My First Frenchie - 182 BG

[Calamita]

So... I've bought a Renualt... Something I'd never thought I'd do...

I did my lessons and test in a Clio Campus 13 years ago so I guess it was only natural I ended up with one eventually.

I've stuck to VW's and Jap stuff mainly throughout the last 13 years (I'll not bore you with the history!) so something French and a pain in the arse to work on isn't something that usually would appeal...

I've justified buying a 182 as I feel I've finished the MX5 road/track car and any more track focused modifications would ruin it.

This is where the 182 comes in!

The spec is as follows (from the ebay advert)

• M Factory torsen ATB differential fitted with refreshed gearbox.
• Pure motorsport strut brace and top mounts.
• Bilstein B14 coilover kit.
• Fully Polybushed chassis and engine mounts, all purple and yellow grade (except lower wishbone bush, OEM fitted).
• Evo Corse 16" wheels.
• ITG carbon airbox.
• Pure motorsport exhaust system with sports cat.

It's clearly been well looked after and has stacks of receipts from the previous owner along with other owners too!

Timing belt, water pump and dephaser pulley done in 2021 too.

Honestly, it's really impressed me as a little car. Exactly what I was looking for, something raw with character and engaging to drive!

Ebay pics..

I've not taken many pics so far... but I've fitted the PMS shifter, removed rear seats (cage soon hopefully!), fitted my Momo Team 300mm from the Mazda (temporarily to get a feel)

The plan is...

• Full cage
• Buckets and harnesses (undecided on what yet but have some ideas)
• 15" Speedlines of some sort. I really like the 2118's!
• Dyno check/map
• Camber bolts and alignment for track use

Probably more but doesn't want too much before it hits the track.

Hoping to do some sprint events this year but might end up being next year depending on when I can get the cage booked in and sort everything else.

First thing I need to do is get it up in the air, wheels off and a good check over and a service... but I've been too busy enjoying driving it!

Anyway... Project thread is now live so I have somewhere to document what happens and will have loads of pics!

 

[Calamita]

Nothing really exciting in the past week or so... Just been driving it when I can and enjoying it!

I did fit some new front discs and pads as I noticed the inside if the disc was mostly corroded whilst I was underneath the car fitting the shifter.

Just fitted some Jurid discs and pads for now. Had the C hooks machined in at a local precision engineers that does them daily!

Will get some better pads for trackday obviously but these will do for now!

Rest of car looks clean from what I saw.

I think I'm gonna lay it up for a few weeks now whilst I wait for the cage to be fab'd and fitted and whip the coilovers off and give them a clean/rebuild.

I can't tell if the threads are ruined or have been taped up.

Ohhh... and I need to decide on a bucket seat!! Any recommendations welcomed 👍🏻

 

[Calamita]

So after bedding in the new discs and pads, I thought I'd get it on axle stands and whip the front coilovers off to give them a good once over as when I was doing the brakes, they'd look like they'd been on a while... That was the plan anyway...

OSF went ok actually. I'll let the pictures do the talking...

What threads...?

All stripped and ready for cleaning!

So cleaned the threads up on the tube... but the two adjuster nuts would not move at all... Tried the C spanner with no luck then got the huge adjustable grips on them which didn't budge them... Just lifted the bench off the floor 😂
So for now... Ride height is set and corner weighting will have to wait!

Onto the top mount...
The spherical bearing was stiff and only moved a tiny bit so worked it clean with wire brush, wire wheel and an angry spanner with a bigger wire wheel and maaged to free it up!

Couple of flushes out with some brake cleaner and lube and it was spinning like new.

There's a bit of pitting and wear but nothing major so back together for now.

The damper was still in good condition too. Stiff but returned at a good rate. Seal on the tube was still good too.

Quick re-assemble and back on the car!

Not spotless and not "fully serviced" but will prolong their life a little bit whilst I build the rest of the car and give it a shakedown but coilovers are now at the top of the list for post-inital trackday/sprint/shakedown!

The NSF... Well... 9:30 came around quick and I ended up with this... So I gave in for the night...

A socket casualty along the way too...

I have access to an induction heater gun so that's the plan for tomorrow night. Was getting a but late and the lump hammer isn't the quietest tool... Worst case, grind the other sides off, pull the coilover out and then drill then old bolt out...

Thought I was onto a winner when I pulled the first camber bolt out... Something to tick off my list that I don't need to order... That quickly changed 😂

Anyway... A job for another night!

 

[Mr Underhill]

It must have been in tight for it to snap (180Nm for reference).😮

Without sounding pedantic, the bolts would go back in L-R for NSF and R-L for OSF. 😉 Good luck with the build 😀

 

[Calamita]

It must have been in tight for it to snap (180Nm for reference).😮

The nut came off easily. The camber bolt shaft has swollen in the hub. The other side was the same, just nowhere near as bad... but yeah... it's tight! Hoping heat will help it.
Thanks! I need to keep checking the torque setting guide 😉

Without sounding pedantic, the bolts would go back in L-R for NSF and R-L for OSF. 😉 Good luck with the build 😀

As in, from right to left, nut on the left, bolt head on the right for OSF?

I did wonder if they were sided. Obviously they've been out a couple of times in their life.

 

[Mr Underhill]

As in, from right to left, nut on the left, bolt head on the right for OSF?

As in nuts towards steering rack - both sides. It's a moot point but it's how they'd come from the factory. I've built a 182 racecar and restored 2 road going 182's and i've found if these small details have been overlooked, it's a good sign everything else needs checking and correcting haha. Have fun!

 

[Calamita]

Thanks. Makes sense!

I like things to match too... so if they're different or the wrong way round on one side, then I'd have to swap it 😂

Just ordered a new set of Eibach camber bolts too!

 

[Calamita]

Was going to attack this last night but it was a nice day/evening so I went out for a ride on the motorbike instead 😂

This leads to tonight...

I picked up the induction heater from a mate...

and made it hot...

Sadly all this did was bend the end as I couldn't really get a good swing on the hammer because of the wheel arch.

Neither from the other side on opposite lock with a punch either...

So it was grinder through the rest, hub off and in the vice...

With a lot more heat, a bigger drift and better swings with the hammer and a few things falling off the shelves... It was moving and finally came out!

Rebuilt the coilover on this side too, which wasn't as bad as the OS but still wanted a good clean. Same with top mount bearing too.

All back together for now apart from the camber bolts but because my local sorting office closes at 10am on a weekday for some reason... They'll have to wait til tomorrow!