Dec's Flamer Barn(ish) Find

[Dec_NE]

Hi AGAIN...

A few of you may recognise my username from previous cars. (I've had 17 Clio Sports in various guises, previously a Petrol Blue 182)
I spent a brief period (6 months) without a Clio on the drive - I bought myself a R53 Cooper S and just didnt 'gell' with the car so put it up for sale!

I decided I wanted another Clio as a long term project - and set my heart on either a BG 182 (my first ever Clio sport I owned in 2005) or a Flame Red 172 (my first ever car was a burgundy 1.2 Clio which I fitted a 182 kit onto)

Anyway - Always on Facebook pages and marketplace I spotted a guy looking to offload his 2002 Flame Red Clio which has sat for almost 4 years.
Sent him a message with a cheeky offer - and we eventually came up with a number we were both happy with. Due to the guy living 200 miles away - I sent the money on Paypal paying for the car in full and arranged for someone to collect the car - long story short the guy I arranged ripped me off and didn't go and collect the car. We then had to rearrange someone else to collect the car and it turned up on my drive 3 days later!

The car is on 119k, with average bodywork, average history, 2 x keys and both front arch liners and the ECU bracket fully intact! It's been sitting for almost 4 years so the plan is to carry out a full rebuild underneath and build the car I always wanted my first car to be like!

A couple of photographs after I gave it a blast with a pressure washer to shift the cobwebs and bits of tree. I am curious if a previous owner is on here as it does have an old style ClioSport sticker in one of the windows.

 

[DomP182]

Love a flamer! Mine was in a state when I got it in November, slowly but surely I'm getting it to a point that I can say it's pretty tidy.

Is your bonnet not fully shut or does it have the standard dodgy catch?

 

[Dec_NE]

Love a flamer! Mine was in a state when I got it in November, slowly but surely I'm getting it to a point that I can say it's pretty tidy.

Is your bonnet not fully shut or does it have the standard dodgy catch?

I've always wanted a flamer. I'm hoping to build this as the car I always wanted at 17. I've made a bit of progress on getting the engine out today which i'll upload some photos once it's out but i've been documenting bolt sizes and lengths etc so I can send bolts off to either be zinc plated or order replacements.

Bonnet shuts lovely - I had just jet washed the bay to get rid of spiders and tree.

 

[DomP182]

I'd love to do to mine what you're doing but for now it's more of a tidy up on a budget. I'd like the get both bumpers resprayed eventually, front has faded a bit and both have small scuffs.

Good work!

 

[stu8v]

Where's it from?
There used to be one parked up in a compound near me, now no longer there...

 

[Dec_NE]

Where's it from?
There used to be one parked up in a compound near me, now no longer there...

Bought it from a chap in Derbyshire.

 

[Dec_NE]

Spent a few hours in the garage this weekend trying to get the car to a point where I can start making some progress.

I've got a provisional plan which is basically mega clean underneath, EPAS fitted, A/C gone and potentially low boost turbo as I'm looking to build this car over the next 18 months. Still need to shift my Cooper S which is just taking up space.

I've had the engines out of these clios a few times now and this time was an all time record - took me 3 and a half hours from start to finish to get the engine out which isn't bad for a home gamer!

Engine bay was a mess before I started cleaning it - both driveshafts were fucked, CV grease all over the place.

After 10 microfibre cloths, 5 tins of brake cleaner and a bottle of Autoglym Engine and Machine cleaner.

Also picked up a few little bits and bobs as i'm a sucker for a bargain.
Cup Spoiler in Arctic Blue - managed to get this for 40 quid and the brake light actually works!
RS inlet manifold
EPAS rack from a DCI for less than 15 quid - It was a bit grubby to start with but after half an hour with a wire brush and a lick of hammerite it now looks like this:

 

[alistairolsen]

Nice find and looking good so far! Personally I'd be going hydro rack and electric pump I think but

 

[Dec_NE]

Work is pretty flat out at the minute and I'm only getting a day every now and again at home so struggling to make progress.

Started stripping the engine down to hopefully get it all tidied up. Belts off, rocker cover off, Cams out and then made a start pulling the head off. Also gave the garage a bit of a tidy up as I've got limited space and struggling to actually work!

The head bolts were unbelievably tight (my normal gun which has never let me down didn't touch them) so had to get imaginative with a large breaker bar.

Pulled the head off and pretty glad I did as the valves are thick of carbon and could do with a bit of work.

Sent from my BLA-L09 using Tapatalk

 

[Cookson]

Looks like a good base to start with. Any reason you've pulled the head off it though rather than just putting a new belt on?

 

[Krarl]

Thicker headgasket/Megane headgasket to lower compression for boost I reckon

 

[Dec_NE]

Looks like a good base to start with. Any reason you've pulled the head off it though rather than just putting a new belt on?

As above, Megane HG to lower the compression if I actually do turbo it. Plus for the sake of 80-100 I'd rather strip the head down and ensure everything is OK - stem seals, clean the valves up etc. Part of me is tempted to keep it N/A and fit a set of cams and a different inlet as I love the way they drive. Either way i'm wanting it to be immaculate no matter what route I go down.