4,400 cc Inline 4-cylinder Engine
20/30 bhp at 1,800 rpm
4-Speed Manual Transmission
4-Wheel Leaf Spring Suspension
Rear Drum Brakes


*Rare early luxury Renault
*Superb older restoration that presents well
*Beautiful brass-era Motor Car
*Restoration performed on low mileage original car
*Fully equipped with scarce and correct period accessories


RENAULT

Renault was founded by Louis Renault and his brothers Marcel and Fernand in 1898. From the outset, Renault engineering was of the highest quality and the arrival of multi-cylinder models really put the company on the map. By 1907, Renault automobiles were being successfully built and marketed worldwide. In the USA, Renault distributorships were in New York, Boston and Los Angeles. Like most of the early luxury automobile companies, Renault built and sold a running chassis assembly and the buyer or distributor fitted the chassis with a coachbuilt body. Most Renaults imported into the United States were fitted with coachbuilt bodies by some of the premier American coachbuilders, such as Holbrook and Brewster.

THE MOTOR CAR OFFERED

This magnificent 1909 Renault Series B Type V1 is one of the larger Renaults built and is fitted with a 4.4-litre 20/30 hp 4-cylinder engine coupled to a 4-speed transmission. Built on a 130 inch wheelbase chassis, it is fitted with a Cape Top Victoria body by the Brewster Company of Long Island, New York. Brewster was one of the foremost American carriage builders during the 19th Century. With the advent of the automobile in the early 20th century, Brewster naturally used their designs and talents to outfit many European and American luxury cars of the pre-World War I period. It is therefore not surprising that many early Brewster automobile bodies resembled carriages. This particular Cape Top Victoria is one such example.

This car has a rearward flowing body design where the back seat is higher than the front. The top assembly is made to protect the rear passengers from sun and it is likely that the original intention of this vehicle was to be used as an owner-driven sporting car during warm weather months. In typical Brewster fashion, the fenders are patent leather and are free-flowing from the body. The result is a majestic and towering automobile which stands nearly eight feet tall at the rear.

While the early history of this Renault is currently unknown, this vehicle was purchased by the noted collector Art Doering of Grand Rapids, Michigan from B.J. Barney Pollard in the early 1970s. When Doering acquired this imposing Renault, it proved to be completely intact and in very well-preserved condition. At the time, Doering had a Renault limousine undergoing restoration. The Cape Top Victoria was often used as a point of reference due to its originality and completeness, and was also studied by other early Renault owners as it was such an undisturbed example.

Doering finished the restoration of the Cape Top Victoria in about 1996, after which the car was shown on a limited basis. It received its Junior and Senior National First Prize Awards by the Antique Automobile Club of America in 1997, and that same year was shown at the prestigious Meadowbrook Concours d'Elegance where it also won an award. After this, the car was carefully stored in a vault-type setting and maintained. After Doering's passing, the car was privately sold to another collector who kept the car hidden but continued to maintain the car in the exquisite condition that it is in today.

Although the restoration was completed nearly 20 years ago, this Renault presents extremely well. The overall condition is not only attributed to the quality of the restoration, but to the well-preserved condition in which the vehicle was first discovered. The wood body and the dark blue paint are in lovely condition: the gloss is even and bright throughout the entire body. The diamond tufted burgundy leather interior remains excellent, as does the leather folding cape top, which is cloth-lined. The Brewster patent leather fenders are in a similar excellent condition, as are the leather splash aprons between the body and running boards.

When the car was first discovered it was found to have traveled very few miles from new. It was nevertheless given a complete mechanical restoration and has been driven few miles since. The 20/30 hp 4-cylinder engine retains its proper Renault ancillaries, the radiator coils have been renewed, and the engine compartment remains immaculate. The car has its original metric-sized wood artillery wheels with correct clincher rims and has a near-new set of Michelin tires. It is fully equipped with many desirable and scarce period accessories, including a set of large Blériot headlamps which have been converted to electric power. Additional brass accessories include a pair of oil side lamps and matching tail lamp, a large-faced bulb horn as well as a hand-crank Klaxon horn. The car retains its original wood and brass-folding windshield. The original brass identification plate and the original Renault export plate remain on the dashboard. This magnificent Renault will be a sought after and welcomed contender at any of the world's leading concours as well as for Edwardian and brass-era driving events.


BILEN DER TILBYDES

Denne exceptionelle 1909 Renault Series B Type V1 er en af de store Renault'er med en 4,4-liter motor der yder 20/30 hestekræfter og en fire-trins gearkasse. Akselafstanden måler 330 cm, og karosseriet er en såkaldt Cape Top Victoria bygget af Brewster Company i Long Island, New York. Brewster var en af de førende amerikanske karosseribyggere, som både tegnede og byggede karosserier til mange europæiske og amerikanske luksusbiler før Første Verdenskrig. Denne Cape Top Victoria er et storslået eksempel herpå.

Bagsædet er højere end forsædet, og denne majestætiske og imponerende bil måler næsten 2,4 meter i højden.
Kalechen beskytter bagpassagererne mod solen, men bilen er sandsynligvis tænkt som en sportsbetonet vogn, hvor ejeren selv kunne finde på at sætte sig bag rettet i de varme sommermåneder.

Da en kendt amerikansk samler købte denne Renault i begyndelsen af 70'erne, var den stadig fuldstændig intakt og i velbevaret tilstand. Dog blev det besluttet at restaurere den henover de efterfølgende 20 år såvel kosmetisk som mekanisk. Derefter blev den vist på forskellige concours i USA, hvor den blev præmieret adskillige gange.

Bilen har mange eftertragtede detaljer samt sjældent og tidstypisk tilbehør såsom de store Blériot messingforlygter, olielamper og horn. Denne storslåede Renault vil være en markant deltager på nogle af verdens førende concours, samt events og rallies for biler fra før Første Verdenskrig.

EU Taxes paid
With Danish Registreringsattest