Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 17

Thread: Renault Floride/Caravelle

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Rozenburg, Holland
    Posts
    27,329

    Renault Floride/Caravelle

    Renault Floride/Caravelle

    On the basis of the rather dull Renault Dauphine Pietro Frua designed a 2+2 Cabriolet and production (by Birssonneaux & Lotz) started in 1959. The engine used was the Gordini variant of the Dauphine, with 845 cc and 38 BHP. In1962 the 1108 cc engine from the new Renault 8 also became available, which, in the final 1100S shape, gave 52 BHP, and turned the car into a decent performer.

    In the USA the car was launched as the Caravelle, a name that was taken over for Europe for all models built in 1963 and onwards. Body styles included a cabriolet and a coupe, which was sold at the same price as the cabriolet inclusive of a hardtop.

    For me this is this quintessential hair-dressers car, as I hitchiked in one over various Alpine passes, until the car broke down, after the driver (a hairdresser) had forgotten to switch to fourth gear on the flat parts and kept driving on giving throttle in third. The view from the open car over the mountains was unforgettable though.

    Just over 180,000 cars were made when production ended in 1968.

    Shown is an example taken at Zolder in 2003 and another one that was shown at the Frua celebration during the 2003 Concours d’Europe at Schwetzingen.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    "I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting, but it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously." Douglas Adams

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Germany -> West Germany -> NRW -> Düsseldorf
    Posts
    3,006
    Two more, pictured at the "2000km durch Deutschland" in Nordkirchen/Germany
    Attached Images Attached Images
    WRC - That's motorsport!

    "If you can see the tree you are about to hit, it is called 'understeering'. If you can only hear and feel it, it was 'oversteering'."
    Walter Röhrl

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Eindhoven, The Netherlands
    Posts
    7,833
    I like that car. ... My uncle owns one of those. It is a nice litlle car.However he told me a nice story about it. He once had to jack it up in the middle.the car was about ten centimeters of the floor.It had so much body flex that the centre of the body was off the floor, but the wheels still just touched the floor.imagine something like this:
    __..--..__
    ---------- for the rest i think he really enjoys touring in it (when the weather is dry offcourse)

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Porto - Portugal
    Posts
    5,593
    2 more
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by McReis; 11-14-2005 at 05:01 AM.
    Money can't buy you friends, but you do get a better class of enemy.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Rozenburg, Holland
    Posts
    27,329
    with a wealth of oddballs in the background...
    "I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting, but it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously." Douglas Adams

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Posts
    4,688
    Renault Caravelle/Floride
    Attached Images Attached Images

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Netherlands
    Posts
    67
    That's right drakkie, all convertibles suffer from structural weakness to some extend as they miss a roof to keep it all together

    Unfortunatly the Floride (yes , I am drakkies uncle) suffers from this rather badly and rattles quite a lot when driving
    Actually the workshop manual states that it is not allowed to jack it up on four points at one time .
    On a lot of older convertibles , and even on some modern ones , with monocoque bodies you will see the seems of the doors widen when being jacked up this way

    Advice here : keep the doors shut when jacking up the car !

    Nevertheless it is a great car which I took on rallies from Amsterdam to Moskou when it was still a communist country and I took it also coast to coast via route 66 in America without real problems

    I wouldn't want to miss my Floride for the world:
    This picture was taken on the old Reims circuit:

    Last edited by Sei cilindri; 11-16-2005 at 02:01 AM.
    www.classicpassion.nl

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Porto - Portugal
    Posts
    5,593
    Those must have been fantastic experiences! A french elegant car crossing the most american of all roads, seems like a scene taken out of a movie.
    That photo at Reims circuit is great.
    Money can't buy you friends, but you do get a better class of enemy.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Netherlands
    Posts
    67
    great place to pay a visit and relive the atmospere of those days

    BTW here are two more pictures, first one was taken on Route 66 and the other one obviously in front of the red squire in Moskou



    www.classicpassion.nl

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Moscow, Russia
    Posts
    3,545
    Quote Originally Posted by Sei cilindri View Post
    great place to pay a visit and relive the atmospere of those days

    BTW here are two more pictures, first one was taken on Route 66 and the other one obviously in front of the red squire in Moskou
    What event was there in Moscow? And when?

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Eindhoven, The Netherlands
    Posts
    7,833
    Quote Originally Posted by faksta View Post
    What event was there in Moscow? And when?
    It was a rally (Amsterdam - Moscow) with classic car enthusiast in which my uncle(SeiCilindri) took part. As far as I know it was somewhere in the late eighties !

    I'd loved to have taken part too as I heard quite some nice stories about it

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Moscow, Russia
    Posts
    3,545
    Amazing=) In eighties..wow! I though the photo was made in mid-nineties...

    Hey, as far as i know, you always can take a part in our oldtimer rallies. The closest to a date will be the Golden Ring 2007 - starts at this Saturday (July 7, 2007) on the Red Square. I'll be there for sure to take some photos. Though the entrants list should be already formed, but the foreign enthusiasts for another events are welcome here, I think=)

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Eindhoven, The Netherlands
    Posts
    7,833
    Quote Originally Posted by faksta View Post
    Amazing=) In eighties..wow! I though the photo was made in mid-nineties...

    Hey, as far as i know, you always can take a part in our oldtimer rallies. The closest to a date will be the Golden Ring 2007 - starts at this Saturday (July 7, 2007) on the Red Square. I'll be there for sure to take some photos. Though the entrants list should be already formed, but the foreign enthusiasts for another events are welcome here, I think=)
    The will is present, but the classic is still lacking After I finished university I am sure i will find something nice to drive for the weekends

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Moscow, Russia
    Posts
    3,545
    AAhh..I see..the same problem And what about uncle's Renault?

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Eindhoven, The Netherlands
    Posts
    7,833
    Quote Originally Posted by faksta View Post
    AAhh..I see..the same problem And what about uncle's Renault?
    Time for the charm offensive to begin

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Renault 5 1972-1996 (Projet 122/140)
    By Matt in forum Matt's Hi-Res Hide-Out
    Replies: 40
    Last Post: 01-11-2021, 11:20 PM
  2. Hide-Out Index
    By Sauc3 in forum Matt's Hi-Res Hide-Out
    Replies: 59
    Last Post: 06-20-2008, 02:43 AM
  3. Groub B Rally Cars
    By Cotterik in forum Multimedia
    Replies: 60
    Last Post: 06-07-2006, 07:42 AM
  4. Replies: 8
    Last Post: 07-12-2004, 02:00 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •