Renault 1929 RY1 Monasix

5 minute(s) of a 217 minute read

Reluctant to be doing too much outside in 35-40 degree C heat I have been doing some more research on the RAG Forum. I have managed to prove (to myself) that my Renault was/is a Monastella the up-market version of the RY1 model. The brake servo being the main(mechanical)difference any other changes being cosmetic. Looking into the list of known surviving cars, these show just two other known surviving 1929 Monastella. The gallery of mainly pre-WW2 photographs show three or four other 1929 cars fitted with the tell-tale Stella (star) on the front of the bonnet(hood). It also confirms that 1929 was the final year of the rear mounted radiator and the Monastella of that year the only model to use the particular "servo" as fitted to my car. There must have been several of these cars broken up in France over the post war years but the chances of finding the servo parts that I require must be very slim. For anybody living outside France and unable to speak fluent French the possibility is even further reduced to very near nil. Right now, for me, the cost of a return air fare from Australia to France is totally prohibitive. The way the servo brake system is set up, to attempt to drive the car with the servo made in-operative would be similar to driving a modern car with power brakes/steering with the engine turned off!

Do I stop the project now and scrap the car or do I go on working, spending more time and money on it in the hope that something may turn up ?????????????

Looking at the attached illustration from the Renault 1929 Monastella hand book I am completely baffled as to how the servo could work. Pressing on the foot brake pedal exerts pull on the chain but as it is shown with equal pull applied to both ends of the chain. Oops, sorry pressing on the pedal allows the chain to go slack. The more you depress the pedal the slacker the chain becomes!

Can anyone offer an explanation?

1-17-2016

Hello Joe

Good to hear from you and have your input. I am trying to find a drawing for the next years version. It has a small clutch engaged by a screw arrangement activated by one of the levers that are missing from my car.

I seem to offended the entire RAG Forum as I get absolutely no replies to any of my pleas for parts/information. I cannot believe this is just because of my bad French.

At least one looks in here from time to time. I had thought that he was a friend but even he simply ignores all my e-mails. Unfortunately the British Renault Freres Club (I am a member UK£20 per year)are mainly interested in the early pre 1920 cars and while they have sent me some useful(Handbook)material none of their members own a 1929 Monasix/stella. Unfortunately none of the drawings are sufficiently explicit to enable me to make the missing parts.

The other problem that has just raised its ugly head is that the holes in the cylinder block for the valve guides are different in as much that the exhaust valve guides have an o/d about 1mm larger diam that the inlet. Having bought 12 new valves and guides I can now throw half of the guides in the scrap bin and start making some new ones. The thought that they would be different had not even entered my head until I started to install the new ones.

I can understand why I did not have any takers when I offered to GIVE it (the Renault) to anyone who would take it away. I have probably spent well over $20,000 so far and I am silly enough not to be ready to scrap the whole project.

The way it is going I can see the cost of the finished "restoration" being around $150,000 and then still not being unable to sell it for even a tiny fraction of that.

Who said "You do not have to be mad" ?

Bj

The details of the schematics would be helpful.

Thank you Stude 17, There would not be a problem if I could only find some drawings even a little better than the rather confusing hand book illustrations I have. At least then I could discover what and how much is missing.

Bj

1-18-2016

Hello Spinneyhill

There are a number of 1920s Renaults in New Zealand do you happen to know any of the owners?

It is quite possible that Louis Renault took out patents on all his "inventions",

I have no idea how you would find your way through the French Patents office.

Bj