My first Renault project

[Andy665]

I have been lucky enough to own some great cars in my time and have in the last 7 years owned what have been regarded as amongst the best VW Corrado, BMW E36 328 Sport coupe and Alfa GTV V6's in the country

I like to buy cars that present a good solid base but with clear scope to make my own over time. Not having owned a small, nimble hatch since a 205 1.9 GTi, a 182 was top of my list after selling the previous toy, a Boxster S

The one I found was lurking on eBay, a few emails exchanged with the seller and it was bought, sight unseen - a 2004 plate 182 with 68k on the clock, a decent history including belts done 2 years ago and a decent set of photos that showed that it had been well cared for

Paid what i considered was a good price for it, allowing for the fact that there were several unknowns - ABS, airbag, ESP and SERV lights being on were the main ones but hopefully replacing the standard wheel and maybe a sensor or two will see those put right

Drove home therefore from Sheffield last Tues night across the moors to Shropshire in an unfamiliar car with no apparent safety aids but could not stop grinning all the way, very nimble and responsive, very strong engine and apparently an LSD going by the telltale low speed grumbling that completely disappears at higher speeds

Have a list of jobs to do and parts already being acquired:

• Re-fit interior which was stripped, fortunately everything supplied with the car
• Get original steering wheel re-trimmed by Jack at Royal Steering Wheels
• Four new (non ditchfinder) tyres
  
• Engine cover / inlets painted / polished
• Fabia front splitter
• Good deep clean inside and out

Intend to sell the new Sabelt harnesses and new OMP Superturismo wheel / quick release kit

Intention is to end up with a very clean, mechanically strong 182

As she currently stands

 

[Mar172]

Looks nice and clean

 

[Sunglasses_Ron]

Lovely car and the best colour [emoji6]

 

[..Jack..]

Lovely car and the best colour [emoji6]

Olive green all the way

 

[Bluebeard]

Some really bad mods on that! Lol

Be good to see it once it's been sorted out.

 

[Andy665]

Some really bad mods on that! Lol

Like what :smile:, I really don't like the steering wheel and harnesses but they are good quality items and easily removed

 

[Bluebeard]

Like what :smile:, I really don't like the steering wheel and harnesses but they are good quality items and easily removed

Front and rear strut braces (that do nothing) those belts the towing eye and that playstation steering wheel.

And the stickers.

 

[Andy665]

Front and rear strut braces are staying, not as if they are going to reduce rigidity are they, belts are going, towing eye was a 20 second job to unscrew, steering wheel going once original is re-trimmed. Stickers may stay or may go - after all its my car :smiley:

 

[Bluebeard]

Why are you getting so defensive??

 

[Andy665]

"Really bad mods" - maybe not o your liking, or mine for that matter. Do things not to my taste constitute "really bad" - far from it.

We actually agree

 

[Cub.]

Welcome along!

A good base, but those belts are lethal and downright dangerous. Hope they've gone already.

What makes you think it has a LSD? Unless it has a receipt I think it's unlikely as it's a £2k job and not one done by that many. A gripper diff makes 'grumbling' (although not if it's had it's refurb done recently) but that is only at about 3 mph and turning a corner.

Not that it is always a bad thing, but has it had the front bumper resprayed? May be that I just can't see them, but the black stickers don't seem to be there.

Looking forward to seeing what you do with it :smile:

Any photos of the Corrado / Alfa?

 

[Andy665]

The belts are in addition to the normal seatbelts and I have no intention of using them, will be removed at the weekend

Re: the diff, I have had Quaifes retrofitted into some of my other cars and am familiar with the characteristics, this feels very much the same - then again I could be completely wrong

I would be surprised if the front bumper has not seen paint, its inconceivable that a 68k car has got to that mileage and not got a single stonechip on the bumper, whoever did it has done a very good job

 

[Cub.]

The paint does look a very good job. It's a nice base, as I said.

Quaiffe doesn't make any noises really, only the gripper. It may be something else, so worth checking out. I'd be amazed if someone fitted a diff but didn't fit coilovers etc.

Corrado and Alfa look lovely!

 

[Andy665]

Quaiffe doesn't make any noises really, only the gripper. It may be something else, so worth checking out

Have just spent an hour outside on it and it appears as if my ears were letting me down - standard diff and its not making any noise, the Milltek combined with no rear interior is obviously transmitting noise / vibration that gives impression of a grumbling diff, zero diff noise at all - amazing how sound travels and deceives

My aim is to get the Clio to the same standard as the Corrado and GTV, more about time rather than money (hopefully)

 

[joytodrive25]

Welcome along, the old cars look ace. I have similar aims for my clio, just getting it to how it should be for fast daily use.

 

[bloke]

Front and rear strut braces (that do nothing)

the rear bar is good to keep shopping bags upright.

 

[Andy665]

the rear bar is good to keep shopping bags upright.

Very true, discovered this morning that three Tesco bags for life fit like a glove with the rear strut bar holding everything to perfection

 

[Mr Plums]

Nice car, although i would remove the stickers/tow eye and steering wheel too, although i know you said you are getting the wheel re trimmed etc anyway :up:

When you get the interior fitted too it will be a very nice 182.

 

[Andy665]

More progress today, wanted a light dut day after re-fitting the interior last weekend:

Cleaned the seats and gave the leather a deep clean - fortunately not too worn at all so come up very well

Fitted Silvertec front and rear indicator bulbs and LED sidelights

Fitted new bootlight complete with LED bulb

Yellow rev counter face installed - personal touch - not to everyones taste but easily removed

Flat blade wipers fitted

Did not like the injector cover in black so repainted and lacquered it in silver - much better

Removed RenaultSport decals from rear panels

Slowly but surely coming together - looking forward to finally getting my newly re-trimmed steering wheel fitted tomorrow

 

[Mr Plums]

Looks much better mate, get a splitter on it.

 

[jakehamer1994]

Looks great! Same colour myself tbh I like the mods like you said just the eye and steering wheel would keep the braces. Can't wait to see what you do

 

[Andy665]

Got my Royal Steering Wheel re-trimmed wheel back on this weekend, as ever by Jack a lovely job at a very reasonable price

Yellow rev counter mod - I like it and thats all that matters

As I had a Fabia splitter to fit I decided to do a proper job and take off the front bumper, good opportunity to give everything a good clean with good old Surfex HD before putting it all back together, I bought a load of new clips / screws etc when I bought the car so all attachments going back on are nice and new

 

[PP200t]

Looks good. I love the yellow Rev counter. I wanted to do this to my 182 but couldn't find any easy way to do it. I wanted to do it more like the 200 Rev counter with the black centre but no one could print one accurately. I want to do it now though to my 172!!
I'm guessing you bought a Lockwood set and just chopped the Rev counter off?

 

[Mr Plums]

That steering wheel looks lovely mate, much better than standard, im torn between these and snappys atm.

 

[Andy665]

Looks good. I love the yellow Rev counter. I wanted to do this to my 182 but couldn't find any easy way to do it.
I'm guessing you bought a Lockwood set and just chopped the Rev counter off?

Involves a bit of careful measuring and trimming but not exactly difficult

That steering wheel looks lovely mate, much better than standard, im torn between these and snappys atm.

Have used Jack at Royal twice before so was an easy choice for me - at £125 he is also very good value

 

[Mr Plums]

I prefer the shape of your wheel, but can you see any imperfections where the old thumb grips were?