R5GTT project - off the road from 1998 to 2014
Discussion
February 2014
Hello Folks,
So, now we turn to getting the garage ready for the car's return. I was
quite surprised by just how many coats of paint it would take to make
it look like I meant it...
There's a small hint of green into the white. It's possible that I'll need to put
yet another coat on the ceiling. Nevertheless, I'm now looking forward to
seeing the replacement lights in place.
I've been looking at possible solutions for protecting the doors, and after having
a good look on eBay, I suddenly had a bit of a brain-wave. These are the surplus
pieces from the floor mats threaded together, so I have 12 strips to glue to the walls...
Regards,
Steve
Hello Folks,
So, now we turn to getting the garage ready for the car's return. I was
quite surprised by just how many coats of paint it would take to make
it look like I meant it...
There's a small hint of green into the white. It's possible that I'll need to put
yet another coat on the ceiling. Nevertheless, I'm now looking forward to
seeing the replacement lights in place.
M said:
Looks a good size garage. Is this the same garage the 5 was stored in for all those years?
18' by 9' - Yeah - this is its "reward" I've been looking at possible solutions for protecting the doors, and after having
a good look on eBay, I suddenly had a bit of a brain-wave. These are the surplus
pieces from the floor mats threaded together, so I have 12 strips to glue to the walls...
Regards,
Steve
Edited by LowiePete on Friday 3rd April 10:23
Hello Folks,
So, the front suspension is re-assembled. I'm really pleased that I've been
able to source some de Carbon shock absorbers, even if I haven't stayed
standard with the spring colour. They do look good
The car should be back on its wheels this week. I cannot wait!
I've managed to source a pair of de Carbon DG5848 from France for £82 delivered.
The existing ones seem OK so are going back on so we can get the car back on its
wheels for the time being. The existing ones were made by Allinquant. Unlike the
radiator, not much response from parts supplier searches in France
Renault Part # 7701478479 = £108 each + delivery + VAT from Endon
Regards,
Steve
So, the front suspension is re-assembled. I'm really pleased that I've been
able to source some de Carbon shock absorbers, even if I haven't stayed
standard with the spring colour. They do look good
The car should be back on its wheels this week. I cannot wait!
M said:
Steve,
I could be wrong but looking at the pictures they may be for a Ph1 or possibly a campus? The mounting hole centres (attach to hub) appear to be in line and not off centre as standard Ph2.
Hope I'm wrong though.;)
Sadly, you aren't, but good spot though I could be wrong but looking at the pictures they may be for a Ph1 or possibly a campus? The mounting hole centres (attach to hub) appear to be in line and not off centre as standard Ph2.
Hope I'm wrong though.;)
I've managed to source a pair of de Carbon DG5848 from France for £82 delivered.
The existing ones seem OK so are going back on so we can get the car back on its
wheels for the time being. The existing ones were made by Allinquant. Unlike the
radiator, not much response from parts supplier searches in France
Renault Part # 7701478479 = £108 each + delivery + VAT from Endon
Regards,
Steve
04 March 2014
Hello Folks,
After many false starts in getting photos transferred, here are a selection
taken by Karl during the restoration. This helps serve as a re-cap of the
progress made.
This is the remains of the exhaust as collected from the trailer...
The car given a quick wash...
The remainder at various stages of the rebuild...
The correct replacement shock absorbers have arrived today and been
delivered.
With us not knowing how long these would take to arrive from France, and
the release of the ramp getting more urgent, we decided to re-install the
originals on the basis that it would not be too much of a job to replace them
later. So, on that basis, these pictures are a bit of a cheat, in that they
show the original, rather than the new shocks in place...
Luckily, only one side had been done. The other strut will have "new wrong"
replaced with "new correct" shock absorber. Car will, come what may, be
back on its wheels by the end of the week.
When I visited yesterday, Karl was balancing the wheels and it was quite
surprising just how much weight he was having to add. The problem was
that being placed out of plain sight meant they were fouling the calipers.
Once the car is running, I think this will be revisited with a view of taking the
tyres off and adding balance weights inside the wheel. It looks like the
blasting part of the refurb process may have upset their balance more than
what was first apparent.
Regards,
Steve
Hello Folks,
After many false starts in getting photos transferred, here are a selection
taken by Karl during the restoration. This helps serve as a re-cap of the
progress made.
This is the remains of the exhaust as collected from the trailer...
The car given a quick wash...
The remainder at various stages of the rebuild...
The correct replacement shock absorbers have arrived today and been
delivered.
With us not knowing how long these would take to arrive from France, and
the release of the ramp getting more urgent, we decided to re-install the
originals on the basis that it would not be too much of a job to replace them
later. So, on that basis, these pictures are a bit of a cheat, in that they
show the original, rather than the new shocks in place...
Luckily, only one side had been done. The other strut will have "new wrong"
replaced with "new correct" shock absorber. Car will, come what may, be
back on its wheels by the end of the week.
When I visited yesterday, Karl was balancing the wheels and it was quite
surprising just how much weight he was having to add. The problem was
that being placed out of plain sight meant they were fouling the calipers.
Once the car is running, I think this will be revisited with a view of taking the
tyres off and adding balance weights inside the wheel. It looks like the
blasting part of the refurb process may have upset their balance more than
what was first apparent.
Regards,
Steve
19 March 2014
Hello Folks,
So, after a lot of work, the electrics are all installed with some snazzy LED
lights, though still one missing. The cut-out in the first picture awaits the
arrival of a 21W warm white LED working light...
The main reason for revamping the electrics, the originals were chewed to
heck by my kitchen extension builders, is so that I can trickle-charge the
car battery. These modern devices make that very much less risky than
hitherto. So that I don't have a tripping hazard, the unit is screwed to the
ceiling...
There are just 6 downlights that are concentrated upon the area that the
car will occupy. I still have to erect the work bench which will have its own
lighting, probably on flexible arms.
There's still one thing missing though - the car - won't be long though
Regards,
Steve
Hello Folks,
So, after a lot of work, the electrics are all installed with some snazzy LED
lights, though still one missing. The cut-out in the first picture awaits the
arrival of a 21W warm white LED working light...
The main reason for revamping the electrics, the originals were chewed to
heck by my kitchen extension builders, is so that I can trickle-charge the
car battery. These modern devices make that very much less risky than
hitherto. So that I don't have a tripping hazard, the unit is screwed to the
ceiling...
There are just 6 downlights that are concentrated upon the area that the
car will occupy. I still have to erect the work bench which will have its own
lighting, probably on flexible arms.
There's still one thing missing though - the car - won't be long though
Regards,
Steve
29 March 2014
Hello Folks,
This is a big picture update, though not too much progress on the car. There's been
a bit of an unexpected delay, which means that it'll probably be in May that I tax it.
This first picture is a continuation of the progress of decorating the garage. I'm
looking at ways that I might back-light this sign...
What I hadn't realised was that I'd not taken any more pictures of the garage since
the 21W LED light has been installed. It's on the list.
Having been moved out of the workshop, the car is presently in a lock-up on site.
Here's some first pictures of it back on its wheels....
Then the bonnet got removed to reveal this muddle...
Although not pictured, it was a good job that I managed to source a replacement
radiator. The existing one was in far worse condition than originally thought. While
the header tank was still fairly full, the remainder of the system was entirely dry,
with a lot of powdery flakes inside the pipes. I'm currently giving these a tidy up.
Some More Cleaning
Two pieces for my attention, the air box cover and the carb lobster cover. At first
sight, not looking too filthy. Not what the Surfex APC dunking revealed! The colour
of the wash water was pretty grotty.
A rather poor attempt to show the difference diameter holes in the lobster vents. One being
4.2mm interference fit, the other being just 2mm.
...and cleaned. Both parts were given a coating of high-temp wax, applied by finger tips.
The air-box cap is pencilled-in for further treatment at a later date to deal with
the light coating of rust. The next job is flushing out all the muck from the myriad
pipes that Karl has brought round. Once cleaned, they'll be treated with some Finish
Kare #350 which should help keep them supple for a while.
Regards,
Steve
Hello Folks,
This is a big picture update, though not too much progress on the car. There's been
a bit of an unexpected delay, which means that it'll probably be in May that I tax it.
This first picture is a continuation of the progress of decorating the garage. I'm
looking at ways that I might back-light this sign...
What I hadn't realised was that I'd not taken any more pictures of the garage since
the 21W LED light has been installed. It's on the list.
Having been moved out of the workshop, the car is presently in a lock-up on site.
Here's some first pictures of it back on its wheels....
Then the bonnet got removed to reveal this muddle...
Although not pictured, it was a good job that I managed to source a replacement
radiator. The existing one was in far worse condition than originally thought. While
the header tank was still fairly full, the remainder of the system was entirely dry,
with a lot of powdery flakes inside the pipes. I'm currently giving these a tidy up.
Some More Cleaning
Two pieces for my attention, the air box cover and the carb lobster cover. At first
sight, not looking too filthy. Not what the Surfex APC dunking revealed! The colour
of the wash water was pretty grotty.
A rather poor attempt to show the difference diameter holes in the lobster vents. One being
4.2mm interference fit, the other being just 2mm.
...and cleaned. Both parts were given a coating of high-temp wax, applied by finger tips.
The air-box cap is pencilled-in for further treatment at a later date to deal with
the light coating of rust. The next job is flushing out all the muck from the myriad
pipes that Karl has brought round. Once cleaned, they'll be treated with some Finish
Kare #350 which should help keep them supple for a while.
Regards,
Steve
Hello Folks,
There's been a bit of an haitus in the progress of this resto of late. It has been
slowed up because of the state of the cooling system. The existing rad was
totally knackered, way beyond its initial presentation.
Then it came to removing the water pump. After a bit of a clean on the outside,
it didn't look too bad...
However, it was a bit of a fight to get it off without breaking bolts, and in the end
just one broke. That was simply down to Karl's patience, there should have been
more than one. Anyway, here's the reason...
So, it has come down to seeing just how much residue can be removed from the
rest of the cooling system. I ordered some Bars powder, which can be mixed up
with boiling water once the crystals have been dissolved. One other benefit being
that you can regulate the strength of the mixture.
Otherwise, all the pipework has been cleaned, the carb has been refitted and some
progress made toward getting the car started. Hopefully, that should happen by
the end of next week.
Regards,
Steve
There's been a bit of an haitus in the progress of this resto of late. It has been
slowed up because of the state of the cooling system. The existing rad was
totally knackered, way beyond its initial presentation.
Then it came to removing the water pump. After a bit of a clean on the outside,
it didn't look too bad...
However, it was a bit of a fight to get it off without breaking bolts, and in the end
just one broke. That was simply down to Karl's patience, there should have been
more than one. Anyway, here's the reason...
So, it has come down to seeing just how much residue can be removed from the
rest of the cooling system. I ordered some Bars powder, which can be mixed up
with boiling water once the crystals have been dissolved. One other benefit being
that you can regulate the strength of the mixture.
Otherwise, all the pipework has been cleaned, the carb has been refitted and some
progress made toward getting the car started. Hopefully, that should happen by
the end of next week.
Regards,
Steve
24 April 2014
Hello Folks,
More bits gathered. The 2 dishwasher tablets for giving the cooling
system a final flush-out were a bit of a surprise to Karl when I took
them round. In use, they nevertheless got an instant seal of approval...
Some other good news. One of my previous lodgers came to visit at the
weekend, saw the rear door badges and said: "You know that I've got
the originals off your car, don't you?". Well, seeing as I had hunted high
and low in every possible corner, knowing that I had not thrown them
away, this reminder came as a welcome surprise. They will get returned
to their rightful place
I had removed the originals to remove the word "Turbo" from the rear
end and it instantly stopped the idiots who think it's good fun to "take
you on", when all you want to have is a quick but uneventful drive to
where you're going.
I did mention that I'd post more pics of the garage lighting in operation.
Here they are, but first, a couple of pics showing the door bump strips
in place....
Looking into the garage with the lights off...
...and then on
...and a close-up of the 21W LED
I had my mate Steve's black Honda under the "lights of doom" and they found
something that he wasn't aware of. So mixed feelings about finding the paint
looking a tad fragile along behind the top of the windscreen rubber
However, the clay cloth and some ADS Obsidian Wax on the rest of the roof
was very pleasing!
Just a quick reprise, how the garage used to look...
Regards,
Steve
Hello Folks,
More bits gathered. The 2 dishwasher tablets for giving the cooling
system a final flush-out were a bit of a surprise to Karl when I took
them round. In use, they nevertheless got an instant seal of approval...
Some other good news. One of my previous lodgers came to visit at the
weekend, saw the rear door badges and said: "You know that I've got
the originals off your car, don't you?". Well, seeing as I had hunted high
and low in every possible corner, knowing that I had not thrown them
away, this reminder came as a welcome surprise. They will get returned
to their rightful place
I had removed the originals to remove the word "Turbo" from the rear
end and it instantly stopped the idiots who think it's good fun to "take
you on", when all you want to have is a quick but uneventful drive to
where you're going.
I did mention that I'd post more pics of the garage lighting in operation.
Here they are, but first, a couple of pics showing the door bump strips
in place....
Looking into the garage with the lights off...
...and then on
...and a close-up of the 21W LED
I had my mate Steve's black Honda under the "lights of doom" and they found
something that he wasn't aware of. So mixed feelings about finding the paint
looking a tad fragile along behind the top of the windscreen rubber
However, the clay cloth and some ADS Obsidian Wax on the rest of the roof
was very pleasing!
Just a quick reprise, how the garage used to look...
Regards,
Steve
Edited by LowiePete on Wednesday 8th April 17:30
26 April 2014
Hello Folks,
So, another quick consultation with Karl today. Car should be ready for MOT by the
end of next week. That's the aim anyway. Bits under the bonnet are slowly being
reassembled. The water pump facing is next on the list. One stubborn bolt now
removed...
Note the use of the original style pipe clips...
A while back I bought a set of Bougicord leads from France. Turns out that
the king lead is 6 inches too short and missing its bung that goes through
the forward bulkhead. So, not quite the initial bargain
Following a long discussion, we've decided that the car won't be going back
on the road until 2015. Once we have heard the engine running and know it'll
pass an MOT, the car will be stripped down, everything above axle level.
We'll be taking engine and gearbox out, removing all the glass and returning
everything to mint.
Body will receive a complete repaint. Engine will be overhauled and new
clutch installed. Being as we have restored everything that's mostly hidden
underneath back to mint, there's no point stopping half way.
The painting will be done by Jason on the same site. He's just completed a
Mk.2 Cortina with a finish that looks like it has been enamelled. If he gets a
similar finish on the R5, I'll be a very happy bunny!
Regards,
Steve
Hello Folks,
So, another quick consultation with Karl today. Car should be ready for MOT by the
end of next week. That's the aim anyway. Bits under the bonnet are slowly being
reassembled. The water pump facing is next on the list. One stubborn bolt now
removed...
Note the use of the original style pipe clips...
A while back I bought a set of Bougicord leads from France. Turns out that
the king lead is 6 inches too short and missing its bung that goes through
the forward bulkhead. So, not quite the initial bargain
Following a long discussion, we've decided that the car won't be going back
on the road until 2015. Once we have heard the engine running and know it'll
pass an MOT, the car will be stripped down, everything above axle level.
We'll be taking engine and gearbox out, removing all the glass and returning
everything to mint.
Body will receive a complete repaint. Engine will be overhauled and new
clutch installed. Being as we have restored everything that's mostly hidden
underneath back to mint, there's no point stopping half way.
The painting will be done by Jason on the same site. He's just completed a
Mk.2 Cortina with a finish that looks like it has been enamelled. If he gets a
similar finish on the R5, I'll be a very happy bunny!
Regards,
Steve
Lowiepete said:
A while back I bought a set of Bougicord leads from France. Turns out that
the king lead is 6 inches too short and missing its bung that goes through
the forward bulkhead. So, not quite the initial bargain
the king lead is 6 inches too short and missing its bung that goes through
the forward bulkhead. So, not quite the initial bargain
R said:
Sounds like they are for the phase 1 rather than the phase 2, which has the ignition pack inside the engine bay, hence the kingpin lead is 6 inches shorter than the one which goes in the scuttle panel and no bungl.
Excellent progress though, most of what you are doing is exactly the same as I am doing to mine, which has been off the road for about 11 years. Although, rather than replace bits with OEM parts, im replacing most of the bits with performance parts, so my build costs are about 3 times the price. Still be worth it when its all finished!!!
My next job is the cooling system and i dreading getting that water pump off.
Excellent progress though, most of what you are doing is exactly the same as I am doing to mine, which has been off the road for about 11 years. Although, rather than replace bits with OEM parts, im replacing most of the bits with performance parts, so my build costs are about 3 times the price. Still be worth it when its all finished!!!
My next job is the cooling system and i dreading getting that water pump off.
05 July 2014
Hello Folks,
Before I upload a movie of the car coming home, with an MOT(!), I think
I need to bring things up to date.
There were a couple of reasons why it has taken this long to get to the
MOT. Mostly it was down to the cooling system being in quite a state,
though that was exacerbated by the carburettor flooding, meaning that
we could not get it running for long enough to properly flush the system.
I managed to secure another carb, though despite more cleaning out with
dishwasher tablets and rad cleaner, the system is still pretty murky. The
replacement carb was actually in better condition than my existing one,
although not quite as shiny.
Anyway, I've been pondering making a few further small modifications to the
car. Somehow, the existing parcel shelf got thrown out. However, I've
decided that I'm not going to replace it with one out a GTT. Thinking laterally,
when the car is out on parade in the future, it'll be standing in full sun on a
show field, with very little to shade the rear window. Being as it isn't fitted
with air-conditioning, the black shelf will act like a fantastic heater, when it's
least needed.
So, what's my solution? Well, many R5GTTs have a red carpet, mine has grey,
so there's room for a little more red inside the car. So, I bought a standard
R5 parcel shelf and I'm going to get it upholstered. However, quite by chance
there was an interesting sample in the swatch.
As you know, the red in the seats is not solid. The fabric I'll be using is almost
identical, so the red will be mottled with grey, an effect which tends to make
the overall colour lighter still. Even better!
So, here's the replacement parcel shelf. It's interesting that it is built much
more strongly than the GTT one. As you can see, it needs a bit of treating...
during...
...and after
I'm not stopping with the parcel shelf. I'm intending to do all the door cards
too. Before all the purists start screaming. I'll have standard door cards on
standby, just in case that day arrives. The originals will have a quality leather
finish as the 1980s technology of shrinking a special fabric no longer exists.
Another Rare Find
Rummaging through eBay one evening, I came across a seller offering some
pieces that I've not seen before. Being as there isn't a made-up road twixt
my garage and the highway, whether or not these were fitted to the GTT is
quite frankly immaterial - they are going to serve a purpose.
What made this sale a little different was that the seller wasn't just offering
splash-guards for the front, he had some for the back as well. Anyway,
here's the goods (seller did warn that they were in a bit of a state)...
However, the real value of the deal was in these...
If the track to the garage happens to be a bit muddy at either end of a trip
out, it's going to be the work of moments to give these a wipe over, and
all that beautifully clean underneath will stay that way too.
Apart from the video (coming soon, I promise) I took 2 other photos today.
Just as we got the car home, we found a loose clip on one of the hoses.
That's Karl's hand in there, pushing it back on...
Then, if the day couldn't get any better, my mate turned up with my original
rear door badges. Yay!!
Anyway, that's enough excitement for one day. Oh, I also got a reasonably
good result from the quack today, as my own MOT results came through. Looks
like there's a reasonable risk that I'll be around for a bit longer.
Regards,
Steve
Edited by LowiePete on Friday 3rd April 11:22
Hello Folks,
Part 4 sees the engine started for the first time, the revamp of the car's home
and its triumphant return complete with brand new MOT
Video: Part 4 of my Resto Series
Regards,
Steve
Part 4 sees the engine started for the first time, the revamp of the car's home
and its triumphant return complete with brand new MOT
Video: Part 4 of my Resto Series
Regards,
Steve
11 July 2014
Hello Folks,
The car has its MoT for me to drive around for a bit of a shakedown period
before it goes back to the workshop for a full dismantle and repaint, along
with the engine and gearbox being overhauled. That'll be in October.
Today has been an interesting and not uneventful day! Karl came round at
lunchtime to fit the new clip over the leaky coolant pipe. The other objective
for the day being to sort out the dreaded leaky yellow bung in the fuel tank.
So, it would be back to the workshop for it to be filled with some Milliput.
I just get about 100 yards from my garage, just round the corner and run out
of fuel. Got that replenished, and the wee beastie would not start. It plain
refused to respond to any throttle. So much for my first drive in it for nigh on
16 years!
So, we decide to push it back along the lane, getting my foot run over in the
process. Once back in my garage, it would be a case of checking over the
carburettor. Maybe I'd dragged up some muck from the empty tank. Half
way back, we decide to take a rest - remember I'm not too nimble on my
pegs - so Karl tries the starter again. Well, I be damned, the thing fires up
first time - what a relief..!
So, back to the workshop, filled the problematic bung, which was looking
quite sound, so any future problem averted. Got some proper coolant
added to the system too. Apart from one, possibly two, slightly loose
tappets the engine sounds sweet. The temperature gauge is registering a
well cooled engine, though at this point the fuel and oil pressure gauges are
not responding. That's a job for another day.
Off to the filling station for a tad more fuel, just in case. The car turns heads;
just that burble giving its approach away as something unusual. I get home
and decide that I'm going to do some cleaning. Considering the length of time
since the car was last waxed, I'm amazed at the condition of the paint. There
is hardly any swirling, and no more than about 4 fairly serious water spot
etches. Here's some before photos...
The bucket contains a clay cloth soaking in a mix of ONR and car shampoo.
The door shuts are seriously filthy. I'll be having a good go at them tomorrow!
This photo was taken to try and pick up the two water spot etches on the
bonnet. Looks like that wasn't successful.
With the car going back in October, I'm not going to be treating this paint to
any long-lasting potions. The last thing I want is for Jason, the painter, to
encounter bonding problems. So, my work today was to get the paint as clean
as I can and to really inspect the bodywork. Some of the rust spots are just
surface, though some look potentially more serious.
Now to some after photos. I gave the door glass a really good clay cloth
and polish clean, just to make life easier for the electric window winder
motors, which are working fairly well.
I'm still blown away by how well the ADS clay cloth works. The smoothness
of the finish just has to be felt to be believed.
Now we come to a couple of areas where there's going to be some serious
restoration work to do, by comparison with what's gone before, anyway.
When I first got into the car, I found myself banging my head against the
edge of the sunroof surround, being a 6 footer doesn't help. Managed to
adjust the seat back a tad, then after a little while realised that I had
forgotten just how comfortable those seats actually are, but then I
should not be surprised, Renault have always known how to craft a
very comfy seat!
If the weather behaves, there will be more fun to be had tomorrow. I may
well take a ride out to Beccles and back. So far, I've not got it up into 5th
gear on my short travels. Oh dear, all this excitement!!
Regards,
Steve
Hello Folks,
The car has its MoT for me to drive around for a bit of a shakedown period
before it goes back to the workshop for a full dismantle and repaint, along
with the engine and gearbox being overhauled. That'll be in October.
Today has been an interesting and not uneventful day! Karl came round at
lunchtime to fit the new clip over the leaky coolant pipe. The other objective
for the day being to sort out the dreaded leaky yellow bung in the fuel tank.
So, it would be back to the workshop for it to be filled with some Milliput.
I just get about 100 yards from my garage, just round the corner and run out
of fuel. Got that replenished, and the wee beastie would not start. It plain
refused to respond to any throttle. So much for my first drive in it for nigh on
16 years!
So, we decide to push it back along the lane, getting my foot run over in the
process. Once back in my garage, it would be a case of checking over the
carburettor. Maybe I'd dragged up some muck from the empty tank. Half
way back, we decide to take a rest - remember I'm not too nimble on my
pegs - so Karl tries the starter again. Well, I be damned, the thing fires up
first time - what a relief..!
So, back to the workshop, filled the problematic bung, which was looking
quite sound, so any future problem averted. Got some proper coolant
added to the system too. Apart from one, possibly two, slightly loose
tappets the engine sounds sweet. The temperature gauge is registering a
well cooled engine, though at this point the fuel and oil pressure gauges are
not responding. That's a job for another day.
Off to the filling station for a tad more fuel, just in case. The car turns heads;
just that burble giving its approach away as something unusual. I get home
and decide that I'm going to do some cleaning. Considering the length of time
since the car was last waxed, I'm amazed at the condition of the paint. There
is hardly any swirling, and no more than about 4 fairly serious water spot
etches. Here's some before photos...
The bucket contains a clay cloth soaking in a mix of ONR and car shampoo.
The door shuts are seriously filthy. I'll be having a good go at them tomorrow!
This photo was taken to try and pick up the two water spot etches on the
bonnet. Looks like that wasn't successful.
With the car going back in October, I'm not going to be treating this paint to
any long-lasting potions. The last thing I want is for Jason, the painter, to
encounter bonding problems. So, my work today was to get the paint as clean
as I can and to really inspect the bodywork. Some of the rust spots are just
surface, though some look potentially more serious.
Now to some after photos. I gave the door glass a really good clay cloth
and polish clean, just to make life easier for the electric window winder
motors, which are working fairly well.
I'm still blown away by how well the ADS clay cloth works. The smoothness
of the finish just has to be felt to be believed.
Now we come to a couple of areas where there's going to be some serious
restoration work to do, by comparison with what's gone before, anyway.
When I first got into the car, I found myself banging my head against the
edge of the sunroof surround, being a 6 footer doesn't help. Managed to
adjust the seat back a tad, then after a little while realised that I had
forgotten just how comfortable those seats actually are, but then I
should not be surprised, Renault have always known how to craft a
very comfy seat!
If the weather behaves, there will be more fun to be had tomorrow. I may
well take a ride out to Beccles and back. So far, I've not got it up into 5th
gear on my short travels. Oh dear, all this excitement!!
Regards,
Steve
30 July 2014
Hello Folks,
Do you know, I'd quite forgotten just how much fun it is to drive a Renault
5 GTT - I'm now quite cross with myself for letting this car lie low for such
a long time!
This post is a mixed bag of bits. First off a bit of cleaning...
New 10w H3 LEDs are now fitted, and given back to Karl for testing out. I'm
guessing they should be bright enough for the show ring, which is about the
only use they will get.
More LEDs fitted into the number plate lights...
The car has now been almost entirely clay clothed, still a bit more to do. It'll
be the engine bay next. Not until later in the week though, I've got a Ford
Granny to revisit for the next couple of days.
Don't You Just Love Careless Couriers? NOT!
Pressed plates came from Elite Car Care. Alex was soon on their case and I now
have nice flat ones still wrapped up, ready to apply at some point.
Another, "I Just Knew It" moment...
If you've been following this thread, you'll know that I spent loadsamoney on
a replacement front bumper. When the car came back from Karl, there was
this lower hole in that bumper...
Boy, has that been jarring me..! However, in the back of mind I had this nagging
suspicion that I didn't need to purchase another cap. We've had some problems with
the engine idling when it gets warm, so I've been scouring my premises and both
cars to find the carburettor kit I bought, in the hope it contains a new idling screw.
Lo and behold, at the back of the R5's glove box, what do I find...?
Regards,
Steve
Hello Folks,
Do you know, I'd quite forgotten just how much fun it is to drive a Renault
5 GTT - I'm now quite cross with myself for letting this car lie low for such
a long time!
This post is a mixed bag of bits. First off a bit of cleaning...
New 10w H3 LEDs are now fitted, and given back to Karl for testing out. I'm
guessing they should be bright enough for the show ring, which is about the
only use they will get.
More LEDs fitted into the number plate lights...
The car has now been almost entirely clay clothed, still a bit more to do. It'll
be the engine bay next. Not until later in the week though, I've got a Ford
Granny to revisit for the next couple of days.
Don't You Just Love Careless Couriers? NOT!
Pressed plates came from Elite Car Care. Alex was soon on their case and I now
have nice flat ones still wrapped up, ready to apply at some point.
Another, "I Just Knew It" moment...
If you've been following this thread, you'll know that I spent loadsamoney on
a replacement front bumper. When the car came back from Karl, there was
this lower hole in that bumper...
Boy, has that been jarring me..! However, in the back of mind I had this nagging
suspicion that I didn't need to purchase another cap. We've had some problems with
the engine idling when it gets warm, so I've been scouring my premises and both
cars to find the carburettor kit I bought, in the hope it contains a new idling screw.
Lo and behold, at the back of the R5's glove box, what do I find...?
Regards,
Steve
20 August 2014
Hello Folks,
Well, 95 miles covered today, almost faultlessly.
However, one or two little jobs to complete first. Like the hot air feed pipe
which had disintegrated...
...and replaced with a silicone re-inforced one. It'll be trimmed to proper
length once the engine is replaced after the re-spray...
The anti-percolation fan also replaced. I had hoped to repair the one that
came out, but it looks like it has been knackered for a very long time
Making enquiries about buying new, only available "sur le continong", with
prices starting at Euro: 210
Two other jobs done. The fog lights have been temporarily replaced, looking
better than blank holes :thmbup:
...and the towing-eye blanking plate also re-inserted...
So, now we come to its first proper trip out in 16 years! A 46 mile run up to
Snetterton for the Novice Track Night. Here's my proof that the car made it...
It's amazing how other drivers react to the car, especially people who don't
know what it is. The number of drivers on my way home who saw an old car
and thought: I better get in front of that else he'll be holding me up. Would
have loved to see the expressions on their faces as I not only chased them
down, but left them for dead...
I laughed out loud today as I did one of my traffic light party tricks. The
BMW driver didn't know quite what to do
Anyway, it has been an
eventful and exciting day all rolled into one. I've just got to get the exhaust
rattle sorted and give the cooling system another flush out. This trip has
blown out more than just a few cobwebs...
Regards,
Steve
Hello Folks,
Well, 95 miles covered today, almost faultlessly.
However, one or two little jobs to complete first. Like the hot air feed pipe
which had disintegrated...
...and replaced with a silicone re-inforced one. It'll be trimmed to proper
length once the engine is replaced after the re-spray...
The anti-percolation fan also replaced. I had hoped to repair the one that
came out, but it looks like it has been knackered for a very long time
Making enquiries about buying new, only available "sur le continong", with
prices starting at Euro: 210
Two other jobs done. The fog lights have been temporarily replaced, looking
better than blank holes :thmbup:
...and the towing-eye blanking plate also re-inserted...
So, now we come to its first proper trip out in 16 years! A 46 mile run up to
Snetterton for the Novice Track Night. Here's my proof that the car made it...
It's amazing how other drivers react to the car, especially people who don't
know what it is. The number of drivers on my way home who saw an old car
and thought: I better get in front of that else he'll be holding me up. Would
have loved to see the expressions on their faces as I not only chased them
down, but left them for dead...
I laughed out loud today as I did one of my traffic light party tricks. The
BMW driver didn't know quite what to do
Anyway, it has been aneventful and exciting day all rolled into one. I've just got to get the exhaust
rattle sorted and give the cooling system another flush out. This trip has
blown out more than just a few cobwebs...
Regards,
Steve
21 August 2014
and never fit it? It would be good to have a spare, though I'm wary of any
big outlays before the car goes back in October for the engine and glass out.
I'm a bit fearful of what we'll find when the windscreen comes out...
Regards,
Steve
D said:
I bought a brand new perc fan back in the day and that was like 200 odd notes, doesn't surprise me they are that price.
I think I've still got it too if you want me to look?
Oh my, for the size of the thing, how did they ever justify it? Did you buy oneI think I've still got it too if you want me to look?
and never fit it? It would be good to have a spare, though I'm wary of any
big outlays before the car goes back in October for the engine and glass out.
I'm a bit fearful of what we'll find when the windscreen comes out...
Regards,
Steve
Stuart70 said:
Great thread and brilliant little hot hatch
Not sure if the health update is from today or from 2014, but either way delighted that you are with us for longer!
More updates to look forward to...
Thanks Stuart, my next personal MoT won't be happening for a while yet...Not sure if the health update is from today or from 2014, but either way delighted that you are with us for longer!
More updates to look forward to...
Regards,
Steve
06 November 2014
Well, doesn't time fly when you're enjoying yourself? Seems a while since I last
posted, but the car isn't forgotten! It's had a few outings since passing its
MOT. On Friday this week it goes back to being SORNed and into the workshop.
First on the agenda is to remove the glass. So far, I've been very lucky with
so little tin-worm activity. I'm hoping to be present when the guy comes to
remove the windscreen. The scuttle panel below does have some surface rot,
but it'll be interesting to see what's below. Sharp intake of breath time??
Has anyone here replaced an R5 windscreen? Will I need to replace _all_ the
surrounding rubbers? If so, then November is going to be an horrendously
expensive month...
After Some Research
With the windscreen to come out any day, I've been exploring the cost of its
replacement. With the rubbers, I costed them at about £260, not counting
either fetching the glass from Southampton, or the cost of fitting, which I
gather takes about 2 hours, allowing for adhesives to set.
So, being that it's chilly out, I went to the Autoglass web site to take a bit
of a look-see. In the hope of getting a quote, I found the only way was to
pretend to book an appointment. Having very carefully read the screen before
"proceeding" I eventually gave in. Well, almost...
I spotted an on-line chat button and gave that a go. Chatting to a guy called
Andrew, very personable chap with a sense of humour, his initial quote, after
discount was around £140 inc VAT, fitting and car lifetime guarantee. That
was about £70 off "list price".
It gets better. I then enquired about which replacement rubbers were to be
included, and the price if not... Back came the list price (sharp breath intake)
quote of £347, which after a bit of haggling came down to £244, depending
upon price of the rubbers (suppliers' prices dependent) at the time of ordering.
So, that's the trip to So'ton put on hold for a bit...
Regards,
Steve
Well, doesn't time fly when you're enjoying yourself? Seems a while since I last
posted, but the car isn't forgotten! It's had a few outings since passing its
MOT. On Friday this week it goes back to being SORNed and into the workshop.
First on the agenda is to remove the glass. So far, I've been very lucky with
so little tin-worm activity. I'm hoping to be present when the guy comes to
remove the windscreen. The scuttle panel below does have some surface rot,
but it'll be interesting to see what's below. Sharp intake of breath time??
Has anyone here replaced an R5 windscreen? Will I need to replace _all_ the
surrounding rubbers? If so, then November is going to be an horrendously
expensive month...
After Some Research
With the windscreen to come out any day, I've been exploring the cost of its
replacement. With the rubbers, I costed them at about £260, not counting
either fetching the glass from Southampton, or the cost of fitting, which I
gather takes about 2 hours, allowing for adhesives to set.
So, being that it's chilly out, I went to the Autoglass web site to take a bit
of a look-see. In the hope of getting a quote, I found the only way was to
pretend to book an appointment. Having very carefully read the screen before
"proceeding" I eventually gave in. Well, almost...
I spotted an on-line chat button and gave that a go. Chatting to a guy called
Andrew, very personable chap with a sense of humour, his initial quote, after
discount was around £140 inc VAT, fitting and car lifetime guarantee. That
was about £70 off "list price".
It gets better. I then enquired about which replacement rubbers were to be
included, and the price if not... Back came the list price (sharp breath intake)
quote of £347, which after a bit of haggling came down to £244, depending
upon price of the rubbers (suppliers' prices dependent) at the time of ordering.
So, that's the trip to So'ton put on hold for a bit...
Regards,
Steve
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff