From a rough and tumble drive across a dry river bed in Almeria, Spain, to a more serene trip to Brooklands in Surrey is the journey a 1928 Renault Type NN Tourer has made on its way to sale at Historics’ next major auction on June 7th.
The humble four-door Tourer was designed by Louis Renault’s company with versatility in mind, an asset which became its path to film stardom 60 years after it was built, having being chosen for the Steven Spielberg film, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, starring Harrison Ford and Sean Connery.
This right-hand drive model was purchased by the vendors in France, shortly before filming commenced in Almeria in May 1988. Re-sprayed black for the role, it was used in the famous chase with a replica of a 1917 Mk.VII army tank, a ten minute scene that became the centrepiece of the Paramount movie.
When filming was over, the car was returned to the UK for a thorough sympathetic renovation, including an engine rebuild, with its coachwork finished in a far more dignified yellow hue. Equipped with a frugal four-cylinder engine, the car is quoted as returning 40+mpg with a top speed of some 50mph.
This Renault’s versatility comes from an original design feature that enables the car to be converted from a roomy tourer to a utility pick-up by removing the rear seats and unclipping the leather side panels to reveal wooden boarding.
With a large tailgate at the rear, the car was the perfect solution for French farmers of the time to carry produce to market during weekdays and, with seating replaced, transport the family to church on the Sunday where, in clement conditions, they could benefit from the lowering of the full-length fabric roof.
With its estimate of £9,000-£14,000, the Renault Type NN Tourer is offered with a V5 registration document, former MoT Test certificates and a file of past service invoices.
It joins 150+ other prime classic cars, plus 100 fine classic motorcycles, at Historics’ largest auction to date at Brooklands Museum, near Weybridge, on Saturday June 7th, with viewing the previous day
For more information and the full consignment list, visit www.historics.co.uk, or call 01753 639170 and e-mail: auctions@historics.co.uk.
