Here is a car you don’t see anymore and some people would argue that is a good thing. Few people loved these Renaults, but we like this one. This 1971 Renault R-10 had been in dry storage for over 30 years before being pulled out and gone through. It is located in Austin, Texas and is listed for sale here on eBay.
The R-10 was the R-8’s big brother. The engine was still out back, but there was a little more room available. The styling may not be beautiful, but there is no denying that it is unique. The best aspect of this particular R-10 is that fact that it is still wearing its original paint and appears to have very little rust.
Here is the one problem area that the seller mentions. Obviously a previous owner attempted to treat some corrosion in the trunk with a rattle can job. It doesn’t bother us too much because the rubber mat covers most of it, but we would probably want to redo it just to make sure the tin worm is under control.
This inline-four was also used in Renualt’s Caravelle. It didn’t put out much power, but luckily it was enlarged to 1289cc in 1970, so there should be a little more pep. The seller already replaced all the seals, fuel tank, and coolant hoses. They also rebuilt the brakes and replaced the tires. The electronic ignition and weber carb are also welcomed improvements.
Things are claimed to be original inside too. Well, except for that manual transmission stalk sticking out of the floor. This car was once equipped with an automatic, but its failure was the reason it was parked back in the seventies. It has since been swapped out with a manual gearbox. We approve this modification because it should make this car much more exciting to drive. It’s not for everyone, but if you want something different, we don’t think you could go wrong with this Renault.
I love this thing! My buddy had a 69, back in 73. We beat the hell out of that thing and it came back for more. Too bad its so far from me!
I had 3 of these from high school through college. They had no power but were economical and incredibly comfortable. The storage space up front was huge. If I got a second date after picking a girl up in this thing I knew she was serious!
A friend of mine had one of these in High School – and like the above post he beat the hell out of it. One time cruising on a two lane highway in Oregon with 3 of us in the car he stopped and since the e-brake only worked on one side he revved it up, popped the clutch and got one rear tire smoking while standing still. An R10 doing a burn-out is not something many will see in a lifetime!
Any chance you went to JCHS?
My friend lived in Sherwood Oregon – SW of Portland on the way to McMinville. The above was actually during summer when I was visiting from NorCal.
I can’t remember the last time I saw one of these. Their where several odd cars that when you looked at them you would never think that they would have such smooth rides & spacious interiors, this was one & I had an Austin America , 3 cyl.Saabs, Peugeot’s & of course Citroen’s.
I vividly remember this ad campaign. The Renault for people who swore they’d never buy another. Renault, the manufacturer who entered the U.S. market in the 1950’s. 60’s 70’s and 80’s going so far as to buy AMC to get their dealer body and all four times left with their lousy quality tails between their legs. http://www.justacargeek.com/2011/03/1963-renault-dauphine.html
what a nice car. great find. don’t know if i would want to own one but i would love to rent one to drive down and back on Skyline Drive. because we had a strong dealer in our area in the 60’s/ early 70’s there were a lot of renaults around, some of which were r8 and r10. had a lot of fun trying to beat them at the drag strip and autocross with a bug or two.
My dad had one of these back in the early ’70’s. It wasn’t much to look at, but it had INCREDIBLY comfortable seats and rode and drove very well!
My parents bought one new in ’68 and replaced in ’70 with an emerald green one. We took a trip from Michigan to Arizona and back in the first one in ’70 just after getting my driver’s license. They let me drive much of the time. Crosswinds between mountains nearly blew us out of our lane each time, but it sure kept the drive interesting! The newer one had more power, plus an AM/FM radio this time which really pleased this teenager. Fond memories! :)
i’m looking to buy an r10. if anyone knows one for sale please let me know
Early 1970s. There was one of these behind the Husky Gas Station on Notre Dame Avenue and Garfield Street. Some vandals set it on fire; the burned out hulk sat there for years.
I had two of them in the mid-70’s, a ’68 with the “Coke machine” automatic,and a ’69 with the 4-speed. I spent a lot of weekends fixing them. I loved the way it handled on twisty country roads. Back then, the speed limit on the highways was 55 mph, but that car could go 55 on any road. The 40% front/60% rear weight bias meant it oversteered, a lot. It actually seemed to pivot at a point between the front seats, which were very comfortable. Once you got used to how it cornered, you could corner pretty fast.