Practically Classics Forum

when was the last time you saw one of these??

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/141893854.htm?ca=18_s

Three days ago, parked up in Hazlerigg village, by Newcastle airport.
It's a beige one on an 'A' plate that the guy's had since new. Never restored, just carefully looked after, the car is still in daily use.

Sorry Rich, I don't suppose that's the answer you were after.

I know that they're becoming pretty uncommon, especially outside the Renault Owners' Club event circuit, of that there can be no doubt. What about survivors over there? Surely you'll be falling over at least one on every street corner.

Not for ages; I don't think I've seen one at any events. I reckon it's more rare than a Mk 1 VW Scirocco and that's going some. I saw a Renault 18 within the last year.

I think it's entering the era of the '80s car (I seem to remember the Fuego coming in around 1979; may well have a broshure somewhere), which are more difficult to restore and for which the parts are like hens' teeth. I don't know when Iast saw a Mk 2 Cavalier; I mention this because they were one to be seen everywhere and because I wandered round a kind of antiques market this week and one of the stalls had, amongst other things, a boxed model of a Mk 2 Cavalier.

Most models have very low survival rates, when it comes to classic cars but I think the rates will decline still further. I think the Morris Minor has survived to the tune of 2 1/2% of production, which is high for a mass produced car. I think one of the highest has to be H.R.G., where of the 241 cars built, I believe about 225 are still in existence.

I reckon that another of the highest surviving percentage of cars from an original production run has to be the lovely Gordon-Keeble, quantity built: 100, quantity known to have survived: more than 90.


Mmmm....


Of course, if it's mass-produced cars of an altogether more prosaic nature that you want, then almost 60% of K10 Micras built are still around, as against < 5% of miniMETROs and Metros from the same period. (figure was current as of November, 2009. Source, the VOSA MOT database, so there could be quite a few more of both cars stashed away awaiting the coming of the '80s and '90s nostalgia boom).
I'd sooner have a Keeble myself, but that's probably just a matter of taste and the fact that the K10's CVT isn't as nice as the real autobox of the GK.

everyday, chap opposite me has one

There's your trouble, Rich: The remaining Fuégos have both migrated to the UK.

If it's any consolation, I was directly responsible for doing the kindest possible thing to one rotting example when, back in the mid '80s I converted my R12 Estate to strut front suspension using the dead Fuégo's parts. I was going to have its seats too, but they were rubbish for anyone who hadn't been blessed with a really skinny backside so they probably ended up crushed with the rest of the 'orrid thing.

At the risk of incurring the wrath of the entire Renault Owners Club; I also took the engine from a 17 Gordini and the 5-speed gearbox from an early Trafic van to complete the transformation of the 12 from wallowing, slow French load lugger to slightly less wallowing, scarily rapid French load lugger with true 112mph potential. At least that was what it said on the speeding ticket I picked up with the thing on the A58 in 1986.

Theres one Fuego and one Fuego Turbo that I know of within two miles of my house. The Turbo belongs to a Renault nut who races an R8 Gordini replica.

Cheers,

All I got was a notice telling me: "Cette annonce est désactivée".....

TriumphDriver wrote:All I got was a notice telling me: "Cette annonce est désactivée".....

Same here.....

Must have been sold. For anyone who didn't look at the ad before that happened; it was a Fuégo Turbo in the obligatory silver, with no apparent rotten bits and in a pretty tidy condition.

But the steering wheel appeared to be on the wrong side.