I’m not familiar with the Renault Dauphine. Up until a couple of days ago, the only one I had ever seen in person was mounted on the side of the local transmission shop in Bowling Green, and I only figured out what it was two years ago, after thinking for years that it was some kind of early Subaru. The little Renaults were small and underpowered, but they were small, economical and they were at a cheap price that competed with the VW Beetle nicely. Built for eleven years and sold all over the world, the Dauphine even made it to the States, where it found a niche as an alternative to the long, low, wide, heavy and thirsty domestics that were being sold. 39 MPG in the late 1950s was borderline exotic compared to the kind of fuel binge that a same-year Dodge would have, for sure.
The little Renault had been in production for just a couple of years when this particular stunt was pulled. Two brothers, Gary and Pete Weber, wanted to promote European Motor Mart, an import dealership. To do so, they took two Dauphines to a horse track in Ohio and proceeded to make lap after lap for a solid twenty-four hours straight as part of an attempt at a USAC record. The blue Dauphine was the record car, while the white car was essentially the supplier. The passenger-front door of the blue car and the driver’s rear door on the white car were removed for ease of movement. As the blue car would require fuel, or the driver would need anything from a bathroom break to some food, the white car would come out to the track, match pace with the blue car, and when they were side-by-side, an assistant would go from the white car to the blue car and address needs, from a simple refueling to a full-blown driver trade-out.
Unfortunately, even though the team met their goal, a paperwork kerfluffle with USAC meant that the record never got properly recorded. But still, striking while the iron was hot for Dauphines was a good idea. In just a few years, both the American buying public and Renault themselves would be singing a different, more humble tune.
I’ve had two of them, loved them, and would love to have one to play with again!
Today, everything is automatic, traction control, “sport” mode, refined suspensions, etc. A rear motored car like this, early beetles, and many others, made you learn to DRIVE the machine, not just ride in it. It’s a shame. People today think they can drive when it’s the car taking most of the work out of it for them.
when i was a teenager(when the earth’s crust was cooling),someone was going to give my cousin one of these things—i remember looking at the owner’s manual in the glovebox,which also had the info on the convertible model (the caravelle,i believe) in it. i was surprised to learn of some of the tools that came with it,to wit,a bar you placed across the door opening,so that when you jacked the car up to change a tire,the thing wouldn’t buckle in on itself!—i don’t think i’ve ever seen one running,and can’t even remember the last time i saw one at all…..
Thank you Bryan for posting this about my dad. He is 88 years old and still is always working on something pertaining to an engine. They actually went longer than 24 hours. I think it was 36 hours. Anyways he has a ton of car stories that will make you laugh and realize life was a lot more fun in the simpler days without digital connections.