renault 8 Gordini

A

Aaron

Member
Fellow Frogger
Joined
Jan 7, 2003
Messages
135
Location
Newcastle
How rare are these beasts?
What are they worth?
I would love to have a good look at one...
What problems do they have?
Are they difficult to live with?

Caravelle is another nice looking car..
Did this one come out with gordini mods?
I dont think i have ever seen one of these on the road - I take it these dont grow on trees either?

The Alpine is also kinda cool.

Are there any good websites that will give me a look at interiors and engine/performance specs?

<small>[ 26 February 2003, 06:39 PM: Message edited by: Aaron ]</small>
 
they look pretty lightweight.

IF you could wring some more performance out of them they maybe OK for something...

they just look nice and I am a sucker for that.
 
Aaron:
they look pretty lightweight.

IF you could wring some more performance out of them they maybe OK for something...
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Wring MORE performance out of an 8G, have you got a deathwish or something :)
 
Aaron:
they look pretty lightweight.

IF you could wring some more performance out of them they maybe OK for something...

they just look nice and I am a sucker for that.
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Aaron,

The 1.3 and 1.4 litre Renault 12 engines are fairly straight forward to fit to the Floride and Caravelle convertibles, and they weigh a similar amount to the original engine. These are excellent engines which can be made to perform very well with a few mods, especially considering that these cars are only around the 800kg mark or possibly less.

If you're game, you can also fit the 1565/1647 engines from the R16/R17/R18/etc, with a bit of work on the engine mounts and a stronger gearbox/dif. These engines can be modified to produce LOTS of power, but they are a fair bit heavier than the original engine.

Dave
 
How much heavier, Dave?

With the alloy block and short length, I wouldn't think they'd be ten pounds heavier... if that?

The larger gearbox would add a bit, I'd agree with that, but overall it wouldn't be a huge weight penalty.

But what about engine height under the bonnet? The TS, particularly, is a tall engine.
 
The 12 motor into an R1092 Floride is a bit more involved, as it is based on the Dauphine floorpan. You need to fit an R10 trans, axle tie bars and preferably the front discs. Also the radiator has to be relocated to the rear of the car and vents placed in the engine cover. Not impossible, just a lot of messing. Conversions I've seen vary from very good to quite dodgy. The R12 into an R1131 Floride S/Caravelle or an R1133 Caravelle is pretty straightforward as it is an R8 floorpan and only requires messing with the clutch and waterpump (to make the heater interface nicely).

Any more power than R12 can stress the pretty soft body of a Floride/Caravelle and strengthening can be required if the full performance potential is used. The actual volume of the 16TS type alloy motor is fairly similar to the Sierra type iron block motor just look at the engine bay of a 12TL and a 12G. However the alloy motor is about 30 poundsish heavier. I think however a "performance" Floride/Caravelle is a bit ad odds with its intended purpose, they are best kept as a nice touring car.

Simon

<small>[ 27 February 2003, 12:49 PM: Message edited by: Simon ]</small>
 
I'd be certain that the TS engine is way taller than a 12 engine... I'm talking to the top of the rocker cover here, not carbies and so on.

Surprised to hear it might be that much heavier. It only weighs about 190lbs.
 
Possibly marginally taller, not way taller, and the Caravelle engine bay is pretty deep. Also the weight difference may not be exactly that much, but it is certain a 12 motor weighs less than a 15/16/17/18 motor, those figures just aren't in my head at the moment. I'm sure they have been mentioned on Aussiefrogs before though.
 
Reason I hold this view is that I used on in a Clubman once. And it was a real problem seeing over the engine.

The original engine had been a Ford and it was a good two inches higher than it. The Ford was a short stroke 1500 and visibly larger than the Renault engines as I was familiar with them seeing them at Colliers...

Not only that, I had a Gordini engine in my shed for ages that I was going to use in the replacement car... so I have had some experience with these things.

I simply don't see how the larger head of the 16TS could weigh that much more than the 12 head, for it has to overcome a lot of deadweight in the iron block of the 12 to make it a heavier engine.

The crank isn't a heavy item either, being so short, and the rods aren't huge. You can't exactly say the oil pump weighs a lot either...
 
Yea well, the R8G is a pretty nice piece of gear if you can find one, and are prepared to spend some money.

Simon do you know the count of R8G's left ?
1135 and 1134's ?
 
Reno17:
Yea well, the R8G is a pretty nice piece of gear if you can find one, and are prepared to spend some money.

Simon do you know the count of R8G's left ?
1135 and 1134's ?
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Probably easier to refer you to Robert Lee's site for 8G 1135 info. Number of 1134's would be a guess at about 6-8 cars.

Simon

<a href="http://www.geocities.com/alpinesau/arc.html" target="_blank">http://www.geocities.com/alpinesau/arc.html</a>
 
Ray Bell:

I simply don't see how the larger head of the 16TS could weigh that much more than the 12 head, for it has to overcome a lot of deadweight in the iron block of the 12 to make it a heavier engine.

The crank isn't a heavy item either, being so short, and the rods aren't huge. You can't exactly say the oil pump weighs a lot either...
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Ray,

There was a lot of discussion about this on here about a year or so ago. Alot of people were saying the 16 engine was lighter than the 12 motor (including me), but then David Cavanagh piped up and said they're actually a bit heavier than 12 motor. He works on them all the time and has converted R12's to R17 set-up a number of times.

There's also the fact that an 1.4 R12 sedan weighs about 880kg, but when you stick a R16 engine in the front, they're up around 900kg, so that says something.

Dave

<small>[ 28 February 2003, 09:10 AM: Message edited by: davemcbean ]</small>
 
Is the floride around in australia in any numbers?

Do they come up for sale often?

I havent seem anything of the interior or seen one in the flesh. Are they equipped with seat belts?

<small>[ 28 February 2003, 11:46 AM: Message edited by: Aaron ]</small>
 
There are a fair few around in AUS, mainly seen at FCD's. They can appear in the newspaper, Unique Cars, Just Cars etc etc.

Floride's don't have seatbelt mounting points as standard, but may have them fitted. Caravelle's from 1964 MY have reinforced mounting points for seatbelts.
 
Safety belt mounts were compulsory in every car marketed in Australia from 1963...

Belt fitment became compulsory around 1967 or 1968. Retro fitting to cars with mountings became compulsory some time in the early seventies.

Guarantee Florides didn't have them...
 
Aaron:
Is the floride around in australia in any numbers?

Do they come up for sale often?

I havent seem anything of the interior or seen one in the flesh. Are they equipped with seat belts?
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Alpine Affaire here in melbourne were selling a floride a while a ago (quite a while ago now)........I think they wanted around $10,000 for it, was in good condition...
________
HollyAss
 
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There was also a pristine restored Floride for sale in WA when I was there last year. My pick would be a Floride S or Caravelle, you get all the low maintenance mod cons, R10 running gear, 4 wheel disc brakes, ball joint front end (Floride has king pins)and 12 volt electrics. A Floride is OK if you are more able to do your own maintenance, greasing etc and the miles covered are minimal, if it still has the original 6 volt electrics, they can be a pain too.
 
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