Yeah but you said CGB were the only online retailer you'd seen who stocked these, it's just info.Originally Posted by Lowiepete
The point being here though that if you haven't checked Mike's site then you haven't looked very hard for online retailers for GTT bits. It might help you in the future.
Oh really, that's the point is it? Is everyone here so darned argumentative? If you read my
intitial post properly, you'll see that the replacement I bought was presently a spare. I
repeat, I wasn't actively looking to replace these unless there was a problem removing the
existing ones. Whether they are £17 or £20, they don't present themselves as cheap!
Sometimes I can barely believe this site. Someone else claims they bought some cheaply,
and very helpfully supplied a link so others could too. Oh no, scrub that, they didn't! What
is the point of a post like that?
I don't think I'll bother updating this thread further...
Regards,
Steve
Well I hope you update this thread as I have really enjoyed reading it and seeing your project move forward(unlike mine ha) you have also helped me out finding parts for my project and saved me money!
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Trev, do you own a 5?
Are you currently having to buy parts?
Here is the truth not everyone agrees with paying rip off prices.
Parts price comparison you say?
https://www.rtoc.org/boards/showthread.php?t=34916
Ming and Steve. My post (and my point) was in reference to availability, I never made any assertion about value or price. In this case though, what price constitutes a 'rip-off' or cheap when it comes to new parts that have low supply and low demand? The price is much more likely to be high, what can the consumer expect suppliers to do? Of course, I can see that if £35 for two new numberplate lights turned out to be the cheapest available then it's a lot of money for a small detail but it's the buyer's prerogative based on what's available. Additionally, it's this kind of market action that contributes to second hand prices of classic cars increasing. If the value of GTTs does not improve then we'll see the remainder disappear very quickly as the cost of keeping them maintained far outstrips their re-sale value.
Steve. Please don't let my posts put you off updating the thread for the benefit of everyone else.
Last edited by Trevhib; 06-02-2014 at 12:10.
Def keep posting. I love reading other people's project threads! Gives me inspiration and ideas for mine.
Re other people's posts- you need a bit of a thick skin on here. Some people post, not meaning to be offensive but come across as rude. Others post just meaning to be rude so ignore them. Others try to be helpful and it gets misinterpreted. Just ignore the posts you don't like
I am not incinuating by the way that Trev is any of the above
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I'm probably all of the above at one stage or another Liam
Hello Folks,
So, while I await the return of the powder coated items, I asked Karl to
remove a few more items from the car. So, the rear light clusters, boot vent
covers and boot carpet came home with me. Some APC in hot water in the
sink, agitated well with the sonic scrubber removed a fair bit of dirt. I had to
replenish after doing just the vents!
Some befores...
...and afters. These black plastic covers treated with ADS Nano Gloss Paint
Sealant, also applied with the sonic scrubber.
This is a poor attempt at a 50/50. The cleaning done with some Xerapol also
applied with the sonic scrubbing tool. Getting into the deeper crevices was
with a paint brush, part of a recent Aldi offer. I'm quite impressed with the
latest synthetic bristles, which made cleaning a breeze!
The nearest aperture has yet to be treated...
Some afters...
The lenses were finally waxed with ADS Obsidian Wax applied by fingers.
Apart from the indicators, all the replacement bulbs will be LED based.
The carpet I have yet to tackle. For some reason it presently stinks! So, it
will go for a good soak before I put it into the washing machine.
Regards,
Steve
When you say sonic scrubber do you mean Oral B electronic tooth brush?
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Ah, just googled it, and it is! Was kinda tongue in cheek comment but that is what I used my GTT mats, badges etc etc.
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They have come up really nice. Good job
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i find cleaning car parts quite therapeutic, you must be thoroughly satisfied with your efforts. Great job
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Those side grills look brand new.
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Hello Folks,
Well, I guess that I'm being led by photos as I have decided to have a second
go at those rear light clusters. The one on the left of the last photo didn't
quite hit the mark. In the meantime, I've replenished my stock of Xerapol
which comes with 2 small sheets of 1,500 grit wet & dry paper.
Trying to get a decent shot during the process, without the camera flash
getting in the way, proved quite difficult. So, this is one of the units having
been gently rubbed back using some ADS Nano Gloss Paint Sealant (diluted
5:1 with water) as the lubricant.
This is a different kind of 50/50 - only one of these units has been through
the wet sanding process...
This is both units now completed and rewaxed with ADS Obsidian...
Now to the Boot Carpet
After 15 years of standing, this carpet was in quite a state! The biggest of
the problems being that it stunk - the pong was was going to be a bit of a
challenge to nullify. This is the first task for my £19.99 wet/dry vac that had
arrived in time for the weekend...
This is another casualty of the camera flash, with it highlighting the pile with
a false impression of the dirt. While there are some stains, they are nowhere
near as bad as indicated!
These two photos show the results. What I did was to use the wet/dry vac,
then my normal machine with a beating action just to see what else could be
removed - more or less nothing - then I sprayed it with Scotch Gard. I then
worked that in well, then used the wet vac to remove the foam...
The colour differences are where the carpet follows the currugation of the
boot floor...
Only a few more days to go before the powder coated parts come back. Time
for a little more excitement. Everything will be in place for reassembling a
rolling vehicle, so we can then concentrate on the engine and getting it
started.
Regards,
Steve
Ace project! Your very own barn stash (sort of)
Is the engine seized or does it turn over?
I wouldn't be surprised if you can get it moving and some fresh fuel/oil in if it started up
Looking at the rest of the project I'm guessing your going to re-build it?
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Hello Folks,
Guess who's a happy, but poor, bunny? Thanks to Phil & Ann "sur le continong",
this arrived at lunchtime today...
I'm rather amazed at its small size. It's no wonder that people avoid copper
varieties of this rad, 'coz it gets too warm...
Regards,
Steve
Mmmm that's nice
Where did you find that?
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Good effort, keep it up.
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Wow must be Christmas again! lol Rad looks great, where did you source it from? hope there wasnt too much 'wallet damage'
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I will def be borrowing some of these techniques when I give mine the pre summer clean
Top job.
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I had to be bought in France, it was then brought over to the UK for me. That bitWow must be Christmas again! lol Rad looks great, where did you source it from? hope there wasnt too much 'wallet damage'
is priceless because while I could find plenty of stockists, even one in Calais(!),
no-one would ship one to the UK. The rad was actually made in Spain!
Bits should be back from the powder coaters early next week.
Regards,
Steve
Last edited by Lowiepete; 13-02-2014 at 18:09.
Out of interest what was the cost of it all in the end?
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About £150...
More Work Done
So, in preparation for the front suspension and hubs to be rebuilt, Karl has
been busy tidying up under the front wings...
The strap in which is looking a bit iffy is going to get sorted...
Hopefully, the car should be back on its wheels next week. Two jobs will get
priority - getting the engine started, just temporarily for a listen. We'll then
decide from there what the next stage will be. The other job will be very
much scarier!
While there are lots of small and annoying spots of rust all over the place,
most are just surface rust. However, we've taken a sneaky peek behind the
rubber holding in the windscreen and the news there might not be quite so
good. It's by no means clean, so the screen is going to come out so we can
properly assess what's going on.
This might be a time needing a sharp intake of breath...
Regards,
Steve
Good work Steve finding the rad, new oe valeo aswell! not cheap but piece of mind that the cooling system will be in good order! fingers crossed for when the screen comes out that its not too bad
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If you're not seeing a lot of bubbly rust poking out beyond the windscreen rubber currently, then I'd imagine the damage lying behind it wont be too severe. That is, it will most likely only need zapping off/protecting/repainting, rather than having to chop new bits of surround/scuttle in, or worse, replacing it fully.
I would have the rear screen out and have a proper look there too (much easier than the front). They can often hide a fair a bit of rot. Same goes for the side windows, along the bottom towards the front is a typical place for rust.
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From another thread (not wanting to hi-jack it...)
This interests me too, please Davo, details of supplier, costs, linky perhaps?
Regards,
Steve
Hello Folks,
So, a trip to Aerocoat today and some more superb work from them.
First the red bits...
Karl was a bit surprised at my choice of red for the rocker box cover, which
should be black, but with all that pipework under the bonnet, the engine
does get a bit lost
...and then to the black bits.
I'll be taking some photos of the re-assembled suspension units before they go
back on. We're now all systems go with getting the car back onto its wheels
Regards,
Steve
Wow, they really do look the business in black and red! Are you keeping oe black hoses in the bay? Nice work again Steve
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Cheers Karl, everything else under the bonnet is remaining as close to standard asAre you keeping oe black hoses in the bay? Nice work again Steve
I can possibly get it. Another reason for going for a red rocker box is that it'll show
its cleanliness, or not. Same principle as having lights that show up every mark...
I'm thrilled with the finish that Aerocoat have given these bits. They even gave the
inside of the rocker box a bead blast. Can't recommend their work highly enough
I'm making good progress with the internal works of the garage. It should all be
tidy ready for the electrics re-install in about 10days time...
Regards,
Steve
Excellent this. Sometimes powder coating can be hit and miss but the finish looks awesome.
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Hello Folks,
So, back 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.
Regards,
Steve
Looks a good size garage. Is this the same garage the 5 was stored in for all those years?
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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
Last edited by Lowiepete; 23-02-2014 at 03:06.
My mate affixed some carpet to his garage side walls in order to protect his VX220 door edges. Cheap and fluffy.
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I decided to avoid carpet as it can be a source of damp and mustiness. That's why
the original surplus Axminster that was under the car was dumped, otherwise it
would have stayed in place, with a good clean...
Regards,
Steve
My mate's garage is attached to a new-build house and is very dry and so the carpet has been there for years and is perfect. Some garages can be really damp though so I could see it being a smelly problem used in the wrong situation.
I think having something damp underneath the car is the biggest issue as it can accelerate chassis rot. I once parked my old GTT on open ground for a year and was advised to cover it over with plastic sheeting first in order to stop the damp getting up into the car's bodywork. I also jacked it up to stop the tyres getting flat spots. When it came to putting the car back on the road I realised how valuable that advice had been.
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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 :thumb:
The car should be back on its wheels this week. I cannot wait!
Regards,
Steve
Renault still sell the OE shocks. Not cheap but I guess these were cheaper than Renault?
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Like £52 the pair - delivered...
Regards,
Steve
Its all coming together really well and I'm looking forward to seeing the finished car now
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Steve,Like £52 the pair - delivered...
Regards,
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 im wrong though.
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Front struts looking fresh Steve. Where did you get the shock absorber boots/covers from? or did you re-use the existing ones
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Agreed the shockers in the pic are ph1. You need ph1 top mounts if your using them, or the camber will be miles out.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 im wrong though.
Great spot. They are either Ph1 GTT or non-GTT struts. With the Ph2 top mounts, the geometry will be messed up!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 im wrong though.
Edit - Brigsy's msg came in just as I posted.
I think you could be right.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 im wrong though.
Lowiepete liked this post
Sadly, you aren't, but good spot thoughHope im 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. Not much
response from searches in France
Renault Part # 7701478479 - £108 each + delivery + VAT from Endon
Anyone interested in the DG1159 pair gimme a shout.
Regards,
Steve
Last edited by Lowiepete; 28-02-2014 at 16:16.
Hello Folks,
After many false starts in getting photos transferred, here are a selection
taken by Karl during the restoration.
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
P.S. Davo, if you're reading this, can you possibly reply to post #177 above? Cheers
Last edited by Lowiepete; 04-03-2014 at 17:17.
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,
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 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
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