Renault 1929 RY1 Monasix

6 minute(s) of a 217 minute read

Please do not be alarmed. I am currently attempting to de-clutter not only from this thread but my life in general. I have started to remove as far as possible anything not related to the Renault project. This clear out is not restricted to just this thread.

The attached photograph shows several years of Car Club Newsletters that have been taking up shelf space for far too long. They are to go to the VSCC Library and those not required can go to be recycled as waste paper.

Bj.

2-22-2016

One of the regular visitors to my thread on the RAG Forum wrote:-

Bernie on lit vos sujets. Mais ce qui n’est pas facile il me semble, c’est de suivre les restaurations de plusieurs parties différentes à la fois! This translates to something like :-

Bernie one reads your subjects. But what is not easy it seems to me, is to follow the restorations of several different parts at the same time!

I have sent the following reply; Translated of course into my best school boy French:-

While I can sympathise with you, please spare a thought for me. I am now approaching my 80th Birthday. I learnt French at school for one year about 65 years ago. Living in Australia, on the other side of the world, the opportunity to speak French is very limited. In recent times 4 to 6 weeks holiday every five years. And yet both my wife and I both love France and most things French. For instance I drive a 1996 Peugeot .

When I bought the Renault it was totally dismantled and in terrible condition with parts located in three separate sheds/barns. I was told by the person selling it, that it was a 1925 NN.This was because the only engine that came with it was a small 4 cylinder.(950cc) It was only after a great deal of research that I have been able to establish exactly what year and model my car is, even then it was not until I had managed to remove the vandal damaged “Lozenge”*(the Renault Diamond shaped logo) from the remains of the dashboard that I could positively say what exact model my car was. The remains of a RY1 Monasix.

Finding parts for any1929 RY1 Renault, as you may be aware, is extremely difficult. So far I have been unable to find any evidence to say that any others even came to Australia. It must be confusing for you as it is for me but rather than simply give up when I strike a problem with one thing i.e. the brake servo. I put that aside in the hope that the parts required will eventually turn-up and proceed to work on the next thing i.e. the engine.

As you are also probably aware I have attempted to sell my Renault, even to give it away, It seems that because Renaults are so badly regarded among Vintage Car Enthusiasts that no one wants it. Not even as a gift!

It has been suggested that I forget about trying to find the correct parts and simply install an Ford Model A engine and gearbox. This is something that I am not prepared to do.

So where do I find the parts I need to complete the car? Ideally I should take an aeroplane and fly to France then spend six to 12 Months driving around visiting all the members of the RAG Forum, Going to Depanoto and somehow find my way into their sheds, visit everyone who may possibly have an old Renault in their garage or barn. 12 months would probably not be long enough time.

It had seemed to me that my most likely source of parts or information leading me to likely sources would be the RAG Forum but quite apparently, this not so or at least not for “outsiders!”

*The details of year, model and chassis number are cleverly hidden at the back of this dashboard plate. The only thing that I am now absolutely sure of is that the car I am attempting to restore is or was a 1929 Renault RYI Monasix or Monastella.

N.B. The RY1 model was built for one year, 1929. Production:-9,090.

Yet once again I have to ask myself why am I doing it?

2-23-2016

Quote

"12 months would probably not be long enough time"

Much mor likely a lifetime, something that I simply do not have.

.............................................

I have now spent well over $20,000 and all I have is a pile of useless junk, five excellent wheels with new rims, five as new tires, five new reproduction hub caps and 20 new chrome wheel nuts and some sundry other parts brought a enormous expense from France. It may just be possible to transfer the new boat tail two seater body to something else but who would want it? I cannot even give it away!

As the French are prone to say in these situations:- MERDE!

2-25-2016

I think that my patience has finally run out with the Renault.

I have just placed an advertisement for it on Prewarcar

UK£4,500 that is about US$8,750.oo surely a bargain for someone with steady nerves.

I will even help with packing it up for shipping.

Bj

Going way back to day one I can only think that I have made a serious error of judgement. I can only think that IF I had gone down the Rover path it would almost be finished by now. I would have not had the language difficulties and I would not have had to deal with any of the almost insurmountable problens the Renault has brought along. I know that I have to be prepared to loose a bundle but that is something that only I can deal with. It has happened before and it is just one of the hazzards of playing with antique automobiles. Anyone thinking of buying the Renault can be assured I have solved virtually all the problems it is just that I have fallen out of love with it.

Bj

2-29-2016

If you could believe the advertising everybody should want one. This advert from 1926 a year before the Monasix was introduced.

Bj

3-2-2016

Perhaps something more like this 1906 Renault.

Bj