Cheeto's 'Save the clio' Progress Thread

[Cheeto]

Hello

Thought id post a progress thread for the Clio i just purchased

I bought this car as a project to get it onto the road. The car is classed as a Class C Write-off and was crashed last year by a friend of mine
I saw that it could be fixed for a reasonable price and bought it off him for a tidy sum

About me -
Forum Name: Cheeto
Name: Danny
Location: Crewe, Cheshire
Job: Logistical Clerk
Previous Cars: Alot of 106 Rallyes a Gti and an Xsi, Honda CRX 1.6 16v Vtec

Manufacturer: Renault
Model: 03' Clio 172 Cup
Damage: Bent O/S/F wishbone, Snapped O/S/F Driveshaft, Snapped spring, Cracked O/S/F Wing, Smashed rear Bumper, Crease in boot plan

Current Progress:
Wishbone fixed, both struts replaced, new Track rod ends, new Ball joints

Future Progress:
New O/S/F Driveshaft,Replace O/S/F wing, Have floor Pan re-jigged and straightened, Replace Rear Bumper, Engine and Gearbox Oil change, New standard discs and pads all round, New Rear Tyres, Cambelt change and new headgasket, VIC check, MOT, TAX

Pictures:

Bent wishbone

Rear end of it - smashed bumper and creased floorpan

On the trailer

Slight wing damage

New home for the next months

 

[balax]

good luck fella hopefully all goes to plan!

 

[G3 NYX]

Looks good, I want to get something I can work on as well.

 

[Dunn]

Nice. i go Reaseheath so i go through crewe nearly every day

so get it on the road soon

 

[Jon.G]

Considering the damage shown, it doesnt look like I would of been cat c (damage worth more than the cars value) although the boot crease could of been the cause of this. How are you going to go about fixing the crease?

What other problems must this have hidden away?

 

[Cheeto]

Cheers guys, i will be working on it thats for sure, getting the wishbone changed over wasnt the easiest with bent bolts! Im used to french cars causing me problems though

Nice. i go Reaseheath so i go through crewe nearly every day

so get it on the road soon

Ah only down the road then Hopefully be on the road in the next few months

Considering the damage shown, it doesnt look like I would of been cat c (damage worth more than the cars value) although the boot crease could of been the cause of this. How are you going to go about fixing the crease?

What other problems must this have hidden away?

Yeah i kinda thought but if you sum up that the accident management group that were dealing with the car would have got cost from renault and the labour would have been enough to sting anyones wallet lol, Hopefully going to a body repair shop on thursday to se if they can re-jig it go from there, ive seen worse creases pulled out

Bit of a bargain lucky that it was my mates really, Been over it quite alot and cant seem to find anything else major, chassis legs are straight only other possibility would be the subframe but i have a spare one of those lying about

 

[Jonny1*2]

Nice to see ones not being broken how did he crash it?

 

[Cheeto]

Nice to see ones not being broken how did he crash it?

One main reason i want to save it, would have been tear jerking going to the scrappy or being stripped

Last year with all the snow my friend was going around a parked car then got caught out by the camber in the road, unfortunatly didnt steer to go up the kerb and steered against it, took the impact. I then got a call from him, i went down to him had a look at it and saw that the drivershaft had snapped and the wishbone had bent, said to him at the time that it wasnt that bad and could be saved. Rang the AA and the best time they could give us was 4 hours Put the warning triangles up about 15 metres from the car and stud next to it having a fag, 10mins later an oldish chap in a brand new 59 mini came around the corner put his brakes on and went into the back end of it. It only damaged the front grill on the mini pretty gutting really

 

[Dave..]

Oh god it's like my car all over again.

Run away, far far away

 

[Cheeto]

Oh god it's like my car all over again.

Run away, far far away

Enlighten me?

 

[Dave..]

Mines a Cat C write off... I went through all this 3 years ago.

I wish I hadn't.

 

[Dave.]

Dave has been there, done it, got the tee shirt and the remaining bite marks from a cat car! His car looks ace nowadays mind!

 

[Cheeto]

Mines a Cat C write off... I went through all this 3 years ago.

I wish I hadn't.

Dave has been there, done it, got the tee shirt and the remaining bite marks from a cat car! His car looks ace nowadays mind!

Am i not going to enjoy this then? Lol

I got the car very cheap, if i sold it how it is now id make double the money back (not a chance of that though lol) I suppose the lucky thing is i know the past of it etc....

Im used to getting my hands dirty ive owned Peugeots for the past 7 years haha but your more than welcome to shoot me down lol

 

[Jonny1*2]

it will be a good little project. From the accident, it doesn't sound like there are going to be any hidden issues as the incidents were very localised. The floor will be bendable i'd imagine. If not, remove the spare wheel well, and weld a big sheet in like the 182's So long as the chassis isn't bent anywhere else, it should be fine.

 

[Cheeto]

Im hoping so...lol

I was thinking of getting the grinder out as i want a rs192 exhaust

 

[Rob]

Looks like a good project mate, keep us updated. Looks like a good base to work from too.

 

[Cheeto]

Update - No pics

Well went to the Garage today and took the rear bumber off

Took the bumper off and the bumper protection inside was all cracked so away with that, had to hack the bumper off in places

Had a bodywork repair guy who knows my dad come around and have a look at it. He's going to fix all the back for £60 I was expecting hundereds of £££ but luckliy enough he owes my dad a favour so im quite lucky there!!

Also tried to jump start her (i hadnt had it running yet :s) and the battery was dead as a dodo, managed to pull my mates one off his 306 and with the turn of a key she was alive!!I was so glad to hear it run and also the fact that it did run, oil was all ok and full so no need to change that, didnt smoke that much and it sounded pretty nice (even though its standard!)

So shes going to the bodyshop next week and will be there for a week or so before i then start getting the bumper and wing for it

All in all quite good, i just need it on the road now because im inpatient!!haha

 

[Cheeto]

Update, Got the car back from the bodywork place on Friday. Ordered a back bumper (albeit with a cut out for an exhaust but getting one on for now is my main priority) also ordered a new driveshaft both are due next week some time

Well went to the garage today just to have a look at the work done, sand a few bits down and tidy the inlet up a little as it had gone fluffy from being sat there for a year

Also managed to change the strut around and was due to do the track rod ends but left them at home DOH!!

Few bits and bobs need to be done, a wing needs to be purchased, some brakes and pads for the front and fitting the bits and bobs. Hopefully get some of it done next weekend all depending on the weather

Heres some pics

Boot pan Before

Boot Pan After

Theres still a little crease on the left but its not bad, going to sand it down and repaint the pan as soon as i can

Heres some more pics

Hopefully another update in the next few weeks

Cheers

Dan

 

[subarufreak]

nice work

 

[Cheeto]

Quick Update
Went the Garage today, Driveshaft on albeit without the hub nut, ball joint being the biggest pain in the arse ever!
Got the back bumper on and fitted a new number plate light for it
The Wing coming next week so that will be getting fitted. Seemed it didnt want to start today for some reason, was fine a few weeks ago and it turned on fine now nothing, no kick from the starter at all. Will investigate tomorrow just hope its not immobiliser related!

 

[Cheeto]

Another update
Track rod end sorted today, what a pain in the bum hole these are!!!!I hate them lol
Also put the wing i got onto her
Managed to get her started up and My mate went for a little spin up the close
Heres some pics

Some Videos

Wont be able to work on it until next month now, just needs bleeding and seeing if it needs brakes, then off for MOT it goes

 

[*Badger*]

Nice progress Danny, if she needs brakes, go for Brembo HC Discs, they are cheaper than standard Renault Items... If it's planning on doing track time then invest some in the pads/lines/fluid too, it'll be rare if you own a car that doesn't do a lap of Oulton!

 

[Cheeto]

Cheers Badger, should all be done in good time, not the best condition one bodywork wise but wont look half bad cleaned up Yeah ive heard that they are good, i need to invest in some next month dont i. Bizzarely enough it has braided lines on the front already, just needs some on the back and decent brake fluid like RBF600 to back them up. Haha i know every car i own ends up on oulton Never a bad thing though

 

[Cheeto]

Well virtually finished her this weekend, Bled the brakes and finished the bits and bobs, starts first time every time

A few bits that need sorting out but i wasnt going to find them out until i took it for a spin. Needs alignment etc... doing which is a bit obvious and then its ready for MOT

Heres a few pics

A bit of a clean

 

[Cheeto]

Well had MOT on Thursday and Failed. But it was not on Much
Heres what she failed on..

Front Lights Aim too low
Hazard switch not working
Offside ball joint has excessive play (it needs the pinch bolt tightening up)
Rear brakes recording little or no effort (Just needs freeing up due to it being sat for a while)

Pretty happy with the result really, re-test is next week

 

[Dave..]

Rear brakes recording little or no effort (Just needs freeing up due to it being sat for a while)

Make sure the tester is aware of the note that VOSA have for the rear brakes on a 172 cup.

 

[Cheeto]

Make sure the tester is aware of the note that VOSA have for the rear brakes on a 172 cup.

Ahhh cheers mate, ive just searched the Forum RE that issue (never even knew they had one) That would explain alot!!

That has made me happier as even less to repair now!!

 

[Cheeto]

Well guys it was all MOT'd and on the road as of last Tuesday, i Taxed it for 12months (which i rarely do it was £250) and it seemed a great little car. It needed the alignment setting up on it but bar that i was chuffed with what i had achieved with her.
Anyway on Saturday i was dropping a Lady Friend off at Sandbach services and some idiot in a Ds3 decided to drive clean out of a 1 way junction and side swipe the Clio on the passenger side. So it was on the road all of 5 days RIP Clio
I have some pictures of the car that i will get up, Main thing is im ok, headbutted the window quite hard and have a sore/stiff neck but bar that im fine. Good job it was the passenger side i suppose

 

[Whiskerz16v]

Ouch! That's unlucky that!
Gonna save her again?
I take it you have put in for whiplash as well with having a sore neck?

 

[Daz.]

That's unbeliveable bad luck matey!

I hope you're not out of pocket when/if they write it off again - don't they only offer 50% of a non cat cars value if it's been written off before?

 

[Rob]

Well, this car has no luck it seems...

What a shame after putting all that hard work into it, onwards and upwards though mate

 

[Cheeto]

Cheers Guys
Its a Major PITA , if i had have crashed it more fool me. But someone went into me thats what guts me, it wasnt my fault. I said to the guy, you really dont understand the work ive put into this he just shrugged

It wasnt classed as a CAT C before (lucky me) so i wont lose any money on it. I will actually gain money on it. I think im going to knock it on the head now. Ive tried my best to save her then this happens. Its getting estimated over the next few days so should find out then how much its worth. I am having her back if i can though, she will make a nice little doner car for somebody. I just dont want to put anymore sweat into her again for some other fool to come and kill her again

As regards whiplash, im going to see how i feel to be honest. Not just going to claim, my neck is hurting but im not one to go running at the first sign of pain so will see how it pans out in the next week or so

Ill be having a nice Seat Leon for a few weeks lol

Heres the Clio

 

[JackJack]

Gutted for you mate iv followed this from the start it's such a shame after everything you've done.

 

[subarufreak]

what a shame after all that work!

 

[Dave.]

Ah that's s**t luck, buy a straight one with insurance money!

 

[trailerparktrev]

Such a shame but maybe the car is jinxed?

 

[Stu.]

devistating mate