Early 1930s Renault commercial vehicles

The early 1930s Renault commercial vehicles were a range of modular chassis produced by Renault, sold under various configurations, primarily trucks, buses and coaches. The range was the first from Renault to get diesel engines and it abandoned previous design styles from the company. The range was gradually replaced from 1935 onwards by the ACx and ADx light range, the ABx medium range and the ZP bus/coach.

Early 1930s Renault commercial vehicles
A Renault OS (OSB model for 1933)
Overview
Type	Various
Manufacturer	Renault
Production	1930–1936
Assembly	Boulogne-Billancourt, France
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel drive
Powertrain
Transmission	4-speed manual 5-speed manual
Chronology
Predecessor	Late 1920s Renault commercial vehicles
Successor	Renault ACx and ADx Renault ABx Renault ZP

History and overview

Beginnings of the early 1930s range

At the end of 1930, Renault ended production of its last "coalscuttle"-bonneted (with the radiator behind the engine) commercial vehicles, adopting more vertical grilles and, in some models, vertical slits on both sides of the engine compartment, as the radiator was moved ahead.[1] At the same time, it was introducing its first diesel engines for road transport. These engines were a 7-litre inline-four and a 10.5-litre inline-six, both with direct injection.[2][3][4] The inline-four was initially used on Renault's heavy trucks from 1930,[3] and the inline-six was introduced in 1931.[2] The engines had been extensively tested for two years and its development had as base Renault's experience on diesel marine engines, which allowed the company to create its own diesel engine technology instead of purchasing it to foreign manufacturers, as most of its French competitors did. The production of Renault's commercial range at the time was heavily modularised,[4] with many standardised pieces,[4][5] improving economies of scale, quality on mass production and also simplifying parts replacement.[4]   The light and mid-range commercial vehicles for 1931 were largely made up from evolutions of existing models: the RY and KZ (both with payloads under 1 tonne), the OS (1.3-1.8 tonne payload), the PR (2 tonnes payload), the SX (2 tonnes payload), and the SZ (3 tonnes payload).[1] The upper ranges had a mix of new and updated but old models, including the TL (4 tonnes payload), TR (5.5 tonnes payload), TS (7.5 tonnes payload), TI, and two tractor units (SY and TT).[4][6] 

Range expansion

Some trucks for 1932. Clockwise from the top left: SZ, TS, TS short, and TI.

For 1932, the lower range consisted on further upgraded vehicles, using inline-four (all except SX and SZ) and inline-six (SX and SZ) petrol engines. Most of the upper range used the already mentioned diesel engines and two petrol ones: a 6-litre inline-four and a 9.1-litre inline-six. The TI (5.5 tonnes payload) and the UD (7.5 tonnes payload) mounted the four engines, the TS (8 tonnes payload) only the inline-four ones,[7][8] and the 6x2 VT (12 tonnes payload) only the inline-six. The range was completed by two tractor units: the TT (hauling capacity of up to 15 tonnes), using the four upper range engines; and the SY (hauling capacity of up to 6 tonnes), using the engine mounted on the SX-SZ.[7]

About 1931–1932, Renault unveiled a new 3.8 inline-four diesel engine called the C-90, to be used in future vehicles. It also introduced short-lived 6×4 petrol-engined trucks with articulated suspension: the UC (7-tonne payload or tractor unit up to 15 tonnes) and the UR (4-tonne payload).[9]

VT chassis for 1933 without bodywork

For the 1933 models, there were some changes compared to the ones for 1932: a new light vehicle called YP (0.75 tonnes payload), a new KZ chassis more focused on commercial use, the discontinuation of the TS. Renault also introduced vehicles with new diesel and petrol engines: the YF, replacing the SZ, and the YG tractor unit, replacing the SY.[10] For 1934, Renault removed the SX, replacing it with the ZY (ZYAC, inline-four petrol, 2.5 tonnes payload) and started to phase out the PR, exchanging it for most uses with a new 2-tonne chassis, the ZJ, which was subject to less taxes and restrictions. A ZY version (ZYDC) received a new diesel engine, and both petrols and diesels for all the models were updated. The TI lost its inline-six petrol engine and the TT all its inline-four ones. A VT-based heavy truck, the ZF, was added to the lineup.[11]

The French military commissioned various vehicles from Renault's commercial range, including the UD, the YF, the TI, and the PR.[12]

End of the early 1930s range

By 1934, the French government established various restrictions on commercial vehicles. As a result of these, Renault began to introduce forward control designs, replacing the normal control (conventional cabin) it had been using in the early 1930s. At the 1934 Paris Salon, the company unveiled two forward control units for 1935: the ABF (5-tonne payload truck), the ZP (a coach),[13][14] and announced a third, the ABG tractor unit (hauling capacity of up to 10 tonnes), which was unveiled at the Brussels Salon of that year.[15]  The petrol-engined versions of the TT and the VT were removed from the lineup.[6] For 1935 Renault also retired its last flathead petrol engines from the commercial range and gave minor updates to the diesel ones. Lastly, the company introduced a new YF-based coach,[13] the ZI.[16]

At the 1935 Paris Salon, Renault presented basically the same 1935 range for 1936.[14] In practice, all the early 1930s commercial vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes payload were discontinued during the 1935–1936 period, its boxy styling replaced with the more curvy Renault ACx and ADx range.[1] Most normal-control commercial vehicles over 3.5 tonnes payload were also discontinued, the exception being the UD, which subsisted on the lineup until 1937.[6] A TI variant (the TI 4 AE) was produced for the military until 1938.[12]

Technical details

1931 lineup

The Renault's commercial vehicle range for 1931 has gross combined weight ratings of up to 8.5 tonnes (for rigid trucks) and 16 tonnes (for tractor units with towed cargo). The bus/coach bodywork variants can carry between 10 (OS model) and up to 40 passengers (TI and TI N models).[17]

Model	Chassis code	Engines					Payload	Chassis lengths	Gearboxes	Type
		Fuel	C.	Displacement	Fiscal power	Power
Mona 6[note 1]	RY2	Petrol	6	1,463 cc	8 CV	26 PS (19 kW)	400 kg	1	3-speed manual	Light van
KZ	KZ		4	2,120 cc	11 CV	33 PS (24 kW)	600 kg	2
OS	OS3						1,300–1,800 kg	1	4-speed manual	Light truck and bus/coach
PR	PR3						2,000 kg
SX	SX3		6	3,180 cc	15/18 CV	53 PS (39 kW)	2,000–2,500 kg	2
SZ	SZ3				12 CV		3 tonnes	1
TL
	-		4	6,082 cc	23 CV	60 PS (44 kW)	4 tonnes			Truck and bus/coach
		Diesel		7,060 cc	27 CV	57 PS (42 kW)
TR
	TR	Petrol		6,082 cc	23 CV	60 PS (44 kW)	5.5 tonnes			Truck
	TRD	Diesel		7,060 cc	27 CV	57 PS (42 kW)
TS
	-	Petrol		6,082 cc	23 CV	60 PS (44 kW)	7.5 tonnes	2
		Diesel		7,060 cc	27 CV	57 PS (42 kW)
TI	-	Petrol	6	9,120 cc	35 CV	100 PS (74 kW)	30–35 passeenger seats (short) 35–40 passenger seats (long)			Bus/coach
TI N	-		4	6,082 cc	23 CV	60 PS (44 kW)	30–35 passenger seats (short) 35–40 passenger seats (long)
SY	-	Petrol	6	3,180 cc	12 CV	53 PS (39 kW)	6 tonnes (hauling)	1		Tractor unit
TT
	-	Petrol	4	6,082 cc	23 CV	60 PS (44 kW)	12 tonnes (hauling)
		Diesel		7,060 cc	27 CV	57 PS (42 kW)

1932 lineup

The Renault's commercial vehicle range for 1932 has about a dozen of different chassis configurations,[8] with gross combined weight ratings of up to 14 tonnes (for rigid trucks) and 20 tonnes (for tractor units with towed cargo). The bus/coach bodywork variants can carry between 12 (OS model) and up to 45 passengers (TI model).[7]

Model	Chassis code	Engines					Payload	Chassis lengths	Gearboxes	Type
		Fuel	C.	Displacement	Fiscal power	Power
Mona 4[note 2]	UY	Petrol	4	1,300 cc	7 CV	25 PS (18 kW)	500 kg	1	3-speed manual	Light van
Prima 4	YB			2,120 cc	11 CV	35 PS (26 kW)
Viva 4	KZ						800 kg	2
OS	OS4 OS5						1,300 kg	1	4-speed manual	Light truck and bus/coach
PR	PR4 PR5						2,000 kg
SX	SX4 SX5		6	3,180 cc	15/18 CV	53 PS (39 kW)		2
SZ	SZ4				12 CV		3.5 tonnes
TI
	TI 4		4	6,082 cc	23 CV	69 PS (51 kW)	5 tonnes	3		Truck and bus/coach
	TI 6		6	9,120 cc	35 CV	100 PS (74 kW)
	TI D4	Diesel	4	7,060 cc	27 CV	57 PS (42 kW)
	TI D6		6	10,590 cc	40 CV	87 PS (64 kW)
UD
	UD 4	Petrol	4	6,082 cc	23 CV	69 PS (51 kW)	7.5 tonnes	1		Truck
	UD 6		6	9,120 cc	35 CV	100 PS (74 kW)
	UD D4	Diesel	4	7,060 cc	27 CV	57 PS (42 kW)
	UD D6		6	10,590 cc	40 CV	87 PS (64 kW)
TS
	TSE TS	Petrol	4	6,082 cc	23 CV	69 PS (51 kW)	9.5 tonnes	2
	TSE D4 TS D4	Diesel		7,060 cc	27 CV	57 PS (42 kW)
VT
	VT 6	Petrol	6	9,120 cc	40 CV	100 PS (74 kW)	12 tonnes	1	5-speed manual	6x2 truck
	VT D6	Diesel		10,590 cc	40 CV	87 PS (64 kW)
SY	-	Petrol	6	3,180 cc	12 CV	53 PS (39 kW)	6 tonnes (hauling)		4-speed manual	Tractor unit
TT
	TT 4	Petrol	4	6,082 cc	23 CV	69 PS (51 kW)	10–15 tonnes (hauling)		5-speed manual
	TT 6		6	9,120 cc	35 CV	100 PS (74 kW)
	TT D4	Diesel	4	7,060 cc	27 CV	57 PS (42 kW)
	TT D6		6	10,590 cc	40 CV	87 PS (64 kW)

1933 lineup

The Renault's commercial vehicle range for 1933 has the same maximum gross combined weight ratings of the previous range. Some bus/coach variants got improvements on chassis and suspension.[10][note 3]

Model	Chassis code	Engines					Payload	Chassis lengths	Gearboxes	Type
		Fuel	C.	Displacement	Fiscal power	Power
YP	YPB	Petrol	4	1,463 cc	8 CV	32 PS (24 kW)	750 kg	1	3-speed manual	Light van
KZ	KZB (KZ12)			2,120 cc	11 CV	35 PS (26 kW)
OS	OSB						1,300 kg		4-speed manual	Light truck and bus/coach
PR	PRB						2,000 kg
SX	SXB		6	3,180 cc	15/18 CV	53 PS (39 kW)		2
YF
	YFAB		4	4,050 cc	15 CV	65 PS (48 kW)	3.5 tonnes
	YFDB	Diesel		4,345 cc	12 CV	45 PS (33 kW)
TI
	TI 4 B	Petrol		6,082 cc	23 CV	69 PS (51 kW)	5.5 tonnes	3	5-speed manual	Truck and bus/coach
	TI 6 B		6	7,983 cc	30 CV	105 PS (77 kW)
	TI D4 B	Diesel	4	7,060 cc	19 CV	57 PS (42 kW)
	TI D6 B		6	10,590 cc	28 CV	87 PS (64 kW)
UD
	UD 4 B	Petrol	4	6,082 cc	23 CV	69 PS (51 kW)	7.5 tonnes	1		Truck
	UD 6 B		6	7,983 cc	30 CV	105 PS (77 kW)
	UD D4 AB	Diesel	4	7,060 cc	19 CV	57 PS (42 kW)				Bus/coach and delivery vehicle
	UD D6 B		6	10,590 cc	28 CV	87 PS (64 kW)				Truck
VT
	VT 6 AB	Petrol	6	7,983 cc	30 CV	105 PS (77 kW)	12 tonnes			6x2 truck
	VT D6 B	Diesel		10,590 cc	28 CV	87 PS (64 kW)
YG
	YGAB	Petrol	4	4,050 cc	15 CV	65 PS (48 kW)	6 tonnes (hauling)			Tractor unit
	YGDB	Diesel		4,345 cc	12 CV	45 PS (33 kW)
TT
	TT 4	Petrol		6,082 cc	23 CV	69 PS (51 kW)	10–15 tonnes (hauling)
	TT 6 A		6	7,983 cc	30 CV	105 PS (77 kW)
	TT D4	Diesel	4	7,060 cc	19 CV	57 PS (42 kW)
	TT D6		6	10,590 cc	28 CV	87 PS (64 kW)

1935 lineup

The Renault's commercial vehicle range for 1935 has about twenty three different chassis configurations, with a gross combined weight rating of up 20 tonnes. The bus/coach bodywork variants can carry between 14 (OS model) and up to 36 passengers (ZP model). Various models' chassis were modified to comply with the French law.[18]

Model	Chassis code	Engines				Payload	Chassis lengths	Gearboxes	Type
		Fuel	C.	Displacement	Power
YN	YN1	Petrol	4	1,463 cc	34 PS (25 kW)	450 kg	1	3-speed manual	Light van
YP	YPE					750 kg
KZ	KZE			2,120 cc	43 PS (32 kW)
OS	OSC					1,200 kg		4-speed manual	Light truck and bus/coach
ZJ	ZJC					2,000 kg
ZY
	ZYAE			4,050 cc	77 PS (57 kW)	2.5 tonnes	2
	ZYDE	Diesel		4,345 cc	47 PS (35 kW)				Light truck
YF
	YFAE	Petrol		4,050 cc	77 PS (57 kW)	3.5 tonnes			Truck and bus/coach
	YFDE	Diesel		4,345 cc	47 PS (35 kW)				Truck
ABF
	ABF	Petrol		5,900 cc	85 PS (63 kW)	4.5–5 tonnes			Forward control truck
	ABFD	Diesel		8,350 cc
TI
	TI 4 AE	Petrol		5,900 cc		5.5 tonnes		5-speed manual	Truck
	TI 4 DE	Diesel		8,350 cc
UD
	UD 6 AE	Petrol	6	7,983 cc	112 PS (82 kW)	7.5 tonnes
	UD 6 DE	Diesel		12,525 cc	130 PS (96 kW)
VT	VT D6 DD					12 tonnes	1		6x2 truck
ZF	ZF 6 DD					15 tonnes
YG
	YGAD	Petrol	4	4,050 cc	77 PS (57 kW)	6 tonnes (hauling)		4-speed manual	Tractor unit
	YGDD	Diesel		4,345 cc	47 PS (35 kW)
ABG
	ABG	Petrol		5,900 cc	85 PS (63 kW)	8–10 tonnes (hauling)			Forward control tractor unit
	ABGD	Diesel		8,350 cc
TT	TT D6		6	12,525 cc	130 PS (96 kW)	15 tonnes (hauling)		5-speed manual	Tractor unit
TI a
	TI 6 AE	Petrol		7,983 cc	112 PS (82 kW)	22 passenger seats			Bus/coach
	TI 6 DE	Diesel		12,525 cc	130 PS (96 kW)
ZI	-	Petrol	4	5,900 cc	85 PS (63 kW)–99 PS (73 kW)	26 passenger seats		4-speed manual
ZP	-					23–28 passenger seats (short) 31–36 passenger seats (long)	2		Forward control bus/coach

Notes

1. The two first models were sold by Renault's passenger vehicle division. Renault also sold the six-wheelers MH and OX and the TN buses for special purposes.
2. The three first models were sold by Renault's passenger vehicle division.
3. For the passenger car chassis with commercial version, see Renault Monaquatre.

References

1. "Utilitaires légers. Les Renault des années trente" [LCVs. 1930s Renaults]. Charge utile (in French). Paris: Histoire et collection (242): 42–45. February 2013. ISSN 1240-2346.
2. Carroll, John; Davies, Peter James (2007). Complete Book Tractors and Trucks. Hermes House. p. 66. ISBN 1-84309-689-7.
3. "The new Renault diesel engines". The Commercial Motor. Vol. 50 no. 1291. London. 10 December 1929. p. 75. ISSN 0010-3063.
4. Faroux, Charles (25 November 1931). "Le Salon des véhicules industriels 1931" [The 1931 commercial vehicles show]. La vie automobile (in French). Vol. 27 no. 982. Paris: Dunod. p. 632–633.
5. "Advance news of the Paris show". The Commercial Motor. Vol. 54 no. 1392. London. 17 November 1931. p. 52. ISSN 0010-3063.
6. Liste des types de châssis industriels de 1926 à 1940 (in French), Billancourt: Renault, 1946
7. La gamme des véhicules industriels Renault (in French), Billancourt: Renault, 1932
8. "Tendances et progrès de la construction des véhicules industriels en 1932" [Trends and progress for commercial vehicle manufacturing in 1932]. Omnia (in French). No. 139. Paris. December 1931. p. 456. ISSN 2592-477X.
9. "Les "nouveautés" Renault en matière de véhicules industriels" [Renault's "novelties" for commercial vehicles]. La Pratique automobile vulgarisée (in French). Vol. 28 no. 601. Paris. 15 February 1932. pp. 14, 16. ISSN 2711-5364.
10. "Les poids lourds Renault" [The Renault's heavy vehicles]. La Pratique automobile vulgarisée (in French). Vol. 28 no. 618. Paris. 1 November 1932. pp. 14–16. ISSN 2711-5364.
11. "Les poids lourds Renault" [The Renault's heavy vehicles]. La vie automobile (in French). Vol. 29 no. 1026. Paris: Dunod. 25 September 1933. p. 448.
12. Vauvillier, François; Touraine, Jean-Michel; Jeudy, Jean-Gabriel (1992). L'automobile sous l'uniforme 1939–1940 [The Car in Uniform 1939–1940] (in French). Editions Ch. Massin. pp. 61, 84, 112, 155. ISBN 2-7072-0197-9.
13. Faroux, Charles (25 September 1934). ""Pour 1935..." Le Salon 1934" ["For 1935..." The 1934 Salon]. La vie automobile (in French). Vol. 30 no. 1050. Paris: Dunod. p. 457.
14. ""Pour 1936..."" ["For 1936..."]. La vie automobile (in French). Vol. 31 no. 1074. Paris: Dunod. 25 September 1935. p. 451.
15. "Important commercial interest at the Brussels show". The Commercial Motor. Vol. 60 no. 1550. London: Temple Press. 30 November 1934. pp. 48–49. ISSN 0010-3063.
16. "Nos véhicules industriels 1935" [Our commercial vehicles for 1935]. Bulletin commercial des Usines Renault (in French). No. 70. Paris: Renault. 30 November 1934.
17. La gamme des véhicules industriels Renault (in French), Billancourt: Renault, 1931
18. Gamme des véhicules industriels 1934-1935 (in French), Billancourt: Renault, 1935