Renault 4 in Ireland

ti gui

Hi everyone,
I'm after buying my 2nd r4 and my first restoration project
The r4 is the legend model.
As well as restoring it, I would like to gather as much information on the assembling of renault 4 and others in wexford and why not try to meet some of the ex workers of the plant.
Thanks a lot.
here is the one:

superfly35

Yeah it sounds a very project !!
I really them, so as the 2 cv absolutely myth vehicule.

kasper

wikipedia tells me they were assembled in naas before wxford now i dont believe every thing i read on the net so maybe someone who knows could confirm , sorry for hijacking your thread best of luck with the project had a 1981 legend years ago brilliant car and brilliant sport to drive

mb1725

There's a nice page here from one of the employees in Wexford complete with period pics. http://www.reocities.com/richardirl/produ.htm

mb1725

How 'bout this though? http://www.ukemergency.co.uk/ireland/dscd0588.jpg

Max_Damage

mb1725 wrote: »

There's a nice page here from one of the employees in Wexford complete with period pics. http://www.reocities.com/richardirl/produ.htm

Man, what happened to the Irish car building industry?

AFAIK, we only build Hino trucks on the Naas Road now.

carchaeologist

Max_Damage wrote: »

AFAIK, we only build Hino trucks on the Naas Road now.

They arent even built there though are they? Its just a depot for imports?

I guess this country just got to expensive,pre EU,things were different. when trade markets were opened up,it became hard to be competitive.

Max_Damage

carchaeologist wrote: »

They aren't even built there though are they? Its just a depot for imports?

Passed by there a few weeks ago, and there was a load of bare chassis' and axles all lined up outside. I assumed they were putting them all together in the factory.

RoundyMooney

Never knew they made R4s over here!

I'd imagine the Hinos etc. are waiting for bodies, as in demountable tippers/bottles/hoists/hiabs, that sort of thing. Most of that type of coachbuilding (not the right phrase I know) would be done locally alright.

Look at the next cement lorry you see, it will have a plate on it somewhere in plain view.

G Luxel

I take it that none of those photos are of the Naas or Wexford plant? They must all be photos of Billancourt production.....

andr3w103

i never knew any cars were assembled here

alias no.9

RoundyMooney wrote: »

Never knew they made R4s over here!

I'd imagine the Hinos etc. are waiting for bodies, as in demountable tippers/bottles/hoists/hiabs, that sort of thing. Most of that type of coachbuilding (not the right phrase I know) would be done locally alright.

Look at the next cement lorry you see, it will have a plate on it somewhere in plain view.

They do the assembly of Hinos here alright.

68deville

Back when renaults were assembled in wexford they arrived in plywood
boxes with the logo on them and were used extensively in extensions/roofs/garages!.our first garage was a renault!

Max_Damage

andr3w103 wrote: »

i never knew any cars were assembled here

DeLorean, Shamrock...

Sam Russell

andr3w103 wrote: »

i never knew any cars were assembled here

The first VW Beetles assembled outside Germany were assembled in the old tramsheds in Ballsbridge, where Ballsbridge Motors are now. I]Nextdoor to the old Swastika Laundry - which was renamed Initial Laundry in the 90's iirc[/I

Ford Sierras were built in Ford Cork, which began building tractors before Dagenham started. Dunlop made tyres in Cork. A lot of cars were assembled in Ireland in the fifties and sixties, and even the seventies. It was a trade protection issue, which we had to give up when we joined the EEC, now the EU.

mb1725

Brittains in Dublin assembled the Morris Minors for years and if I remember correctly they took on the Datsun franchise for the 1970s. Chrysler assembled the Avenger and Hunter at the (infamous) Santry plant, now Garda HQ. Frank Cavey & Sons assembled Jaguars from the 1930's in Dublin. Loads of Toyota Starlets and Corollas assembed here in the 1970's mostly for domestic market. Ford assembled the majority of domestic Anglia, Escort, Cortina and latterly Sierra in Cork.

mb1725

Like 68deville's story of the Renault boxes, here's a great tale of the Ford boxes that ended us being used as 'eco-houses' and some still survive! http://www.bikvanderpol.net/DOC/FordBoxInsert.pdf

carchaeologist

Excellent info mb1725.

ti gui

Hi, thanks all for those informations, the search continue...
I love the story of the boxes .
From what I understood the Smith group was running those factories in Wexford and Naas
and sold the license then to Bill Cullen.
Richard website is very interesting but I need more so I keep on searching, I still don't know were my R4 was build.
The restoration has started but it's gone a be long...
Thanks again.

bijapos

ti gui wrote: »

, I still don't know were my R4 was build.

You should be able to find out from the chassis number where the car was built. Someone here might be able to help.

The first letter(s) usually refer to the country where the car was built, after that it may depend on the manufacturer what info they have in the number. Put the chassis number up here (leave out the last 4 digits if you want for security) and someone might be able to tell you something.

bijapos

Yes I know the building you're on about. I've photos of it on my laptop, I'll get them up here on Mon or Tue if you want.

lionela

Max_Damage wrote: »

Man, what happened to the Irish car building industry?

AFAIK, we only build Hino trucks on the Naas Road now.

The Morris Minors and such were assembled in Brittains of Portobello
at the corner of Rathmines and the canal running towards Harold's Cross.

I collected many plywood cases there to build a sheds etc.

A guy in Lad's lane had the contract to take these cases and buyers came from all over the south of Ireland to buy them.

Brittains moved to Walkinstown and continued there for some years.

That facility was eventually a distribution site for Datsun Cars ...and the office part is now a Roller Skate rink bordering on the Long Mile Road.

kev1.3s

one of the last Wexford built r4's belonged to a doctor in Wexford town and is now on display in it's original state in the agricultural museum at Jhonstown Castle.

dutchcat

minis were assembled by reg armstrong in ringsend, peugeots 404 and 504 by gowans in sallynoggin and fiats somewhere in ringsend 127 and 128, citroens were also assembled here by ashurst williams light 15 and ds i think

bijapos

sugarman wrote: »

Was that in Rathmines/Portobello bridge in Dublin? I seem to remember my granda always pointing it out when we'd pass by, it's a bunch of apartment blocks now, but the main entrance & exit arch ways are still there with stained glass over them. Letters printed IN & OUT on each. One's a white arch with an entrace to the apartments, the others a Red arch but was actually converted into a shop. Chiropracter if im not mistaking?

Anyone else know what im talking about?

This is the building
Dublin July 2010 001.JPG

Dublin July 2010 002.JPG

Dublin July 2010 003.JPG

Jack17

Hello. Did you restore your 4L Legend?
J