Restoration to the road.

[Ace]

Hi all,

Im fairly new to the R5 scene and am rediscovering my youth! Lol. I recently acquired a black ph2 that was known to my friends and is registered locally.

This is my documented rebuild of this car.

The story goes that she was a demonstrator for a local dealership at the first part of her life and was obviously sold to her first keeper. What I know is that she was kept well and in standard shape for many years, moving between careful owners, raking up the miles. At some point she was lowered, cloverleaf wheels added, upgraded turbo (unknown), adjustable boost and noisey exhaust fitted.





At some point in about 2004 this car was involved in a front end bump to the L/H front headlamp area and this was a beginning of the current end of her road going career. From what I have been told, she was then presented to a body shop for the works to be carried out. This resulted in a new bonnet, LH front lamp panel, impact beam and LH inner wing and flitch sections fitted. She was also fitted with two new quarter panels, both inner and outer sills and a new tailgate, and was stripped out to carry out the works. For one reason or another, the car wasn't actually painted and re assembled.



In this state she was passed between several owners and eventually went on off to Oxford. This is where my part of the story begins, she was offered for sale and I put an offer forward and was accepted. I collected the car with the loan of a trailer and a friends car.



It was necessary to keep the oldies under cover for the journey as she was full of goodies to be refitted upon assembly, so I employed the use of a good car cover for the trip.



And here she is again at last, tucked up in bed for her first night in Devon for a long time.



I shall update as progress happens.

[Mr Raider]

Great story fella, be a cracking car when done, looking forward to the next update and more pictures!

[Ace]

Thanks Mr Raider.

Ive been working a few evenings on the old girl just to get things lined up to my satisfaction before dismantling and preparing for paint. As a panel beater it always helps to get things lined up before sending to the paint shop, but whoever fitted these front panels didn't concern themselves with that, the bonnet was nearly hitting the scuttle panel and the wing gaps you could have lost a small child through if they walked passed. I set about measuring and comparing from my ph1 as it is a good fitting car, I discovered that the top front panel section was 8mm too short on the passenger side and 5mm too short on the drivers side.

Anyway, a little adjustment - cutting/rewelding and generally knocking about, I managed to gain the additional measurement I required. Guess what? It all flew together like it meant to.

Fitted up to try it all and see that I am happy with everything (campus grille to make sure a grille located correctly).





I was so pleased with how everything was looking that I had to take her out for a drive to celebrate!

(Not sure if you can embed videos here, here's the link.)
https://youtu.be/Z9bp0na29Wg

[tubbyG]

Really nice to know some history, I think its cool to know the story of a 5 through the years. I would love to know a bit of history about mine but due to being on a private plate for many years I have been unsuccessful in tracing it

Good luck with the resto

[Ace]

Thanks Tubby, it's annoying when something like that happens.

I managed to get some help the other evening, a good friend came over to my workshop after finishing his day job and we had a bloody good sort out and laid out all the parts that I have boxed up with he car. We compiled a list of bits and pieces and also a mental note of parts that would work but could be better.



We both stripped all of the smaller exterior parts off, checked fixings and sorted what needed work and what not in the way of the body kit. Then after a pizza we set about taking off all the paint from the roof as it was all crazed and cracked from constant exposure to the sun.

[Ace]

The one thing that was an unknown with this car was the condition of the scuttle panel. The front screen was still in situe and it was evident that there was some corrosion emitting from the front seal. As the whole car was going to be repainted it did have to come out anyway.

I use national windscreens at work to do any window removals and they were the obvious choice to take the screen out for me. I booked the appointment and asked for their best technician as the screen in this car is an original Renault one, with diamond in the corner. Unfortunately the screen had some tiny minor nicks in it from stones over the years and hence why I wanted the guy to take his time removing it and not break it.

When they turned up to remove it, Chris confirmed that the screen had been removed before and would be fine. It was and I still have an original Renault screen to go back in. Thanks National Windscreens!

When I was rifling through the paperwork and heaps of history for this car, I found the receipt stating that the screen was removed previously for a water leak.

Now minus front screen.



The worst area of rust. I think it's salvageable, I'll get my mini shot blaster on it and see how it looks after that.

[Ace]

The works continue!

i found a couple of scabby joints on the inner wings and cracked on with cutting those pieces out and renewing with some fresh metal.

The OSF inner wing below anti perc fan.



NSF inner wing.



Both sections repaired.





I took out all of the potentially contaminated old filler and renewed it.

Here is the scuttle panel after some considerable work. I managed to make some holes in it with the blaster so preceded to weld in some sections where required. Fortunately this didn't involve much filler as most of the repairs are behind the screen seal.



Also renewed some of the lip under the bonnet.



And finally a coat of proper acid etch primer (not the rubbishy aerosol type!), and a coat of filler primer (two on the roof).



Its coming along nicely! I even bought a new batter for her!

[Mr Raider]

Great work fella

[Trevhib]

Wow, you're good at this stuff! Quality work.

When I saw the first pic of the scuttle panel I knew it would be fine. We've seen a lot worse made good here!

Nice pics, keep them coming

[Matt Cole]

Another great resto thread!

[Bigfoot]

Looking forward to reading the progress, sounds like you found a good car to start a nice restore with

[Ace]

Thanks for the positive replies chaps. In terms of a resto this one is very easy! Most of the hard work is done for me and the car actually drives and for the most part , everything seems to work!


So the priming continues with the final stripping down of the exterior items, doors etc and the descabbing of the A pillars and sills.








Next up I felt it time to paint the front panel, inner wing and strut top so that things could get moving in the engine bay, namely back together!





LH inner wing.





And finally I bit the bullet and cut the holes for the wiper motor and washer jet. I measured of my friend Jim's GTT, so thanks!

[Matt Cole]

Makes mine look a million years away! Very nice job.

[Mr Raider]

Looking awesome, mmm fresh paint!

[Ace]

Well it's looking like this week is going to be the big one. I spent the best part of a day guide coating the body and blocking the primer to make it suitable for the colour. It also helped me find any shallow dents I may have missed since the primer went on.

Here is the guide coat applied. Hopefully the next pictures I post are black!

[Matt Cole]

[Ace]

Thanks Matt.

Well last night saw some paint on this car, maybe 12 years since it's been one colour! I have all of the plastics, bonnet, tailgate ready for paint so I'll get the tailgate and bonnet done next. The doors need some repairing (dents) then they can be high build primed, blocked and refinished.

[Matt Cole]

It looks fantastic! I hope my DIY job is half as good. Maybe I will get others to paint it.

Keep the pics coming Mr Ace!

[Ace]

Things have been progressing quite nicely. Dribs and drabs of new parts have been coming through and a good friend of mine has been helping me out with changing some of the interior for some of his better bits, his car is stripped out track car that in turn I'm helping him build.

Here is some fitting of the interior.



Next up was to get some fresh paint on the wheel arches and progress the bumpers forward a bit more. A huge attempt was made to recreate the original finish.





Some seats!



A quick mock up of the rear arch. Makes me realise that the car need raising up a bit!

[Matt Cole]

Loving seeing this put together! Looks nice and fresh.

[Mr Raider]

Looks awesome mate, great work!

[Ace]

Thanks for th comments guys. I am guilty of neglecting this thread and I apologise for that!

Things have moved on with the finishing off of the doors and wings, fitting of the remainder of the glass.




Doors and wings fitted.






My friend helped me out with a set of wheels, thanks matey!



Just showing off the paint and body.



Some paint on the bumpers at long last!