FEATURE - 1964 Renault Dauphine Gordini
Words: Mike Ryan
Photos: Paul Stewart
It may be something of a rarity now, but back in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Renault’s Dauphine was the hottest thing on four wheels, finding buyers in markets well beyond its native France.
Unveiled in 1956, the Dauphine took its name from a word that roughly translates to ‘princess’ in English. The name reflected the fact that Renault intended the new car to be a successor to their 4CV (better known as the 750 in Australia), which they regarded as the “queen of the road”. Hence, the next in line to the ‘throne’ would be the princess.
A huge hit for Renault domestically, the compact, economical and affordable Dauphine also proved to be a success overseas, including the USA, where it found a place in many suburban garages as the family’s second car.
The Dauphine was also manufactured or assembled in a variety of countries, including Italy, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Israel, New Zealand and even Australia.
Renault’s later R4 and Citroen’s 2CV may be regarded as more of a "people's car" from this period, but the Dauphine can genuinely lay claim to that title, too.
More than 2.1 million Dauphines were built over 12 years, so why aren’t there hordes of them amongst the classic car community today?
French Attraction
It’s perhaps a reflection of Australia’s predominantly British heritage that classic French cars don’t have a huge following here. Sure, there are French car clubs and French car enthusiasts all over the country, but they’re arguably not as widespread or in the sort of numbers as MG or Mini clubs and owners, for example, and certainly not as prodigious as Ford and Holden clubs.
Those that love French cars tend to be very passionate about them, though, like Paul Stewart, the owner of the car featured, who acquired it from fellow French car buff, Dave Cavanagh.
Automotive Francophiles will know Dave through ‘French Connection’, his long-running wrecking business specialising in parts for French cars, or as a past president of the Renault Car Club of Victoria (RCCV). Paul’s been president of the RCCV, too, so it should come as no surprise that the car featured isn’t his first Renault.
“I’ve previously owned an ex-works - 1 of 6 - Renault 12 Gordini rally car, plus a few Renault 12s, 16s, 17s and even Fuegos,” Paul explains. “I’m not so much interested in the newer Renaults - more the classics.”
The attraction to Renaults came at an early age, and like many such tales, the attraction was passed from father to son.
“I’ve had a passion for Renaults ever since I learnt to drive in an R16TS – Dad’s influence,” Paul laughs.
“I’m also partial to the Gordini versions of Renaults. Amédée Gordini, known as ‘The Sorcerer’, was a racing and tuning specialist. What Brock was to Holden, Gordini was to Renault.”
Sorcerer’s Touch
While Alpine may be better known today as the sporty offshoot of Renault, Gordini was just as big a part of the French carmaker’s postwar resurgence, with a connection that predated Alpine, too.
Although he was born in Italy, Amédée Gordini made his fame in France, first as a racer, then as a tuner and engineer. Initially connected with Fiat’s French operations, when that business morphed into Simca in the 1930s, Gordini would become the firm’s head of motor racing.
Gordini’s nickname of ‘The Sorcerer’ came from his ability to improve the performance of Simca’s Fiat-derived engines without massive cost of excessive complexity.
Following a split from Simca in 1951, Gordini founded his own company a year later, but making a living designing and building race cars for formula and endurance competition was a tough task in the postwar years, especially for a small outfit without backing from a major carmaker.
With the business struggling, an invite from Renault in 1957 to develop their new Dauphine model proved timely.
The first product of that collaboration was the 'Dauphine Gordini', with The Sorcerer's magic touch starting at the transmission, which he expanded from a three-speed to four speeds without altering the gearbox housing.
Gordini also worked over the Dauphine’s rear-mounted, liquid-cooled 845cc engine, improving maximum horsepower from 27hp to 36hp (20kW to 27kW approx.) without increasing capacity of affecting reliability.
The success of the initial Dauphine Gordini saw subsequent improvements introduced in the years that followed, including more engine power and four-wheel disc brakes.
To prove the benefits of Gordini’s initial enhancements on the Dauphine, an example won the 1958 Monte Carlo Rally, with success on the Tulip Rally and Alpine Rally in this period, too.
Gordini’s touch would later be applied to the Renault 5, 8, 12 and 17, either as badged performance variants, or during the model’s development.
From 1968, Gordini became a division within Renault.
Aussie Survivor
Getting back to the lack of Dauphine survivors today, that can be put down primarily to one thing - rust.
When Renault built the Dauphine, they used 22-gauge sheetmetal for the panels and non-structural parts. In an era when rust-protection was rarely considered, the thin metal in these panels rusted quickly, sometimes within a couple of years after purchase, depending on the climate and operating conditions.
This means that in the UK, as well as many parts of Europe and the US, Dauphines virtually dissolved. And being an economy car to begin with, there was no real effort made in preserving them by the majority of owners back then.
Australia’s predominantly dry climate has meant that, while the Dauphine may not have been seen here in large numbers when new, there is a proportionally higher number of survivors, including Paul’s Dauphine Gordini.
When Paul bought it in 2012, it had been sitting in Dave Cavanagh’s collection for a decade and was with an enthusiast in Castlemaine prior to that.
“Its last rego sticker was for 1981, so it’s fair to assume it hadn’t been on the road for 30 or so years when I got it,” Paul explains.
Small Job gets Big
As bought, Paul’s Dauphine Gordini, a 1964 model, was solid and appeared in good condition overall. The owner prior to Dave had taken it off the road to rebuild the carby, but never completed the job, so Paul thought he had a simple refurb on his hands.
“Originally, I thought I’d just paint the roof, which had some minor surface rust, and then get the car running. Once I started the roof, I decided - stupidly - that it would be an easy resto given its rust-free chassis and body,” Paul recalls.
That meant investing in a rotisserie and stripping the body to bare metal, but even for a car as compact and simple as the Dauphine, it was a big job.
“When it all became a bit overwhelming, I sent the car to my eldest son who was working at a restoration workshop in Dromana. He helped with the paint prep and fixing any blemishes in the bodywork.”
Dave Cavanagh’s brother, Steve, was enlisted to rebuild the 845cc four-cylinder engine, for which Paul bartered a trailer as payment: “I swapped my caged trailer to Dave for the engine rebuild. Somehow Dave got paid for Steve’s work!” Paul laughs.
Steve also proved to be something of a sorcerer himself, advising on the resto and providing hard-to-get parts. In the same way that Dave has a long connection to the RCCV, Steve’s a stalwart of the 4CV Register, so is well versed in the 4CV/750 and related Dauphine.
Tan Princess
With the engine rebuilt and other mechanical parts, like the transmission, brakes and suspension, attended to, they could be reunited with the body, which was repainted in its original tan by ‘Paul the Panelbeater’; a master spray painter that Paul and other RCCV members have called on for their resto projects in the past.
The modern 2pack paint is one of very few non-stock elements in this rebuild, with radial tyres, floor carpeting and seat belts being the others: “The car still runs its 6-volt electrics and even the original AM radio works!”
Chasing down parts for a restoration that had grown far bigger than originally intended took Paul as far afield as the US, Argentina and Canada, while reproduction bumper bars in stainless steel were sourced from Vietnam, of all places.
Despite a network of contacts and the global resources of the internet, Paul found that some Dauphine parts were simply impossible to source in NOS or reproduction form these days. The steering wheel – with its two-tone finish that was specific to Gordinis - was one of those.
Heavily cracked after decades of exposure to the Aussie sun, the original wheel was beyond economical repair, but Paul tracked down a specialist in Queensland who built an authentic replica.
After nine years’ work, Paul’s Dauphine Gordini was ready for the road in 2021. It’s been enjoyed only briefly since, but with future projects in mind, Paul is now looking to sell this rare French classic (see breakout).
Not Fast, but still Fun
While later Dauphine Gordinis featured a five-speed gearbox and were genuinely quick, outputting as much as 55hp, the “first generation” units like Paul’s are less peppy, but still better than a stock Dauphine.
“It’d be lucky to beat a shopping trolley off the line, but it looks great,” Paul laughs. “It’s got a ‘cute factor’, too.”
Being a ’64 model, Paul’s car must have missed out on the disc brakes and full synchromesh gearbox by only a few months, as both features became standard on Dauphine Gordinis during that year.
That doesn’t bother Paul and certainly doesn’t take away for the fun he’s had with this car and the memories it’s made. It’s recalled memories for others, too.
“I get lots of people commenting that their family used to have one or they grew up in one. It doesn’t matter whether it’s an EH Holden or a Renault Dauphine, old cars like these invoke the past.
“For me, it’s all about the memories these cars bring and the smile you get from a job well done.”
Amen to that.
Thanks to Motor Book World for research material used in this article
Moto Book World, Canterbury, VIC
Ph: (03) 9830 2644
FOR SALE
A rare unit in Australia, this 1964 Renault Dauphine Gordini has been fully restored, with the work completed in 2021.
Much of this car’s original specification was retained for the rebuild, including the drum brakes and 6-volt electrics, but modern seat belts and radial tyres have been added for safety.
Being a Gordini, it runs the more powerful version of the Dauphine’s 845cc rear-mounted engine, as well as a four-speed manual transmission.
With the restoration barely a year old, there’s nothing the new owner need attend to, mechanically or cosmetically.
Currently on non-transferable Victorian club registration, this car will be sold unregistered.
Asking price is $28,500.
For more details, click HERE.
