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The 1957 Dope Dauphine
- Thread starter Adey
- Start date
I can't believe you cobbled this together from... well... the garage bin basically, and it only bloody works!
Hasn't gone far yet but it seems that way doesn't it
Didn't get far yesterday but has ran about 16 miles issue free now. Car shakes itself to bits at 60mph but its got a properly buckled wheel up front that i now need to sort. 50mph is perfectly fine though. Will be putting as many miles as i can on her this week with the hope of going to Caffeine and Machine on Sat morning 
DaveL485
Staff member
Make sure you book, it's been busy there lately.
booked a few weeks back, Sunday morning looking at it. If anyone wants to join, a bunch of us have booked the 9 - 11.30 slot
A little update on the dope, over the last week I've done the odd short trip to the garage and one short run to the pub with the wife but this morning a bunch of mates and i had arranged to meet up at caffeine and machine. 100 mile round trip for me, and she took it in her stride. The bent wheels I have cause alot of shaking above 60mph but she sits lovely at 50mph. Absolutely chuffed that she ran lovely, nothing broke or fell off and more importantly it didnt overheat 
I did have to drive with a hot water bottle though as its bloody freezing in there 
. Properly chuffed with it, now I can move on to the finer things that need sorting. But first I'm going to try and use her as much as possible.
I did have to drive with a hot water bottle though as its bloody freezing in there . Properly chuffed with it, now I can move on to the finer things that need sorting. But first I'm going to try and use her as much as possible. 
Turbell
Well-Known Member
R8 is balljoiint sussy, you're on kingpins, so although discs and calipers are shared, not sure on hubs and mounts? I ain't done it, so don't quote me.
You'd need late Dauphine G set up complete as a bolt on, Mester Swan be best to advise......sure he did a conversion with Golf discs and calipers on 8G? By the time you've paid classic car spares tax, it might work out cheaper and better anyhows, 8/ Daup G calipers are iddy little ally things.
In top nick drums aren't bad at all, there's no weight to car, I've cooked mine on occasion, but they're smaller on 750.....like potted meat tubs...
You'd need late Dauphine G set up complete as a bolt on, Mester Swan be best to advise......sure he did a conversion with Golf discs and calipers on 8G? By the time you've paid classic car spares tax, it might work out cheaper and better anyhows, 8/ Daup G calipers are iddy little ally things.
In top nick drums aren't bad at all, there's no weight to car, I've cooked mine on occasion, but they're smaller on 750.....like potted meat tubs...
Steve Swan
Well-Known Member
Adey
Just read this through. You have learnt a lot the hard way, but that is always the best way (ask me how I know sometime). Suspension: Get it up off the stops and use much higher spring rates and shortened stops, this will give you the look you desire, but will be much safer, and fun to drive, without damaging your fillings. Brakes have 2 options, either (1) use Dauph G front hubs which have R8 discs and calipers, or ( 2 and this is much more involved) Fit the R8 front suspension. The stumbling block here is your front crossmember, being a '57 it has a Dauph only crossmember, later cars have a Dauph/R8 crossmember which is only missing the pivot tube (easy enough to make and fit) My Proto is a '60 so it had the same crossmember as yours. I had a brand new R8/10 front crossmember in stock so chopped out the original and fitted it. It is not as big a task as you may think. Thinking aloud for a moment it is the hub that is the issue as chopping up a drum is not a great way to make a disc carrier (wrong metal) Dauph G hubs should fit the standard upright. I am not really the right person to ask about the older stuff as all I did was throw it all away and convert to R8/ bespoke bits. What are your longer term aspirations for the car? as that should dictate your course of action. As a general rule of thumb it is better to use later post '68 bits where ever possible as Renault had a major shake up of parts in general from steering column splines and front uprights to Crownwheel and pinion sizes in '68 and most things are stronger as a result. Top of that list is the sierra 5 bearing engine, which is not that strong really. It became the Cleon, which is for all practical purposes indestructable It may have been a better idea to have found a terminally rotten late 8 or 10 and stole all its oily bits as with a bit of imagination, luck and money (in that order) you could have a car with
potential for over 100hp and the ability to cruise at 80 effortlessly and I don't mean kilometers.
Happy Motoring
Just read this through. You have learnt a lot the hard way, but that is always the best way (ask me how I know sometime). Suspension: Get it up off the stops and use much higher spring rates and shortened stops, this will give you the look you desire, but will be much safer, and fun to drive, without damaging your fillings. Brakes have 2 options, either (1) use Dauph G front hubs which have R8 discs and calipers, or ( 2 and this is much more involved) Fit the R8 front suspension. The stumbling block here is your front crossmember, being a '57 it has a Dauph only crossmember, later cars have a Dauph/R8 crossmember which is only missing the pivot tube (easy enough to make and fit) My Proto is a '60 so it had the same crossmember as yours. I had a brand new R8/10 front crossmember in stock so chopped out the original and fitted it. It is not as big a task as you may think. Thinking aloud for a moment it is the hub that is the issue as chopping up a drum is not a great way to make a disc carrier (wrong metal) Dauph G hubs should fit the standard upright. I am not really the right person to ask about the older stuff as all I did was throw it all away and convert to R8/ bespoke bits. What are your longer term aspirations for the car? as that should dictate your course of action. As a general rule of thumb it is better to use later post '68 bits where ever possible as Renault had a major shake up of parts in general from steering column splines and front uprights to Crownwheel and pinion sizes in '68 and most things are stronger as a result. Top of that list is the sierra 5 bearing engine, which is not that strong really. It became the Cleon, which is for all practical purposes indestructable It may have been a better idea to have found a terminally rotten late 8 or 10 and stole all its oily bits as with a bit of imagination, luck and money (in that order) you could have a car with
potential for over 100hp and the ability to cruise at 80 effortlessly and I don't mean kilometers.
Happy Motoring
Im already on different bump stops up front, swapped out for some conical items similar to a mini but looking to go to gaz for some custom shocks/maybe coilovers to suit. She rides quite well to be fair, just crashy on pot holes though having skinny tires up front doesn't help that. Nothing ive not had to deal with previously, my old le car turbo used to clip catseyes on the motorway if it was under compression when changing lanes. The plan for the car is to drive it, not interested in racing it or driving anywhere fast, just low slow and cruise in it on nice days to be honest. Yep the engine swap has been the biggest improvement yet, im now able to pull out into traffic with no issues or worries at all and keep pace with everything. Im sure once ive sorted the buckled wheel situation it wont mind cruising along at 70 every so often.
So shes doing me proud, it was warm and dry yesterday so I decided to use it for the commute. Only issue being it would be dark when leaving for home. The yellow lights actually work really well and increase my hate for the modern super bright blinding lights on new cars. That and at my ride height everything is blinding me any way more miles completed so I'll retorque the head and set the clearances this week.
any way more miles completed so I'll retorque the head and set the clearances this week.
So a friend of mine has a pretty cool setup in his garage/workshop so i popped down today. Initially for a catch up but why not throw the dope on and she how shes doing. I'm not going to lie as i was expecting more but it showed 41BHP on 5 runs so consistent. I was expecting around 50bhp minimum but with a host of sensors hooked up we could see the vac advance line wasn't seeing any change in vacuum and the car runs lean when flat out. The exhaust is also off the 845cc engine so could be causing an issue. Still chuffed it ran well as it also allowed me to keep a real time eye on water temps. All was good with them also so another win
Steve Swan
Well-Known Member
Adey
Am I missing something from the graphs? The numbers seem right enough, but as bhp is a computed number derived from torque and rpm, a genuine graph should cross over at 5250 rpm, as BHP = torque x engine rpm divied by 5250. This means BHP = torque at 5250 rpm. maybe it is the way that the graphs are overlaid. Salv always used to say that it was an easy way to spot a phoney rolling road plot or brake sheet. All my engines crossover at 5250rpm. I await the collective wisdom
Am I missing something from the graphs? The numbers seem right enough, but as bhp is a computed number derived from torque and rpm, a genuine graph should cross over at 5250 rpm, as BHP = torque x engine rpm divied by 5250. This means BHP = torque at 5250 rpm. maybe it is the way that the graphs are overlaid. Salv always used to say that it was an easy way to spot a phoney rolling road plot or brake sheet. All my engines crossover at 5250rpm. I await the collective wisdom
Steve Swan
Well-Known Member
Ignore me! just re read it and the scales are different basically it does cross at 5250. Feel the power brother!
already looking at getting a fraction more. in my mind I really wanted 63bhp
Norwich Nick
Well-Known Member
Glad to see all the work has paid off.
Like you say more power is never a bad thing but when it’s all about the low life, low and slow is better
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