Renault 1929 RY1 Monasix

3 minute(s) of a 217 minute read

Hello Roger

Good to hear from you.

Unfortunately Helen is usually too busy to help, I make do with my own meagre French and the help of "Google Translate". One step forward is the purchase of a dismantled Monasix engine (or most of one) from a Renault enthusiast in New Zealand.

3-3-2015

Roger, You are quite correct about the Google translations. I usually try to run them back into English so I can correct some of the mistakes. As you are probably aware the French are not very forgiving and generally they do not approve people making mistakes in their language. 

At least some appreciate that I at least try.

It makes restoring a total basket case difficult when they have most of the world's supply of Renault spares tied up. Slowly bit by bit I will get there.

Bernie j.

Hello Fossoyeur

What a pleasant surprise to see you here. A very different Forum from the R.A.G. As you can see I cast my net widely but unfortunate for me the fishing has been poor lately. As you must be aware I have not had a great deal of luck looking for parts for my little Renault. At times I do really do dispair. One of my problems is that I have always believed that in motorcars as in fish, the little ones are sweeter.

Bernie j.

2-4-2015

Looking at the Renault d'Avant Guerre (Renault before the War) Forum it tells me that out of some 14780 RY Monasix cars produced only 104 or 105 counting mine have survived. Slightly less than ONE PERCENT, surely one of the worst survilal rates of any volume produced pre-1930 car! No wonder I am having trouble finding parts, especially in Australia where the number of cars sold new could probably have been counted on the fingers of one hand. Strange and unconvential they may have been but that can only be part of the story. I wonder how they fared in the USA, is there anyone who owns a 1927-30 Renault RY Monasix reading this?

Bj.

2-6-2015

Don't worry Terry,

The slience in the US is only marginally less than that in the UK, Australia or even France. After almost six months of bombarding the airwaves I have got pretty much the same response almost everywhere I look. Perhaps I need to change the brand of toothpaste or de-odorant I use. Only in France I do manage to get some response as my friend "Fossoyeur" will confirm. If you are wondering about that name, all you need to do is to type it into Google Translate (French to English). I am not going to tell you, you will have to find out for yourselves.

Ssssh!

Bj.

Me again.

By contrast my other car, the 1934 Lagonda Rapier with a total production of less than 400 probably has the best survival rate of all single model cars made in the 1930s. Also by contrast it is a technically sophisticated 1100cc four cylinder twin overhead cam engine designed to rev to 6,000 rpm. Some time soon the Rapier's odometer will register 100,000 miles since I restored it in 1979. 

Bj.

Now back to the Renault........