My MK1 espace problem.

[Robin]

Hello. 

I have a lot of Renault espaces. Consider this thread as an admission of guilt, but I also need your help. 

I have a lot of these cars, but never enough. I'm on the hunt for a quadra especially but I'm actually just looking to save more in general more than anything. If you know of any owners, please put me in touch.

I actually posted a hand written letter to a house I saw on street view with one on the drive last week, and even contacted a water company through Facebook to find the owner of one that someone else on Facebook spotted on their travels.

It's a drug problème but I'm going with it and sticking with it. I've met some wonderful people whilst collecting these cars, parts, and breakers. Here are a few photos of mine. 

Edit: bought another one. Red and silver weird looking one. 

Edit: bought a broken silver one with 3/4 million miles in LHD flavour 

Numbers 1 through 6

 

Number 7

Number 8...

My plea to you is to please put me in touch if you know owners who may be persuaded to sell, a quadra is next on the list be it from the UK or whether I just end up finding one in Europe later in the year.  I am absolutely serious about saving as many as I can both as a financial investment to myself but also as just excellent cars I know inside and out that are slowly becoming nonexistent. 

Likewise I have a very very large stock of parts, almost three full MK1 facelift injection cars in bits, so if you know someone in need please point them in the direction of "musee de l'espace" (me barn) 

My reward to you is a sunset photo of one that I sold. Then I bought it back because I'm *definitely okay. 

 

*definitely not okay 

Edited December 30, 2022 by Robin
Bought another. Again.

[Lord Sterling]

Ah oui, tu as un probléme there.

Vraiment, you have my sympathies. I once had 6 Rover 800s at once. Maintenant, I now have 4, and une modèle de Rover Sterling (1/25 scale) that cost me nearly as much as what I paid for the real ones.

Malheureusement, I do not connais anyone who has une Renault Espace Quadre.  Mais I do wish du bonne chance.

As tu des modèle 1.43 du Renault Espace?

[DSdriver]

This is going to be a great thread. 

A trip to the Matra museum has been on my bucket list for years but do I even need to cross the channel now?

[Skizzer]

I have one (which currently lives with @RobT) but it’s not for sale. As seen here at FOTU.

Do you ever sell any of the parts or do you just collect them? In fact, are you the bloke we met and chatted to?

[danthecapriman]

There’s a maroon mk1 still in use round here. I see it out and about fairly often, but I’m yet to see where it lives or find out who owns it. It’s not in the best of condition but still seems to keep going and keeping getting MOT’s so someone loves it.

Ill keep an eye out!

[grogee]

I'm glad someone is saving these, what a revolutionary car for its time. Good luck in your search. 

We had a 2008 Espace which was a great bus, I miss it. Vive la difference.

[Rust Collector]

You have just made me feel much better about my similar estate car problem!

Looks like a fantastic collection, good to see them being preserved.

I'd love one of these at some point, I reckon it would be a fantastic retro family wagon.

[Robin]

1 hour ago, Lord Sterling said:

Ah oui, tu as un probléme there.

Vraiment, you have my sympathies. I once had 6 Rover 800s at once. Maintenant, I now have 4, and une modèle de Rover Sterling (1/25 scale) that cost me nearly as much as what I paid for the real ones.

Malheureusement, I do not connais anyone who has une Renault Espace Quadre.  Mais I do wish du bonne chance.

As tu des modèle 1.43 du Renault Espace?

Oui I do have un modele! I need to put it together and paint it... 

[Robin]

1 hour ago, Skizzer said:

I have one (which currently lives with @RobT) but it’s not for sale. As seen here at FOTU.

Do you ever sell any of the parts or do you just collect them? In fact, are you the bloke we met and chatted to?

Ah yes that's me! I do indeed sell some but mostly hoarding. 

[Robin]

59 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

There’s a maroon mk1 still in use round here. I see it out and about fairly often, but I’m yet to see where it lives or find out who owns it. It’s not in the best of condition but still seems to keep going and keeping getting MOT’s so someone loves it.

Ill keep an eye out!

Oh that could well be my maroon one. I live in Romsey and work in Salisbury, was previously living in Portsmouth. H752GRX is mine but if there's another then I think I'll be on the hunt! 

[Robin]

1 hour ago, danthecapriman said:

There’s a maroon mk1 still in use round here. I see it out and about fairly often, but I’m yet to see where it lives or find out who owns it. It’s not in the best of condition but still seems to keep going and keeping getting MOT’s so someone loves it.

Ill keep an eye out!

Here's some bonus maroon espace p0rn 

 

[Robin]

 

More spam for you. 

This is a really nice car this one, the one I bought back. Its not the red one in the barn seen below. That's another one, I'm currently fitting a Rover KV6 onto the original gearbox somehow, I'm in too deep to go back so it's happening now. 

[danthecapriman]

46 minutes ago, Robin said:

Here's some bonus maroon espace p0rn 

 

I don’t think it’s that one. The one I’ve seen isn’t as tidy as that! I think it’s a bit older too. Most of the times I’ve seen it it’s been around Waterlooville and Havant so I’d imagine it lives in that area somewhere but I’m still yet to find where!

Thinking about it I’m sure there’s another Espace around here somewhere that’s got a massive bleached/bare patch on the bonnet. Though that might be a mk2, I’ve not seen that one for a while.

[ProgRocker]

I wondered where all the Espacessss disappeared to. 

Here are a few of my Matra spots:

 

[ProgRocker]

We're there many Quadra spec models sold? I theorize that these were well into Mitsubishi Shogun / Isuzu Trooper territory price wise. 

 

[Robin]

7 minutes ago, ProgRocker said:

We're there many Quadra spec models sold? I theorize that these were well into Mitsubishi Shogun / Isuzu Trooper territory price wise. 

 

They did sell quite well but less so over here, I have been thinking of finding one in Eastern Europe as a last resort 

[RoadworkUK]

8 hours ago, Robin said:

I'm currently fitting a Rover KV6 onto the original gearbox somehow, I'm in too deep to go back so it's happening now.

This thread was already pretty huge but it's just gone supernova.

Renault Espace KV6?! What a delightfully perverse combination. I have a KV6, but I lug it around in a Rover 800.

[Macscrooge]

This is why I love Autoshite. Stuff like this makes my accumulation of toy soldiers and military history books look really quite normal!

[somewhatfoolish]

9 hours ago, Robin said:

I'm currently fitting a Rover KV6 onto the original gearbox somehow, I'm in too deep to go back so it's happening now. 

If normal AS perversion is tickling yourself with a feather, this is using the whole chicken. Keep us appraised of how terrible it is.

[jamescarruthers]

Love these in Mk. 1 form. They are on my want list for one day. Well done for saving some!

[Supernaut]

On 10/08/2022 at 10:55, Robin said:

I'm currently fitting a Rover KV6 onto the original gearbox somehow, I'm in too deep to go back so it's happening now.

[w00dy]

What a collection! I loved the Quadra I owned briefly. 

[Back_For_More]

I'm a Mk1 fan too and the gf aims to have one as her 1st car. 

Latest quadra I saw for sale was in 2dehands.be - it was near Brussels. Wasn't too pricey either but interior was gone and a big project after 10yrs off the road. 

I'll see if I can find the old details.... But I wouldn't hold out too much hope tbh. 

Excellent collection - fantastic motirs that deserve the shite* adulation. 

[camryv6]

@purplebargekenwas selling one at one time, not a Quadra though

[Robin]

6 hours ago, camryv6 said:

@purplebargekenwas selling one at one time, not a Quadra though

[Lacquer Peel]

13 hours ago, camryv6 said:

@purplebargekenwas selling one at one time, not a Quadra though

Mk2 right?

[inconsistant]

On 8/10/2022 at 7:41 AM, Robin said:

Hello. 

I have a lot of Renault espaces.

Best AS thread opener ever!

I spotted a Quadra drive past me in SE London earlier this year so they are still about. 
 

[camryv6]

8 hours ago, Lacquer Peel said:

Mk2 right?

Erm.......................maybe, some people are so picky lol

[GR8 PL8 M8]

I saw you at the FOTU and almost went up and asked if you were the bloke with the barn full of Espaces - looks like I've found my answer!

[TheIsleofShite]

Was that you parked in the car park down Southsea last Sunday?