Renault NN Commerciale

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The French Resistance and the British Special Operations Executive played a huge, clandestine part in the overthrow of the German occupying forces during the Second World War. We would like to think this 1925 Renault NN Commerciale also played its part, but sadly, we have no proof. Ah well, c’est la vie.

This vintage Renault famer’s pick-up truck has all the rugged, beaten-up Galllic charm of Gerard Depardieu, and can hold about the same amount of wine. It was bought by our vendor in 2003/4 and first registered in the UK in 2014.

It is left-hand-drive (d’accord), blessed with four-wheel brakes, a 970cc engine and a three-speed gearbox. It has received new timberwork, a distributor conversion, indicators, new wiring, re-cored radiator, overhauled brakes, Zenith carburettor conversion and the engine was refurbished about 10 years ago. The bodywork is steel and, possibly, in slightly better condition than Monsieur Depardieu’s.

The little pickup has only done about 50 miles since the engine rebuild and its last MOT expired in October 2015 (no advisories). The 970cc engine does not give the steel-bodied truck an over-abundance of performance but there is the sure and certain knowledge that, whilst any trip uphill will be sluggardly, the subsequent downhill trip will be entertaining.

Not a daily driver perhaps, but certainly a vehicle that will attract attention and therefore ideal for promotional purposes perhaps? The NN comes with an original workshop manual (in French), is ready to go (“sur la bouton” as they don’t say in France) and will be a lot less trouble to be around than a certain French film star.