My mk1 Clio valver project

[NaplesMark16v]

Hey guys, thought I'd share with you my project as I've seen a few on here and thought if I get stuck along the way I'm in the right place ;D not only that I'd like people to see her come from a scratched surface rusted valver to a valver that's nearly like it was about 19-20 years ago

Okay, I bought her in 2010 with the intention of doing her up, she wasn't all that bad condition wise and the engine/box was great as they'd been rebuilt with receipts to prove. There was also a receipt for work carried out on the os sill, wheel bearings etc.
so I thought I dropped on.
I'd had her about a year or so when some (few choice words) people keyed her and smashed the windscreen I also got diagnosed with bipolar depression not long beforehand so I lost all motivation. She sat on a friends driveway, then my mums for about 2 years. Whenever I visited I started her and was surprised she started straight up.
But anyway, I recently moved and got a house with a garage so I've started restoring her, fully!
This us only a small update as I've not got that far yet but I will update daily or every other day.

As she stands at the minute, started to strip the body panels

Will add more a bit later of how she looked when I bought her.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Nice to see another mk1 on here

 

[terryc101]

Looking forward to seeing this progress.

 

[George@RTR_Parts]

I'll keep on eye on this :approve:

 

[mossyv6]

Good old valver, I will be watching this

 

[NaplesMark16v]

Thanks for the interest guys i did some digging and found a photo of the car a few days after buying it. It's quite sad to look at her then and now

 

[NaplesMark16v]

Sorry for the delay In an update! Today I received a big parcel

Which consisted of

Today has been an exciting day as I've also got sky lol...
Anyways. As always, things go good and then something goes bad, got my tools and sky, and then it started bloody raining! Ah well! That's what garages are for! So more updates soon, thought I might add that halfords have on offer the advanced pro socket set and combination spanner set for a total of 150, ideal and pretty cheap bearing in mind they have lifetime guarantee.

 

[NaplesMark16v]

Okay a bit of an update...
Got the bumper off, which was a right nut ache! Because of this

But the turbo sockets I bought got it off in no time, thought all was well as I've got the headlights, wings, grille and bumper off, but I discovered the drivers side inner wheel arch is a tad poorly, also seems as the car has no battery therefore I can't turn it over, I was going to do it the manual way, removed the spark plugs and they were covered in oil

valve stem seals???
Anyway she's looking like this now

 

[couzens]

Plugs covered in oil could be due to the rockercover gasket, mine went a dumped aload of oil into the plugs.

 

[NaplesMark16v]

I've checked it but there's no visible damage to it. It will be getting changed anyways along with the head gasket etc

 

[NaplesMark16v]

Been out doing a little more work on the car today but forgot to take photos! Will post some on tomorrow, anyway, today I started to remove the loom from the engine bay ready to get the engine out, about that, has anybody got any tips for me to maybe make it quicker/easier? I don't have an engine hoist yet but will be getting one fairly soon.
Also could someone clarify something for me please, are Williams and 16v engine /drivetrain parts the same? I've heard people say they've done Williams brake conversions etc but then I've heard other people say they're identical so I'm a tad confused!

 

[NaplesMark16v]

Been out doing a little more work on the car today but forgot to take photos! Will post some on tomorrow, anyway, today I started to remove the loom from the engine bay ready to get the engine out, about that, has anybody got any tips for me to maybe make it quicker/easier? I don't have an engine hoist yet but will be getting one fairly soon.
Also could someone clarify something for me please, are Williams and 16v engine /drivetrain parts the same? I've heard people say they've done Williams brake conversions etc but then I've heard other people say they're identical so I'm a tad confused!

Sorry for such a small update by the way. Please bare with me lol

 

[Chip-mk1]

Stem seals won't fill the chamber above the plugs with oil. That's rocker cover or coming out under the cam carriers.

 

[NaplesMark16v]

Stem seals won't fill the chamber above the plugs with oil. That's rocker cover or coming out under the cam carriers.

Alright, I'll be doing the gaskets etc anyways once the engine is out but for now I'm concentrating on the shell, buying myself a welder next week, any recommendations on a welder? Thanks for responses guys

 

[NaplesMark16v]

Okay so a bit of an update, not a really big one as started late today so it dropped dark, well today I've started removing the loom from the engine bay etc, right awkward thing! Also got frustrated as the thermostat housing torx are dead tight, won't budge one mil, they just round off whatever bit I'm using, the wheel nuts are also ceased on but I suppose it has been stood a while. Any tips on removing the torx? Here's a little pic, sorry it's not a huge update. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have the engine out

 

[NaplesMark16v]

Hey guys. Currently out working on the clio, today's objectives are to get the engine ready for removing, get the rest if the loom out, re-tape it and strip the interior. Did this just for fun

Will be doing that yellow more to come later

 

[NaplesMark16v]

Cleaned the engine bay

can hardly tell on the photo but it's a lot cleaner

 

[Chip-mk1]

My only advice with welders is avoid the gasless ones, they are terrible!

Other than that, just go for the best you can afford, it does make a difference in my experience although im not a welding expert myself, just do a bit now and then when I really have to.

 

[Mr R.]

My only advice with welders is avoid the gasless ones, they are terrible!

Other than that, just go for the best you can afford, it does make a difference in my experience although im not a welding expert myself, just do a bit now and then when I really have to.

Yes Chip you are right, spend as much money as you can in buying a decent mig welder.

The cheap ones come with a s**t hose and very poor wire feed control and the very cheap one's come with minimal power settings.

 

[NaplesMark16v]

Proper gutted about this

But it's nowhere near enough to make me give up, priced up new arches for either side, inner arches either side, sills either side and a full front panel. All in all I'll have change from £500, worth every penny if you ask me! Just can't wait to get her done now

 

[hardy]

Keep going mate. Ive had to do a lot of bodywork to mine and will have to do plenty more when I pull my finger out.

It will certainly be worth it in the end.

 

[Coops Mk1]

keep it up mate, I've got several mk1's in similar states of decay lying about but I wouldn't change them for the world.

 

[andywa]

Great work so far mate. Keep it up.

 

[NaplesMark16v]

Cheers for the support fellas got this today

so will be updating later on nothing will make me give up on her. No matter how long or how much it will cost. It really will be worth it in the end

 

[NaplesMark16v]

Been out on the car for a few hour, got the drivers seat out, a few interior panels and lifted the carpet, threw the underlay as it was soggy, swollen and ripped... Upon removing that I came across this

.
Don't think it's all that bad to be honest. I've seen worse anyway!
So now I'm thinking do I just patch it or do the complete floor? I'd prefer to do the whole floor preferably so everything can age together. Going to do some more now.

 

[NaplesMark16v]

Got a little further... Lol, I've decided I'm going to do the whole floor so going to set about that tomorrow, I've also ground down the rear arches and they were fairly solid, there was maybe a few bubbly bits, however they're still getting done. Anyway I got a bit board of stripping that horrible sound proofing so decided to polish these up

Not that good a job I know but I'll concentrate on stuff like that after the shell is done

 

[INZ 18]

Fair play doing it yourself !

 

[Craigie-B]

Nice with regards to the question on willliams bits the brakes are the same as valver but the arb wishbones and driveshafts are different because they give a wider track yiu can also fit the widetrack from a 172 if you really want to fill the arches as thats wider still

 

[Chip-mk1]

Nice with regards to the question on willliams bits the brakes are the same as valver but the arb wishbones and driveshafts are different because they give a wider track yiu can also fit the widetrack from a 172 if you really want to fill the arches as thats wider still

172 steering racks are a LOT easier to come by than williams ones too, and then you have the better 172 brakes as well, and the hubs are more readily available.

172 are just better mechanically really, well worth swapping!

 

[Craigie-B]

I forgot about the rack!! The 172 rack has less turns lock to lock so is an upgrade to

 

[NaplesMark16v]

Cheers guys
I was thinking about putting a 172 subby on any way as a mate of mine has a few lying around... In regards to doing the body myself I'm actually really looking forward to it, I've missed working in cars and decided I might start doing restorations etc, would a 172/182 gearbox be a good upgrade? I was told by a mate that it would cure the wheel spinning in every gear lol?

 

[Chip-mk1]

You will REALLY have a hard time fitting the subframe, thats the one thing that doesnt fit!

Wheelspin in anything other than first means you have terrible tyres or your geo is wrong.

Changing the box wont help that, but the 172 box is a good option for a replacement as its stronger than the valver one IME.

 

[NaplesMark16v]

You will REALLY have a hard time fitting the subframe, thats the one thing that doesnt fit!

Wheelspin in anything other than first means you have terrible tyres or your geo is wrong.

Changing the box wont help that, but the 172 box is a good option for a replacement as its stronger than the valver one IME.

Alright cheers for that...
The tyres are toyo proxes all round, I've noticed it spins if you plant it through gears, if you feed it in its okay, what do I do about the geo then?

 

[Chip-mk1]

Get the front tracking measured for a start, would think its way out if you are spinning up the tyres just by planting the throttle.

For reference for example, on t1r my 172 ph1 turbo DIDNT light the tyres up in 3rd gear on T1Rs on a dry road, and that is this quick:

so unless your car is far more powerful than mine (it isnt, its probably not even got half in fact!) it shouldnt be having a problem!

 

[Craigie-B]

I have t1rs on my mk1 f4r and it spins them when driving if its wet and I go from like a little throttle to full throttle - does it v rarely only under specific conditions

 

[NaplesMark16v]

just thought on actually and the last time it span up through the gears it was on loose tarmac or wet, other than that it was okay... Chip-mk1 your car looks&sounds quick as f@@k!!! mine will be nowhere near as powerful as yours lol, last time i got mine on a rolling road it was something like 166.3 at the wheels (i think) probably a lot lot less now though... so all in all a 172 steering rack etc is a good upgrade? cheers again

 

[Chip-mk1]

I think the best option would be diesel rack and EPAS but don't know how it would fit in a mk1 dash.
I want to go that route with mine but I've got a mk2 dash in my mk1 anyway.

 

[NaplesMark16v]

Does anybody know how I can get my boot open? Basically it's locked by the button on the key but the key doesn't fit and I have no battery :/ was thinking cut a hole and do it manually as the boot is kippered anyway

 

[Chip-mk1]

Climb through and take the trim off and you can force the solenoid from inside IIRC

 

[NaplesMark16v]

Climb through and take the trim off and you can force the solenoid from inside IIRC

Cheers mate