Col's Renault R12 Wagon restoration

hehehehe. That is why I have about 10 or 12 of those. Spanners only. No kidding. You reach a point where statistics say that you may lose another one but it becomes then very likely you will find another one, so the number at hand is constant.
 
  • Like
Reactions: COL
I remove the drip rail trim from the wagon yesterday, underneath the stainless trim the drip rail is not very straight.

IMG_4571.JPG

Drip rail on right side after removing stainless strip.

IMG_4572.JPG

Drip rail on left side after removing stainless strip.

IMG_4573.JPG

Drip rail on right side after I straightened the drip rail a little.

IMG_4574.JPG

Drip rail on left side after I straightened the drip rail a little.

I'm not sure if I have really improved the straightness all that much. The top of the "A" pillar the lip of the drip rail was crushed in a bit so managed to straighten that out. There was also some damage down the rear on the left side.
 
Hi Col

I'm about to send an R12 sedan body to the Great Beyond. Let me know if there are any bits you're hankering for.
 
  • Like
Reactions: COL
Tin and shelf, how organised...

What colour will the interior be?
Have to be sort of organised to all this stuff in a 6m x 9m shed with 2 cars. Some of it is stored in the roof space of the house.

The interior I was going to use is from my 1975 wagon and that is tan seats, tan head lining and tan door cards. Not exactly sure what colour the outside will be but was thinking white with black trim or maybe a light grey with black trim.
 
Good on you Colin. The 12 wagon is a great car, so practical. I still remember my first ever drive on an R12 on a back track in the Victorian Grampians in maybe 1974. I had no idea any car went in a straight line like that! The R8 certainly didn't and doesn't. We subsequently had two, a 1.4 wagon in Adelaide and a Virage in Perth. Great cars. Fantastic for 1972!
 
One of my next challenges is repair the top of the chassis rail where a tow bar has been previously installed. I'm going to try and get it back to the original shape and then re-enforce where the bolts go through the chassis rail to hold on the tow bar.
IMG_4597.JPG

Right hand rail front bolt hole.


IMG_4598.JPG

Left hand rail rear bolt hole.

IMG_4599.JPG

Left hand rail front bolt hole

IMG_4600.JPG

Right hand rail rear bolt hole.

This will most likely take several goes over a few days, will see how we go.
 
I never liked how people attached tow bars to the boot floor of the car. I would look into having one made that would pick up on chassis legs somewhere where there are holes already and the metal is strong and thick.
 
Yeah I always thought the bumper bar mounts would have made sense, because of course we are remvoing our bumper bars because ethey are dumb.
 
If I remember correctly, the "classic" attachment points for a tow bar on a R12 are two on the bumper bracket and two at the back, to the boot floor either side of the fuel tank. I think these can be more wisely designed to attach somewhere more sturdy.
 
I never liked how people attached tow bars to the boot floor of the car. I would look into having one made that would pick up on chassis legs somewhere where there are holes already and the metal is strong and thick.
yeah, I thought the original factory tow bars, slid down inside the chassis rails and threaded holes in bar legs lined up with holes in chassis rails....... jim
 
I never liked how people attached tow bars to the boot floor of the car. I would look into having one made that would pick up on chassis legs somewhere where there are holes already and the metal is strong and thick.

I have been guilty of this in the past, because that is how the tow bars for R12's were sold here. I have four of them in the shed and they are all designed to be bolted through the chassis rails.
 
Yeah I always thought the bumper bar mounts would have made sense, because of course we are remvoing our bumper bars because ethey are dumb.
If I remember correctly, the "classic" attachment points for a tow bar on a R12 are two on the bumper bracket and two at the back, to the boot floor either side of the fuel tank. I think these can be more wisely designed to attach somewhere more sturdy.

Thats is how the French tow bars mount.
 
Top