Renault NN (Petru Rambam)
| Renault NN (Petru Rambam) | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Renault |
| Production | 1925 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Small family car |
| Body style | Four-door saloon |
| Layout | Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 951 cc inline-four petrol engine |
| Transmission | 3-speed manual |
The Renault NN (Petru Rambam) is a red 1925 Renault NN formerly used as the personal vehicle of Petru Rambam. It carried the registration plate Blbl and was Rambam's only car. The vehicle retained the basic structure of the original Renault NN, including its four-door body, front-mounted four-cylinder engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, and three-speed manual transmission, but it was heavily worn and repeatedly repaired with improvised parts.
The car was known for its poor mechanical condition. When driven at full power, the exhaust produced blue smoke. Its main modification was the removal of the rear bench seat, which was replaced with an industrial freezer used to store peas.
Design and condition
[edit | edit source]The vehicle was based on a 1925 Renault NN four-door saloon. It had a red exterior and used the registration plate Blbl. The original Renault NN was a small Renault passenger car with a front-mounted four-cylinder petrol engine and rear-wheel drive.
By the time it was used by Petru Rambam, the car was in heavily worn condition. Its bodywork showed age, repeated use, and crude repair work. The engine remained functional, but it produced visible blue smoke from the exhaust when driven at full power. Rambam continued to use the car despite its mechanical problems.
Rear freezer modification
[edit | edit source]The rear bench seat was removed from the passenger compartment and replaced with an industrial freezer. The freezer occupied the rear seating area and was kept full of peas. This removed the car's normal rear passenger function and turned the back of the vehicle into a small cold-storage space.
The freezer installation was improvised rather than factory-built. It added weight to the rear of the car and reduced the usable interior space. The modification became the vehicle's most recognizable feature.
Use by Petru Rambam
[edit | edit source]Petru Rambam used the Renault NN as his personal vehicle. It was separate from the sanitation and waste-service vehicles used by Septicsolution, the company operated by Rambam and Iakob Rambam. The Renault remained a private car rather than a company vehicle.
Rambam kept the car as his only vehicle and favorite possession. Its continued use reflected his reliance on old mechanical equipment and improvised repairs. The car was associated with Rambam's daily life before his death in 2025.