My Liquid Yellow 197 R27 progress

[Shane_R27]

I bought the car in June this year needed a few bits to tidy it up but I like to get involved with my cars so that didn't bother me.
Here's how the car was when I collected it

Usual steering wheel peeling

Scuffed alloys, missing centre cap

Usual Recaro seat wear

Aside from these cosmetic bits the car has been looked after and service history is all there with gearbox syncros done and cambelt done (although I hadn't realised the intervals so was actually due soon anyway).

The car was booked in for a service and MOT to find a few more things I needed to do. Brakes were a bit closer than I thought, water pump was leaking so time to do the cambelt again and the front subframe/radiator mount was corroded.

I set to work on those bits first:
New front subframe / radiator support bracket

New Brembo HC discs all round and Ferodo DS2500 pads all round

All other due maintenance work listed above was then completed - no photos
Steering wheel and gear gaiter re-trimmed by Royal Steering Wheels

Alloys powder coated

KTR induction kit, Milltek cat back and decat fitted and remapped, drives so much better!

Currently the seat covers are away at Capital Seating being re-trimmed but are due back on Tuesday.

I've probably missed a few bits out but this is most of it! As I've taken things out I've generally replaced bolts as they've been rusty or a bit tatty looking.
Few bits left to do, the door handles are a bit worn out, powerflex bushes to do, Bilstein coilovers on the list and thinking about a Sprint Booster V3. Carbon fibre goodies maybe, who knows where the journey will take me!

 

[Poopensharten]

Thats how you look after a car, surely for the sake of it all being fresh the passenger side seat would have been as well being done as well..?

 

[Shane_R27]

Thats how you look after a car, surely for the sake of it all being fresh the passenger side seat would have been as well being done as well..?

I'm just having the affected areas/panels unpicked and new material panel sewn in so wasn't necessary to do the whole lot, the rest of it is actually in really good shape.

 

[Shane_R27]

Seat covers finally back on! Looking nice and fresh now, new mats fitted too!

 

[imprezaworks]

Love it

 

[Gus]

Hi Shane , lovely looking car and looking forward to the updates.

I do have a question for you. The front subframe that you are replacing. Can you do a brief summary of what's involved and possibly costs for a new one. Noticed mine was a little rusty the other day and want to replace or paint it.

 

[Shane_R27]

Hi Shane , lovely looking car and looking forward to the updates.

I do have a question for you. The front subframe that you are replacing. Can you do a brief summary of what's involved and possibly costs for a new one. Noticed mine was a little rusty the other day and want to replace or paint it.

Thanks mate, its coming together at last! The subframe has already been done, it was just the bit that bolts to the front of the subframe, I think it holds the radiator. New genuine part with new bolts was just over £200. I didn't do the job myself but was only charged £45 so couldn't have been too bad! Hope these help.

 

[BuCkLeY...]

How rusty was the subframe? Seems alot of effort if just surface rust?

 

[Gus]

That's what mine looks like. Haven't looked properly but it's only going to get worse and the car is only 7 years old.

Thanks Shane. Really appreciate that . Will probably get one ordered but will check the warranty first as I think Renault has a 10 year paint and subframe corrosion warranty.

I've had a bit of warranty work done recently - roof rails strips had a few bubbles so they replaced those.
Mine is fine but a lot of 197's suffer from tailgate rust. the tailgate is prone to rust under the middle part of the window, again Renault will replace that .

 

[Shane_R27]

How rusty was the subframe? Seems alot of effort if just surface rust?

Mine was awful, definitely needed replacing. The car originally came from Scotland so suffered a few years of bad weather, salt etc. Now 10 years old and around some of the fixing holes was turning to dust

 

[BuCkLeY...]

O was just wondering ive never scene one replaced apart from propper old cars haha

 

[Shane_R27]

O was just wondering ive never scene one replaced apart from propper old cars haha :smile:

Yeah I know, I've only owned this car a few months and I'm finding things that need replacing that you wouldn't expect on a 10 year old car! They don't wear too well

 

[182_steve]

Great progress so far, car looks a good base to start but now getting even better!

 

[Shane_R27]

I gave the car a bit of a clean and applied my new decal, finishes the back end off nicely.

I realised on the last photos I didn't have the harness trims in the seats so here's the drivers seat with them in place

 

[Stefan.]

Looks lovely! Just the drivers seat bolster is very wrinkled.

 

[Shane_R27]

Looks lovely! Just the drivers seat bolster is very wrinkled.

Cheers! Yeah I noticed that when I was fitting them, looks a bit smoother today so hopefully it will settle.

 

[182_steve]

Looks great............. but so does that Granada hiding in the back of the photos

 

[Shane_R27]

Looks great............. but so does that Granada hiding in the back of the photos

Cheers mate, well spotted! That's my old mans new toy.