INTRODUCTION
Renault 16 Club Tilburg.

SPARE PARTS
Renault 16 in pieces.

REPAIR MANUALS

TESTS & TEC-SPEC'S
The facts.

HISTORY
Development and changes.

COLLECTORS' ITEMS

PICTURES

GALLERY

CONTEMPORARY RENAULTS
These were successful too

FORUM
Any questions?


LINKS
For relevant and updated info.


CONTACT

BUY PARTS
Mail Geert



 

 


Fittings and furniture

The various permutations of seating you can work out in the Renault cope with virtually any combination of persons, luggage and live stock though the car is basically a four seater with room for a fifth in the back. Arranged normally, everybody has plenty of legroom and 12.6 cu. Ft. of our test luggage can be heaped into the boot. To make more luggage room, the entire rear seat rocks forward on levers compromising a little on legroom but not uncomfortably so. This leaves a gap between the rear squab and the parcel shelf so live stock in a basket could breathe in the boot. Touring luggage for two people or a long load can be carried by tipping the rear cushion forward, estate car fashion and turning the backseat about the pivots in its upper edge and suspending it horizontally by the straps provided to clip on to the grab handles. Other positions include a rather restricted double bed and a rest position arrived at by half reclining the passenger’s seat and pulling the bottom of the rear squab out to line up with it. The well-written handbook explains everything in detail.
Oddments space is provided by the central armrest, and two under-facia cubbyholes, the larger one like the armrest being lockable. Small items can be laid on the rear shelf though this lifts up with the boot lid to ease access.

All this is standard Renault 16, but the instrument panel is not, and the result is a decided improvement. Speedometer, still optimistic, and rev counter with round dials, clear, bold figures replace the 16’s two-level-slot speedo and are flanked by an instrument cluster housing water temperature, fuel level and volt meter gauges, the latter is connected across the voltage regulator and should always read “plus” above idling speed. On the other side a matching cluster contains warning lights for parking brake, oil pressure, high beam, turn indicators, rear window demister and the iodine vapour spot lights (when fitted). A short steering column stalk operates the indicators and a longer one pulls to flash the light, pushes for the horn and turns once for sidelights and twice for headlights. As before the side lights on each side can be used independently for parking but two speed wipers are new. The whole facia is neatly surrounded by mock-stitched vinyl, which is also used to cover the steering wheel. Additional internal lighting includes a passenger’s reading light and illumination for the ignition/steering lock and the smoker’s requisite compartment which includes a cigar lighter.

Servicing and maintenance

After unlocking with a key and two catches which pinch together, the bonnet pros open with a strut. Most things in need of routine attention are still easily accessible only the oil filter being slightly obscured by the new manifolding. Sparking plugs are well buried in sockets between the valves but easily removed with an especially long spanner provided in the tool kit. After two free services at 300 and 1,200 miles during the running-in period, service is required at 3,000-mile intervals consisting mainly of attention to engine and gearbox oils, the only greasing requirements being the rear hubs at 30,000 miles.

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