A Video Where I Walk Around an Abandoned Renault Caravelle

"Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available" (whoistheleader2)
06/23/2020 at 21:30 • Filed to: DIOCCUSA, Old Car City USA, Renault Caravelle, Renault, Abandoned, junkyard

If you haven’t read my previous post covering the rear engined Renault Caravelle rotting into the ground !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! then go see it here:

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The hardtops are much rarer than the convertibles, making this entirely unexpected to see in rural Georgia.

If you can’t remember what a Caravelle looks like, here you go:

So, without further ado, here is what I have come up with:

While there, I took a new better picture of the engine.

I hope you are having a great day, Oppo.

DISCUSSION (20)

Jb boin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
06/23/2020 at 11:51

The condition d oesn’t look to be so bad, looks better than most of the cars “ restored” on coldwarmotors :)

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jb boin
06/23/2020 at 12:05

It was remarkably solid, especially for 45 years of sitting. Possibly more.

It didn’t suffer from the typical top down rot from pine needles building up on the roof and the rockers had a few tiny holes from where water had built up. Seeing a USDM Caravelle outside a museum is basically a once in a lifetime experience and this was a mind bogglingly rare hard top in original condition. Stunning beautiful cars and smaller than you might expect.

Interior was actually probably salvageable with some expert attention. This car is too good for a junkyard.

Jb boin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
06/23/2020 at 12:18

They are also scarce in Europe (sold as a Renault Floride) , i don’t think i ever seen one.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jb boin
06/23/2020 at 12:23

The odds of just coming across a Renault Caravelle in the US are astronomically low. The same yard also had a Ford Anglia, an Austin America, a Renault 10 and a 4CV , several Opels, some Peu geots, and other stuff you have no chance of ever seeing anywhere on the continent. These kinds of cars were briefly popular in the niche audience o f college professors and quirky people on a budget (though the Caravelle was more expensive than the others which were basic transportation) and very few have survived.

Also, hard tops were sold in much smaller numbers than the convertible. A real unicorn. Pennsylvania plates do make the lack of rust even more surprising.

fintail > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
06/23/2020 at 22:12

I remember in 1988 one of these turned up at a used car lot in the small town where I lived. It was yellow. I was 11, and was taken aback by it, I knew it was an oddball. The same lot also had a Fuego, so the owner was into it, too.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > fintail
06/23/2020 at 22:15

This is the sort of vehicle you either know about and love or don’t know exists and don’t care. I reread the comments on the old article and remember this tidbit. You won’t even be finding Fuegos around anymore. I sure can’t remember seeing any. Ever.

fintail > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
06/23/2020 at 22:23

I remember I didn’t know what it was - my dad knew, however. I knew about the Fuego though, when I was a little kid I had a thing for those, and there were a few around. I think 84 was the final year for it, with scarce parts and maybe not Toyota-like reliability, they were doomed unless they had a devoted owner.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Jb boin
06/23/2020 at 22:32

Coldwarsmotors is awesome!!!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
06/23/2020 at 22:33

I love it! It’s too good to be sitting there rotting away! :(

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > fintail
06/23/2020 at 22:38

Yes, the parts supply simply wasn't there to keep them on the road so long. I imagine the moment Renault left parts shot up in value too, meaning an otherwise cheap sports coupe would be getting increasingly difficult and more expensive to maintain over time.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
06/23/2020 at 22:40

It really is too good for this fate. Despite the Pennsylvania plate the tickets only have small water related rot and everything, including the interior plastics, is there. You couldn't find a better restoration candidate on this side of the country I bet.

fintail > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
06/23/2020 at 22:49

No parts, cheap questionably reliable car maybe not even suited for North American driving conditions = low survival rate. Even the Old Car City car is probably nicer than some out there.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > fintail
06/23/2020 at 23:17

Definitely, which is why it is such a shame such a complete and very savable unique car will eventually rot into the ground. Not that I'm volunteering to save it with my nonexistent know how and lack of funds.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
06/23/2020 at 23:35

Isn’t it true that Old Car City never sells any of it s cars? :(

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
06/23/2020 at 23:37

Yes. They are the actual attractions there not to mention very few are valuable/good condition enough to actually be worth it. There’s a reason they were sent to a junkyard. The Caravelle is really the only one I wish could be saved.

fintail > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
06/23/2020 at 23:57

Probably a lost cause already - restoration costs would be immense and I suspect some of the work wouldn’t be easy . Probably a good parts car though, although I dunno if many are needing parts for one.

Jb boin > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
06/24/2020 at 01:19

Kinja'd!!!

Only Vespas... > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
06/24/2020 at 03:04

So weird. A hardtop Caravelle. Anyway, my little league baseball coach had a soft top . I remember [this was last century! ] how flimsy it was. A bunch of us were hanging around before practice in the parking lot and I was jiggling the vertical bumper around on the rear main like it was barely attached. A nd kind of ragging on how lame it was. Coach came up and broke up the party. Um..I didn’t play much the first couple of games...I mean French cars of this period were built like toasters. I had a girlfriend that drove a Dauphine...the gearshift was only a little more robust than a turn signal. Just saying...

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Jb boin
06/24/2020 at 06:53

Holy shit, there are DEAN MEMES? This world is an amazing place!

Jb boin > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
06/24/2020 at 22:06

Kinja'd!!!