A Vintage Renault, back on the road

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It is difficult not to regard certain Vintage French saloons with a benevolent curiosity, what with their irregular proportions, boxy composition and lines broken at unexpected angles that make them something like Expressionism on wheels. Gallic engineering is also known for its idiosyncrasies, and the restorer of this 1924 Renault NN was taken in by its unconventional approach to engine cooling, with twin side-mounted radiators.

Discovered in the open air of a dealer’s yard and rapidly deteriorating, the Renault wasn’t yet too far gone to restore but its bodywork suffered heavily in the hands of careless transport contractors – thanks to them, it lost its roof on the motorway. Luckily, its new owner was of a sufficiently robust constitution not to be disheartened, and with the help of various friends and specialists he steamed ahead with the restoration.

From Paris cab work, via wedding service and a lucky escape from the knacker’s yard, to a safe home in the VSCC, this Renault has had an interesting life. Michael Ware tells of its salvation in his Back on the Road series in the October issue of The Automobile, available now.

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