I purchased it off Ebay from China - took a while to arrive, but it works well. $4 (USD) including shipping.
1959 4cv Restoration in North Carolina USA
- Thread starter Stan W
- Start date
$4 including shipping. Volume production talks eh! We found years ago in our engineering/environmental consulting business that wages in China aren't necessarily as low as might be thought what's more. We do live in interesting times.
I can imagine that. We opened an office rather more recently and it had changed...... Any of us who have spent any time there are very lucky.
As part of my 12v conversion, I installed a small DC to DC converter to power the petrol gauge and the temperature gauge. The petrol gauge positive terminal serves as a connection point for switched power from the ignition switch. I had to make an insulated terminal assembly to replace it. I don't have the gas tank installed, but I hooked up the sending unit and the gauge works perfectly. I will use a larger converter for the Sofica motor and a resistor for the wiper motor.
Very neat Stan! I wish mine were as neat behind the dashboard.
I mounted a PCV valve on my Autobleu manifold. The valve is one that fits a three cylinder Subaru Justy. I wanted one that was used on a small engine, and the Subaru Justy PCV valves are very inexpensive (probably nobody wants them). The PCV valve will be connected to the valve cover and the valve cover will also be vented to the carburetor air intake - probably at the air filter. I will make a oil demisting assembly inside the valve cover using stainless steel scrubbing pads to remove oil from the crankcase fumes. It will be similar to the assemblies used inside later Dauphine valve covers. The PCV system should work exactly the same as ones on the late Dauphines and R8s.
That's one neat and sophisticated system for a 4CV.
Mine's a simple Reniflard like the photo I just found on the Web.
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Very interesting info. I have met the guy in California with the old 1093 but it's not for sale.....and will be crushed when he passes I suspect.
You could always do what my friend Jim in North Vancouver has done to his 4CV: it's a 1296.
You could always do what my friend Jim in North Vancouver has done to his 4CV: it's a 1296.
Hope he's addressed the braking issue........... We have a couple of road-going 4CVs in Oz with 16TS power and they go fairly well.Very interesting info. I have met the guy in California with the old 1093 but it's not for sale.....and will be crushed when he passes I suspect.
You could always do what my friend Jim in North Vancouver has done to his 4CV: it's a 1296.
It's great how these are basically "bolt in" modifications since the R10 cross member bolts into the 4CV shell and you can fit a 16TS motor under the rear lid!
Brakes are fine but the front gets light on a power shift, to the point that steering is not possible for a split second. It's been off the road for 30 years.
Nice project for someone - I imagine he did the conversion well, back in the day. Our 16TS friend could swap stories! His car is fully approved, engineering-wise.
Light steering reminds me of a Dauphine story. When I was in college many years ago, the friend I worked on Renaults with and myself rode bicycles out in the backwoods of the mountains regularly. We were always on the lookout for Renaults. We stopped at a VW repair shop in the middle of nowhere and asked if he knew where any Renaults were. He did not, but said that a friend who lived nearby had put a Corvair engine and transmission in a Dauphine. He said they put the wheels on backwards to help fit under the fenders, but that the extra weight and power made the front so light that it was very hard to steer. It didn't sound very successful. He did not know what happened to the car. A year later, I was in a junkyard about 50 miles away and I saw a Dauphine. When I looked at it closely, I saw a strange transmission in the car. An even closer look revealed that it was a GM transmission - from a Corvair! I do not remember how much they had to hack up the car to get it in.
Probably the same distance back in time, grass track racing was a casual form of motor sport in NZ. The one time we saw it, the best car ever was a very well constructed VW beetle with a Corvair engine, and very well executed bodywork to accomodate the longer engine.
I made gaskets for my Autobleu manifold. I have not seen this gasket for sale anywhere, just pictured in the parts manual. I would have made one anyway, the material is not expensive. It is Fel-Pro 3009 - good for high heat. My fuel pump is ready for assembly.
We've had the discussion about those pressed-in steel pipes on SEV fuel pumps, haven't we?
Thanks for the gasket material information. Always useful.
Yes, we have discussed the pressed in pipes. The ones in the fuel pump are very tight, couldn't move them a bit.
I seem to be having trouble getting a response from Bretagne Auto Retro, AVP and 4A pieces. Anyone know how long I should wait for an answer to an email?
I seem to be having trouble getting a response from Bretagne Auto Retro, AVP and 4A pieces. Anyone know how long I should wait for an answer to an email?
Good re pipes! I've not used 4A myself. BAR and AVP have been erratic in replying, so I'd not wait more than a few days. Sometimes good, sometimes not. With BAR, I ended up getting a friend in Paris to ring them on one occasion!
Big excitement! I got the crank and engine block back from the machine shop - everything looks great. I installed the flywheel on the crank and the crank in the engine block. End play is .004 inches, runout on flywheel is .0015 - all well within tolerances. I should have most of the engine parts by the end of next week.
Wow! It will be a shame to cover all that up.