Renault 16 TS (1973) A great look for Bauke and Sandri

The Renault 16 needs no introduction; it was a successful French mid-range car and in 1965 the first French winner of the Car of the Year election. In various versions (L, TL, TS and TX) the Renault 16 was a great success. The spacious and comfortable family car was given even greater usability by the practical hatchback bodywork and thus became a milestone in automotive history. It combined the elegance of a sedan with the functionality of an estate car. The Renault 16 TS (Tourisme Sportif) also gave a subtle hint to its sporty origins.

Authentic experience

Bauke: “For me, the Renault 16 combines style, driving pleasure and history. The French classic has been carefully preserved, and I have been the owner since 2012. Driving offers an authentic experience, the timeless design appeals to me enormously and the car has a special history. It has even become a real world car due to the many journeys we have made across various continents. The fact that it is lovingly maintained is clearly visible in the photos.”

The Renault 16 is a common thread

The Renault 16 is the common thread in Bauke's story, a car that keeps coming back and connects events. The seed was planted because a Renault 16 was used as a second car in the family in the past. Bauke explains the long-term, close bond with Renault in his own words:

A lovely car

“When I was about ten, my older brother wrote off my dad’s car (a 1968 Vauxhall Cresta PC). Because my father couldn’t live without a car, he bought a Renault 16 the next morning from his brother, who had a garage. Even when he later bought a new Vauxhall, the Renault remained the family’s second car. The funny thing was that at one point my father was on the road more often with the Renault than with his new Vauxhall, because he liked it so much.”

My first Renault 16

“When I was about twenty, I bought my first TL for 650 guilders, in which I installed a TX engine with a five-speed gearbox. Over the years, many Renault 16s followed, always in the most luxurious version: the TX. Due to the devastating rust problems of that time, especially on the rear suspension, they all had a short life. I extensively restored my last TX from 1978 myself and drove it on LPG from 1986 to 1992. After its active hobby life, I kept the car for another ten years to restore it later. Unfortunately, old age and decay made that impossible, but the engine and gearbox could be saved and are now in my current Renault 16 TS.”

The unparalleled Renault 16

“From 2000 to 2006 I drove a Renault 16 Automatic, luxuriously equipped with leather upholstery. Unfortunately, this hobby car remained unused for too long due to the busy business life and a growing family, which resulted in a period of six years without the attractive Renaults.”

Mild excitement?

The “itch” remained, and Bauke got his current Renault 2012 TS from France in 16. Because we always like to hear the history behind a car, Bauke described this adventure:

“The car belonged to a prison guard from Nantes. Contact was difficult, because I did not speak French and tried to make contact in English. The connection was immediately broken at the first words in English. Eventually, a French acquaintance managed to make an appointment. When I looked at the Renault, I quickly saw that this was the one. The car was completely original, had no trace of rust and a documented mileage of only 102.000 km. The prison guard had bought the car from a fellow countryman who lived in Haiti and later returned to France. It goes without saying that I was happy with this original car.”

After purchasing the car, Bauke made several personal adjustments, such as replacing the original Skai upholstery with a brown TX Pullman interior, fitting Dunlop rims and a five-speed gearbox. Small rust spots on the bodywork were also repaired and resprayed, and the car was given a complete Dinitrol rust treatment. In addition, the engine was expertly overhauled by an expert mechanic. “I am proud that I carried out 95 percent of all the work myself.”

Use of the hobby car?

“In my case, that mainly means tours, holidays and rallies.” In 2018, for example, he and his sons made an impressive journey from Bant to Beijing, which lasted 6 weeks and covered 15.000 km. Earlier, in 2013, they had already undertaken an adventure to South America, a journey of 8 weeks in which they also covered 15.000 km. Different requirements apply to cars for such rallies. That is why an additional cooling fan was fitted, load adjuster shock absorbers were installed on the rear axle, the ride height was raised with larger van tyres and electronic power steering was installed.

Fascination

A hobby car like this beautiful Renault 16 TS says a lot about Bauke. He is adventurous – the journeys across various continents prove that – and as a classic car driver he has style and is distinctive. He keeps the history of Renault alive, remains authentic as an enthusiast and has clearly found the “key” to his passion! It goes without saying that this is a passionate hobby.

Have you also found the key to your passion? Then a subscription to Auto Klassiek is part of keeping your hobby alive! An extra incentive is the low price: only €49,50 for 12 issues, delivered faithfully to your doorstep every month. Our advice: Do it!

(The article continues below with the photos.)