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©Troy Family publications 2001-24 All rights reserved
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Updated every 3 months . Last update Jan 2024
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Jersey |
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March 24 |
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Website administrator Maurice R. Troy |
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If you have any comments you would like to add about anything on this website please contact the website administrator.
maurice@troyfamily.co.uk |
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Website administrator Maurice R. Troy |
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A beautiful Classic car |
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My 2024 restorations here www.troyfamily.co.nz |
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My Renault Floride Classic cars.
My love of the Renault Floride began where I was born and grew up all my life on the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands. It was 1964 when I first saw a 1960 Renault Floride that was for sale at Bel Royal Motors which happened to be the only one on Jersey at the time. I bought the car for £395 and have loved the Floride’s ever since.
There were only 49,716 Renault Floride’s ever produced and only a fraction of them were RHD. The total production of Floride/Caravelle (type R) beginning frequency with (1092) in March of 1959 through to the 1131 (February 1962) and to the 1133 (beginning in June 1963) was 117,113 cars. Of that number 33,171 were 1131 and 34,226 were 1133 cars. The last 3000 cars produced had seat belts, tachometers and Weber carburettors as standard equipment. Production ceased in 1968. Only the Floride had side air intakes. 49,716 Floride’s produced ( type R1092) 67,397 Caravelle’s produced ( type R1131, R1133 )
Total of 117,113 worldwide
My Renault Floride’s (Type 1092) were built at Ile Seguin ( Seguin island on the Seine near Billancourt Paris).
Below is my 1960 and 1961 Floride’s restored to original perfection
My 1960 Renault Floride (new registration plate JSY NZ) was purchased from Mr P. Carney through Kelvin Jones Motorsport Ltd, Liverpool, England UK also in 2016. It was completely original, UK registered and partially restored. Five owners since new and had been in the same Carney family for the last 26 years. The car was complete but badly needed restoration.
Original UK advert for car. 1960 Renault Floride 845cc, Very Rare RHD Floride UK registered car. Full history file with MOT’s from 1966 to date, the same family for the last 26 years. Has its original brown log book, hand book etc. included. Some recent UK work had been started in preparation for the MOT. The car has original hard top. This car has been dry stored for the last 15 years and after mechanical work for the MOT it should be ready for a new family. It needs some TLC to make 100%, paint, a new hood and re chrome work. The interior is totally original. I shipped it to New Zealand in May 2016 a month after the identical one from Australia. Joe at McCullough Shipping arranged complete transportation from Liverpool UK to Noel at Nostalgia Motors NZ where I was advised that after inspection it was found to have a badly rusted chassis and needed quite a lot of work to be compliant for New Zealand. Noel at Nostalgia Motors began some work on the car but was too busy to do the rust. I arranged for the car to go to Kevin Gawne at Alexandra Auto body Fabrication Ltd and decided to embark on a complete nut and bolt restoration rather than just what was needed for compliance. During 2017 the car was completely stripped and all the chassis and body was restored to a high standard by Graham Meanie of Alexandra Auto body Fabrication under the guidance of NZ certifier Barry Robertson. Mechanical work was done on the engine by Steve at Sticky Motors and Kevin at Alexandra Motors went completely through all the running gear. Although a little of work had been done in the UK there were still bushes, bearings, radiator etc. that had to be done. I sourced parts from Jacques Renault Parts USA. The Gearbox was stripped by Brian at Rocket Transmission and the chipped first gear cog was repaired by Dualloy Gears in Christchurch. New gearbox bearings were fitted at the same time as a precaution. The gearbox is the same that was in the Cooper Climax Racing cars that Jack Brabham and Bruce Mclaren used to drive. The chassis was now structurally sound and the complete body was dipped in acid at Kiwi Metal Polishers in Rotoroa. Then it was off to Winton Mitchell at Waipa Auto Refinishing & Restoration Ltd for a complete two coat respray in the original colours Kilimanjaro white and Trinidad red. A special coating for the underneath was done and again for the inside floor and interior. The car was returned to Kevin and Graham at Alexandra Auto body Fabrication Ltd for the rebuild. Everything done is listed with photos and costs by me if anyone wishes to see. Now the worst bit was to come and that is the NZTA Compliance and registering of my vehicle. My Renault was finally finished and went back for compliance at Nostalgia Motors but NZTA said the ‘8’ in my chassis number looks like an ‘S’ so I had to send loads of my original paper work to their NZTA head office to query it as they say it does not match the historical records of the car. On the 1960’s Renaults Floride’s the chassis number is cut out of a thin tin foil plate riveted to the body and it is obvious that if a complete 8 was cut the number would fall out; hence it happens to look like an ‘S’. All my 58 year old paper work including the original brown UK log book, UK V5 form, past UK MOT's, shipping, customs UK and NZ, MAF etc. shows it as an ‘8’. When the car arrived in 2016 as stated above the compliance garage ( Nostalgia Motors) that had it for testing used the chassis number of my identical compliant previous registered Renault that had arrived the month before by mistake, charged me but did not register the arrival of this second Floride on the NZTA government system. It failed at the time because of rust etc. Now because it was not recorded at that time the NZTA wanted to make sure there was no fraud taking place. Alexandra’s own NZTA compliance certifier Barry Robinson had checked and advised on my car periodically as work progressed all through the restoration. NZTA said they would not examine the car for compliance until the paper work was done and I had to pay $184 an hour first to their head office for them to approve my chassis number. I did research and provide a lot of evidence to them and it was common sense really and caused a lot of delay and worry. I looked at the classic Renault Floride chassis numbers on line and none have a letter in their chassis number, there were only 49,716 Floride’s ever made of type 1092. It was not until I contacted Renault Head Office in France and they instructed the Renault NZ manager to arrange an official letter for me to give to NZTA as evidence from the Renault Asia-Pacific Service manager in Hong Kong that it was accepted. See below
Renault Asia Pacific Limited 28-30/F, Hopewel l Centre, 1 8 3 Qu e e n ’ s Ro a d East, Wan Chai , Hong Kong Phone: +852 3948 0005 – www.group.renaul t .com 183 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
4th July 2018
For the attention of NZ Transport Agency
Subject: Chassis Number Renault Floride 0021782
Dear Sir or Madame, This letter certifies that Renault Floride vehicle (Type R1092) chassis numbers do not contain letters, and only contain numbers. Due to the age of the car, some numbers may appear like letter especially the number 8.
Samuel Choukroun Area Service Manager Renault Asia-Pacific
I immediately emailed this letter to the NZTA and the next morning received approval to take my car back in for compliance testing. It went for compliance during July 2018 but failed as the brand new original Renault sun visors I brought were too stiff, one wheel bearing slightly worn, one king pin with slight movement, headlights slightly too low, indicators flash quicker one side than the other, have to change the new brake pipes that are fitted as they must not be braded, certification certificate needed from the professional NZ brake shoe suppliers who did my brakes and diameter of brake drums specification required. Went back again for the compliance check on August 1st 2018 I was told it had passed when I went in to sign the LVV (low volume vehicle) certificate for the seat belts but next day NZTA inspector told me it had not passed because the brake drums were 2mm out of specification as shown in my original workshop manual I provided. They wanted me to find some new brake drums but I asked if they would check on my previous identical compliant Floride they had previously passed to see what measurement that had. They were not aware they had passed my other identical car. The next day I received a phone call from Nostalgia to say it was now fully compliant and did not need new brake drums. On this car (but not the other) they have also etched the VIN number on the back window of my hard top which is annoying and I feel might cause a problem if I put the wrong top on the other car as they are exactly the same colour, identical and interchangeable. They did it because they thought it was a saloon and did not notice it was a convertible when inspecting. When I received the new NZ registration certificate it showed it as a saloon which it is not so I contacted NZTA directly and they issued a new certificate for me. Renault Floride’s never had seat belts from new but vehicles after 1955 have to have seat belts fitted in NZ so being a convertible I decided to pay and have new red lap belts fitted. I was not aware of the extra compliance $780 NZTA charge to allow this decision till they were inspected . The previous car had three point belts fitted and no charge from NZTA for them. However it passed and after a engine tune up by me it is finally finished. The car is registered and insured for the road and looks beautiful.
I have had made a new Floride soft top in France which is was fitted Feb 2021 .
My 1961 Renault Floride was purchased from the Gosford Motor Museum in Sydney Australia in 2016 a few months before it's grand opening. Unfortunately in 2019 it closed down. The car had a full concourse restoration around 2012 to original specifications and was fully compliant for the roads in Australia at the time of purchase. I shipped it to New Zealand in April 2016 using McCullough shipping where they arranged it to be delivered to Nostalgia Motors for compliance. Even though it was in concourse condition and registered for the roads in Australia a few things had to be done on the car to comply in New Zealand. I had just missed buying it in Feb 2016 as I saw the advert one week too late and contacted the seller who told me a new soon to open Sydney motor museum had bought it. I contacted the museum and negotiated with them for a price they would accept and paid quite bit more for them to reluctantly sell it to me. I have all the restoration photos, record of all work done and complete costs for this car. In April 2017 this car won People’s Choice at the TAMVEG car show at Albert Park, Te Awamutu. It is a beautiful car.
My latest 1959 Renault Floride was purchased in March 2021 in NZ. Dry stored since 1991 it will be a classic EV restoration which has now just started in 2024.
My UK restorations are on my other website Troyfamily.co.uk
I am a member of the Waikato Veteran and Vintage car Club of NZ and the Hamilton Vintage and Classic Car Club.
Still problems with NZTA warrant of fitness (WoF) on the next page |
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The Renault Floride design is beautiful.
Some of the 1958 design was allegedly copied and used on the MGB headlights and the Ford Mustang body.
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Restoration costs are far more than the cars are worth but well worth it.
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This is me n 1965 and in 2021 |
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My 1960 Renault Floride taken 1965 in Jersey, Channel Islands. |
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Costs
My 1961 Renault Floride
I shipped it to New Zealand from Australia in April 2016
Car purchase price $47,794.89 (Australian $42,500)
Shipping and Customs $11,178.73
Three payments made to Nostalgia Motors and NZTA for compliance certificate required for NZ
First $ 2,372.44 then $103.50 and finally $ 2,973.60
Reg Plate NZ JSY $ 1,049, 00
Registration $ 106.08
Total paid $65,578.24
Costs.
My 1960 Renault Floride I shipped it to New Zealand from Liverpool UK in May 2016.
Purchase price $16,000
Reg plate JSY NZ $944.09
Joe at McClough shipping from UK . Customs etc. $7,442.51
Kevin and Graham at Alexandra Auto body Fabrication Ltd (Includes Kiwi Metal Polishers Rotoroa $2,600 for acid dipping and Barry Robinson compliance checking/advice $495) $60,897.14
Winton Mitchell at Waipa Auto Refinishing & Restoration Ltd. Spray painting $15,869.29
Steve at Sticky Motors Ltd $1,427.73
Brian at Rocket Transmissions Ltd $1,505.46 (Includes Dualloy Gears, Christchurch)
Malcolm at Master Trim Ltd $760
Jacques/Renault Parts USA (Ordered and posted to me) $823.77
Paul Wilson Towing $260
NZTA (chassis number explanation) $184 per hour
Noel at Nostalgia Motors (compliance test) $657.80 + $490 + $785 =$1,932.80
Additional cost since Feb 2018 below
Misc bits by me= $250 Petrol tank/gauge= $200
20th Aug 2019 Der Franzose Germany parts =$278.60 16th Feb 2020 Der Franzose Germany parts =$243.19 24th Aug 2020 Der Franzose Germany engine parts =$1839.21 28th Oct 2010 Der Franzose Germany parts = $464.00
22nd Oct 2019 Brian at Leamington Auto Ltd new 6v Battery = $313.04
27th Nov 2019 Jeff’s Auto Trim I purchased new soft top from France $957.19+15.71+9= $981.90 15th Feb 2021 (this was the last thing to be done) Fitting of soft top hood in Jan/Feb 2021 $1,776.75
19th March 2020 Rocket Transmissions gearbox sleeve to be housed $398.30
Nov 2020 Edward Engneering Ltd. Pump plate $45
10th Dec 2020 Motor Preparations for Engine rebuild $5,268.33
Total so far for Renault $121,952.91
Restoration Completed Feb 10th 2021
My 3rd Renault Floride Rego CO6675 About to start Will be an EV |
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Decided to have a complete engine rebuild Feb 2020. New wet liners, pistons, valves, oil and water pumps etc. Ordered all parts from Germany Feb 2020 but because of Covid 19 did not received them till Oct. Motor Preparations Ltd completed the rebuild in Nov and car finished for Christmas. Just the soft top to finish.
Complete restoration finished 2021 |
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In New Zealand at $70 each a Warrant of fitness WOF (like the MOT) inspection has to be done every six months on all my classic cars regardless of mileage. Even if not used.
Go to next page link. |
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Example of numbers cut in thin aluminum. The 8 is bound to look like an S and caused a lot of problems. |
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Two of my fully restored Renaults |
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My Renault Florides page 1 |
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Dipped in acid |
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My MG youtube video |