Project Moonstone

[22deano55]

Hi,

Welcome to project MoonStone.

WARNING - Any purists look away now!

The idea is to get the car to where I want it to then a full sort of any bodywork Issues remaining and respray in Pug Moonstone Blue. After over a month of looking and a few nearly purchases I finally have a MK2 Phase 1 Clio sitting on the drive ready to begin working on. I found a suitable car In Leicester a good 150 miles from Horsham. So with the country in full lock down I got in contact with a transport company (Thanks @Armchairracer ) and arraigned delivery for 29/04/2020.

I had spoken to the owner on the phone but this was going to be a full risk purchase. I sent the owner £50 deposit with the agreement to transfer the rest once the driver had arrived to collect the car, hoping he was not about to con me out of my deposit. so 12:15 on the day the driver messaged me that he had arrived just as the owner phoned me to tell me the same. So final payment made and 3 hours latter this arrives on the drive.

I will keep this as a rolling project until the respray (at least a year away). So initial plan it to get it onto axle stands remove the bumpers,Lights and plastics give it a full detail with a good visual check and note any issues I find.

Thanks, Deano

 

[Ben]

Nice. Is it a 1.4 S?

 

[Louis]

Can I ask why you're looking to do so much on a non sport?

 

[Martin_172]

Your going to strip it down even though it's not getting painted for over a year?! What's the hold up?

What's the end goal spec wise?

 

[22deano55]

So today's progress;

I also took the bump strips off after the photos.

Issues:
Cracked rear Offside light (Replace).
Both rear arch liner studs snapped (Clean up and repaint as will not be needed).
3 dents in roof (Dent guy or leave till respray)
Passenger Door misaligned (Take off door inspect for hinge damage).

The I got to work on stripping the front and rear bumpers. Both arch liner bolts on all 4 corners were rusted on so they came off with the bumpers, sot the Dremel came out and they were removed. Next the lower lip/splitter was damaged and split on some of the mounting staples so again this was removed.

So that's it for today.

Deano

Nice. Is it a 1.4 S?

Yep

Can I ask why you're looking to do so much on a non sport?

Because I like to work on cars and like to be a bit different, the 1*2 has everything done to it possible by now.

Your going to strip it down even though it's not getting painted for over a year?! What's the hold up?
What's the end goal spec wise?

Not going to strip it now, just going to give it a good clean ad going over then start to mod as a rolling project. The end goal will be fast Road/Trackday spec but looking as standard as I can.

 

[Martin_172]

The end goal will be fast Road/Trackday spec but looking as standard as I can.

going for a 172 engine?

 

[22deano55]

So Bumpers all stripped but no pics sorry,

Next task was to give the car a real good clean to highlight any other issues I find and even though it will be re-sprayed at some point in the future better to start looking after it now So one and a half days of cleaning and this is what I was left with.

So not sure how much you can see it but the passenger door as well as being misaligned also has the most door dings I have ever seen, it is also a replacement as the where the door trim was is still black !

​

So the fuel cap area will need repairing and the rear arches and front sill area will need some work but generally its in good condition, no big surprises. As you can see the drive train is rusty and horrid but as long as I can unbolt it from the chassis that's getting replaced for something else.....

 

[22deano55]

So onto some bits, Headlights all separated, all had broken inside on one he ball mount that does not adjust, do they all do this, these are going to have some serious chav mods done to them, sorry! Front slam panel off and sanded ready to go Satin black. Wiper mechanism dismantled ready to be cleaned. I also left some APC in the washer bottle after cleaning the outside as the cleaning fluid in the bottle had deteriorated and was starting to stain the bottle.

Thats all folks!

 

[22deano55]

Hi a few things have been on the go over the last few days, Lots of slow moving progress on painting things and some work on the interior.

Main task has been the scuttle panel. Everything was stripped and cleaned then reassembled. All the sound deadening was removed with the aid of a heat gun and a wallpaper scraper. The cobra alarm was removed and then the scuttle was treated to a few coats of Satin black.

So now looking a let neater

Cleaned Water bottle and Airbox reinstalled

The lights have also received a few coats of paint together with the wipers so are currently looking like this.

More updates and some better pictures of the lights tomorrow

Thanks, Deano

 

[DomP182]

So Bumpers all stripped but no pics sorry,

Next task was to give the car a real good clean to highlight any other issues I find and even though it will be re-sprayed at some point in the future better to start looking after it now So one and a half days of cleaning and this is what I was left with.

View attachment 1471165View attachment 1471168View attachment 1471169View attachment 1471173​

So not sure how much you can see it but the passenger door as well as being misaligned also has the most door dings I have ever seen, it is also a replacement as the where the door trim was is still black !

View attachment 1471170View attachment 1471171View attachment 1471172
​

So the fuel cap area will need repairing and the rear arches and front sill area will need some work but generally its in good condition, no big surprises. As you can see the drive train is rusty and horrid but as long as I can unbolt it from the chassis that's getting replaced for something else.....

Having just taken my rear beam and fuel tank out I bet there is a fair amount of corrosion under there.

 

[22deano55]

So not to much of a photo update today but a big milestone achieved.

The full interior has nearly been removed, just seat belts, headlining and doors to remove and weight). I have weighed 101kg from the interior. Of that 9kg is staying, 22 kg is going then 70kg will stay but with different parts so I'll weigh them as they go in.

I must say the car has been a dream to work on, far better the the diesel Clio I did an engine swap on for a friend and that was 7 years newer. I did come up against my first troublesome bolts today, One for the ISOfix bar and the other the centre rear seat bench bolt, does suggest Dom above might be right. 😬

The next job after doors and headlining is to remove the extra wires from the rear loom I don't need.

As promised yesterday some better photos of the lights (with badge).

Keep safe Deano

 

[AdamD1.6]

That's a different build, enjoy seeing how it turns out! What wheels and tyres do you plan on getting?

 

[22deano55]

So long break to this update,
I've been sorting a few rust patches (slam panel, petrol cap aperture, front inner wing bumper mounts) so no real quick progress.
The window wiper & scuttle panel refresh is complete.

In the mean time a trip from sunny Horsham to sunny Harrogate and some online shopping, I have acquired quite a few parts;

Thanks to Graham for the rear anti roll bar and camber bolts, Mbeau for the Scenic shiftier and Alex H for the Skinny 182. I've also ordered some H&R spring, CUP spec 58mm dampers, Pure motor sport top mounts and strut brace, Electric PAS with rack and a boss for this

So a long weekend work has resulted in this progress;

Sorry Alex, your old 182 is looking a little sorry for its self.

On the 25th (they are quite busy) my wheels should be back from the powdercoaters, 15" BBS exclusives. By then the Phase1 will be ready to be put back on its wheels and can be driven again as a rolling project.

This weekends work (door swapping involved) has also meant I now don't think the NS door is bent, It's just a Phase2 door so i'm after a secondhand Phase1 NS door. They both fit each other but the Phase1 door has more of a curve at the top meaning if you fit a Phase2 door it looks like it will not shut properly.

Once the Phase1 is back on its wheels the 182 will be stripped of all running gear, Engine and other bits. Then all parts (including the rear anti roll bar) will be reconditioned and once ready then placed onto the Phase1. For now there is also a lot of work to do to the dash coming off of the 182, the soft touch plastics are going to be sprayed and Blue LED's installed in all lights from the orange so the car will end up being a Phase1/2 hybird (Always the plan).

Thanks for reading, Deano

 

[Alex H]

Christ, you don't hang about do you?! Will be following with interest!

 

[DomP182]

So long break to this update,
I've been sorting a few rust patches (slam panel, petrol cap aperture, front inner wing bumper mounts) so no real quick progress.
The window wiper & scuttle panel refresh is complete.

View attachment 1477797

In the mean time a trip from sunny Horsham to sunny Harrogate and some online shopping, I have acquired quite a few parts;

View attachment 1477798View attachment 1477799

Thanks to Graham for the rear anti roll bar and camber bolts, Mbeau for the Scenic shiftier and Alex H for the Skinny 182. I've also ordered some H&R spring, CUP spec 58mm dampers, Pure motor sport top mounts and strut brace, Electric PAS with rack and a boss for this
View attachment 1477801
So a long weekend work has resulted in this progress;

View attachment 1477802View attachment 1477803View attachment 1477809
Sorry Alex, your old 182 is looking a little sorry for its self.

On the 25th (they are quite busy) my wheels should be back from the powdercoaters, 15" BBS exclusives. By then the Phase1 will be ready to be put back on its wheels and can be driven again as a rolling project.

This weekends work (door swapping involved) has also meant I now don't think the NS door is bent, It's just a Phase2 door so i'm after a secondhand Phase1 NS door. They both fit each other but the Phase1 door has more of a curve at the top meaning if you fit a Phase2 door it looks like it will not shut properly.

Once the Phase1 is back on its wheels the 182 will be stripped of all running gear, Engine and other bits. Then all parts (including the rear anti roll bar) will be reconditioned and once ready then placed onto the Phase1. For now there is also a lot of work to do to the dash coming off of the 182, the soft touch plastics are going to be sprayed and Blue LED's installed in all lights from the orange so the car will end up being a Phase1/2 hybird (Always the plan).

Thanks for reading, Deano

Ph1 doors are no different to a ph2 surely