Clio Williams 0131 Restoration

[16v_paddy]

I've paid for access to this section of the forum so might as well use it, especially since a few other Williams projects have started to appear on here recently.

At the end of 2013 I went to see a guy about buying some roof trims for my Valver, ended up buying the trims and a Williams while I was there

Dropped off at my storage yard with the parts donor car for my track car build https://cliosport.net/threads/another-mk1-coming-out-of-the-woodwork.744480/

It then sat there for 3 years whilst I played with my track car, my Accord Type R and grey Valver

 

[16v_paddy]

Fast forward to 2017, after many blown engines & gearboxes on the other cars, I had access to a unit where I could start to properly work on the car

Loaded up ready to be rebuilt & made to look pretty

 

[16v_paddy]

Had the engine soda blasted then painted before being sent off for rebuilding

Managed to get my hands on an actual brand new & unused cylinder head that had been sat on a shelf for about 20 years, had it refreshed anyway, valves relapped & new stem seals

 

[16v_paddy]

Photos of some of the new & rare parts I've managed to find from abroad

Actually bought these gaskets from a guy in a van in a field at the Nurburgring whilst the Oldtimers GP was on in 2017
I also managed to get a brand new Genuine Renault splitter for the front bumper from the same guy at the same place & same event the following year

Tracked down a pair of original & unmolested door cards along with some Genuine rear discs from Lithuania that cost £27 delivered

Managed to get one of the very last genuine windscreens in existence thanks to @renaultpartsdirect
I also got 1 of the very last new bonnets thanks to @MicKPM having a source of them - annoyingly I've got no photos of that

Genuine clutch that came from the Czech Republic for about £50

This starter motor heatshield was an incredibly rare find when I got it in 2015 & I paid about £100 for it. Fast forward to today & Renault started having them made again & they cost £65 now

And a couple of new knock sensors that came from Dubai. Also got a genuine dogbone mount and gearbox mount from the same seller but got no pics

 

[Stefan.]

Nice work on finding these parts!!

 

[16v_paddy]

2018 is when all this lot happened

Before & after of the rusty back arch

The doors needed a fair amount of fettling including damage done by an attempted break in on the drivers door

 

[Speedo Gonzales]

Love the parts finding!

Mn after my own heart picking all these bits up, I spend hours scouting through eBay and random auction sites for clearances on Renault parts🤣

 

[16v_paddy]

Sat at work with Dialogys & ebay opened is how I spend my work time, find obscure part in some random as f**k country, click on "see sellers other items" and fall into a rabbit hole of the 800 other Renault items they've got listed 🤩

 

[Speedo Gonzales]

Sat at work with Dialogys & ebay opened is how I spend my work time, find obscure part in some random as f**k country, click on "see sellers other items" and fall into a rabbit hole of the 800 other Renault items they've got listed 🤩

Pretty much what happens here mate🤣🤣

There's a few Renault branded boxes that turn up at my house each week. I show the Mrs, tell her it's going up in the loft and then it stays there🤣

 

[16v_paddy]

 

[16v_paddy]

Home to start reassembly

Amazing how much stuff fits into such a small car

 

[imprezaworks]

Great work.

Have you had the type r long?

 

[16v_paddy]

Another selection of new genuine Renault parts

Some before & after of the wheels

I know I said I got some bargain rear discs earlier but I had to nick them for the 172 Cup so bought some more from RPD

 

[16v_paddy]

Great work.

Have you had the type r long?

I had it since 2014 but it got crashed into by a Fiat Punto in 2019 which wrote it off

 

[16v_paddy]

2020 Lockdown kicked in & having to work through all of it meant that my Lockdown Project ended up being just a refurbishment of the rear axle

Absolute massive b*****d of a cnut job to strip apart, getting it cherry red hot with the oxy and 2 of us swinging like fcuk with a slide hammer for several hours to the point of collapsing with exhaustion 🥵

All sent off to be blasted & powdercoated and new axle bushes

 

[16v_paddy]

Collection of new and refurbished bits & bobs

Had my entire collection of spare bolts etc blasted & replated

 

[16v_paddy]

Put the Cup to work to get fresh tyres in 185 55 15 fitted to the fresh wheels, gone for Avon ZV7 as I have them on the Cup and they're good but more importantly available in the correct size

The engine has been built & sat on the stand since 2016 it was due a cambelt on age 🫣 so chucked a new Gates belt on it

Gearbox is currently away being rebuilt but ran into problems with a busted speedo drive & damaged casing where the speedo drive lives which is currently taking ages to get fixed

And this is the current state of the car, getting the subframe stripped down so it can be refurbished and have all the new suspension & steering stuff fitted to it and the engine will be going in from underneath when the gearbox is done

 

[Brigsy]

Looks spot on, will be mint when done.

 

[16V F7R]

Great work and job finding new oe parts. Will be a stunner!!

 

[Trainerbrow]

This is going to be amazing when done. You're going to get hounded at petrol stations by all manner of 40+yr old men

 

[16v_paddy]

This is going to be amazing when done. You're going to get hounded at petrol stations by all manner of 40+yr old men

Hopefully they'll have deep pockets & money to burn so I can sell it to them 🤞🤑

 

[Optimista]

Love the work & effort!

 

[Daz.]

I keep saying it but I neeeeed another one!

 

[16v_paddy]

A bit more progress with this, finally got around to sorting the subframe. Had it blasted back to bare metal & in the nearly 20 years of dicking about with Clio's this has to be the cleanest & most un-fucked subframe I've ever seen after it's been blasted

 

[16v_paddy]

Followed by some etch primer & a coat of Ford Polar Grey