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Renault 4 in Spain: FASA R1125 and R1128

Because the R4 that were built in Spain are so remarkably different from those assembled in France (and because I own one), I thought it good to devote a couple of words to them.

Renault and FASA

Before 1951, Renault in Spain was known as SEAR (Sociedad Española de Automovíles Renault), later renamed RESA (Renault España Sociedad Anónima). FASA was started by Renault in 1951 in answer to import restrictions imposed by the spanish government after the second World War. In 1957, more import restrictions became effective forcing companies to use more locally produced parts, which, in 1962, amounted to 90% of the vehicles value (this lasted until 1979). In 1965, FASA and Renault merged to become FASA-Renault, in which Renault has a minority share Early 1964, the R4L (R1123) and Furgoneta (R2104) were introduced in Spain. Both were produced locally in Valladolid. All this lead to the production of berlines and fourgonnettes (until 1968 R1123 and R2104, thereafter R1125 and R2108) that are quite different from the ones produced in France, making them a nice subject for a small webpage. This page is less concerned with the FASA R1123 than the R1125.

Recently, I bought a 1971 Furgoneta Sobre-elevada which I drove all the way from Madrid to the Netherlands. It needs restauration. I hope pictures and stories will follow on this site soon.

Some differences between R1125 and R1120/R1123/R1126:

The rear license plate is surrounded by the aluminium 'moustache' or 'bigotera', which was, in France, only common to the R4L and Super (model '62) and Parisienne (model '64-'68). It appears that R1125 produced in Portugal didn't have it either, just the spanish R1125s and R1125TL (according to PR897) and R1123 (PR785) did. The amount of chrome parts on the R1125 is striking anyway; for instance, until late all R1125 were equipped with chrome door handles, bumpers, 'baguettes' and hatch closure.

	The bumpers (parachoques) are similar to those of the R8. They were introduced in 1967 and also used on the Furgonetas. The R2108S was also for sale in France, as is for instance visible on the front page of the french 1973 Fourgonnette brochure, left of the '1973' text). This spanish commercial from about 1967 (?) shows a model with the same bumpers. Older FASA models, the R1123, have other bumpers (shown on the right hand side), also different from the french ones. A 1979 FASA brochure shows a TL with normal french bumpers (see below), which were introduced here on the 1978 models.
	The front indicator lights (pilotos delanteros or intermitentes) are also the same as those of the R8: flat rather than pointed, the latter being common for the french R4s until 1977. The were introduced on the R4 in 1967. Although according to its papers the car is from 1977, the lights are round instead of the white rectangular model that was used in this model year in France. Together with the black plastic grille (calandra negro mate) and the metal air inlet (rejilla de entrada de aire) under the front windscreen this makes the car appear more like one from 1976, so probably it was built in 1976, only to be sold in 1977.
	The engine is a 813-02, with 852cc and 31hp. This engine, named Sierra, was introduced in 1968 and used in the berlinas and furgonetas. In 1981 it was replaced by the 1108cc engine. According to someone on the portuguese Pieldetoro forum the Sierra engine was 'menos potente, mais guloso, e menos fiável', which means as much as less powerful, more thirsty, and less reliable. The size of the tank remained 26 liters until 1981 (in France, this happened in 1974).
	The inside rearview mirror (espejo retrovisor) is attached to the roof instead of the instrument panel. This is not something the previous owner did; there are no holes in the dash so the mirror has never been fixed there indeed. In France, it remained on the dashboard until 1983.
	The front door panels are equipped with armrests (reposabrazos), quite special.
	All electric parts are Femsa, including a peculiar looking windscreen wiper motor which is located under the bonnet, on the left. Right from the start, the electrical system was 12V.
	The windscreen sprayer is fed from a plastic bag located under the hood.
	The reflectors on the rear lights are surrounded by an aluminium strip. This is not entirely uncommon; they are also found on the french Super chrome lights, but I have never seen them on simpler models like the TL. The brand of the lights is Yorka instead of the more common Seima, the former probably being the spanish counterpart of the latter.

	When I took the car to the spray painters their books identified the colour by the number 961 as 'verde' (which is spanish for 'green'). This shade was not used outside Spain as far as I know. The spanish 1979 brochure on the right shows an R4 in just about the same colour. According to the MR196 the 'I-SH' code refers to the type of paint (Sintético) and the producer (Herbert); the 'I' is a bit obscure.
	The dashboard (salpicadero), in 1976, is still beige instead of the black one that was already custom in France in 1974.

Documentation
Printed information is scarce although I do possess a couple of spanish berlina and furgoneta brochures. Recently, I obtained Motor Clasico magazine nº 174, of july 2002, which provides an excellent overview of the R4 produced by FASA.
PR785 (última edición of 1969) is about the well known R1123 (R4L 'limousine' and R4LS 'limousine super') and R2104 (furgoneta). The models described in this PR are already quite different from the french ones carrying the same model number. In contrast to the other PRs I know of, it is in spanish and french only. My PR897, for model years 1974 (4) and 1976 (5), are devoted to the R1125 and R2108. They confirm all specific R1125 details listed above. I also got hold of a 1st edition (1976) of the MR196 (manuel de réparation) which is the spanish equivalent of the MR176.
Little information can be found on the internet. The spanish Wikipedia has a brief article about the R4, but doesn't mention the spanish version (although there is also an article about Renault in Spain). At the brilliant renault4plus website the story of the restauration of 'La Laranja Mecânica', a 1973 portuguese 4LC, is described (which was also featured in the september issue of 4L Magazine). Lots of nice pictures here but little information about the details of the R1125! This car was also covered in Renault Magazine 9, of september 2008.

Models and production
FASA started building the R4L and Furgoneta in Valladolid late 1963 (Velocidad magazine of February 1964 mentions the introduction), but, according to PR785, those were R1123 and R2104. The R1123S (S for Super) was introduced in 1965. Although it is abundantly equipped with chrome parts, it is not to be confused with the french R1122 and R1124 (1963 and 1964 only). From 1968 on both the PR and MR list the R1125 (berlina) and R2108 (furgoneta). The luxury version was R1125S (successor to the R1123S). The R2108 was also available as R2108S (furgoneta sobreelevada, from 1969), and R2108SA (sobreelevada acristalada, from 1972). In 1976, the R1125TL succeeded the R1125S.

I am not sure when the R1125 was succeeded by the R1126 (TL), or whether the Valladolid TLs have always been R1125. In 1978, the spanish models lose some of their distinct differences with the french ones (among which bumper, indicator lights, engine). However even late models like from 1988 and 1989 (right hand picture) are clearly recognizable as spanish - for instance, chrome bumper, chrome wide rear door handle and chrome strip below doors, and narrow black plastic strips alongside (the GTL with its plastic side protection boards was never built in Spain). I was informed about a 1980 R1125TL with 813-02 engine. On one of the spanish R4 fora someone mentions that in (model year) 1982 the 852cc engine was succeeded by the 1108cc (built into the TL). In the same year production of the Furgoneta Sobre-elevada and Acristalada ceased, to be succeeded by the F6, six years after its introduction in France. Motor Clásico states that FASA continued the production of the R4 until 1989, after which the slovenian R4 Clan were imported in 1990 and 1991.

The PR reveals that the R1125S and R2108 were also produced in Portugal, and the R2108 in France. For Spain the code 261 is used, for Portugal 267 and France 100. So, an R1125S/267, for instance, is a Super from Guarda in Portugal.

When PR897 was printed in november 1975, 8900 R1125 and 148224 R1125S were produced (my TL has number 19813). The R2108 stood at 81566 produced, R2108S 35547 and R2108SA 17639 (although I must add that the numbering for models constructed in Guarda too are somewhat confusing). Ultimately, between 1964 and 1989, a total of slightly over 400,000 berlinas and nearly the same amount of furgonetas were produced in Valladolid.

Portugal specifics
I found a couple of portugese enthousiasts (thank you Victor, Fernando and João) who were able to fill me in on some details of the portugese R4: R1125 was produced Portugal (Guarda). It came in various versions: R1125, R1125TL, R1125S (Super), but also 4LC. C is for commercial: 5 places, two side rear view mirrors. This was only in Portugal, where the R4 was considered a semi-commercial car. It appears that the R1125 was sold in Portugal from 1972 to 1975 or 1976. Those were assembled in Guarda under spanish specifications and with the 813-02 engine. The R1123 was also produced in Guarda, but according to french specifications; after 1976, Portugal imported spanish R1125 from Valladolid, which were, in 1982, replaced by spanish R1128.

Why am I so fond of spanish R4?

Not surprisingly, my own R4 happens to be an R1125 (a TL, to be complete). It was produced in Valladolid, Spain, late model year 1976 and sold in 1977, as the original documents indicate. It was imported into the Netherlands in 2003, and bought by me in 2004. It was as dented as can be expected from a 27-year old car, but surprisingly rust-free. It has been restored almost entirely since then. I am quite fond of this car for various reasons.

Back in the old days, two good friends drove 2CVs (we even went to Morocco in the one shown on the right) and I thought that a little variation could do no harm. My brother owned the 1977 TL (shown below the 2CV), and I borrowed it in 1989 to go on a geological field trip to Spain. After the fieldwork I went on a holiday to Morocco and Algeria with three other friends. All technical problems in Africa: 1 flat tyre! Sadly, the car didn't last much longer than that (engine died and lots of rust), and it was replaced by a 1980 L (rear chassis broke), a 1983 GTL (sold) and, lastly, a 1985 GTL (sold). All, however, weren't nearly as nice as that first one. I always wanted to own a 1977 TL again, preferably linked to Spain.
During all field trips to Spain, I have really developed a fondness for the country, and especially for its R4s with all the chrome parts the spanish are so fond of. Driving an R1125 in the cold and wet Netherlands makes me think of the warm south of Spain.
Not surprisingly, most surviving R4s are GTLs, Clans and Savanes dating from the 80s and early 90s. Also, there are still quite some 60s R4. Specimens from the 70s are quite rare. I think this might be the case because they are too young to be considered oltimers, and therefore not collected (yet). On the other hand, maybe 70s R4 are just not as tough as the really old ones. Anyway, having a seventies R4 makes one feel just a little bit more special.

For the time being, here's a picture of what this was all about when I started the restauration, and what it looks like now (below are the mechanics that made it happen). I took the liberty of changing the rims for a set which I think better matches the car as a whole. On the windscreen you can see the original spanish plate from the province of Zaragoza.

If you know about or possess any printed information about the R1125 not listed here, please drop me a email. I am especially interested in FASA brochures and pictures that show specifications, or differences with the R1126.

Sources

Charron, Elsie (1990). FASA-Renault. Un caso de internacionalización automovilística (traducción Luis Fernández Felipe y José Luis Robledo). Política y Sociedad, 5-1990, Madrid, pp45-63.

Motor Clásico magazine (2002). Dossier Renault 4. Nº 174, july 2002.

Renault (december 1969). Catálogo de piezas de recambio PR785, 3a edición, R4L limousine (R1123), R4LS limousine super (R1123S), R4F furgoneta Fourgonnette (R2104) (7702 009 469).

Renault (september 1973). Catálogo de piezas de repuesto PR897, 4a edición 1968-1974, R1125/261 R1125S/261 R1125S/267 R2108/261 R2108/100 R2108/267 R2108S/261 R2108SA/261 (77 02 049 525).

Renault (november 1975). Catálogo de piezas de repuesto PR897, 5a edición 1968-1974, R1125 R1125S R1125TL R2108 R2108S R2108SA (77 02 049 631).

Renault (december 1976). Manual de reparación MR196, 1a edición, carroceria, R1125 R1125S R1125TL R2108 R2108S R2108SA (77 01 441 196).

Velocidad magazine (1964). Salío el R4!. Nº 129, february 29, 1964