133/225/CLS AMG
Well rather than keep updating my thread in the media section I thought I'd do a proper project thread with the work I've done or had done so far.
Originally a close friend bought a 2003 Clio 172, good service history, good condition and about 55k on the clock. Very little needed doing on the car, here's how it looked when he got it.
Anyway, he had the car less than a year between him and his other half. His wife didn't like it that much, plus planning a family meant a bigger car. Unfortunately he managed to drive the car (don't ask), through his garden fence leaving it with a dent and scrape.
So on those grounds and because my mate didn't think he'd get much for it, I was offered the car for £800!!
First job on the list was the induction it, it had a mangled, filthy old cone filter so as a temporary measure I fitted this enclosed Halfords special. Far from the best but sufficient to begin with.
Replaced the side light and interior bulbs with LEDs from eBay.
Then the MOT came round and failed due to a hole in the backbox so had a Powerflow backbox made for it.
Up to this point the car is looking fairly tidy with some, non-too-serious stickers (don't worry they're gone now)
As the original side bullets were tarnished my mate painted them black, which was ok but didn't look good. So I had a friend who does paint repairs, spray them up for me. The colour is slightly off so they'll be re-done at some point.
Then had a go at wrapping some interior parts of the car in carbon film. I had fancied having them hydro-dipped but works out expensive on small items. (Excuse the interesting tablecloth)
I finally succumbed to my OCD and gave the car a proper wash, polish and wax for the first time since owning it. I was intent on not being too precious about it as my Twingo 133 and Megane 225 are the fair weather cars but I couldn't help myself.
Also had a bit of a deal with Halfords as they price matched this Pioneer MP3 only headunit for £50 and I picked up some Pioneer door speakers just to beef things up a little.
Decided to go for a cleaner look for the car so whipped off (most of) the stickers and bought myself a new style RenaultSport badge.
My Mrs and mum bought me a Oreca steering wheel and boss from K-Tec for my birthday. Amazing how it changes the whole feel of the car.
Here's the 172 next to it's younger brother! lol
Now the last week has been somewhat eventful with my Clio as the dephaser decided it wanted to make a shed load of noise this past couple of months. So I booked it in with K-Tec to have it replaced, I thought whilst it's in I'll have the cambelt done (again) along with all of the auxilary belts.
I couldn't be there having that work done without having something else done so I went for their cams/re-map performance package at the same time. They ran the car initially and it only made 155bhp, about 10bhp less than they expected. They suspected it could be due to my Halfords induction kit combined with a patent part centre pipe.
So after the mechanical work was done, I opted for one of their induction kits and the car made an extra 23bhp to 178bhp.
They recommended fitting a 2 1/2" centre pipe as they suspected it should make another 5bhp+ with the right system fitted. Either way I'm really pleased with it, I've had people think that doesn't seem like a huge gain but on this car it was a huge gain. Plus the way it sounds and drives is transformed, far smoother but a sharper kick higher up the revs.
The weather being just about ok meant I was able to get outside and detail the car properly. Washed the car, clayed, washed again, polished with some Autoglym SRP (love that stuff) and waxed with some Collinite 845. Then today I cracked out the DA and finished off the headlights. My mate had wet sanded the headlights and we'd gone over them with some Scratch-X and a drill bit attachment but they weren't 100%.
Today I used a light polishing pad with Meguiars Scratch-X again and then finished them off with a finishing pad and Autoglym Super Resin, I'd say 99% sorted now.
Phew, so that's pretty much everything I've done in the last 12 months since I got the car. She's now looking almost mint, engine is running and sounding spot on. Next things on the list are sorting the exhaust, even if I have the back box adapted (if possible) and the centre pipe replaced with a 2 1/2" one. Get some lower/stiffer springs fitted and have the wheels refurbished. That'll probably have to be it this year as my mini-me arrives in September.
Thanks for reading (if you got this far haha)
Originally a close friend bought a 2003 Clio 172, good service history, good condition and about 55k on the clock. Very little needed doing on the car, here's how it looked when he got it.
Anyway, he had the car less than a year between him and his other half. His wife didn't like it that much, plus planning a family meant a bigger car. Unfortunately he managed to drive the car (don't ask), through his garden fence leaving it with a dent and scrape.
So on those grounds and because my mate didn't think he'd get much for it, I was offered the car for £800!!
First job on the list was the induction it, it had a mangled, filthy old cone filter so as a temporary measure I fitted this enclosed Halfords special. Far from the best but sufficient to begin with.
Replaced the side light and interior bulbs with LEDs from eBay.
Then the MOT came round and failed due to a hole in the backbox so had a Powerflow backbox made for it.
Up to this point the car is looking fairly tidy with some, non-too-serious stickers (don't worry they're gone now)
As the original side bullets were tarnished my mate painted them black, which was ok but didn't look good. So I had a friend who does paint repairs, spray them up for me. The colour is slightly off so they'll be re-done at some point.
Then had a go at wrapping some interior parts of the car in carbon film. I had fancied having them hydro-dipped but works out expensive on small items. (Excuse the interesting tablecloth)
I finally succumbed to my OCD and gave the car a proper wash, polish and wax for the first time since owning it. I was intent on not being too precious about it as my Twingo 133 and Megane 225 are the fair weather cars but I couldn't help myself.
Also had a bit of a deal with Halfords as they price matched this Pioneer MP3 only headunit for £50 and I picked up some Pioneer door speakers just to beef things up a little.
Decided to go for a cleaner look for the car so whipped off (most of) the stickers and bought myself a new style RenaultSport badge.
My Mrs and mum bought me a Oreca steering wheel and boss from K-Tec for my birthday. Amazing how it changes the whole feel of the car.
Here's the 172 next to it's younger brother! lol
Now the last week has been somewhat eventful with my Clio as the dephaser decided it wanted to make a shed load of noise this past couple of months. So I booked it in with K-Tec to have it replaced, I thought whilst it's in I'll have the cambelt done (again) along with all of the auxilary belts.
I couldn't be there having that work done without having something else done so I went for their cams/re-map performance package at the same time. They ran the car initially and it only made 155bhp, about 10bhp less than they expected. They suspected it could be due to my Halfords induction kit combined with a patent part centre pipe.
So after the mechanical work was done, I opted for one of their induction kits and the car made an extra 23bhp to 178bhp.
They recommended fitting a 2 1/2" centre pipe as they suspected it should make another 5bhp+ with the right system fitted. Either way I'm really pleased with it, I've had people think that doesn't seem like a huge gain but on this car it was a huge gain. Plus the way it sounds and drives is transformed, far smoother but a sharper kick higher up the revs.
The weather being just about ok meant I was able to get outside and detail the car properly. Washed the car, clayed, washed again, polished with some Autoglym SRP (love that stuff) and waxed with some Collinite 845. Then today I cracked out the DA and finished off the headlights. My mate had wet sanded the headlights and we'd gone over them with some Scratch-X and a drill bit attachment but they weren't 100%.
Today I used a light polishing pad with Meguiars Scratch-X again and then finished them off with a finishing pad and Autoglym Super Resin, I'd say 99% sorted now.
Phew, so that's pretty much everything I've done in the last 12 months since I got the car. She's now looking almost mint, engine is running and sounding spot on. Next things on the list are sorting the exhaust, even if I have the back box adapted (if possible) and the centre pipe replaced with a 2 1/2" one. Get some lower/stiffer springs fitted and have the wheels refurbished. That'll probably have to be it this year as my mini-me arrives in September.
Thanks for reading (if you got this far haha)
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