Renault in Australia: The Useless Info File

I guess I'll get out of the 1950's some time, but here's another anniversary of sorts. The 60th anniversary of the introduction of the locally assembled Renault 750 to Victoria, Tasmania and the Riverina!

As the distribution of Renaults in Australia in the 1950's was by region based distributors, cars could be sourced from different locations, depending on the whim of the particular distributor. In 1954, Pound Motors, the Renault distributor for Victoria, Tasmania and the Riverina emphasised that their 750s were the only fully imported 7-8hp car. By 1955 however, it was more viable to source the locally assembled cars from Ira Berks in Sydney.

Pound Motors were a very enthusiastic Renault dealer, after having taken up their distribution in 1938. They actively promoted Renaults in motorsport, selling them from their rather imposing building in Victoria St, North Melbourne (pic attached from circa 1940, ripped from Victorian State Library). Despite their enthusiasm for Renault, when Renault Australia came into being in 1958, they lost the Renault franchise and went onto become Volkswagen dealers.

I quite often have a drink with one of Les Pound's sons at my yacht club. I've asked if he has any memorabilia pertaining to the era and he has pointed me toward another brother who was more involved, with whom I'll pursue the quest!
 
Follow up with pound Motors relatives?

Bump - any Luck with this follow-up above, Kim Luck ?:)

Ken
 
see above..

I suspect there has been a lack of progress because Kim's contact is not the full pound ?

BTW did Les Pound also sell VW? I vaguely recall 'Pound Bros' on rear windows of VW "pasties".

I guess you didn't read Simon's post 60 ?:wink2:

Ken:)
 
My apologies for the delay, I haven't made contact with the "other brother" but I shall shortly attempt to do so!
 
Stirring you Rob!

Just kidding Rob, a bit of a stir on the TLDR ribbing of late:wink2: can be read as Too Lazy didn't read :) I guess:D and you presented me with the perfect opportunity to rib:D

I am a bit lazy myself in this weather..:wink2:

Thanks Kim, might be some interesting things to learn from him....., and of course I am smitten by the must catch up and do things syndrome as you know well :blackeye:, I feel like I am the worlds worst procrastinator in catching up with you on a few things too.:rolleyes:

Ken:)
 
I quite often have a drink with one of Les Pound's sons at my yacht club. I've asked if he has any memorabilia pertaining to the era and he has pointed me toward another brother who was more involved, with whom I'll pursue the quest!

G'day Kim,
not the St.Kilda Yacht Club by any chance ?
 
A little further South, Pug, opposite Grosvenor St. I had a chandlery on the corner, once.
 
G'day,
about 100 years ago, when I was a student at Brighton Tech, we used to walk to the Brighton Baths for swimming, no matter what the weather.
 
Les Pound was not the only automotive personality member at RBYC; we also had John Bagshaw (GMH) and Jack Linacre (Austin Morris), both also now sadly deceased.
 
And yet more dealer pictures from Western Australia. The first one was posted to me today, with the second night shot ripped from the Western Australia State Library collection. Diesel Motors passed on the Western Australian Renault franchise in the late 1950's to Maison Motors.

The first picture can be fairly accurately dated to mid 1970, as the showroom window is promoting the new Renault 10S, and as from 1971, Rod Slater's Eurocars commenced issuing international passports to driving pleasure, becoming the Western Australia distributor for Renault and Peugeot.

The second picture featuring the natty illuminated Renault diamond dealer identification sign is also from 1970.

You never know where one of those natty illuminated Renault Signs may show up.

I have one complete in my shed!
 
fotgotten how to attach a photo on this site. Tried to attach the sign.
 
fotgotten how to attach a photo on this site. Tried to attach the sign.



Go to Go Advanced under here, click on it, scroll down to Manage Attachments and click on that.

Click on the Add Files button up the top, then click Add Files From Your Computer, then Select Files (select the file/s you want) in this case I'm going to use one of BB and boyfriend, Upload File/s and if you are finished click Done, or add more files. Then preview post to make sure you uploaded the file you thought you did!
 

Attachments

  • Drove there in the Dauphine.....jpg
    Drove there in the Dauphine.....jpg
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If you ever want to sell it, let me know.
KB
 
After considering a few other points, the 8G being the key, I'm pegging the picture as being circa September 1967. Also I'm thinking it isn't JZA 930. In the Modern Motor road test, it refers to the white test vehicle being a full import, the white JZA 930 car has the same ride height as the JZA 931 red car, tending to indicate it is another "good road" spec car as opposed to the "poor road" spec 16 sold in Australia.

Whilst I'm banging on about 16s, it appears little known that the first 16 in Australia was imported by BMC for evaluation. Two recent books featuring BMC Australia history neatly avoid the 16, but mention a number of other vehicles that BMC benchmarked, such as the BMW 2000 and Peugeot 404. The Renault would appear to have been imported circa early 1966, registered in March, and featured in a Wheels road test in the October 1966 issue. I appears to have survived into 1967, being pictured with the Gerry Crown 8 Gordini from the BP rally. Another 16 in the where is it now file.....

Hence the Morris Nomad of course... I reckon BMC Oz were rather smarter than BMC UK.
 
Hey, I was going to say that!!!!!!

I had no idea he had the sign.

John, I need to move this down to Perth from the country very soon where I have had it stored for twelve years. I like this sign! I was wondering if some one could make up a stand for it so it could be used for SIVA displays as a lovely period sign, it is complete with all electric just needs a plug fitted. Do you think something could be made up?
 
John, I need to move this down to Perth from the country very soon where I have had it stored for twelve years. I like this sign! I was wondering if some one could make up a stand for it so it could be used for SIVA displays as a lovely period sign, it is complete with all electric just needs a plug fitted. Do you think something could be made up?

Do you have a used shop fittings or similar, recovery/recycling place in Perth. You should be able to pick up a light weight pole and base that would adapt as a support pole for the sign. If the interior is easily accessible, I'd suggest using LED lights coupled to an external 12 volt rechargeable motor cycle or security system storage battery without interfering with the original lights or need for a mains power supply.

Ken
 
Do you have a used shop fittings or similar, recovery/recycling place in Perth. You should be able to pick up a light weight pole and base that would adapt as a support pole for the sign. If the interior is easily accessible, I'd suggest using LED lights coupled to an external 12 volt rechargeable motor cycle or security system storage battery without interfering with the original lights or need for a mains power supply.

Ken

That's a pair of good ideas, for which thanks Ken. I was thinking of LED but the shop fittings approach I had not!
 
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