_lihp said:

That's a cool little van, well bought - looks pretty tidy too.

The paint is faded but there is very little rust and the engine looks almost brand new bar the valve cover leak. It would be a pile of rust if it was a UK van. 

[HMC]

Looks great, the number 31 right and the end of the plate I think is haute Garonne so if it’s spent it’s life there it’s been sun baked in the south of France, presumably with little or not rot.

[Lacquer Peel]

4 minutes ago, HMC said:

Looks great, the number 31 right and the end of the plate I think is haute Garonne so if it’s spent it’s life there it’s been sun baked in the south of France, presumably with little or not rot.

Yep it's amazingly clean, just a couple of rust blebs at the bottom windscreen corners and surface rust where paint has worn away on the wings next to the headlights. 

It would be good to get advice about how to preserve the bodywork. 

[tooSavvy]

I had one [1.6D] no PAS.... Brand New.

*my shoulders ACHE to think of it 😱

[D.E]

Tres bien!

For a van that spent most of its life in France it looks surprisingly dent free.😁

[Lacquer Peel]

2 minutes ago, tooSavvy said:

I had one [1.6D] no PAS.... Brand New.

*my shoulders ACHE to think of it 😱

No PAS here either, it is hard work at parking speeds. 💪

[Jim Bell]

Absolutely Van-tastic. Something that has all but disappeared from the UK roads. Well saved. 

[HMC]

Is  the partially glazed side panels some sort of french legislation or fashion? I can see some visibility benefits;  Very common on french c15s also, but seldom seen on uk c15s or extras.

[Lacquer Peel]

1 minute ago, HMC said:

Is  the partially glazed rear end some sort of french legislation or fashion? Very common on french c15s also, but seldom seen on uk c15s or extras.

It does seem to be and I think I figured out why - visibility and safety, you can see out of the sides of the van, check for cars coming you way at junctions and roundabouts. 

[loserone]

Moyen bof

[wuvvum]

2 hours ago, Lacquer Peel said:

It would be good to get advice about how to preserve the bodywork. 

Get it out of Scotland ASAP.

[155V6]

That's brilliant,does it have an Express badge on the rear,& If so can I have it for my MG please?😂

[Fumbler]

3 hours ago, Lacquer Peel said:

Yep it's amazingly clean, just a couple of rust blebs at the bottom windscreen corners and surface rust where paint has worn away on the wings next to the headlights. 

It would be good to get advice about how to preserve the bodywork. 

Chainsaw bar and chain oil and drench the thing.

[Talbot]

2 hours ago, Lacquer Peel said:

It would be good to get advice about how to preserve the bodywork. 

 

22 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Get it out of Scotland ASAP.

Unfortunately true.  The reason it's lasted so far is because it's not been in Scotland.  Or indeed anywhere in the UK.  This island is pretty severe for corrosion.  Either park it in a dry dehumidified garage every night, in a swimming pool of waxoyl, or in Southern France.

[Jimbob McGregor]

Happy to have been an enabler! That so needed to be bought. We should do a rust prevention weekend at my workshop and fill the thing with linseed oil after Vactan on any spots of rust.

[320touring]

28 minutes ago, Jimbob McGregor said:

Happy to have been an enabler! That so needed to be bought. We should do a rust prevention weekend at my workshop and fill the thing with linseed oil after Vactan on any spots of rust.

I'd be up for that!

[Scruffy Bodger]

https://www.slturbodiesel.com/identify-genuine-bosch-parts/

Just buy some genuine Bosch items, very many hooky ones about and Beru aren't meant to be what they were any more?

[Lacquer Peel]

44 minutes ago, Scruffy Bodger said:

https://www.slturbodiesel.com/identify-genuine-bosch-parts/

Just buy some genuine Bosch items, very many hooky ones about and Beru aren't meant to be what they were any more? 

A set of NGKs is £14 at Euro Car Parts. I can't really complain about that..

[Lacquer Peel]

2 hours ago, Talbot said:

 

Unfortunately true.  The reason it's lasted so far is because it's not been in Scotland.  Or indeed anywhere in the UK.  This island is pretty severe for corrosion.  Either park it in a dry dehumidified garage every night, in a swimming pool of waxoyl, or in Southern France.

I get it would be more slowing down the inevitable than preventing it from rusting but none of these are good suggestions and it is in Scotland and will likely stay here for a while. 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Try Lanoguard. I fully intend(ed) to smother the bare bits of my MR2 in it prior to the shite weather coming in, but I may have missed the boat...

[JMotor]

What a honest looking little van that is. 

But yeah, I'd be firing in loads of rust prevention of some kind into that real soon. 

[Noel Tidybeard]

wow somthing to make an LDV Cubs performance look normal!

[Asimo]

Is this identical to the Ford Courier from the doors back?