Renault 16 Australian Register - Discussion Thread

[CXVingtCinq]

Hi All,

Details of my recent 16TS acquisition are -

Model # 1151
Fabrication # 401449 (oval plate also has 761 stamped at bottom)
Diamond plate (Chassis / VIN?) # 2931649
Year - 1976
Colour - Avocado (566 17012)
Engine # - TBA
Status - Unregistered since 2001 - No rust to speak of but generally a bit sad / neglected. Now a refurbish project. Not full restoration, but TLC / refurb plan in hand to get it to good driveable condition by middle 2017.
History - Originally purchased from Clark-Hill Motors, Pacific Hwy, North Gosford on 16/7/76 by a Mr & Mrs Garnsey. Sold to Mr & Mrs Langley of Inverell in 1979 from whom I purchased it 30/8/16. Appears to be original 172989 Klms as it has been sitting in their shed in Inverell since 2001. Still has the 2001 rego sticker. I had some concerns about possible head gasket failure however seems to have been only poor refilling of cooling system and failure to bleed air out giving issues. After a week of fiddling / filling / bleeding it looks to be resolved. Many thanks to those here who helped with suggestions on this issue. A new radiator cap and expansion tank cap are on the way from Holland (R16 Shop) as we speak. Compression check to come soon to confirm. Fingers crossed.
Some Pics.-


Pics 1 to 4 are at inspection. Pics 5 & 6 at home after a good 5 hours cleaning and a quick wash. Just loving it.!! :headbang: :headbang:

 

[Simon]

Fabrication # 401449 (oval plate also has 761 stamped at bottom)
View attachment 89923

FYI. 761=Australian specification. A variation of the RHD, poor road, tropical spec version.

 

[JohnW]

South African lower wishbones?

 

[Wildebeest]

South African lower wishbones?

John,
Would the ZA wishbones be the ones specified as replacement for the standard type that were prone to bending/collapsing ?
I seem to recall while working in Kalgoorlie[Peugeot Renault sub agency] we had to check on the very occasional 16 for signs of this.

 

[JohnW]

John,
Would the ZA wishbones be the ones specified as replacement for the standard type that were prone to bending/collapsing ?
I seem to recall while working in Kalgoorlie[Peugeot Renault sub agency] we had to check on the very occasional 16 for signs of this.

Yes, AFAIK. They were used on the later production cars in Oz too I think. FCD 22 October......

 

[furneauxfrogger]

Hi All,

Details of my recent 16TS acquisition are -

Model # 1151
Fabrication # 401449 (oval plate also has 761 stamped at bottom)
Diamond plate (Chassis / VIN?) # 2931649
Year - 1976
Colour - Avocado (566 17012)
Engine # - TBA
Status - Unregistered since 2001 - No rust to speak of but generally a bit sad / neglected. Now a refurbish project. Not full restoration, but TLC / refurb plan in hand to get it to good driveable condition by middle 2017.
History - Originally purchased from Clark-Hill Motors, Pacific Hwy, North Gosford on 16/7/76 by a Mr & Mrs Garnsey. Sold to Mr & Mrs Langley of Inverell in 1979 from whom I purchased it 30/8/16. Appears to be original 172989 Klms as it has been sitting in their shed in Inverell since 2001. Still has the 2001 rego sticker. I had some concerns about possible head gasket failure however seems to have been only poor refilling of cooling system and failure to bleed air out giving issues. After a week of fiddling / filling / bleeding it looks to be resolved. Many thanks to those here who helped with suggestions on this issue. A new radiator cap and expansion tank cap are on the way from Holland (R16 Shop) as we speak. Compression check to come soon to confirm. Fingers crossed.
Some Pics.-
View attachment 89915View attachment 89916View attachment 89917View attachment 89918View attachment 89919View attachment 89920View attachment 89921View attachment 89923

Pics 1 to 4 are at inspection. Pics 5 & 6 at home after a good 5 hours cleaning and a quick wash. Just loving it.!! :headbang: :headbang:

Great to see another '76 model saved ! I acquired my Avocado green '76 16TS earlier in the year . the previous owner did a great job at preserving the car and just today it won Best Car in our local Flinders Island Show Day, inaugral "Show and Shine" !

 

[Sarosa]

Great to see another '76 model saved ! I acquired my Avocado green '76 16TS earlier in the year . the previous owner did a great job at preserving the car and just today it won Best Car in our local Flinders Island Show Day, inaugral "Show and Shine" !

Was that one previously owned by someone called Don in Launceston? I had that car for a few months having bought it off the original owner (I think) before it went to Don a few years ago. I have some photo's of it from my time if you'd like. They guy I bought it from restored it in his garage and had it on blocks for over 20+ years. He was in his 90's by the time he sold it and never got to drive it.

 

[Sarosa]

I know everyone doesn't use or like facebook but the Australian R16 Register now has a home page on facebook. Just search for "Australian R16 Register" and join the group there. Just another avenue to share the love.

 

[Sarosa]

Yes, AFAIK. They were used on the later production cars in Oz too I think. FCD 22 October......

From what I could tell in looking at this issue in the past, was that the the Australian spec car's had an "uncapped" lower wishbone on the side where the sway bar link bolt was (see photo), the same as other European counterparts up until 1971. The "South African" lower wishbones were "capped" (See photo). Lower wishbone's were being reported in Australia as bending and so were replaced with capped ones, either under warranty (?) or just when they needed changing or developed a problem. The capped ones ie the "African Lower Wishbones", then just became the standard from 1971 onwards, I think on all 16's. My early '68GL press car still has the uncapped ones. Most other 16's I've owned all had capped ones, except a pretty original (though heavily rusted) 69TS I bought a few years back as a parts car for the rally car build. That also had uncapped ones and are the ones shown in the picture.

 

[Simon]

The bending wishbones issue was covered by Rod Slater in the lost files. With the cars initially being set up too low, then settling causing the car to ride on the shocker with consequent bending of the wishbone.

Initial advice in early 1973 from Renault Australia was to check the ride height of vehicles; cars in warranty were done free, out of warranty the owner paid (as it was considered a normal service operation). When checked the car received a black paint mark on the edge of the diamond plate. Where new parts were required, a sliding scale operated, with cars two years out of the six month warranty, the cost of repairs was charged to the owner.

The NRMA got involved urging a recall at no cost to the owner. Following the negative publicity, Renault altered the sliding scale to make costs less onerous from the owner, and also covered cars over two years out of warranty, made possible by "slashing our price structure and suffering a loss on the sale of the components". The sliding scale was again updated in 1974 based on increasing component costs, with the technical campaign (as it never became a recall) closed in 1975.

 

[Kim Luck]

The bending wishbones issue was covered by Rod Slater in the lost files. With the cars initially being set up too low, then settling causing the car to ride on the shocker with consequent bending of the wishbone.

Initial advice in early 1973 from Renault Australia was to check the ride height of vehicles; cars in warranty were done free, out of warranty the owner paid (as it was considered a normal service operation). When checked the car received a black paint mark on the edge of the diamond plate. Where new parts were required, a sliding scale operated, with cars two years out of the six month warranty, the cost of repairs was charged to the owner.

The NRMA got involved urging a recall at no cost to the owner. Following the negative publicity, Renault altered the sliding scale to make costs less onerous from the owner, and also covered cars over two years out of warranty, made possible by "slashing our price structure and suffering a loss on the sale of the components". The sliding scale was again updated in 1974 based on increasing component costs, with the technical campaign (as it never became a recall) closed in 1975.

When I and a mate took off in our almost new R16TS's to Darwin from Melbourne at Christmas in 1970 we took precautions to ensure that the cars were set to the absolute maximum allowed ride height by Bill Lorde-Milne at Monaco Autos in Dandenong. The cars weighed in at a weigh-bridge well below maximum GVM. Both cars suffered both front shock absorbers detached from their bottom mounts within several hundred miles of hitting the dirt north of Burke. Because the bump stops were integral inside the shockers, effectively, we had no shockers and no bumps stops.

We ordered shocks at Mt Isa to be picked up at Tennant Creek, but on arrival there we were told they were sent to Darwin. Only another 1000 miles with no shocks! We replaced them in Darwin, and after a wheel alignment headed south via Ayre's Rock and all points further south until by Coober Pedy my LHS lower wishbone fractured and became two pieces. Interesting handling qualities but I had already experienced a similar failure in the early model brand new R16 in a Western Districts Car Club Trial! Some guy who repaired dozers and stuff welded it back up and off we went.

Passing through Adelaide we presented the receptionist at Monroe Wylie with our collection of broken shockers and our compliments. (!##*!) On our return to Melbourne we invoked our warranty claims and everything was fixed up. Except the trauma we had to endure from Broken Hill to Darwin and later to Coober Pedy with broken suspensions. Neither car was fitted with plated lower wishbones back then and the Monroe Wylie people told us that the flexing in the bottom wishbones was what broke the lower shock absorber mountings.

I do have a written record of the whole trip, if anyone thinks they might like it.

 

[geckoeng]

Hi Kim,
I feel for your hardship on your travels. In particular with a new car.

The shocks that were fitted, were they local content shocks (Munroe) ??? Because in ZA all Renaults came out with genuine DeCarbon Renault shocks. And they were always available (at decent prices) from the Renault Spares. I still have one new set of 16TS units in my spares box. I never would use Munroe on my cars in ZA as they were junk, always used Gabriels.

Ray

 

[JohnW]

Hi Kim,
I feel for your hardship on your travels. In particular with a new car.

The shocks that were fitted, were they local content shocks (Munroe) ??? Because in ZA all Renaults came out with genuine DeCarbon Renault shocks. And they were always available (at decent prices) from the Renault Spares. I still have one new set of 16TS units in my spares box. I never would use Munroe on my cars in ZA as they were junk, always used Gabriels.

Ray

I'll stand to be corrected, but I'm pretty sure my father's 1970 16TS came with locally built Monroe shockers from new. They clicked and rattled from new too. His car needed front wishbones too when less than two years old..... Warranty? Can't remember but he found it expensive at the time so partly honoured at most.

Must have been a fun trip Kim!! Ouch.

 

[Simon]

The locally produced Monroe-Wylie shocks fitted from 1970 caused a spike in warranty claims, sometimes with numerous sets being replaced mostly on the basis of noise. By 1972, the early issues appear to have been resolved with minimal claims.

 

[CXVingtCinq]

So, if (when) I need new shocks what is consensus as the best option at the moment.?

 

[Simon]

So, if (when) I need new shocks what is consensus as the best option at the moment.?

At this stage of the game, I'd say whatever you can get. If new or NOS Koni is available, they would be my preference. Otherwise it would be the best ones you can find, and if that is a NOS set of Australian Monroe-Wylies, dated post-1971 it would be those. As apart from the initial poor quality 1970/71 batch , they seem to have had few issues over the life of the 16.

 

[Kim Luck]

Hi Kim,
I feel for your hardship on your travels. In particular with a new car.

The shocks that were fitted, were they local content shocks (Munroe) ??? Because in ZA all Renaults came out with genuine DeCarbon Renault shocks. And they were always available (at decent prices) from the Renault Spares. I still have one new set of 16TS units in my spares box. I never would use Munroe on my cars in ZA as they were junk, always used Gabriels.

Ray

"Passing through Adelaide we presented the receptionist at Monroe Wylie with our collection of broken shockers and our compliments. (!##*!)"

They sure weren't Konis! :wink2:

 

[Kim Luck]

I'll stand to be corrected, but I'm pretty sure my father's 1970 16TS came with locally built Monroe shockers from new. They clicked and rattled from new too. His car needed front wishbones too when less than two years old..... Warranty? Can't remember but he found it expensive at the time so partly honoured at most.

Must have been a fun trip Kim!! Ouch.

Refer my comments above to geckoeng! It was a great trip and we both learned a great technique for crossing spoon drains and cattle grids at speed with no shockers. I still use it on speed humps! :wink2:

 

[furneauxfrogger]

Was that one previously owned by someone called Don in Launceston? I had that car for a few months having bought it off the original owner (I think) before it went to Don a few years ago. I have some photo's of it from my time if you'd like. They guy I bought it from restored it in his garage and had it on blocks for over 20+ years. He was in his 90's by the time he sold it and never got to drive it.

Hi Sarosa, somehow missed this post from you many months ago, sounds like the same car, would love any information, photos etc if the offer still stands !. cheers Marc

 

[120L]

Hi

Is there an active Renault 16 Register?

If so is there a newsletter?

Regards

Alan