1969 Renault 8: A Learn Me.

Well here's the car causing a stir at the RossD camp: https://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/6161171241.html

That ad give very little information. But after investigating the pictures it looks like the radiator is out of the car or at least is not connected to the upper hose. So it's probably not driveable.

RockAuto doesn't seem to carry much more than a few ignition tune up parts, pads and some bearings. Are parts available?

I don't have much sporting thoughts for the car as it would be a sunny day DD or weekend cruiser with the wife and possibly the two kids in the backseat.

Anyone ever drive one? Is there any crazy design 'flaws' like keeping the transmission in gear in deceleration because it's driving the oil pump?

Advice? Opinions?

Thanks in advance! -RossD

Well it looks like someone left a spare motor in the trunk. Don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing...

I had a 69 Renault R10 for a while. It was an R8 with a tarted up front end and different tail lights. I found sourcing parts to be terrible. The 2 sources for parts in the US were old dudes who would only talk to you on the phone at inconvenient times, seemed to make up prices on the fly based on the conversation you were having with them at the time. Things like dual circuit master cylinders are unavailable. They will just tell you to convert to the single circuit system.

These days with Facebook groups I am sure things are a little better but expect most everything to come from Europe. Not that it is a bad thing. Parts typically arrive from Germany several days faster than stuff I order from Atlanta

Also 3 Lug wheels!

I LOVE Renault R8's and want one badly myself.

This video around 4:30 has some great Gordini driving scenes with awesome footwork. It kinda makes me want to motorcycle tires on the rear of one.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/1ISgGA3Y90Q

I found that the 6" wide shells from 15" MK4 VW steel wheels fit the Michelin wheel centers

Stock 3.5" wheels

Badass wide versions

But who knows if extra width and tire is necessarily a good thing with those crazy camber curves. It would have looked AMAZING though.

R8's are desirable classic cars in Europe. There has to be decent parts support over there.

If that car was anywhere near the PNW I would have had the trailer hooked up by the time the phone started dialing the seller. That seems incredibly solid for the price. Usually they are derelict field cars for $500-1500 and runners for $4K.

I drove one from Alaska to Pennsylvania via Wyoming, decades ago on a dare. I made it through a blizzard in Montana that had Jeeps and Subarus passing me, then minutes later I'd see then spun in a ditch. I beat an air-cooled Beetle on the climb east out of Cheyenne. Before I left AK I picked over a LeCar(cass) and every time I broke down (every time I turned the engine off) I swapped out a part from my spares box in the front boot, push started the car and drove until I had to stop. Only once did it start for me with the key, only once did it start for me by hand-crank. I had to run Harley tires in the front and had "summer tread" VW tires up front, they had tubes.

It was fun to drive on gravel roads in Alaska but was too slow for highway use, even on last century's roads. I liked the Yugo I drove the next summer more.

Call me a wet blanket if you want, but I would not put my kids in a 69 Renault to go anywhere I might hit something or something might hit me. Single-circuit brakes as the go-to option? 50-year-old French steel? Crumple zones like a Kleenex box? No thank you. Now if you want to track it, that's another story.

So I called Bill and he said he has owned it for 26 years and got it in Kansas. Its been sitting in the barn for the whole time and he said that most of the rubber is probably cracked and every system needs to be gone though, but he does have a new radiator for it.

He said there is some rust on the wheel wells and some on the outer skin of one of the rockers.

Next step is more wife conversations and possibly setting up a road trip the 2 hrs and getting a trailer from someone.

Stealthtercel wrote: Call me a wet blanket if you want, but I would not put my kids in a 69 Renault to go anywhere I might hit something or something might hit me. Single-circuit brakes as the go-to option? 50-year-old French steel? Crumple zones like a Kleenex box? No thank you. Now if you want to track it, that's another story.

These are concerns of mine and with regards to structural steel the same can be said of most cars form the 60s. Single circuit brakes are a different thing and if thats the only off the shelf option I will call Wilwood and watching the brakes episode of Project Binky again.

The kids in the back seat would be a special occasion as I literally drive past our house on the way from work to daycare so grabbing the modern kid hauler would be typical for a DD situation.

Get on Facebook and join the Renault Club US group. Stuff is a lot easier to source than it used to be. If I wasn't maxed out on cars right now I would be buying that as I'm even more local than you

As has been noted these were raced all over the world for many many years, it is actually harder to do a true restoration on one than it is to hot-rod them at this point.

Please buy this so I can live vicariously through you.

Has the same wheelbase as a Miata. Just saying.

If you start with a rust free and running Miata, this would be economical and reliable. And easier to do than you think.

Same wheelbase but what about the track width?!

http://importautoberdoo.com

If you need parts for the "odd and unusual", this might be your place.

RossD wrote: Same wheelbase but what about the track width?!

BOX FLARES

If i buy this car the spirit of the car would be maintained, but thats not to say there may not be an engine swap or turbo in the future.

So no miata engines in the frunk.

At worst a fuego 5 speed with an europa bell and a zetec.

RossD wrote: Same wheelbase but what about the track width?!

Nothing that box flares won't fix.

Is that the same critter as a Chrysler Simca? If so, it's about the same size as a Fiat 128.

It's not. Completely different manufacturer.

Place holder comment until around 6pm central time tomorrow. Hint:I rented a car trailer.

Over lunch I conned a buddy into helping me tomorrow, I bought a recovery come-a-long and some extra ratchet straps.

Can't wait to see the updates!

Pics of the whole adventure... Mazdeuce has set some expectations around here

etifosi wrote: I drove one from Alaska to Pennsylvania via Wyoming, decades ago on a dare. I made it through a blizzard in Montana that had Jeeps and Subarus passing me, then minutes later I'd see then spun in a ditch. I beat an air-cooled Beetle on the climb east out of Cheyenne. Before I left AK I picked over a LeCar(cass) and every time I broke down (every time I turned the engine off) I swapped out a part from my spares box in the front boot, push started the car and drove until I had to stop. Only once did it start for me with the key, only once did it start for me by hand-crank. I had to run Harley tires in the front and had "summer tread" VW tires up front, they had tubes. It was fun to drive on gravel roads in Alaska but was too slow for highway use, even on last century's roads. I liked the Yugo I drove the next summer more.

I worked at a restoration shop in Berkeley in the late 70's. The shop owner's girlfriend Petra had an R8 we had to keep running. At the time I considered it a joke car, but I have come to embrace the love of French...

A little later my wife bought a LeCar at my suggestion. I loved driving it, but it wouldn't hold a head gasket, and eventually the wrecking yards wouldn't take it because they had too many. I abandoned it in an industrial area.

Good luck, Viva le fromage.