Dauphine Gordini restoration

[jjperko]

Hi All,

I've posted in the technical section before, but thought I should start a dedicated thread on where my Dauphine project is up to. I have 2 cars (purchased from here late last year) and am planning on finishing 1 road car then deciding what to do with the other.

At this stage it runs and drives, though the 6v system isn't being cooperative enough to give me any confidence on taking it out once registered.

I'll be painting myself, but will get a bit of professional beating done on the doors to help move things along and keep my sanity in check.

Trying to chase down an accurate paint code to match the listed blanc rejane 305 that the 1093 dauphine had. The local supplier didn't have much in the way of older Renault codes.

I'm hoping to have it on the road by mid next year, so I definitely need to start accelerating on the bodywork side of things!

Cheers,
James

 

[robmac]

I wouldn't hesitate to change it to 12 volt.

 

[jjperko]

I wouldn't hesitate to change it to 12 volt.

I think I'm going to have to. Got an alternator that should do the job but just need a reg, wiper motor and some dash trickery. I've polished terminals, new battery etc but a freshly built engine is too much for it (all 900cc).

 

[robmac]

.... some dash trickery

Nothing more than one of these to supply the dash cluster

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12V-to-...m287d62e6d9:g:Rg8AAOSwZ~lZtLjI&frcectupt=true

 

[schlitzaugen]

Or just a large current 6V Zenner or IC 6V regulator. If using the Zenner just make sure it's disconnected from power when car is switched off otherwise it will drain the battery.

Does the car have a 6V DC or AC generator (alternator)?

If DC, you really need to get it up to scratch to give you enough power to run the car (not much needed, but then again the generator itself is quite inefficient). Get the rotor out, clean the whole thing, see what's what, change bearings maybe for some better ones (easy to find much more efficient, longer lasting, high RPM, etc. these days) and then check the brushes/springs and brush contact rings. You might need to take it to a machine shop to true these and give them a perfectly flat face with a diamond cutter. Brush pressure on the rings is also important, so need to consider brush length and spring tension. That should bring it up to snuff a bit at least for a little while.

Unfortunately, the DC generators are also much more speed sensitive than AC (alternators) so you might want to look at different pulleys to use to speed it up a bit at idle/low speeds.

 

[JohnW]

That's all really nice to see. Good that a few more Dauphines are appearing.

Have you joined our Renault 4CV Register of Australia? We cater for all the rear-engined cars and have a Facebook page as well.

We're having a Mini Muster in Castlemaine next March too, so plenty of opportunity not far from you to meet a whole group of us.

Re 6V, of course you can change to 12V but many of us manage perfectly well with 6. Some of us have acquired 6V alternators from USA which certainly helps the charging but if the generator is working properly and earths are good, all is fine. I'm running 6V QI headlamp bulbs in new headlamps with relays and the lights are well up with the performance of the car (not much performance of course).

Best wishes

 

[jjperko]

Thanks John, I've joined up and enjoying the newsletters.

I've been thinking about seatbelt options recently. Does anyone have any experience retrofitting? My Morris is registered on the vic club scheme without any as per original but I'd like some form of protection in this project. The 2 main obstacles seem to be adequate mounting on the b pillar as well as possibly engineering (not sure on this one given the cars age?)

My spare car has lap sashes installed but mounting brackets dont seem up to scratch by a modern standard.

 

[JohnW]

Thanks John, I've joined up and enjoying the newsletters.

I've been thinking about seatbelt options recently. Does anyone have any experience retrofitting? My Morris is registered on the vic club scheme without any as per original but I'd like some form of protection in this project. The 2 main obstacles seem to be adequate mounting on the b pillar as well as possibly engineering (not sure on this one given the cars age?)

My spare car has lap sashes installed but mounting brackets dont seem up to scratch by a modern standard.

What a timely question!! Our 4CV had lap-sash seatbelts that we fitted with a kit (bolts and washers!) in 1966. I've just been to a professional seat belt fitter here in Perth and had the webbing replaced and the mounts re-engineered to bring them up to modern standards (and to avoid voiding my insurance). We had the R8 checked and they passed muster and the Citroen CX needed new webbing and new retractors.

With these rear-engined Renaults, the structure is of course 1940s so the belts and mounts are stronger than the car. However, if you have a moderate accident, I reckon that there is a good chance that the belts will reduce injury. Just don't have a monumental accident.....

 

[Peter J Kent]

The dauphine we have here we welded the reinforcement panels out of an R10 floor pan into it as well as the seat mount braces and handbrake mount as the floor was cracked. I'm also going to put the inner faces of the R10 B pilars in to utilise those seat belt mounts

 

[JohnW]

That's quite serious work Peter! Good on you.

 

[schlitzaugen]

I think the belt mounting points on the B-pillar are actually on a reinforcing plate under the inner skin, but I guess you have the R10 there.

That said, I agree with John, those cars didn't have crumple zones so I would try to reinforce as much as possible the passenger volume. In my youth I have seen a R8 down a light pole with a head on bang. The front had the pole impression very nicely formed in the metal (just between the headlight and the bonnet midpoint), but the driver door couldn't open/shut anymore either.

 

[Peter J Kent]

It wasn't that bad John I had a floor pan sitting here that I cut out of a rusty R10 so I just removed the strengthening plates by drilling out the spot welds and just welded back through the same holes.

 

[jjperko]

Well the paint is on. I told myself I'd push to get it done before daylight savings ends made it in the nick of time.Took a couple of rushed pics before it started raining. Now just assembly and wiring to go.

 

[FIVEDOOR]

Very nice.

Hope you don't mind

 

[jjperko]

Very nice.

Hope you don't mind

Thanks knew there was a way!

I don't think I'm up for the challenge on the second car. Needs a new floor and some serious panelbeating work. At the moment I'm unsure whether to strip for parts or see if anyone wants to take it on. Not keen on sending the shell for scrap but also can't see any value in it except the parts I'd strip off it.

 

[dacia4x4]

Hi james, maybe with the second car you could offer a job lot with the 16ts (807) engine and gearbox you have in the back corner of your garage.iam sure there would be some frogger that would like to remove the rear floor in that dauphine and have a mid engine rocket.just a thought.....jim

 

[OnSafari]

Just remember 6 volt systems need larger wiring sizes to reduce the resistance (water flow in a pipe principal). Lots of 6v cars have had 12 volt earth straps / leads fitted which aren’t big enough (diameter).

Nice Dauphine

 

[J-man]

Looking fabulous James

Are you going to have the 1093 overhead stripes and tacho?

 

[Andrew Watkins]

Looks beautiful. Well done

Don't despair of 6 Volts - with 6 V alternator you can have enough grunt to run H4 inserts for the lights, so you can see, without the need to swap everything else over. If you want radio and ability to charge your 'phone there is a black box for this too ( but you need a switch in the power line or it will flatten battery while standing ).

If you are a clever electrician who understands this stuff 12V makes sense too, but 6V with alternator and good earth connections can do the job quite well - it is one area in which overkill is your friend(dedicated large earth return leads etc )

It is a beautiful little car. We do forget the virtues of simplicity these days.

Best Wishes

Andrew

- - - Updated - - -

Looks beautiful. Well done

Don't despair of 6 Volts - with 6 V alternator you can have enough grunt to run H4 inserts for the lights, so you can see, without the need to swap everything else over. If you want radio and ability to charge your 'phone there is a black box for this too ( but you need a switch in the power line or it will flatten battery while standing ).

If you are a clever electrician who understands this stuff 12V makes sense too, but 6V with alternator and good earth connections can do the job quite well - it is one area in which overkill is your friend(dedicated large earth return leads etc )

It is a beautiful little car. We do forget the virtues of simplicity these days.

Best Wishes

Andrew

 

[jjperko]

Well the starter is in at an auto elec. Looks like its given up the ghost. I gave him the spare I had in pieces to see what he can make out of them. Does anyone have any experience/solutions if I can't get it rebuilt locally? Obviously can buy a new unit from OS but if something else 12v bolts in it might be a shove in that direction.