The Bandit | Monaco 172

TheBandit · Jun 15, 2024

Now the gear assembly is fixed it needed realigning. A pain as always but it's now perfect - along with the Redline MTL it feels fantastic

Slight notch 3rd to 4th at 5K+ rpms if I am fast on shift but it's commonly known these boxes cant be rushed, I don't know the full history of the box but all seems fine for now

Power steering fluid didn't look it's best, replaced and flushed through a few times with Dexron III. Felt lighter and more responsive today

Dogbone is the wrong way round and it's done up bloody tight. The car hasn't exploded yet so it can stay like that for now.

Thinking of getting an Automotech AS-0901/3, I can just about get a jack under the car to the chassis rail in the garage. Jacking from sill would be easier but one of my two sills in munted. Would make resto work during the winter easier as well

Need to replace coolant and hoses, new O/S driveshaft and repair the failing wires shown earlier in the thread. Then I can get onto cosmetics/rust prevention/sill un-f**king/plan some road trips

Finally take some nice pictures rather then my camera roll being full of images of it in pieces

Slowly but surely getting there. Still a riot to drive, love every second of it

TomROW · Aug 25, 2024

Loving the work so far

TheBandit · Sep 10, 2024

New front and rear bumpers acquired. If you read this Darren you are a legend! New exhaust holes cut so it looks proper once more. Few scratches here and there but not massively cracked with flaking paint so that's a win in my books - most Clios need a respray anyway...

Colour looks off because the bumper was washed but the car was not. Front will go on later with new fabia splitter and C4 treatment

New driveshaft in with block trimmed, so much easier to swing the knuckle out the way with solid mounts compared to rubber

(Brilliant Borg & Beck Left, Shafted Shaftec right)

The Powerflex dogbone was missing its top spacer so I ordered a brand new bush kit and fitted. Had to shave a few mm off the gearbox housing to get the washer flat but the gear change feels even better now. I then fit the old powerflex onto my run about 1.2 - made up a replacement washer from a busted top mount bearing. Now I get to enjoy NVH in both...

Had look for where the slight oil leak is coming from

Somewhere up there. Minor in my mind, It will be cheaper to keep chucking in Millers until some bigger job needs doing. (Although the oil level hasn't shifted noticeably). Looking back on this image I need to check the rightmost manifold bolt, hopefully that's debris and not a crack in the nut.

Headliner is slowly leaving the chat so that's moved up the list. Going to deep clean the interior/arches/side skirts for winter. While interior out need to Hydrate 80 / Dynax UC so will chuck in some sound deadening while there. Hoping I can get some dent removal done with the roof/interior stripped as the access will be there.... Also need to grab MTC coolant hoses and get them changed with a coolant flush. Scope creep in full effect.

I don't think I have mentioned yet but its called "The Bandit" as once the work is all done I reckon this car will have robbed me. It has actually been driven too it doesn't always live in purgatory on jack stands. North wales and back, and local around Somerset. Still having an absolute blast with it.

Lots to do still, thank you for reading ✌️

TheBandit · Oct 29, 2024

Lots have happened but will try to summarise:

1) Flight mode engaged, cleaned under panels and rust situation assessed. Scabbing here and there but nothing scary. Will give me something to do over winter

2) Rear quarters inspected: SPOTLESS. Rust prevention and sound deadening applied

3) Lambda changed, fuel mileage is 10-20% improved

4) Spent a weak in hospital as my intestines tried to explode. Turns out I have Crohn's Disease... Wack.

5) Amplifier placed behind dash. This blew the front speakers... So new speakers all round.

Con't.

TheBandit · Oct 29, 2024

6) Solved the issue of starting every other key turn. New genuine loom and TDC sensor. Existing wiring was already hacked into/splitting. Bit risky with only 5mm of loom to play with but I didn't f**k it up and it starts on every key turn now.

7) Scuttles replaced. Cup washer tank and new pump

8) Acquired a third Clio with even more problems...

Omitted loads of images and other small bits... but this has gone on long enough as it is. Thank you for reading!

TheBandit · Oct 29, 2024

9) Completely de-stickied the interior. So much nicer now and got to keep the sparkly plastic look

Poopensharten · Oct 29, 2024

That shell looks solid, its weird that some are sound and others are absolutely cunted!

Hope your health is good more importantly mate, crohns disease is cuntish!

TheBandit · Oct 30, 2024

Poopensharten said:
That shell looks solid, its weird that some are sound and others are absolutely cunted!

Hope your health is good more importantly mate, crohns disease is cuntish!

I'm over the moon with the shell. It does have some scabbing hidden in the fuel filler and a bit on the arch where the bumper rubbed after a bump but all in all its great. I think this one lived life in the city so never suffered major water ingress at speed for extended periods. Its at 101K so done a fair few miles all-in-all.

And yes, I have since learned a lot about Crohn's 😅 I think I got of lightly compared to some for which I am grateful. Still means I have a lifetime of treatment ahead so that I can keep my intestines, but that's better than having no intestines!

10) Stainless rivnuts installed for the side skirts, shout out @Louis for sharing the specs somewhere on the forum

11) Been playing around with the airbox. Stuck the OEM box back in with a green cotton filter. Turns out the side pipe wont fit with a Yuasa battery as its too large. As a 3D commercial artist by trade (along with some new PETG HF filament) it seemed like a good excuse to make something.

V1: Ugly trumpet

V2: CAF Scoop. Should reroute the air that comes through the grill slot directly into the airbox. I did print it and it fits well, just forgot to take a picture

Test Slice

Will more of likely bin it after a week, but you have to pass the time somehow. Thanks for reading!

TheBandit · Apr 8, 2025

The Good: Got The Bandit out to Haynes Breakfast Meet 6th April, plus I will be displaying at Food & Fuel w/ TDC 12th April. (First ever machine polish, not perfect but now looking so much better)

The Bad: Grew the minerals to tackle the damaged wiring front of the bay. What I thought was some lost insulation near the sensors quickly turned into finding the loom was fucked all the way to the trunking above the gearbox. Even the insulation that looked fine would crack when you bent it.

In for a penny in for a pound, cut the entire loom back to where it was healthy and transplanted the wires from a spare loom (I started with the first splice seen bottom left before realising the whole section was buggered, had to use a different sensors plug as it was fubared on the new loom also)

All wires twisted around each other to form mechanical grip, fluxed, solder flowed in, then headshrink over. Car started up as usual and runs perfectly. I would like to revisit the loom with proper TESA tape and not Halfrauds finest but it got me to the breakfast meet and gives me confidence a connector isn't going to snap any moment. All wires have slack and held up well to the heat of its first blast.

A shock to no-one, but polishing and sealing a car in a single garage is a massive pain - but you have to work with what you've got. Thank you for the polisher/pads/products @imprezaworks, all worked flawlessly. Also polished and sealed the lights + I have refitted the 90 elbow and cone filter for maximum induction noise.

Thanks for reading!

Marco 48TK · Apr 8, 2025

TheBandit said:
Been flying round the Somerset countryside for a few hundred miles having a great time, but now back to planning and/or worrying about maintenance. To start off with I am not sure what the aux tensioner bushing is doing here. May need to give TwoTechs a bell. Only done 1K mile so far but not sure if I am happy putting another 10K down with it looking like that. Oil looked alright but changed it for Millers + new filter to start off my own service history

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First time experiencing Christmas Tree Mode™️, had a little afternoon panic - but it fired up fine the next day with no lights on the dash so we will just pretend it never happened. Car has hit 100K on the odometer now so by Facebook marketplace rules its halved in value, shame.

View attachment 1686648

Interior trims came out and got The Pink Stuff, came out really well. Just need to do the top dash but will wait as I want to install an amp back there while it is off

View attachment 1686649

Underside is coated in oil, so it's rUnNiNg MiNt. Cleaned it up a bit so I could see how perished the dampened pulleys are. Will have a good think about those while I am at full chat. Have a feeling the eventual engine refresh will sting so should probably start saving for it now

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Forum said the fuel rail guard is either 10mm or 12mm nuts. Turns out this car has 10 AND 12mm, so that's fun. I wonder what else I will uncover in time

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Passenger arch liner shattered when I put the bumper back on so bought a replacement while these are still in existence. along with an audio stalk blank because I love buying expensive plastic

View attachment 1686652
Not too fussed on the Fatty Induction. Either I need to put the old airbox back in or get a smaller cone as the current one stops all access behind the light. Had to replace the headlight height adjustor, and then the height itself with less than a fist-space of room.

Also been umm'ing and arr'ing about running a catch can or bunging a breather on the crankcase vent. Made a proper pikey beer-can catch-can and ran it for a few hundred miles and it came out clean so breather route looks best. Car will be back in the garage for a few weeks so will look at getting the inlet manifold off, change spark plugs and gaskets etc

Car gets 33mpg everywhere which isn't awful. Not getting 40's on the motorway, think its around 35, like others have had. But it does have cams and remap... Maybe that's just copium and something isn't right, need to pick up an iCarsoft and start making some graphs

do you know the partnumber off the stalk blank ? if a renault genuine part.. thank you

TheBandit · Apr 9, 2025

Marco 48TK said:
do you know the partnumber off the stalk blank ? if a renault genuine part.. thank you

8200050034

Renault Clio Audio Stalk Blank MK2 - Renault Parts Direct

Renault Clio Audio Stalk Blank MK2 - Renault Parts Direct - Renault Parts Direct is a web based service from our authorised Renault dealer.

renaultpartsdirect.co.uk

Gally · Apr 9, 2025

Lovely stuff chap and nice to see another Monaco get some love.... but that exhaust makes me weep inside a little. A 172 always seemed quite special to me in it's own right and the single exit on a Monaco/Flamer etc looks as it should.

No one gives a f**k and it's your car... but as a Monaco lover have a single exit again will gain value and cool points!

TheBandit · Apr 9, 2025

Gally said:
Lovely stuff chap and nice to see another Monaco get some love.... but that exhaust makes me weep inside a little. A 172 always seemed quite special to me in it's own right and the single exit on a Monaco/Flamer etc looks as it should.

No one gives a f**k and it's your car... but as a Monaco lover have a single exit again will gain value and cool points!

It's a fair criticism. @T12 Why did you go for a 172 conversion originally? I personally love the noise it make (lots of low end and burble on idle) and that it has a spare wheel. My plan is to road trip in it and I would feel safer with a spare. I am also drawn to one-off's even if its not the most desirable.

In the long run I do want to pick up single exit and get a bumper to match, even if it is for resale value (not selling anytime soon, I hope)

Marco 48TK · Apr 9, 2025

TheBandit said:
8200050034

Renault Clio Audio Stalk Blank MK2 - Renault Parts Direct

Renault Clio Audio Stalk Blank MK2 - Renault Parts Direct - Renault Parts Direct is a web based service from our authorised Renault dealer.

renaultpartsdirect.co.uk

thank you . and nice car you have

T12 · Apr 9, 2025

TheBandit said:
It's a fair criticism. @T12 Why did you go for a 172 conversion originally? I personally love the noise it make (lots of low end and burble on idle) and that it has a spare wheel. My plan is to road trip in it and I would feel safer with a spare. I am also drawn to one-off's even if its not the most desirable.

In the long run I do want to pick up single exit and get a bumper to match, even if it is for resale value (not selling anytime soon, I hope)

Monaco blue was my favourite colour, so that drove my purchase. However I’d always preferred the dual exit exhausts on the 182’s. I decided I’d get one fabricated, meaning the spare wheel could be retained. My request to the exhaust shop was specifically low end noise. I didn’t want raspy or asbo loud. I was super happy with the outcome. The bumper was cut exactly to scale as a 182, and the surrounds are genuine Renault parts. I wanted it as close to OEM as I could.

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Renault Clio Audio Stalk Blank MK2 - Renault Parts Direct

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