R5GTT Project - Off the road since Sept 1998

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

After a long delay, there's some forward progress on the car. The dash and
ancilliary parts have been removed and brought round for cleaning. Pics of
the finish dash below...





















The cleaning was achieved with heavily diluted shampoo very quickly wiped
dry, followed by a generous coating of ADS Blue Lotion. This has really helped
to enrich the finish of these 1980s plastics

All going well, there should be more pictures of the week's progress posted
here tomorrow. [looks for fingers crossed icon]

Regards,
Steve

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

First off, eight pics of the parts brought round for cleaning when the dash
was removed...



Above and below, the cover under the dash to the right of the steering wheel...













The white shadow to the top right of the fuel gauge is a fault in the plastic
dials cover. It wasn't on the outside, and it there wasn't evidence inside,
though I couldn't remove it away from its mask. At some point, I'll look at
replacing that cover. If anyone has one going spare...



Then back to the power steering. Here's the new pump temporarily placed
into its new housing, ahead of its strip back and repaint. The rusty pipes will,
of course be replaced...





The original track rod end...



...and the piece it screws into...



The thread on the new track rod, the bit that fits into the steering rack...



...compared to the one that came out of the original R5 steering rack...



Part #SS2480 - track rods / ball joints



Now, evidence of the problem...



New track rod end...



...and the new threaded bar it will be fitted into...





Back to removal of the dash now. It looks like the front seats are going to
need a second clean...















The heater assembly removed so that the heat exchanger can be replaced.
Amazingly, unlike the Valeo radiator, this old Valeo part was in remarkably
good condition. I can imagine Karl having a bit of a swear under his breath,
as most of the dash removal is because of this very piece! Grrrrr...











The new dash to "plug of doom" wiring loom has now been fitted...







Re-assembly begins...



While the gear knob gaiter was freed, the opportunity was taken to replace
the gear lever return spring. Apparently, the hole in the body where one end
clips in is in good shape, though the original (very thin) spring had long since
given up.

Regards,
Steve

[Mr Raider]

Great work Steve, well worth replacing heater matrix/heat exchanger now as a bit of a pain to do with dash in situ. .

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

More progress...

Dashboard back in...





Replacement of the broken gear stick return spring...





New spring and proper clips fitted (not cheap @18 quid!) The hole in the
bodywork where the outer clip fits was found to be in good fettle.



The broken spring...



Car moved to the preparation studio...











All that cleaning-up deserves an undertray (sump guard) be fitted. These are
still available from Renault in France.



The part is actually from a diesel version of the R5...



Closer-up to show the part #...



More blocking of the doors, this is the 3rd and final rub down before the next
primer coat. Karl is glimpsed applying some power to the window winder to lower
the glass pane...







The car body in rub-down too...











The eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed that the sunroof surround
seems a bit wonky. What's happened is that a small strip of the original paint
has been left in situ until now to prevent a build-up of paint at the edge
itself. The "join", such as it is, will be rubbed-down to provide a perfect finish.



I've just arranged the insurance; it worked out at just under £200 for an agreed value
of £10,500, so, it's now getting a tad exciting once more

Regards,
Steve

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

Progress is painfully slow and there's yet another deadline past and gone!

Here's the car being prepared for its final coatings...























It's so smooth, there's even a shine in the primer



Now, a couple of teaser pics...





The car has had a partial wet-sanding and is looking good. As I write,
it's going through the jeweling stages of polishing. The new windscreen
will be fitted on Tuesday, as hopefully, will the carpet.

Talking of which, after an extended stay in my garage, it was time to give it
a final cleaning, ready for re-fitting. I'd only done part of the passenger side
the first time round...











It's getting close, but it's painful trying to get this guy to prioritise anything!
I'm torn between the anguish of his relentless delays and the final outcome,
which should be outstanding!

Regards,
Steve

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

So, now that the shell is painted and given a polish, it's time for re-assembly to
begin. Some while ago I bought some sound-deadening panels and here they
are finally being fitted. There's 3, placed in a distorted H formation inside the
rear quarter, ahead of the refitting of the rear door-cards.



It's amazing just how these re-inforce the panels and there's absolutely no
echo when you tap the outside.



One each side under where the front seats go...



Two views of the carpet being refitted. This was given a second cleaning this past
weekend, then given another Scotch-Gard treatment. The camera flash is just as
unkind as ever





Rear quarter glass re-installed...



Door cards inserted...





What isn't so clear is the refitting of the inner door aperture trims, along with
the seat-belts and their fittings.



Rear seats refitted...



Rear quarter glass and passenger seat are back in. I was surprised that both
the front seats had more fungal spots on them. So, it was another session
with the steam cleaner. The back seats were much cleaner than the front ones,
though my work was cut out over the past weekend.





This process is progressing reasonably well. The windscreen should be back
in later this week. Hopefully, the rehanging of the doors can be completed too.
There's a new driver's door which has new hinges to fit, so it's going to take
an hour or three yet...

Regards,
Steve

[Matt Cole]

Looking stunning already Steve. Great project thread.

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

With almost 12 months since I last posted, the reason for no updates is that
there's been no progress. The car was painted, the engine partly refitted and
then I was subjected to the biggest betrayal experience of my life! This went
on for several months.

It ended up making me ill to the point where I was hospitalised last May, just
days before my trip to Cumbria. I missed the Duxford Show for the first time
in 8 years. I'm not going to go into any further detail save to say that I'd not
wish to repeat any part of it, including having to start legal action.

Eventually, the car was returned to my garage, with no doors, bumpers or
glass refitted. These, the plastics and various other parts were not returned.
Following receipt of my solicitor's letter, and 2 days before the parts were
released, there was a mysterious fire at the workshop.

All the car's interior had been refitted, after it had been given a 2nd thorough
cleaning, but left open to getting filthy for a 3rd time. My next worry, with
no doors and the onset of the colder weather was that mice would attack the
new leather in the rear cards. That has been the only part of the resto to go
to plan and be on budget, so any damage to those would be the last straw!

Luckily, the car has now been moved to Karl's new unit. There has been some
progress. Windscreen and rear windows are refitted, and driver's door rehung.
The paint job however, is not up to standard, with marks in the roof letting it
down. Quite what will happen with this is not yet decided.

On a personal level, I'm unsure about keeping the car; it now has some hefty
bad memories associated with it. I was not far from scrapping the thing at
one point! Whether I can rekindle any love for it is moot. I have instead put
down my deposit for #1684 of the 1,955 Renault Alpine Visions for delivery
in 2018. I have the plate V15 XON on retention for the new car.



Regards,
Steve

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

Anyway, after this delay, we come to progress in 2017. Some pictures
are going to appear out of chronological order as Karl has taken several
which will come to me on a memory stick.

Re-assembly of the car has not been straightforward, with several parts
having to be removed to accommodate something else close by. That's the
penalty of delay. So, the car had spent several months in my garage, with a
dispute over the remainder still off-site.

Luckily, they were stored in lock-ups the other side of the access road away
from the workshop that got burned down. That episode brought about some
return of common sense and it was quite a relief to call the dogs off. The
solicitor was intent on going for blood, which even gave me the jitters! Karl
was eventually able to secure return of all the exterior add-ons, bumpers,
doors and side skirts, etc.

Once the colder weather arrived, my main concern was that the local vermin
don't decide to take up residence and chew away my brand new leather on
the rear door-cards. There had been a delay with Karl securing his new unit,
so there was no option but to endure another nail-biting time.

At the point where these photos were taken, most of the bodywork restore is
complete. Only the passenger door needs polishing and that's delaying its
completion, fitting handles, door card and bits.

So, as I walk into the workshop last Friday, the car is identifiable - yay!!









The car still doesn't run, with several parts yet to be refitted, wired-up etc.
Hence the bonnet remains off the car. The rear bumper has yet to be secured
so ignore the fact it has a large uneven gap.





There's some debate over whether to place dummy fixings on the number
plates. Karl was wary of drilling them. I do like the raised characters.



Here's the parcel shelf in place. I'm just thrilled to bits with how that sits.
Personal opinion is that it's much better than plain black carpet!





I hope you noticed the period decals in the back window.

At this point the paint has not had any cleaning done. In fact, I have put a
total ban on anything but a light dusting taking place. The paint everywhere
except the roof looks to be okay. I have yet to see it outside.



The driver's door has its wind deflector fitted...







One problem we've encountered is in securing the bumper inserts. The main
problem with double-sided foam tapes is their thickness which creates a gap
twixt bumper and insert where there should be a close fit. If anyone has
solved this problem, I'd be keen on hearing your solution.

Now we come to the bit where I'm not happy. The roof looks a mess and will
have to be re-done. Lee, Karl's brother, has said that he'll give the paint a
polishing but I don't hold out much hope of it coming up to standard. I'm
sorry about the quality of some pictures, the lighting wasn't helpful.







Regards,
Steve

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

Now we come to the interior. The one part of this restoration that has given
me the most joy was restoring the door cards. They came in on time and on
budget, quite apart from being some meticulously completed work. I'll let
the pictures do the talking...











The sound-deadening panels have really worked their magic. Just closing the
driver's door gives a very satisfying clunk and tapping around the body no
longer gives away its tin-box construction. The doors have had their new
speakers fitted though they have yet to be tested. The gear lever gaiter
isn't replaced, pending fitting of the CD player. I have securely stored the
tape player for its next owner.

Completion should be in a two or three weeks, depending upon what problems
occur under the bonnet. I may yet get the car to Duxford for the first show
of the season late April, despite being 2 years late...

Regards,
Steve

[Matt Cole]

Steve,

This looks stunning and problems aside will make you very happy when complete I'm sure!

The small attention to detail such as the door cards and parcel shelf make it stand out from the noreal oe restorations although it all seems to fit in extremely well!

If the pictures are a true reflection, this car is worthy of showing at major events. I would start with retro show this year and get it displayed proudly.

Keep us informed!

[Alex]

Sounds like you've had a bit of a nightmare with this, thats often the issue when you're having to outsouce work. Bodyshops in particular seem bad when it comes to timescales and agreeing the final bill with customers for restos like yours. I'm glad you got it resolved (sort of!) and now have the car and parts back.

From looking at the most recent pictures it looks like the bulk of the real hard graft has been completed so hopefully won't tak too long to finish it off now. That roof though, I agree it needs rework. Did you not consider just removing it and making the hole solid? A lot of work but I would have probably gone down that route to save further issues down the line.

Whats the engine bay looking like at present?

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

With the car being in the workshop close to a paintshop for such a long
while, the use of any silicones was a complete No-no. So there were some
parts that were refitted to the car without protection. I'd have loved to
give the engine underframe a coating for example, but it wasn't to be.

Another part was the rocker-box cover and that has spent nearly 2 years
with no protection after its powder coating in red. As the focus transfers
from the bodywork to under the bonnet, with the tappets to adjust, I've
taken advantage and got this home for treatment.





I'm amazed at just how much oil is trapped in the bottom groove...



The cleaned article, treated with 2 coats of ADS ArtDeSicko and topped with
Nano Bio Coat. The cap has received its Elf oil emblem and the spark plugs
guide is attached too.



This shows that rough cleaning _will_ damage the powder coated finish



I'm rather pleased that the fire engine red specified to the coaters matches
that on the cap decal :thumb:



The passenger door has now been polished, had its fittings replaced inside
and out, and also been fitted with its wind deflector. The roof has also been
polished and while it's much better, I still need to see it out in the sunlight
before I decide on what happens next. Pictures to follow...

Regards,
Steve

[Lowiepete]

...Over Losing the Love.

Hello Folks,

Giving that rocker cover a clean has set off a completely unexpected train of
thought. If we look back at the last time it was depicted, it was clean and on
top of a freshly refurbished engine. Between then and when I recently picked
it up for cleaning, as filthy as it was, what has transpired?

How the devil did it gather all that dirt, especially in folds at the bottom? The
engine has not been started and the car has been nowhere other than stuck
for 2 years in a dirty workshop. The worst aspect of it being that whatever it
is, it has softened the powder coating. There's no hiding from it in these most
recent photos.

One of the things I wanted to ensure was that the engine subframe was
treated to a protective coating yet that, along with all of the engine bay,
is completely devoid of any protection. The concern being that this was
meant as a job to be done once and properly. Instead, if all the grot that has
gathered is softening the surfaces, what has been stored up for the future
instead?

This had been a secondary string to my concerns during the course of the
problems, but completely overshadowed by the friendship/emotional aspects.
What I'm finding very difficult to assimilate now is how hard it is hitting me!
Of course, this is all driven by trying to find a satisfactory resolution without
having to take everything apart again.

Perhaps I've got to resign myself to the inevitable, but trying to retrace the
love with that constantly nagging at me is proving far more difficult than I
could ever have imagined. At present, I'm seeing it all as a complete failure
on my part. At one point I'd imagined being out of the woods; clearly not!

Regards,
Steve

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

Well, there were two trips to the workshop last week. One to discuss progress,
and while we were doing that, attaching replacement decals under the bonnet.
Sadly, I left my camera at home.

Second trip was to try and tackle a couple of cleaning tasks. One that went
quite well, the other not so successful. This time I did take the camera but I
got so absorbed in what I was doing that I overlooked taking pictures of the
new decals. With the car partly jacked-up so Karl can turn the engine over
and do the tappets, I've not been able to get more than these two pictures of
the passenger door now that it has been polished.

What this picture also shows is the continuing nightmare that is Renault
plastics. With the mirror brackets staying with the mirrors during the repaint
process, this has been the first occasion that I've had to tackle them. In the
photo the bracket doesn't look too faded.



This next picture shows the new wind deflector in place along with the new
trims...



However, in the plastic the mirror bracket was not looking good. There are
some weird reflections in this photo that mask the small area I had treated.
Quite by accident, the vertical edge of the part I had treated lines up with
reflections in the paint...



The completed thing. Treatment was with a newer version of Blue Lotion that
Mak had sent from Singapore before Xmas. This has been my first opportunity
to use it.



Looking down from above, it looks like I'm able to keep a fairly matt finish
which is pleasing...



The driver's side shows the fading much better. I should say that I'm unsure
about whether or not these brackets were originally black. I'm going to be
happy enough with a darkish grey.



The fading is a tad clearer in this shot...



Bracket partly coated...



Completed and looking okay...



The view from above indicates that a second coat might not go amiss. I had
not expected to get this done in one shot anyway...



The remainder of the cleaning involved a few of the many pipes under the
bonnet. I think I'll wait and chat to the CO2 (dry ice) cleaning guy, in the
hope that he can address the issues. The engine bay is a bit disappointing,
despite all the wonderful attention to detail paid by Karl. It will, by hook or
by crook, have to look the part eventually.

Regards,
Steve

[Lowiepete]

...If the pictures are a true reflection, this car is worthy of showing at major events.
I would start with retro show this year and get it displayed proudly.

What can I say? Your entire post is one huge compliment and has inestimable value
to me considering recent past experiences. Approbation from one of my peers at that
level humbles me and I can only say a heartfelt thanks.

Thankfully, that little car still beguiles me and it'll start off with shows a tad closer
to home. However, I'm also intending to do a bit of boosting on in-between days.

Regards,
Steve

[Trevhib]

The wing mirror mounts were always an unpainted grey colour on the Tungsten GTTs afaik.

[Lowiepete]

...Completion Maybe This Week!

So, I'm having a bit of a sort-out at home and come across an almost full
bottle of Type D coolant. This was probably surplus from when I had the
timing belt and water pump done on the Coupé a couple of years back.

We had discussed the probability of there not being enough in our store. On
arrival at Karl's workshop, the bottle was taken with a cheeky grin then
promptly emptied into the expansion bottle, with nary a drop left. Not only
that, there's a heat shield in place with its fan sensor in place and all wired up.













The carburettor has been primed by attaching a temporary power line to the
fuel pump; there's oil in the engine and enough coolant for bleeding, so just
very last tightness checks are left to be made before the key gets turned.
A lot of bits had to be removed then refitted to accommodate other parts so
these checks will be key. Nevertheless, Karl has his video camera on charge
ready to record the big moment.

At home I had arranged for next year's insurance: £177 with all the trimmings.
So, it's just the bonnet to refit then it's along for its MoT. Question is, do
I lose 3 weeks of tax by putting it back on the road on Friday? I think it's
only right and to let Karl give it its full road test - he's earned it!

Other work done has been to remove the gummy stuff from the backs of
the bumper inserts...





Oh my word, that's a job I don't want to repeat! As you can see, there's
still some stuff to remove, though I gave up due to the fumes from the TarX.
I still have the other front corner to do and the complete rear one, so that'll
get done in bite-size chunks.

Finding a suitable replacement tape may be a job too. It looks like the wider
strip runs along the bottom, so weather-proofing the top is going to present
a problem to solve. These won't be replaced on the car ahead of its full detail,
so there's plenty of time to research suitable bonding materials.

Regards,
Steve

[Matt Cole]

It's always an exciting moment on first turn of the key. my recent maiden voyage was to the mot station in a car untested on the road. Very nervous journey.

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

I realized, having spoken about fitting the new engine heat shield, that it's
absent from pictures in my previous post. So, a few more pics to include
that and to show the choke cable installed and the throttle cable also in place.
The latter is waiting for its nipple to be crimped (oooer, missus) which
requires a bit of care in its placement.







Also fitted are the replacement pedal rubbers; apparently quite a tight fit...



So, as soon as the car passes its MoT it'll be taxed and I've told Karl that
he'll be taking it out on an extended road test. He can pick a co-pilot if he
wants and I can immediately think of a couple of people who will jump at
that chance. Karl is a man of few words, but the expression on his face
spoke volumes

More news is imminent...

Regards,
Steve

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

These are some pictures taken by Karl as he's been re-assembling the car.
Certainly, with the delay of re-assembly it has been a case of fit, remove
and re-fit until the reassembly order can be established. I don't think anyone
can question the standard of the finished work!

The first piece is the front bumper...



...then ensuring that it lines up with the trims on the wings. That job was
much easier said than done, and what a superb job!



Then came fitting the rear door and these two pictures show the sound
deadening material in place...





Next came fitting the brand new driver's door. Again, a lot of care involved
with making sure everything lines up. That wasn't helped by one of the
hinges welded to the A pillar having been bent when the original door was
damaged. Here's the quality in the finished job...



Next comes lining up the front bumper on the driver's side after refitting the
side mouldings. The latter have nylon nuts secured into them and nylon
bolts holding them in place. Getting the nuts secured presented a bit of a
problem, meaning several tries at mounting. Here's job ahead of its doing...



Now comes mounting the embossed metal number-plates, front and rear...





So, now to fitting the bits into the driver's door. The difference that sound
deadening has made just has to be heard to be believed, even just as you
undo the catch to open it.





So, are we complete yet? Not quite, the next few photos show the dwindling
but not yet small range of parts of this kit yet to assemble...







The car has now been started, but there were a few little problems. There
was some fuel loss from the fuel sender, apparently a smaller diameter
connector than hitherto. There was what looks like a dry gasket on the carb
resulting in more leaking fuel. Also, just one coolant leak and a tiny oil leak;
both quickly resolved.

Luckily, I have a carb kit, so that's easily solved. The car started with very
little fiddling and sounded pretty good to Karl, so it'll be nigh on perfect!
Hopefully, MoT tomorrow and my next report is the car being taxed and
a bit of boosting going on.

{{Huge sigh}} Finally!

Regards,
Steve

[Matty]

Great project, looks close to completion now!

Did you have any luck with the bumpers strip tape?

I fitted some second hand strips a couple of years ago, and I found it very difficult to get the ripples out of the strips, any tips?

I also know how painful it is removing the old tape!

[Lowiepete]

Did you have any luck with the bumpers strip tape?

I won't be able to answer that question for a while yet. The car will first be going
to a professional detailer for him to apply a special 9H coating. I have bought a
couple of tapes, but no tests have been carried out. I wanted to get some 3M
tape but there's a problem with getting both 6mm and 12mm tapes in the
same range, without having to spend nearly 40 quid!

I bought some Yuzet VHB tape off eBay and if it doesn't work, then it's at a
cost of less than 7 quid for both rolls. The problem is that the 12mm width tape
is on the lower half, so any apparent weakness will be masked. I have also
bought some 12mm Everbuild Mammoth tape, so a comparison can be made.
The biggest factor is whether either or both will be the required thickness. If
too thick, the insert sits proud and too thin puts too much stress on the bond.

Apparently, you need a Toffee/Caramel Wheel to remove the old foam tape.

Regards,
Steve

[Matt Cole]

Looks excellent! I'm thinking the sound deadening material will make a big difference.

[markg]

Looking good Steve. Not long now !

[Lowiepete]

Enjoy...



Regards,
Steve

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

These first two images are the printouts kindly provided by the MoT centre.
While the emissions are not bad, I'm just thrilled with the performance of
the brakes and just how balanced they are, side to side...





Did you note the car's axle loadings?

At last, I have fog lights. These have LED bulbs and I can't wait to see what
they're like in use, not that I'll be encountering fog too often.





Then it was time to see the car outside a workshop for the first time in a very
long while...













This is the passenger side door card, with the cap looking a bit sorry for itself.



50/50 shot after a quick wipe-over with some ADS Blue Lotion...



Outstanding jobs I haven't listed includes installation of the replacement
radio / cd player and re-install of the Renault alarm / immobiliser. We have
a Toad unit that could be installed if needs be.

I like the Renault one because there isn't an obvious way of turning it off.
This means that a thief will get deafened inside the car for 30 seconds out of
every two minutes, and this while the car is still or in motion. I caught a car
salesman out with this; he'd pressed the wrong switch whilst out on a test
drive, heheheh.

Regards,
Steve

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

Oh boy, have I missed this car! Managed to do 27 miles today, mostly around
town and down the A12 a little way. The engine is as sweet as a nut and really
pulls well. A couple of people tried tail-gating me (grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!) and it was
such a pleasure to show them a clean pair of heels!

Tomorrow, there's a car show at the Ufford White Lion. Google tells me it's
33 miles away and being that it was so well behaved today, I think I'll take
a chance and go. The show's on from 11am, but it'll probably be midday
before I get there. Do say Hi, if you're going too.

I have a few more pictures that I'll probably post tomorrow.

Regards,
Steve

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

Finally, it's home









Some nice reflections...



Sally's travel arrangements installed...



Out & About

Then a nice little trip down to Ufford for a car show. These photos taken
after I had moved the car out of the classics field into the vintage...









So, 103 miles later, the car draws plenty of admiration :wave:

I stopped for petrol on the way and got away after fielding several really nice
compliments. If I could collect a quid for every story I hear about encounters
with Fiats, Pugs and Fords of a certain era, I could soon recoup my costs

I took my neighbour out in my "almost looks like new" car and all I heard was
how comfy the seats are, "kinda like bucket seats" and "don't they grip you?".
There was a chuckle as we were on the inside lane and left a potential 4x4
overtaker for dead in the outside. Having said that, I'm not keen on the
run-ins I get with people seeing an old car and come what may (read as
danger) they _have_ to get in front. I might delay their lives by nought point
five of a second. It tends to spoil a nice trip out

Regards,
Steve

[Lowiepete]

There has been one small addition. The little yellow "dealer serviced" sticker
sourced, and a facsimile of my first tax disc for the car, in its original holder.
Yesterday I went to collect a couple of bits at the local dealers, drew a crowd
and just mentioned that it would be good to source one; minutes later I have
one and a couple of spares...



Regards,
Steve

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

It appears that the original bonnet lagging piece has gone missing, presumed
engulfed in fire. There's no chance of a replacement from France, though I
have a part# 7700 754 120 - I've not found one available second-hand.

So, it comes down to alternatives and the minefield that exists there. I have
managed to find some 10mm, as opposed to Silent Coat's 20mm offering with
both having a sticky backing for mounting and heat deflection by aluminium cover.
I have 4 sheets of 2mm Silent Coat pads to use in the indents and be covered
by the bigger sheet.

However, how messy and afterthought is this...?



That's after a day or two since unwrapping and trying to lay the sheet out
flat. Then I had a brainwave...



I have a small travel iron and without any heat I managed to get the surface
a little smoother. Here's an attempt at a 50/50...



I'll probably have another go, maybe with a little heat, just to see whether
it can look a bit better. I'm open to alternative, and tidier, suggestions.

Regards,
Steve

[Matty]

Looks great! Are you going to bring it along to retro show?

What did you sue on the mirror bases to bring them back to grey?

[Matt Cole]

Very well done Steve and it looks awesome!

It's great that you have got in it and thought it great to drive especially when you have the Laguna for power and refinement!

My phase 1 is crazy even in its current running in period but great fun. I am looking forward to getting my standard phase 2 roadworthy and would be over the moon if it was as good as yours!

[Mr Raider]

Wow!!! absolutely stunning Steve, great to see it all finished off and looking very shiny fresh from the show room!

Awesome work

[Lowiepete]

With the car round at Karl's workshop for a few more snagging items to be sorted,
I took the opportunity to take some pictures under the car, mostly to keep an eye
on any areas needing protection. The rear suspension beam now needs a quick
coating of Bilt Hamber Dynax C and a couple of nuts and bolts need a squirt of
some ACF 50, otherwise, it's looking pretty tidy under there.



























If I get an opportunity, I'll be having a go at removing some of the accumulated paint
shop dust, though it isn't as bad as I'd imagined. The biggest mystery on the snagging
list is why the car still jumps out of 5th gear. The end cap has been off and suspect bits
replaced, with no apparent effect. Also on the list is the choke flap sticking shut.

Regards,
Steve

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

As the car progresses slowly toward completion, the snagging stage is almost
over, there's been some expensive spending. We start with replacement
bumper strips. The prices that have been asked for even a split into front or
rear has been eye-watering, so I'm thinking the £150 for the set, even though
they are replicas is not too bad.





The originals are a bit scuffed and untidy looking so with newly fettled paint
on the bumpers, these will look the part. I like the guiding inserts which will
make it a little more certain that they'll line up beautifully straight.

Next comes the biggest jump in price of almost anything. When these were
advertised at the beginning of the resto, I could have got change out of a
tenner, including P+P. Then they began to escalate in price to the point where
I asked Karl about the condition mine were in. He assured me that they were
okay, as far as he could remember.

When it came to the final re-assembly, things were not quite as tidy, and it
might be a good idea to find replacements...





However, the price by now has multiplied 10 fold, which is just stupid! At least
there was a kind of lottery option where the seller offered a single set each
week in an auction starting at a penny. Some of those auctions were even
more profitable than the fixed £99.99 inc P+P. Can you believe it? :doublesho

Here's the replacements, just the caps, with a saving of 40 quid, but still way
over the top...



The last of the R5's 2017 show outings was a couple of weeks ago at Helmingham
Hall Classics. I regularly attend this show with PistonHeads, usually going in the
Laguna Coupé.

On this occasion, being parked right next to a fabulous and rare Prowler in solid
black, I was a bit embarrassed because quite often it was being upstaged by
this wee beastie


Photo Copyright (C) Darren Gee 2017

Regards,
Steve

[LiamR]

Love this thread!

Crazy prices for some items. Even the reproduction stuff is mad at times!

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

Thought I'd take the R5GTT out for a spin in the Suffolk countryside today.
Nice day for a drive, even if it was a public holiday. I don't get it, I keep
getting strangers coming up to me offering instant cash for the car.

























Oh boy, am I enjoying this car? I'm also rather looking forward to completing
the resto, which means more funds put aside. There isn't much remaining on
the snagging list now, thankfully...

Regards,
Steve

[LiamR]

Your car is looking great in these pictures! A quality restoration👍

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

Well, the R5 is back in a workshop, being readied for its final tickles into shape.
I had intended that it go to Matt up in Oldham, but the mechanical issues,
among other things, prevented that idea of going further. The car is in a
workshop not far away from Karl's and even before I met him, Haydon, in
whose shop the car presently resides, was enquiring of Karl (read that as
pestering) about whether or not I wanted to sell it :doublesho:doublesho

Of course, no sooner than he'd met me, I received the same enquiries, though
with maybe even more urgency. I think it's fair to say that his eyes lit up
when I broached the subject of a damp/wet sanding and final paint / decal
preparation and protection.

So, here's the first 9 pictures of the car in its new temporary home...



















Haydon, I did say temporary!! :wall:

The car will receive a full treatment, including caliper repaint, wheels all
re-sealed and the full-fat ADS Octagon Kit, once the surface is flatted and the
OE decals are attached.

Regards,
Steve

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

A few more pictures to tempt you...

















Hopefully, the side-decals go on tomorrow

Regards,
Steve

[Alex]

Very clean - I'd be scared to drive it!

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

Well, there were periods when I thought this day would never come. There
were some high points and, sadly, some very low points. The highest was
probably the return of the gearbox as almost a work of art

There's still a bit of a snagging list; the biggest hurdle being why it still wants
to jump out of 5th gear so easily when it didn't do it during the break-in runs
and to cure the gearbox leak caused by one of the brand new driveshafts and
its faulty seal It looks like paying premium prices to specialist
suppliers has not necessarily been a wise move toward securing reliability.

I know everyone likes pictures, so here goes...





Revel in the ones that show the new bumper inserts, and also the replaced
side decals.













...and outside in the sun; plenty of amazing reflections...







I know how to put on a good scowl!!









See the green tinge in the fleck?



The new bumper-strips really set the finish off







Home Once More



Missing from the rear door is the spoiler and rear badges, both being at the
paint shop awaiting their own tickles,







This has been a 4 year adventure that took double the intended timetable and
was kinda over budget. Two things occur from this. First, if I were to attempt
to make a start from scratch today, I'd definitely not be able to afford it!
Second, is the almost meteoric rise in the value of standard cars. Quite where
that will plate out is anyone's guess.

From a cosmetic point of view, the ADS Octagon Kit gives me probably 4 years
of good protection, though I am tempted to enquire about a little more work
on the bonnet to reduce the orange-peel a tad further. The decals on the hub
caps will also need to be re-done, these are in the wrong place.

Regards,
Steve

[Lowiepete]

Very clean - I'd be scared to drive it!

Nahh, I'm driving it like it's intended. I told Haydon, the guy who did the wet
sanding, that I haven't got a museum to put it in and besides there's plenty
more use in the car yet...

Regards,
Steve

[Matt Cole]

It's just stunning! I imagine thus to be one of the very best in the country.

Well done Steve, I'm quite sad this is the finale.....

[Lowiepete]

It's just stunning! I imagine thus to be one of the very best in the country.

Thanks for the compliment Matt, but somehow I doubt it. My attitude has been to have
it shiny in all the right places. I have only replaced what you might call "service parts",
at least those with some obsolescence in them, where others with masterpieces can
probably barely point to any part of their car and say it was attached at the factory.

That might produce a stunning looking car, but to my mind, it's only a replica. Each to their
own, but I don't belong to the "I can wave my PayPal harder than you" brigade. It'll still get
driven like I've stolen it!

I'm quite sad this is the finale.....

Nahh, it's just its first curtain call. It's really the start of a "2nd life" for the car and I'll
probably be updating this thread with its ongoing adventures...

Regards,
Steve

[Turbox]

It looks amazing, well done. A credit to all the hard work that's gone into it.

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

An absolutely gorgeous day by the beach at Great Yarmouth seafront, to join
an eclectic mix of ancient and modern American cars, a couple of supercars
and be more or less the only hot hatch on display. The R5 kinda stole the
show, with so many people being quite bowled-over by it. As ever, let the
pics do the talking...















I have one remaining ambition and that is for one of the previous two owners
to present themselves at one of these shows, not only to meet them but to
see the expressions of probable disbelief at their sighting. I live in hope...

Regards,
Steve

[LiamR]

Love your car and the effort and dedication. You should be proud! An asset to the club 👍

[dmiller1]

Love your car and the effort and dedication. You should be proud! An asset to the club 👍

Hi Steve, the R5 ypu have is stunning. well done on all the hard work and getting to the end after what sounds like a hard slog. Where did you source the gear lever return spring and clips. i have been trying to source. Thanks Dougie