Col's Renault R12 Wagon restoration

[COL]

I have decided to start working on getting my 1973 Renault R12 Wagon back on the road, this project has been going on for 30 plus years with very little being done to it. This is basically a rust free body apart from a little surface rust. The previous owner must of used the wagon in some rough country as there was dents in the rear foot wells, left side sill an also in the back under the rear bumper. I have totally stripped the the wagon down to a rolling shell with only the front and rear suspension still attached to the body. I have done a few bits and pieces over the past 30 years.

I have cut out the lower grill as it was also dinged up to much to repair and welded a lower grill from a later model R12

I have panel beated the rear foot wells as these were heavily punched in, they still require some more work.

Knocked out the dent above the left rear tail light.

Heated up and straightened the seam where the two sill panels join.

Over the past three days I have removed the rest sound deadening from inside the wagon and completely removed the adhesive that Renault used to glue the sound deadening in with. I have also removed some of the dents that were in the rear below the rear bumper bar. I still have the following repairs to carry out on the body work.

There is four little dents in the roof just above the gutter to remove like this one.

Weld up the tear where the left rear bumper bracket sticks out from the body.

Remove the dents from below the rear bumper on the right side.

Remove more dents on the left side below the rear bumper.

Weld in the drivers right front seat mount.

Repair the cracks in the floor for the drivers left rear seat mount.

 

[COL]

Remove the dent in the left sill.

The plan with this rebuild is to make a modern usable R12. I'm going to install fresh sound deadening. A Renault R17TS engine with its fuel injection controlled by a Delco computer. The transaxle will be a NG3 from my old Fuego. Will add a modern touch with a new head unit.

I'm going to do as much of the work as I can myself, I will be keeping records of what I spend and also the number of hours I spend on this project.

 

[Kim Luck]

36 hours Melbourne to Townsville in 1974 in a '74, 1265 cc Renault 12 TL wagon with a six month old baby on board stopping every four hours to feed him tells me no-one needs a 17TS engine in an R12 unless you really want to aquaplane on a flooded creek crossing.......

 

[schlitzaugen]

View attachment 127247
Remove the dent in the left sill.

The plan with this rebuild is to make a modern usable R12. I'm going to install fresh sound deadening. A Renault R17TS engine with its fuel injection controlled by a Delco computer. The transaxle will be a NG3 from my old Fuego. Will add a modern touch with a new head unit.

I'm going to do as much of the work as I can myself, I will be keeping records of what I spend and also the number of hours I spend on this project.

You are prepared to go some serious distance for a 12 wagon, kudos to you!

Can't really help in any way but wish you the best of luck because that's the only thing you can't buy.

One suggestion I would have though, have a look into 2000-ish Toyota head units (single CD/radio units double DIN, avoid cd stackers like the plague, they break invariably), or Honda single DIN CD/radio of the same vintage, they are brilliant. Made by Fujitsu, Panasonic or Kenwood, they look identical inside and out. Make sure you get the code if you go for a Honda unit, don't believe if seller says it doesn't need a code. If you can get the original speakers with it, I suggest you do it. You can get these systems for less than 100$ in good working order off gumtree and they are way better than any aftermarket stuff. If you're lucky you can even score an original unit made in Japan, which to me is a bit more desirable.

If you want a tape unit, you can get them cheaper but be prepared to search a bit to find one that works right off the bat or get a few for spares because they crack one or both plastic main gears. Other than that, they're great and most have seen little use.

36 hours Melbourne to Townsville in 1974 in a '74, 1265 cc Renault 12 TL wagon with a six month old baby on board stopping every four hours to feed him tells me no-one needs a 17TS engine in an R12 unless you really want to aquaplane on a flooded creek crossing.......

Or you just want to cruise comfortably at highway speeds without feeling like your head is going to explode after a few hours. Given COL is going for a NG3 box I would guess the latter. The gearing is not exactly for racing.

 

[COL]

36 hours Melbourne to Townsville in 1974 in a '74, 1265 cc Renault 12 TL wagon with a six month old baby on board stopping every four hours to feed him tells me no-one needs a 17TS engine in an R12 unless you really want to aquaplane on a flooded creek crossing.......

I have spent many years driving R12's with Sierra engines with their 50 - 60 bhp, that is why I like the alloy 807 engines with twice the power for about the same weight and fuel consumption.

 

[COL]

You are prepared to go some serious distance for a 12 wagon, kudos to you!

Can't really help in any way but wish you the best of luck because that's the only thing you can't buy.

One suggestion I would have though, have a look into 2000-ish Toyota head units (single CD/radio units double DIN, avoid cd stackers like the plague, they break invariably), or Honda single DIN CD/radio of the same vintage, they are brilliant. Made by Fujitsu, Panasonic or Kenwood, they look identical inside and out. Make sure you get the code if you go for a Honda unit, don't believe if seller says it doesn't need a code. If you can get the original speakers with it, I suggest you do it. You can get these systems for less than 100$ in good working order off gumtree and they are way better than any aftermarket stuff. If you're lucky you can even score an original unit made in Japan, which to me is a bit more desirable.

If you want a tape unit, you can get them cheaper but be prepared to search a bit to find one that works right off the bat or get a few for spares because they crack one or both plastic main gears. Other than that, they're great and most have seen little use.



Or you just want to cruise comfortably at highway speeds without feeling like your head is going to explode after a few hours. Given COL is going for a NG3 box I would guess the latter. The gearing is not exactly for racing.

I like the Renault R12 and think it is a very underrated vehicle. This car will basically be a 5 door R17 that is a bit more practical.

I was thinking of more modern head units similar to the double DIN creations with a screen being sold at the three main auto chains here in AU. Will see what is available when I get this project to that stage.

The plan is to lower the the road, engine and exhaust noise inside the car with new sound deadening.

The reason for using the NG3 is not only relaxed highway cruising, but also the stronger differential and the very nice gear selection these transaxles have. I have a 365 transaxle here if I want to go the close ratio route.

 

[Bowie]

Subscribed!!

Looking forward to this Col. Good on ya!

Re the stereo, I started looking and going over the various different head units, and boy of boy is it a hard time finding one that doesn't look like a disco-teck! I've decided a portable USB speaker is going to be the answer for me, and then to simply Bluetooth content from my phone. ABC Radio app is great!

Those Bluetooth speakers can make noise for 10+hours these days, more then enough for the odd trips I'll end up having. Providing you can be bothered / remembering to charge it that is.

I was going to make some clips to mount it under the dash near enough the handbrake, should work ok.

Anyway! good luck to the rest of the work ahead of you

 

[greg of 50 reno]

Going north tomorrow, to inspect a nest of R12's one Virage in great condition apparently.

 

[greg of 50 reno]

And it's a wagon

 

[Bowie]

Are you taking requests? Grab us a sedan passenger rear door *looks up cheekily*

Oh wait. you are in Gympie. and heading north, never mind

 

[Russell Hall]

I have some new lining material packs for a 1974 R12 wagon, cut to shape for the rear wheel arches. I've cut mats out of them for years. Unfortunately I doubt if I have a complete set, the packs are mostly of the one cut. Might have a new ignition lock barrel and key left. I'll have a look.
I checked - packs of pre-cut lining material for load bays of R12 wagons ex Renault Heidelberg superseded late 1974 but as they are in packs of 50 I'll probably wholesale them.

 

[COL]

Todays efforts, drill some holes in the "B" pillars for courtesy light switches.

"A" pillar courtesy light switch

"B" pillar courtesy light switch marked out.

"B" pillar holes drilled read for courtesy light switch.

The original "A" pillar holes were 12mm and 2.5mm, I have drilled out the large hole to 13mm to allow easier installation of the courtesy light switch.

I have also come up with a plan to install a courtesy light switch on the tail gate as well, which involves making an extension to go on a standard R12 courtesy light switch. More on that later.

 

[Bowie]

Careful, you are inventing a new variant of wagon here. The Reno 12 TS le col

Future readers of this site will patiently argue about this trim expression and declare it must have been an overseas import!

 

[schlitzaugen]

I like the Renault R12 and think it is a very underrated vehicle. This car will basically be a 5 door R17 that is a bit more practical.

I was thinking of more modern head units similar to the double DIN creations with a screen being sold at the three main auto chains here in AU. Will see what is available when I get this project to that stage.

The plan is to lower the the road, engine and exhaust noise inside the car with new sound deadening.

The reason for using the NG3 is not only relaxed highway cruising, but also the stronger differential and the very nice gear selection these transaxles have. I have a 365 transaxle here if I want to go the close ratio route.

I agree. The R12 is one of the most pleasurable vehicles of that era to drive. Long distance, short distance, fast, slow, very versatile and comfortable except when driving with a blown exhaust and a crappy engine for hours on end. That is not pleasant in any car though. Sound deadening, a more powerful engine with peak torque at less RPM and a good g'box ratio wise should go a long way towards making the car an enjoyable drive no matter how far or for how long. I actually had dreams of taking mine across the land to Europe one day (after swapping the engine for a 17TL). Should cruise comfortably at sane RPM levels in fifth at 100km/h all day. I think the NG3 has a .97 (o/d) ratio in fifth so should be more than okay. The stronger diff also comes with a higher ratio too (as does the 365), but I don't think enough to worry about. One thing is for sure, you won't be the slowest car on the freeway even in Germany. I think a healthy R17 engine (even TL spec) would be comfortable at 150km/h for hours on end especially with a five speeder.

I am not sure what switches you plan to use, shouldn't they go on the A pillar? Either way, I am very reluctant to drill holes in cars, but that's just me.

 

[COL]

I am not sure what switches you plan to use, shouldn't they go on the A pillar? Either way, I am very reluctant to drill holes in cars, but that's just me.

The courtesy light switches are just the standard R12 affair. I have jar full of them that I have collected over the years. I did this modification to my first R12 sedan that I had after getting tired of opening the rear doors in the dark and having to turn on and off the interior light manually to retrieve something off the back seat.

 

[schlitzaugen]

Ah, I get it now, they're for the rear doors. Didn't they come with these? My memory is fading.

 

[COL]

Ah, I get it now, they're for the rear doors. Didn't they come with these? My memory is fading.

Nope. I'm going to do the same for the tail gate, will share that when I have drilled the holes and modified the switch.

 

[COL]

drilled some more holes today.

Marked out where the holes go for the tail gate courtesy light.

Holes drilled the the tail gate courtesy light.

Pilot hole drilled for car radio antenna mounting holes.

Holes marked out on roof for antenna.

Holes drilled for car radio antenna mounting.

I have a choice of two antennas, left is from my old Laguna and right is from my old Feugo. They both have exactly the same mounting foot print. I will probably go with the one from the Laguna as is is the cleaner of the two.

The laguna antenna mounted onto the roof.

 

[Bowie]

So modern!

 

[schlitzaugen]

Truth be told, a R12 with 17TL engine (or similar) would be about as modern as I would care to have. There are most likely better options in the same vein, but this is not one of the worst.