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36 - 1959 RENAULT 4CV Pie No reserve 1956 RENAULT 4CV ‘PIE’ – CUR…
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Estimate €15,000 - €20,000
Sale commission
Description
1959 RENAULT 4CV Pie No reserve 1956 RENAULT 4CV ‘PIE’ – CURRUS BODYWORK • Sold without registration documents • Chassis number: 2543874 • Special ‘Police’ cylinder head, pistons, carburettor and exhaust • A genuine barn find: a historic rediscovery The first modern post-war car for Régie Renault, the 4CV joined the ranks of the Paris Police Headquarters (PP) in the very early 1950s at the instigation of Mr Gobin, then Director of the Municipal Police. Intended to replace the bicycles, shared buses and the few Citroën Traction Avant cars used by the judicial brigade, this model was modified to strict specifications to meet the demands of urban patrol duty. In 1952, the design of a prototype was entrusted to Currus, a renowned Parisian coachbuilder. The bodywork was modified by Currus to include a large rear window and specially cut-out doors, designed to facilitate the use of stop signals or weapons. Mechanically, the engine was given a period-specific upgrade comprising a special cylinder head, a larger-diameter carburettor and a bespoke exhaust system, enabling a top speed of 130 km/h. The factory equipment was complemented by a shortwave radio transceiver and a searchlight. Following approval of the prototype, the first official production run was launched in March 1955, sporting the famous black-and-white two-tone livery that earned it the nickname ‘Pie’. However, in 1956, Régie Renault notified the Prefect of Police that the manufacturer’s warranty had been withdrawn: Currus’s removal of the central pillar rendered the vehicle non-compliant with the Mines approval certificate. Following this notification, only the first 16 examples retained the Currus-modified bodywork, with the next 60 reverting to the original bodywork of the standard saloon, finished in black and white. This example, produced in 1956 and bearing the serial number 2543874, is part of this extremely rare first series featuring Currus’s structural modifications. Registered as 2071 EW 75, it is believed to have remained in service until the late 1960s. After its service with the police, it should have been scrapped like the others, yet it took a different path, likely saved by a scrap dealer or exported. We subsequently trace it to Brittany in 1972, still bearing its original Parisian registration number. A contemporary invoice indicates that it then came into the possession of Mr Weber, a resident of Saarbrücken. It subsequently became the property of Mr Lemarie in Boulogne. In 1974 it was acquired by its current owner, who was so passionate about the model that he even owned two at one point. Kept within the same family for fifty years, this vehicle is presented in a strictly ‘barn find’ condition. Completely untouched and protected from the elements, it has not undergone any attempts at restoration or modern modification. The major historical significance of this vehicle lies in the presence of most of its original Currus components: it retains its original, tuned engine (partially dismantled), its dashboard instrumentation with its independent rev counter and 160 km/h speedometer, as well as its upholstery and specific seats. The door fittings and cut-outs are also preserved. Only the police equipment (radio, siren and lights) was removed when it was taken out of service. As almost all such cars were scrapped when taken out of service, this authentic example, which has never been dismantled, represents an absolutely rare restoration base for collectors of French automotive heritage. Today, this is the third known surviving example. 1956 RENAULT 4CV ‘PIE’ – CURRUS BODYWORK • Sold without registration documents • Chassis number: 2543874 • ‘Police’ specification cylinder head, pistons, carburettor and exhaust • A genuine barn find: a historic rediscovery The first modern post-war car for Régie Renault, the 4CV joined the ranks of the Paris Police Headquarters (PP) in the very early 1950s at the instigation of Mr Gobin, then Director of the Municipal Police. Intended to replace the bicycles, shared buses and the few Citroën Traction Avant cars used by the judicial brigade, this model was modified to strict specifications to meet the demands of urban patrol duty. In 1952, the design of a prototype was entrusted to Currus, a renowned Parisian coachbuilder. The bodywork was modified by Currus with the addition of a large rear window and specially cut-out doors, designed to facilitate the use of stop signals or firearms. Mechanically, the engine was upgraded with period-specific modifications, including a special cylinder head, a larger-diameter carburettor and a bespoke exhaust system, enabling a top speed of 130 km/h. The factory equipment was supplemented by a shortwave radio transceiver and a searchlight. Following approval of the prototype, the first official production run was launched in March 1955, sporting the famous black-and-white two-tone livery that earned it the nickname ‘Pie’. However, in 1956, Régie Renault notified the Prefect of Police that the manufacturer’s warranty had been revoked: Currus’s removal of the central pillar rendered the vehicle non-compliant with the Ministry of Mines’ type-approval certificate. Following this warning, only the first 16 examples retained the Currus-modified bodywork, with the next 60 reverting to the original bodywork of the standard saloon, finished in black and white. This example, produced in 1956 and bearing chassis number 2543874, is part of this extremely rare first series featuring Currus’s structural modifications. Registered as 2071 EW 75, it is believed to have remained in service until the late 1960s. After its service with the police, it should, like the others, have been scrapped, yet it took a different path, likely saved by a scrap dealer or exported. We subsequently trace it to Brittany in 1972, still bearing its original Parisian registration number. A contemporary invoice indicates that it then came into the possession of Mr Weber, a resident of Saarbrücken. It subsequently became the property of Mr Lemarie in Boulogne. In 1974 it was acquired by its current owner, who is so passionate about the model that he even owned two at one point. Kept within the same family for fifty years, this vehicle is presented in a genuine ‘barn find’ condition. Completely untouched and protected from the elements, it has not undergone any attempts at restoration or modern modification. The vehicle’s major historical significance lies in the presence of most of its original Currus components: it retains its original, modified engine (partially dismantled), its dashboard instrumentation with its independent rev counter and 160 km/h speedometer, as well as its upholstery and specific seats. The door fittings and cut-outs are also preserved. Only the police equipment (radio, siren and lights) was removed when it was taken out of service. As almost all such cars were destroyed when taken out of service, this authentic example, which has never been dismantled, constitutes an absolutely rare restoration base for collectors of French automotive heritage. Today, this is the third known surviving example.
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About the sale Classic cars
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Auction time 06/29/2026 at 2:00 PM
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