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April 20, 2011 2:09 p.m. ditchdigger HalfDork

I have an odd passion for bizarre old euro sedans. I can't help it. The rarer the better, rear engined is a plus!

Last summer I brought home a 68 Renault 10 Actually it is this very car

It ticks all the boxes for me. French quirkiness, rear engined, laughably diminutive, so ugly it's cute styling, heavy sleeper potential.....the works!

I haven't touched it in months as I have been too busy with the Fiat. it is so rare that I can't let myself take it to the crusher but no one but me would want it.

My question to the GRM masses is this. Mothball it and hold onto it for another year or scrap it?

What is the best way to store a car outside? Tarps tend to make them mold and rot.
April 20, 2011 2:11 p.m. EvanB SuperDork

No one would want it? I sure do, too bad you are on the other side of the country.

Definitely don't crush it.
April 20, 2011 2:13 p.m. BoxheadTim SuperDork

Definitely don't crush it. Put it under a gazebo or an improvised car port to keep the worst of the weather off it and hold onto it for another year.
April 20, 2011 2:15 p.m. ditchdigger HalfDork

Fixed the pics.
April 20, 2011 2:18 p.m. triumph5 Dork

Costing you much to hold on to it? Paying for a storage unit to hold it? HHHmmmm. I says, Do NOT crush it. Mothball it like you would a boat for long-term storage. And, critical here, DO NOT store it on bare ground/grass. At the very least, put down a plastic tarp. Put water absorb tubs in the interior, fog the engine, drain the fuel, etc....It's a '68 car, that looks really complete, and since you still like it, keep it. Hell, if it makes you smile a couple of times over the next year, it just paid for itself.

I got a nephew in the Navy, based out where you are, and, if, a year from now, you still want to get rid of it, PM me.
April 20, 2011 2:24 p.m. ditchdigger HalfDork

triumph5 wrote:

Costing you much to hold on to it?

Just my dignity. It sits in my driveway making my house look a bit more white trash and probably brings down the neighbors property values.

Every time I walk out of the houe I see the thing and know EXACTLY what I want to do to it but with a list of planned upgrades to the Fiat as long as my arm it just keeps getting pushed back.
April 20, 2011 2:33 p.m. triumph5 Dork

Spend 100 and get a nice-looking yellow-colored car cover. You now have a "collector car" (OOOhhhh, wonder what's under the cover???"). And gets rid of the white-trash-imposed guilt.

When I went from a generic blue cover for the Spitfire to a yellow "lockable" car cover, the interest in the car and the questions people asked me about "what do you own" just about doubled. This from the same people who saw the same car in the same apartment building.

Keep it. And BTW, I've got a project car under a really nice looking yellow car cover--at a friend's house---and it makes yours look like a Concours winner. Buy a good cover and shelf the angst. I bought my covers for about $120 on ebay. Make sure you buy one that's completely weatherproof, not just a dust cover type.

It sounds too simple, but the cover works. I was amazed.
April 20, 2011 2:47 p.m. 93EXCivic SuperDork

If you weren't in OR, I would say you should sell it to me. But shouldn't scrap it.
April 20, 2011 2:49 p.m. benzbaron HalfDork

I think you'd be considered "euro trash" rather than white trash with that car. It looks cool, kind of like the triumph herald down the street.
April 20, 2011 2:50 p.m. ReverendDexter SuperDork

Does nothing for me. Whatsoever.

But certainly don't scrap it!
April 20, 2011 2:52 p.m. donalson SuperDork

wow that thing is awesome :) i'd have a hard time getting rid of it if I could store it cheaply/free
April 20, 2011 2:54 p.m. foxtrapper SuperDork

I got a great baggie to put cars in. Kinda stops time while they are in it. Remarkable things.

Don't think you're the only one who would like a car like that. There's something about French cars that brings out weird lust in lots of us. Look at the threads here. Maybe it's a vague thought of French kisses or something.
April 20, 2011 2:58 p.m. ransom Reader

Would you regret selling it? Is it really underfoot or just unseemly?

You'd probably have a hard time finding another one, so if that's what you want to do after the Fiat whenever that is, hang on to it. Plus, I still don't think I've seen it... Is that possible?

If you think your attentions will have wandered off somewhere else by the time the Fiat's "done"... Maybe there's somebody reading Classic Motorsports (or Hemmings, if I'm not going to get a smiting for mentioning them here) who would actually give you something for it?

OTOH, should you really be trying to apply logic to any decision regarding a Renault R10?
April 20, 2011 2:59 p.m. mndsm SuperDork

Whatever you do DO NOT CRUSH IT. As you can tell, there are more than a few of us that would want that. If I was closer, i'd probably offer to store it for you.
April 20, 2011 3:53 p.m. SyntheticBlinkerFluid Reader

Don't crush it. They make cheap Car Ports that are made out of tarp material and Galvanized pipe. I have a friend who has a 4x4 '48 Willys pickup that doesn't fit in his garage, so it is in his backyard. He lives in a mighty populated sub division, but nobody asks questions or complains because it looks like a shed. You can find them for under $300. You can stake them to the ground or tie down with cinder blocks.

Just prep the car for storage and you'll be set.

http://www.sheltersofamerica.com/products.php?id=1
April 20, 2011 4:11 p.m. ditchdigger HalfDork

I think I have a plan.

This weekend I will try and free the brakes up and move it forward. Find a cheap car cover for now and let it sit.

I really do like the damn thing. It is about 6 inches shorter than a BMW 2002 and almost a foot narrower, so finding less obtrusive space shouldnt be an issue.
April 20, 2011 4:23 p.m. racerdave600 HalfDork

it's awesome, don't crush it!
April 20, 2011 4:46 p.m. JThw8 SuperDork

yeah, Im another one that if it were closer I'd be on it like white on rice. Do not crush, or at least let it go out in style and post it for sale on the 24 Hours of Lemons board. French cars are always in high demand for lemons as instant IOE winners.

Rear engined just sounds like the perfect formula for yet another subaru powered mutant in my arsenal.
April 20, 2011 8:12 p.m. Sonic Dork

+1 on offering it for cheap on the 24 Hrs of Lemons board. The lemons judges would have a "personal moment" if that showed up at a race, and if it made it around the track for more than a day, would be a shoe in for IOE.
April 20, 2011 8:32 p.m. JThw8 SuperDork

Sonic wrote:

if it made it around the track for more than a day, would be a shoe in for IOE.

IF?? Gimme 2 months with that puppy and I'll make it a contender! Looks lighter than the 'burg even. Must find swaybars.

Yeah, Phil, Johnny and Jay would have to hunt a change of underwear if that showed up. Honestly it looks so clean though, would be nice to just restore and enjoy.
April 21, 2011 2:00 a.m. lewbud Reader

It looks pretty complete. Put me in the DO NOT CRUSH column as well.
April 21, 2011 6:03 a.m. Zomby woof SuperDork

If you like that, you would have loved my Skoda, which I'm pretty sure was based on that car, and a more modern, and quirky looking example. I'd love to have it back.

I would spend a day (or a weekend if you can) on it, and get it as good as you can in that period of time. Decide what it's worth, then both store it, and advertise it for sale. If it sells, and you get your happy price, you're good. If it doesn't, you still have it. I'm pretty sure you're not the only one who likes oddball Euro sedans.

My best friends hippy brother had one of those when I was a kid, and we used to play in it. I never saw it run, but I did see it get towed away.
April 21, 2011 8:17 a.m. TR8owner Reader

Maybe you could turn into this:

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