Phase 1 172 - A Lovely Tit.....Or a bottomless Pit?

[Coops Mk1]

Me again....

So it begins once more, 3.5 years ago I picked up a phase 1 172 from @boomerbang2006 in Odyssey Blue with intent in all honesty to kill it for spares and make some money. 3.5 years on i'm 5 grand into that one and it's a lovely thing, nearly complete and all it needs is paint to finish it.

So was talking to Leon and seemed he decided the Titanium was no longer for him and wanted to shift that on too, so here is a little bit of history repeating itself! Again, bought to kill basically as some bits are nicer than the Oddy, so keep those and sell the rest.

Spec currently:

- 164k
- Stock bar a cup spoiler
- Some odd front springs that sit it really high
- Huge history file
- Recently refurbished F1's with caps and new Hankook tyres
- Stainless Ktec Stealth exhaust
- Original twin barrel cat in place
- New brakes all round recently
- New clutch recently


So picked it up last Friday, and drove the 60 miles home perfectly, what a lovely thing! Stacks of history and HPi clear.....so now I am in a quandary as the car has had a pretty big shunt at the rear that's bent the boot floor, split the rear cross member from the boot and left the alignment of the bumper and lights wrong. Plus there is some rot in the rear end on the sills and scabs on the arches, so looking at thick end of 1000 quid to sort that lot. Plus belts are due in April........

As such plan is to run the thing until MOT is out in February, tidy up stuff as i go on a shoestring budget, but done right as i have all sorts of spares on stock, sell some spares that came with it to drive the cost right down and then evaluate come 2021 what the cars fate will be.

I suspect it will get under my skin by then........and in 3.5 years the thread will end with my 5k into the thing......lmao!

Anyway here she is, and next post will be the 'just needs' list.

Shot from the drive home

Destickered the wheels and cleaned the door shuts, boot shut and any crack and crevice with the jet wash as there was some algae/moss growth just starting in the seals etc.

With the Oddy

interior, not too bad for 160k miles, original vents still fine, silver highlights clean enough. Main issue really is just drivers seat well used.

Engine bay, complete and honest, will get a clean up and some paint, maybe a coolant change to type d and new header tank. Cover is in the boot

and popped to see mate with a matching one, so got a pair of Tit's together

cheers

Ben

 

[Ol’ Tarby]

Very nice! I've got a half decent drivers seat if you wanted one mate

 

[Coops Mk1]

Quick pic in the brief dry today and the list.....

- Replace osr light cluster light- DONE
- Attempt bend osr mounting for bumper straight - Think bumper at fault
- Deep clean engine bay
- Paint inlet and fuel guard
- Fit engine cover
- Fabric paint bulkhead panel
- Deep clean front seat belts
- Attach CD changer to floor
- Replace mats
- Replace front abs rings
- Fit eibach proline springs
- Maintenance on rear calipers
- Grease back of front pads
- Adjust drivers door latch - DONE
- Wet sand headlights
- Rear cards out to check for rot progression

 

[Coops Mk1]

Looking at tractor spec arch gap too I'm wholly convinced that the spring was replaced in January for a none sport one, its ridiculous as you can see above

 

[Alastair.]

Yeah definitely the wrong springs fitted 🤣 nice base to work from, looks all there.

Shame about the boot floor 😔

 

[KitsonRis]

I thought my front arch gap was big!

 

[Coops Mk1]

I thought my front arch gap was big!

Evens out between the odyssey and this

 

[boomerbang2006]

It amazes me what you can see wrong with the car that I couldn't.. didnt know about the front spring but they did tell me they had the source one fron non Renault...

 

[imprezaworks]

I had none gti springs fitted on my golf. Was like we had a couple of none sharer of foods in the boot

 

[Darren S]

Fate has brought you two together.

Do the right thing and save this one as well.

You'll end up being the crazy cat lady of your area - but instead of hoarding felines, it will be Clios.

 

[Coops Mk1]

It amazes me what you can see wrong with the car that I couldn't.. didnt know about the front spring but they did tell me they had the source one fron non Renault...

I'm a picky bastid is the issue probably! No reflection on you chap, the cars overall in great nick and drives lovely. I just like things how I like things!

Fate has brought you two together.

Do the right thing and save this one as well.

You'll end up being the crazy cat lady of your area - but instead of hoarding felines, it will be Clios.

Flol, it is a bit like that really, crazy Clio guy on the estate.

 

[KitsonRis]

I'm a picky bastid is the issue probably!

I am the same, hence why mine is costing me more money at a faster rate than I planned! Two years worth of work planned and nearly done it all within 9months as it was annoying me having it not how I want. In the new year it will be suspension, interior and paint work left to do (paint can wait as that means I will have to look at the sills which I refuse to do).

 

[Coops Mk1]

Spent hour or so today around lunch cleaning engine bay up. Works completed:

- Removed the airbox and peeled all the silver tape crap off, which took aaaaages!lol!
- Removed inlets and rattle can painted aluminium effect paint
- Degreased and wiped down most of the bay
- Fabric painted the bulkhead shield
- Cleaned inlet to throttle body faces and fitted new gasket
- Fitted spare airbox strap
- Fitted good engine cover
- Removed upper bonnet catch, degreased and thoroughly cleaned
- Cleaned underside of bonnet.

New header tank on the way and type d waiting in the shed, so that and oil and filter next.

Pics!

In bits

Airbox covered

And sorted

Inlets painted

New cover and gasket

Inlets fitted

And everything refitted and cleaned up

Cheers

Ben

 

[KitsonRis]

You painted the heat shielding on the bulkhead, what did you use? I’ve got mine to do and gone off the idea of swapping it with that nimbus heat shield but it looks a bit naff as it is. Did yours come out ok?

 

[Coops Mk1]

You painted the heat shielding on the bulkhead, what did you use? I’ve got mine to do and gone off the idea of swapping it with that nimbus heat shield but it looks a bit naff as it is. Did yours come out ok?

Autoglm fabric paint matey, can see it in first pic lying on engine, lol. Passes 5ft test, not perfect but for twenty seconds work well worth it

 

[Coops Mk1]

Bit more done today, replaced the abs rings up front and fitted my eibach prolines.

One ring was cracked which I'm hoping was my low speed intermittent abs kick in issue, will find out when I go out tomorrow. Replaced both sides though to be sure as other one was well loved too.

And lol at the comedy random front spring, hence the odd ride height, skinny as you like and about 3" longer than the other one.

Did some general maintenance on brakes up front too, one sticking slider so all removed, cleaned, greased and reassembled.

Rear springs and brake maintenence tomorrow

Cheers

Ben

 

[ajracer]

Think you might have done this a few times before.
Engine bay refurb in your lunch break!! Lol

 

[Djw John]

Bet fitting that spring was a dick for the guy who did it given its length.
May as well just save it eh? You know you're gonna anyway so just commit now!

 

[Coops Mk1]

Got the rears in today, one was snapped and the upper near side rear platform is basically gone, rotted off so that may be a nail in the coffin come MOT time.....

Anyone know if you can get repair panels for the spring mounts?!

Checked rear brakes over, calipers all free and cables fine, however rear discs spacers missing both sides, had to smack the discs off with a lump hammer! Thankfully stubs seem okay and had some spare spacers in the shed.

Ride height on that nsf still looks high though compared to rest so wondering if shock absorber is wrong too maybe.....

Pics!

Cheers

Ben

 

[Djw John]

Probably best bet (if you do save it) is a cut off from another Clio.

Or AST's since they don't use the spring mounts 😂

 

[Coops Mk1]

Be good if someone made a small weld in panel really, common issue I'd guess this will become.

If I can't fix it cheap, scrap time, flol

 

[boomerbang2006]

Shocking...just shocking...I'm hoping if you do scrap it yiure get the money back..

 

[Amos91]

When I had my 182 apart I noticed the start of this, had to grind it right back and treat it.

 

[Coops Mk1]

@Amos91 yeah that section with the 'nubbin' on to locate the spring isn't there anymore 

@boomerbang2006 oh yeah won't be an issue matey there's loads of value in it so no worries. I just don't want to kill it unless absolutely necessary as overall it's a lovely thing and too many have already fallen to the breakers

 

[Coops Mk1]

Took her for a spin, the new abs rings have done the trick, low speed kick in gone so can trust the brakes again now! Perfect!

 

[Krarl]

Aye just cut them bits off of a 1.2 clio. They're all the same

 

[Daz.]

You can't scrap it!

 

[Coops Mk1]

You can't scrap it!

I f**king can

 

[Daz.]

I f**king can

You're such a meanie...

 

[Coops Mk1]

You're such a meanie...

Go fund me maybe the best route forward

 

[boomerbang2006]

If it's any consolation the boost in the st is only going up a quarter so I think its time for a new boost solenoid I think..so I'm spending money on the clios replacement already..

 

[Donz144]

Another one saved coop doesn't do anything for our oddy values!! I'm on the hunt for an iceberg but I have a stage itch for a mk2 for some reason!

I have a feeling you might treat this to one more mot!

 

[Coops Mk1]

Did some more bits at lunch today

Oil and filter plus new sump plug, all of which came with the car. Also fitted the resonated ktec from the odyssey to the car as none res isn't for me. That'll be for sale after New Year.

Fitted the mats from the oddy too which are in decent nick and I've already got new set on stock for the oddy.

Started debobbling the seats and gave the interior a quick vac and wipe over.

CD changer needs a new bracket too as one on it isn't right one for the car which is weird. Passenger side tidy tray also missing from under that seat... unless the earlier cars didn't have one? Anyone know?

Anyway few pics, really enjoying just driving it now with the niggles slowly getting sorted. Think I'm going to use it for Donington Park in January too.... mint!

Cheers

Ben

Oil service and bay back together.

Stealthy matt black painted exhaust on

With centre box

Exhaust retrieved from car, non res flavour

Seats debobbled a bit, more to go, interior vacced and wiped down and mats fitted

 

[Coops Mk1]

Took the plunge into the rear inner sills/arches this week...…. quick review is the passenger side is surprisingly good, cleaned up nice and looks original.

Drivers side however...…..erm…..outer and inner both gone and a pikie patch over the top to hide it! flol! although even then overall not half as bad as I expected.

cleaned and treated both sides, cleaned up the rear doorcards and jet washed the seatbelts too anyway, just in case I do save the thing.

Also fitted my retrimmed wheel from the odyssey, rather it was in use and the none sport rubbery wheel was horrible to use

Merry Christmas all!

Ben

Door cards out, interior stripped

door card cleaned up

Passenger side, not bad, cleaned up, Hydrate 80 and waxoil

Drivers side.....not so good! lol! patch with no drain hole over the lot, inner rotted away and outer around the patch not cut out or treated or anything. Same treatment though to at least slow the process

 

[Tarvitz]

Nice work on the clean up!

How did you get this view of the rear arch? Is it from the inside behind the door cards? I'm tempted to check mine and do the same.

 

[Coops Mk1]

Nice work on the clean up!

How did you get this view of the rear arch? Is it from the inside behind the door cards? I'm tempted to check mine and do the same.

Yeah, whip the rear doorcards out and poke your peepers down into the abyss! ten minutes work max just be careful unclipping doorcards as the clips can be brittle and snap, maybe wait for a warmer day!

 

[KitsonRis]

If you need a pair of the clip things in the rear seat belts with the seat release button let me know as I have a brand new pair and I am not going to fit them.

 

[Tarvitz]

Yeah, whip the rear doorcards out and poke your peepers down into the abyss! ten minutes work max just be careful unclipping doorcards as the clips can be brittle and snap, maybe wait for a warmer day!

Yeah I just can't stop thinking about it now after seeing your pictures and just know there will be rust waiting for me

 

[KitsonRis]

Yeah I just can't stop thinking about it now after seeing your pictures and just know there will be rust waiting for me

Don't look. Problem solved. Can't be rusty if you don't check

I'm refusing to take the sill covers off (for the time being) mine for this exact reason. Did the same treatment on the inner sills when I first bought it.

 

[Tarvitz]

Oh I already made that mistake this year, but glad I did tbh mate I caught the rust just before I got into the floor, now she all good