Chassis no.90 Coupe Cup

[Sam Fish]

Hello.
I thought I would start a thread about this car. As everyone knows alot about the history, I do not need to go through it all again. But for new readers/members:

This was one of the original Coupe Cup cars bought into the county for the race series in 1985.
Raced by 'Martin Sadler' and retired from racing in 1987 (I think?). It was bought out of retirement by Martin to compete in the Renault 5 reunion race in 2004 at Thruxton.
Afterwards it was sold to Eugein who used it as it was intended, attending many trackdays. He was kind enough to let me drive it on two occasions, unfortunately he 'kissed' the armco at Cadwell in an afternoon session and bent the front-end.

Without going over the top, this car would feature in my dream garage. I am very glad to finally own it. For me, it is a very important GT Turbo, being chassis number 90 and one of a few genuine undisputed 'coupes' that still survive - Maybe there are only 5 in Europe, who knows! Although I still think a coupe cup car can be anything that has history in the championship, this one also has the chassis number.

Here is the car with Martin, from a press photo before the 2004 anniversary race:

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t266/samfishy/martinsadler.jpg

This is how it looked before the accident
Me having a drive:

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t266/samfishy/IMG_0337small-1.jpg

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t266/samfishy/IMG_0383.jpg

Eugein:

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t266/samfishy/IMG_1636.jpg

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t266/samfishy/IMG_1637.jpg

After. I think Eugeins face says it all.

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t266/samfishy/IMG_1664.jpg

The car has lost a few key pieces along the way, but eventually these will be found, with patience:
Strut brace
Side exit
Wheels (borrowed these, but have source 4... I could do with some more eventually though)
Phase 1 body kit - I am going to need some help from members sourcing these. I am willing to pay the right price (:scared:) and even a premium ontop of the rare tax to obtain the right bits for this car. I just need help from members to point me to adverts, and let me know if they plan to sell something - there will be beer involved.

I have managed to find a couple more Coupe bits here that I can buy from my Dad:
A pair of NOS front dampers
Coupe boost hoses
Coupe engine mounts
Side exit sill mount

How the car sits now:

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t266/samfishy/GT%20turbo/IMG_1108.jpg

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t266/samfishy/GT%20turbo/IMG_1111.jpg

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t266/samfishy/GT%20turbo/IMG_1112.jpg

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t266/samfishy/GT%20turbo/IMG_1110.jpg

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t266/samfishy/GT%20turbo/IMG_1109.jpg

[Sam Fish]

The plan is to put it into dry storage until I can collect the bits and raise the funds to restore it properly.
My Dad is 100% certain that the shell will be 'factory' straight after it has been on the jig.
He crashed his race car heavier than this one (bending both chassis legs and putting a crease in the roof) and it was repaired and put on the floor with a rebuild subframe etc - the front tracking was only 10 minutes out. He then drove that car to 3rd in the championship.

I am in two minds whether to rebuild the front and do a sympathetic restoration elsewhere to keep the originality, or to take it to a bare shell and repaint the whole lot as something immaculate and AS NEW. If a period race car looks too new, it can sometimes look quite fake, so I am tempted to leave some original paint, at least the doors.
The engine will be rebuilt and the engine bay sorted to phase 1 specification. I may fit some Koni's to preserve the original DeCarbon Dampers.

I am definitely going to register it on the road though, and fit a passenger seat. The 'period' race seats where the Corbeau GT8, which are very comfortable! I would love to take it to LeMans or Monaco.
I also want to use it as much as possible on track.

If anybody has any other photo's or history for the car, please share, it would be much appreciated. I am going to try to speak to Martin Sadler to get hold of some 'period' photographs and history.

The thread may be a bit dry, until I get it out of storage and start working on it again :ashamed:

All opinions and input is appreciated :)
Sam

[Andy M]

One of it hitting paddock hill with me at the wheel :) (was the same day you and your old man were there with your golf)

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag110/andy_slay/F2F028CA-ECBC-4823-8467-0C9A32F95355-552-000001D3D55FCD64_zpse413374c.jpg

[GTphil]

Top darts for saving it:agree:

[Brigsy]

Good to see this saved. Should repair easy enough.

Are you going full ph1 front or ph2 as per pics?

[JRP]

:agree::agree: was a pleasure to meet you and your dad at the weekend.

[gtmatt]

Get it on the jig jobs a guddun happy days keeping it alive

[Sam Fish]

Thanks guys. It is going to cost me a few thousand to do it right, even with my Dad helping (when possible) and I can do all the paintwork to a factory standard.
It has meant that I won't be able to race my Golf this year, and maybe next... as it will swallow any disposable income (and time) I hope to earn.
I borrowed £400 from my Girlfriend :wasntme:

I would like it to go back to a complete phase 1 kit eventually, unpainted plastic. But I guess that will take a while to achieve.

Nice picture Andy!! Thanks for adding it. The photographers always love a R5 GT Turbo.
I remember chasing Eugein in my car that day and we where quite evenly matched I think. Great fun!

Great to meet you too Jon :agree: Hope the back gets better soon. I am going to start looking after mine now! It would have been very easy and to break the car totally into spares (and I am sure you had requests!), so I am very grateful for it staying in one piece :)

[*Yellow*]

Poor Eugeine, he looked gutted. Cadwell is not very forgiving if you get it wrong.:(

Best of luck Sam, give me a shout if you need anything.

[Sam Fish]

I know, such a shame. The front right damper was NOS for that day, and so was that slick.... :cry:

Thanks Dave! Keep sticking that on board camera in your car, it is great fun to watch.

[Kris M]

good to see it being repaired sam :):agree:

[Mr Raider]

Good luck with the work mate, great to see it being repaired :) :agree:

[jesus in the seat of a 5]

Well done sammy boy!!!!!, apparently that coupe badge was snapped....:laugh::wasntme::scratch::eek::laugh:, good to see its gone to a good home buddy...:agree:, will be fantastic when finished and a piece of history!!!!!, ive allready helped you by saying no to daves stash...:laugh:, if i can help with some stuff by all means TRY me...;), ill be watching this one with an eagle eye!!!!, so good to read!!!!!, by the way if you speak to martin , tell hime im still waiting on his return call..:laugh: and if he has any pics of the rowan car id love them.......:D, good going sam!!!!

[Sam Fish]

Haha.
Thanks Matty!
Sorry to divert some cup bits away from you :wasntme:
A couple of people have mentioned they have a few things that could help, so I need to start saving up to buy them all! I know that I still have to buy the bits, but I appreciate people letting ME buy them :)
If/when I get some spare cash after that, I'll have to come and visit your cup-cave to see what I can tempt you to sell.

This car is going to cost me a fortune. I would sell the others to fund it if needed.

[Sam Fish]

I have been working flat-out all year, and can now spend some money on this hopefully.

If anyone has any phase 1 trim they want to sell me :agree:

I am hoping to work on this over the winter. I need to hire the chassis jig brackets....

[The new Bill J]

How did I miss this thread? :scratch:

Good luck with it Sam. Have you managed to source any of the required bits yet?

Btw, Martin Sadler didn't use this car in the original series. He bought it just before the Thruxton event in 2004. The original driver had an accident, which left him unable to drive. The car was thrown in a shed in 1986/7, where it sat until Martin got it. He told me that a tree had grown in front of the shed doors, which he had to cut down to open the doors :laugh:

[Sam Fish]

Thanks Bill!
Ah right.... I need to find the original driver from '85/86 then... I really need to speak to Martin.
Yeah, I heard that :wasntme:

I could do with some spare wheels at some point, and the phase 1 trim. The rest is mostly sorted. I have some original brake ducts and a boost meter - although this wasn't introduced until later, maybe '88.

I have to hire the clamps for the chassis jig (they are bespoke for each vehicle chassis). They bolt onto our big jig and sit on the correct positions on the shell - subframe mounts, sills and things like that.

I can't wait to get stuck into it actually.

[The new Bill J]

Definitely keep us updated on how you get on. I can't wait to see this get back to it's former glory :cool:

I found a few bits the other week in the garage.

[5 turbo]

awesome car, serious respect for saving it.:agree:

please do take plenty of pics of the jiging action,id be very interested to know where/who i could obtain the brackets from.:agree:

[Sam Fish]

Thanks!
I will do. It goes something like this:

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t266/samfishy/IMG_22601.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/samfishy/media/IMG_22601.jpg.html)

[5 turbo]

:agree::agree::agree::agree::agree: :smokin:

[Sam Fish]

So now I have two Renault 5's to restore. I just bought this one:

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t266/samfishy/DSC_1814.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/samfishy/media/DSC_1814.jpg.html)

A genuine 5TS rally car from 1975. Maybe the earliest TS. There is only one known to the DVLA at the moment - and I am not sure if it actually exists. So it is very rare.
It has some rally history from new and hasn't been used since 1991. It is ridiculously original, but quite tired all over. Body is in good condition, with no structural rust from first impressions.

I'll be selling my the race TS I bought last year, as I just don't need 2, and I think I prefer this one as it would be easier to get on the road.

So now I need to decide which one to restore first... the rally TS or GTTurbo cup car?
What do you think?
Both will be used on the road. The Gt Turbo could be used on trackdays or the TS could be used to do some post-historic rally stuff maybe.

[Hoolio]

Well we clearly need more pictures before offering opinions ;)

I have been wondering what happened to the black cup car?

[Sam Fish]

I'll get more pictures over the weekend :)
Black cup car is in dry storage. I am slowly collecting all the bits I need to get cracking. Next job is to get hold of the correct chassis brackets and clamps for the jig....

[Trevhib]

Slowly being the operative here! Lol. It's been a year since you started this thread. Now that you have a second to restore, will we still be on this mortal coil when either get finished? :laugh:

[Sam Fish]

Slowly being the operative here! Lol. It's been a year since you started this thread. Now that you have a second to restore, will we still be on this mortal coil when either get finished? :laugh:

:wasntme:
I know, I know. A bit crazy isn't it. But I couldn't resist. I now have my ultimate 5GTT and Mk1 R5. There's no immediate rush or deadline as I have no plans to ever sell them. - just get them spot-on and to the standard I want.
Being self-employed can slow things down a bit - long hours, no weekends etc.

When I get going, I can get things done quickly :)

Looking to start on one in the coming weeks, I just can't decide which!

[w35ty]

Be good to see this come back alive :) gonna be keeping an eye on the thread cant wait to see it :agree:

[Trevhib]

Slow is ok. As long as we get pics :D

[Sam Fish]

Slow is ok. As long as we get pics :D

Yeah, Lots of pictures.
I am tempted to start with the TS after looking at some of this:

Nearly identical TS in the historic Monte Carlo 2011:
http://lapchinencourse.hautetfort.com/archive/2012/02/16/luc-le-cousin-15.html

Or a bit of this R5 Alpine:

http://images.rallymoments.com/photos/42053/-Renault-5-Alpine-1976.jpg

[Sam Fish]

I am still chasing the brackets for the chassis jigs. Apparently there is a high chance they were skipped over a decade ago.

I am hoping there may be some in France, otherwise they are giving me a price to make them again - It could be alot of money :(

I am determined to save this shell.
If it means putting a straight shell on the chassis jig and fabricating my own brackets, I will.
The Mk1 Renault 5 brackets have also been scrapped, or lost - Lots of people will be wanting those for the 5Turbo's.


You get the idea.....
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads17/exc_11268228756.jpg

[Woznaldo]

Sam, I have no idea who you've tried already but it might worth trying Radbourne Racing? I think they are still about in some form, but could be wrong.

I'm thinking that as a Renault Dealer they may have had the Jig Clamps at some point?

http://m.192.com/atoz/business/kingston-upon-thames-kt1/car-dealers/radbourne-racing-wimbledon-ltd/d0c31546ded88b282401e6af966f5cb9a5ae698d/comp/

[Sam Fish]

Nice idea!
I'll give them a go :agree:
Thanks.