Clio Williams 1 0294
Hi, I bought my Williams 1 nearly 3 years ago, many of you will know it as it once belonged to Daniel Midgley (Midge) and was used as a track car and before that, a rally car. Over the last 3 years i have been slowly restoring it, somewhat, as i have left quite a few of the added modifications in place as they enhance the drive-ability of the car.
- 172 widetrack.
- Gaz Gold coilovers and rear shocks.
- Wilwood 4 pot front brake calipers.
- 172 front hubs.
- 172 front discs.
- 172 master cylinder and servo.
- DS1.1 front pads.
- Poly bushes everywhere.
- Sabelt steering wheel.
I started by sorting the speedo cable out as the old one had been snapped off in the box. I managed to wrestle the stub out and insert the new one, and took it for a quick spin to check it worked.
From there, i was ordering bits and pieces like front wings as the ones I had, had been cut back on the inner lip to lower the car significantly. I even panic bought an old phase 1 valver interior, trims and all, as i had only the Bimarco Futura bucket seats and a Safety Devices roll cage inside. Over the next 2 years, I realized I hadn't used any of that interior as I had bought better nick parts individually.
I was on the look out for a Williams interior, when a lad in Scotland popped up with a great Williams 2 interior, so i bought that, along with the headliner, but we were worried about transporting that, so i bought the roof off him also ad my roof was absolutely battered. He just took a Stihl saw to the pillars.
In May 2020, i had it collected by the French Connection in Stoke for a paint job and mechanical overhaul. In the end they had it for 11 months, fitted the new roof skin, and stripped the outside shell back to bare metal, knocked out every dint, of which there were plenty, repainted it, including the engine bay and underside, giving it a quick blast over the interior. The engine was in good condition, so only had the belts and clutch changed, along with oil, plugs, water pump and starter. The rocker cover was painted and new stickers applied to the plug cover.
The sub frame and arms were shot blasted, powder coated, all the blots were cleaned and zinc plated.
I ordered a exhaust manifold heat shield from Boutique Bordanova along with a Group N induction kit, which i chickened out on fitting due to the cutting of the firewall top into the bulk head channel. IT would have also meant i couldn't have put the battery back in the engine bay.
I eventually got it back in March 2021, and set about repairing the wiring loom.i found an old fuel sender unit as the one in the car wasn't working, but the fuel pump did. The replacement pump didn't work so ordered a Walbro 255 l/h pump and fitted that.
I fitted a Viper alarm so got rid of the infra red unit, as i didn't have the roof console anyways and could only find a pov spec unit.
I decided to upgrade the manual mirrors to some electric heated ones.
I think i personally funded Mat Browns new garage in his back garden throughout the summer of 2021, eventually buying the set of genuine Renault stamped Speedline gold wheels and centre caps from him.
I was about to get the car in for MOT when i found a voltage issue, the alternator was only putting out 12.7 volts. So i found a reconditioned one on ebay and fitted that.
I got it MOT'd in April this year, but it just scraped through due to failing to start following the emissions test. It would start just fine when cold, but you had to wait 45 minutes for it to cool down when hot. Turns out the starter motor was poor.
I ordered a new one and set about swapping it over last weekend, when i compared the prior to the new one going in, i found the old one was twice as big and also made by Mitsubishi. I know Mitsubishi make parts for other manufacturers, but it didn't seem right. I fitted the new one and ran the car for 30 minutes, turned it off and back on no problem. IT must have been heat soak.
I took it to work with me on Monday for a 12 mile run, it was perfect, but on the way back, the clutch cable went, leaving me to rev shift to get it back home. It was the bell housing outer rubber which had given way. I ordered a Pagid one and fitted it on Wednesday, by far the hardest thing i have had to do, as it was so difficult to get the pedal end outer bung behind the 172 brake servo unit, and my arms are too long to get under the dash, whilst reverse planking in the foot well.
Also in that journey back from work, the power steering reservoir cap started leaking and the drivers window stopped going all the way down.
