Renault Other (1973)
for sale
Price: US $75,000.00
Price: US $75,000.00
For your consideration, an extremely rare and fanatically sought
after 1973 Dinalpin Renault. The fact is there have only been 7, 500 Alpine Renault's produced and you are feasting your eyes on one of them. With a VIN number of
00000000490 you know this car is in high demand with very minimal supply, so
don't delay in placing your bid for a car that will surely maintain its
reputation for being a Rally Legend or perhaps the most amazing car you've
never even heard of!
Due to the rarity of the Alpine I wanted to give some historical
background to portray the absolute mechanical and modular masterpiece that is
the Renault. For decades, Alpine built a series of rally-fighters that
dominated European racing. Alpine began as an independent company, but eventually became absorbed by its larger partner, Renault. Alpines
have always been quintessentially French cars, but
a complicated history has taken it on some
interesting detours through places like Brazil, Bulgaria, Mexico, and Spain along the way. This one you are looking at today is of
Mexican descent. In 1967, Renault asked Alpine to take over
its motorsport division, and gave it access to its international
contacts. From 1968 to 1974, the car was licensed and built in Mexico as
the Diesel Nacional Dinalpin.
A total of 508 Dinalpin’s were produced under license in Vellejo
City, Mexico and this car is number 490 as indicated on its VIN plate. It is
important to note that although produced in Mexico it did not change the
quality or performance of the originally French rally champion. This Dinalpin features a steel backbone chassis with a fiberglass
body. Equipped with two racing style black leather bucket seats, 4 point
harness seatbelts, and even a roll cage this Renault is not only a speed demon, but a cozy one at that. The exterior yellow fiberglass body looks exceptional
without any major dents or damage. There are some small scratches and chips
along with minor cracking of the fiberglass as you would expect, but
overall the body of the car is in excellent shape. It's easy to tell that this
car has been well cared for.
The interior is in excellent condition and very original. The carpet is nice and tidy along with the headliner. The dash is in
great shape with speedometer, amp, tachometer, oil pressure, and water
temperature gauge (not original) in working order. The doors close with good
fit and gap. All glass is very clear and the rear quarter light windows open
and latch closed as expected. The interior electrical is very functional, the
interior lights, radio, windshield wipers, and indicators all work well, however
the fuel gauge and horn are currently non operational. This Dinalpin sits upon
4 Alpine crested alloy wheels with a set of older Michelin MXV tires that could
do with replacement.
Fitted with an aluminum block Renault 16 TS engine with twin Weber
40 carburetors, this Renault starts up from cold with the pump of the gas pedal, as there is no choke. The engine has a ferocious growl to it as it starts up
and you can feel the ground rumble beneath your feet. The gearbox is in good
condition and shifting is a breeze with the 5 speed synchromesh gearbox. The
brakes are a bit heavy because the power booster has been bypassed, so this is
something that will need to be addressed. The steering is tight and the
suspension is firm with no unwanted knocks and bonks to be heard while driving.
Though this Renault is very complete and roadworthy, it could use the expertise
of a Renault specialist to make it perfect.
This family owned car was purchased from a prominent collector and enthusiast in Mexico City in the late 90's. Currently registered in California on a clear title, this car has been a California registered vehicle since 2001. Used sparingly and garaged ever since its arrival.
As you'll see pictured this
car was prepared by John The Greek, a reputable 5 time Nascar Mini
Stock car racing Champion and the engine has been race prepped and shows very
high compression. In addition, this Renault has the very desirable swing axle
as opposed to the double wishbone setup that most A110's were made with in the
70's. A lot of time and money have been spent on this Dinalpin to make it the
very special rally car that you see presented to you today. Although this car was
imported from Mexico, the engine compartment has been completely re-done and
fitted with a 1600S engine. The way to differentiate between the 1300 and the
1600, I've been told, is the placement of the radiator. A 1600S will have the
radiator in the front under the spare, whereas the 1300 would have the radiator
in the rear. According to the seller this Dinalpin Renault has been completely
modified to be as close to the French built Alpine Renault as possible. The
only part of this car that remains original from Mexico is the fiberglass body;
everything else has been changed out to put it much more closely in line with a
French A110. Please see the note I have received from the former mechanics’
apprentice who worked on this particular Renault with the oversight of head
mechanic John Limberopoulos the previous owner of American Renault Sport until
his passing.
This 1973 Dinalpin Renault is something rally car driver’s dream
of. Bid on this and you could own a car that is regarded as the ultimate Rally
champion, or if you’re so daring you could even get into a rally race yourself
with this Renault. Trust me, this one will not disappoint. A dominating, powerful, highly regarded, and stunningly unique force to be reckoned with and
it could be all yours..
As always I would advise inspecting the car in person if at all
possible. Please call for an appointment or with any questions you may have, (310)833-1525. Please note that we are advertising offline in addition to this
listing and we reserve the right to end the auction early. Thank you for your
interest and good luck!
update: 2016-09-28
Condition: | Used | Year: | 1973 |
VIN (Vehicle Identification Number): | 00000000490 | Mileage: | 39,683 |
Interior Color: | Black/Grey | Make: | Renault |
Number of Cylinders: | 4 | Model: | Other |
Transmission: | Manual | Trim: | Dinalpin |
Body Type: | Coupe | Engine: | Renault 16 TS |
Vehicle Title: | Clear | Drive Type: | RWD |
Fuel Type: | Gasoline | For Sale By: | Private Seller |
Exterior Color: | Yellow |