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SharkyUK

ClioSport Club Member
^ Really? Hmm... I just don't want to get into more trouble. Apparently I can apply for the course anyway and they will get back to me as to whether or not I'm eligible. We shall see :)
 

SharkyUK

ClioSport Club Member
Rad is a work of art, but I couldn't justify getting one, just incase I pranged it like James did.

I'm with Tony on that one, looks amazing and would love one on my car but I've killed 3 rads this year racing 😧

That makes sense, guys. I certainly wouldn't get a radiator like this if I was running a more track/race-focused Clio. That said, I'm still planning on attending a few track days again next year so fingers crossed the radiator doesn't end up pranged! What are the regulations on reversing around the circuit on trackdays? Hmm... anything to try and protect the front end! :tongueout:
 

SharkyUK

ClioSport Club Member
What's the latest mate ?
I'll get an update posted soon mate. In a nutshell... same as the last update. Running like a dog, soaking wet with puddles in the footwells, still not sorted the gearbox, dear mother's car rolled into it after she didn't apply the handbrake (the front bumper now sits about an inch lower and is loose). Still carrying an injury so I can't do f**k all on it and I'm getting more sick of the sight of it by the day 😧

Did you get your water problem sorted out?
No mate, not yet. I need an extra pair of hands at the moment and the weather has not helped. It doesn't help that I don't have a garage anymore either so it's stood outside whilst the wonderful Welsh weather does it's worst. Nice ice rink in the foot well this morning though. And why did Renault decide to put so much sponge under the carpet?!?!?!

@bloke sorted my paddling pool out
I think he's a bit too far away mate. I might just bend over and get screwed (take it to a local garage to get it sorted - i.e. the leak. NOTHING ELSE!)
 

SharkyUK

ClioSport Club Member
January 2015 - Update #1

It's been a little while since I've updated this thread (and a few people have been asking where things are currently at) so I thought I'd take a moment to bring you lovely people up to speed. But first a warning... it's been kinda quiet, a bit boring in fact, and many of the niggles still haven't been sorted for one reason or another.

A few days after Christmas my good lady and I made our way to a local pub / restaurant to have a meal with my sister's boyfriend and his family. It was a very cold and icy night and, upon arriving at the restaurant, we parked up in the middle; well away from anyone (although there were only two or three cars in the entire place). I must add, we were in the Type-R on this occasion. To cut a long story short it was towards the end of the and I noticed a flurry of lights in the car park, followed by a crash and the tell-tale signs of a car alarm going off; the Type-R's. Despite a pretty much empty car park a young guy (a chef at the restaurant) had managed to crash his car into it. Maybe if he'd cleared his windows before setting off and tried to keep it at a sensible speed it wouldn't have happened... I shot out just in case he had decided to make a run for it but he had stopped and details were exchanged. Despite a rather hefty bump that knocked it out the parking space, the suspension was fine (later verified at a garage) and it was just panel damage that needed attention. Being a young lad he decided not to go through his insurance (he already had a fault claim against him) and wanted to simply for repairs. As I type this, the Type-R is being repaired at a local bodyshop. So, not a good end to the year nor the start of a new one.

Thankfully, the Trophy remained safe ;) ...at least until the next day. My parents were staying over for a few days and - unfortunately - my mother hadn't put the handbrake on. :( The result was their car rolling down the drive into the Trophy. Admittedly it's not a huge slope by any means but I was worried about my brand new radiator setup and the front bumper was hanging lower than it should. I was too p***ed off to check it so I uncoupled the cars and left it to the next day. Luckily there didn't seem to be any damage apart from a few scuffs, but the bumper is now a bit loose and sits lower than normal. :( *sigh*

Even so, with it being New Year's Eve, I decided to break out the washing gear and give the Trophy and Type-R some love. A few shots (sorry they are driveway shots; I've not had much chance to get out recently).

20141231_nye01.jpg


20141231_nye03.jpg


20141231_nye04.jpg


20141231_nye05.jpg


Here you can clearly see the damage on the Type-R (I managed to pop some of it out myself).

20141231_nye06.jpg


20141231_nye07.jpg


As mentioned an update or two back, my Trophy had started getting very damp inside and the windows would be frozen inside on the colder, icy mornings. It wasn't obvious why this was happening as the seals, etc. seemed fine. Fast forwarding to a couple of weeks ago I now know the reason why... I discovered a puddle of water in my passenger footwell :( There's obviously a leak somewhere so it needed to be found and sorted out.

Having spoken to a few people it seems most likely that there is a blocked drain somewhere at the foot of the windscreen, possibly the central drain. Water appears to be collecting somewhere and then entering the car through the heater matrix. Sadly though I'm still carrying an injury and that makes working on the car quite tricky at the moment. Thankfully the driver side drain is easy enough to check so I decided to have a look at that side and to make sure it was clear... and it was. BUT, I was surprised at how loose the scuttle panel was and even more surprised when it literally just pulled off with little to no resistance! On closer inspection it became obvious why. It seems the clips are not in great condition and the plastic screw (I'm assuming it was plastic) is no longer holding down the panel. You can see the missing screw in the picture below. It looks like the head has snapped off basically. New panel needed I think.

20150106_scuttle01.jpg


I was hoping to get some help from one or two friends but sadly poor health and this...

20150122_snow.jpg


...has hampered efforts. It doesn't help that the Trophy is not garaged and thus feeling the full force of the crap weather. I'm just attempting to keep the footwell as dry as possible until I can get it sorted. Heated driveways FTW... :tongueout:

The ongoing gearbox problem still hasn't been looked at as I haven't been able to get the car over to Fred's at BTM. I am hoping to get this done in the next fortnight or so but continuing to drive the car in the meantime. It's all good apart from the 3rd gear... so I miss it out when I'm pushing on :) Talking of driving it, that brings me on to the next problem.

It really doesn't seem to be running so good at the moment. It's verging on being undriveable on cold mornings and, even when warmed up, it's having real issues if the revs drop below 2.5k. I don't know what's going on so will be getting this looked at as soon as possible. It's fine above 4k rpm (or so it seems) but struggling otherwise. The mpg continues to decline... and this is driving steady!

20150122_mpg.jpg


I've not got much more to add at this moment as I want to get these outstanding issues sorted. I'm starting to get really frustrated again with the car at the moment as it's now been TWO YEARS TO THE DAY since I've been able to drive it properly! *sigh* Oh yeah, I still need to get the Sachs dampers rebuilt, new header tank fitted, new pin from Jenvey to replace the one that broke on my ITB throttle assembly, get a new steering wheel (or get it refurbed), sort the scuffs and dents on the bodywork, put my 'everyday' tyres on as the Fed 595 RSR's aren't great in the ice and snow, replace my centre console as the paint is flaking off, and a few other things as well.

Le Clio Bast*rd Rouge.
 
Hope you manage to get the issues sorted mate. [emoji106]

As for the water issue. I had water in mine when I bought it. The drain behind the front arch liners was blocked solid with silt.
Pop liners off, and down in the corner near the side skirt there's a drain. Also a drain in the sills themselves. Along the seam of the sill, there's a very narrow hole. 2mm by about 5mm long. Bit of stiff wire and give it a good prodding. One near front end and rear end of sill.

Mine cleared after this. Then it as carpets out for a few weeks while they dried! The foam is thick and takes forever to dry!
I used convertible roof cleaning spray, stiff brush and a jetwash on my carpets, God they came up sparkling!
3fae6ff6504e792a5aaf41720826d532.jpg

Hope this might solve your water issue.

Hope you get it running right.... the time money and effort you put in to it, its sad to see it not performing for you.
 

Cub.

ClioSport Moderator
Sorry to hear the tale of woe continues Andy. You can't let it beat you though!!

It is getting to the point where it seems to be doing it just to test you :(

But, it is a brilliant car and when it is running well, you'll be grateful you stuck with it. :)
 

SharkyUK

ClioSport Club Member
As for the water issue. I had water in mine when I bought it. The drain behind the front arch liners was blocked solid with silt.
Pop liners off, and down in the corner near the side skirt there's a drain. Also a drain in the sills themselves. Along the seam of the sill, there's a very narrow hole. 2mm by about 5mm long. Bit of stiff wire and give it a good prodding. One near front end and rear end of sill.

Hope you get it running right.... the time money and effort you put in to it, its sad to see it not performing for you.
Thanks mate, it could well be that the drain and/or sills are full of crap. I'll have a look asap and see what's going on :)

It is getting to the point where it seems to be doing it just to test you 😧
That's how it feels Oli! It's not exactly a major issue but it's just the fact that it's one thing after another. I'm sure it will get there and - one day - I'll be able to once again enjoy the Twoephy.
 
  Ex 182 owner
Sold/Not Sold Either way its an epic thread, trophy/v6/itb madness all rolled into one plus all the highs and lows. I get upset at yet another dash light. Let alone what you have stuck thru mate. Cant believe its "worth" selling after all that. worst case better just put it back to factory with a donor and keep it like that.
 

Flat Eric

Sing Hosanna!!
ClioSport Club Member
  F31 35d, Berlingo Na
I heard, that he swapped it for a normal 182 because he wanted a different colour car.
Don't know how true that is. Just what I heard.....
 

TimR26

South Central- West Berks
ClioSport Area Rep
Sold? Who would be stupid enough to buy it? :tonguewink:

Hope Russ can sort the problems for you @SharkyUK

I understand the frustration of one problem after another as I'm going through same thing with my R26.
 

SharkyUK

ClioSport Club Member
January 2015 - Update #2

So... where to begin...

It's certainly been an emotional 7-odd years or so since I bought the Trophy; a car I instantly fell in love with simply due to the sheer fun and miles of smiles it afforded me. Those that have been daft enough to follow this thread :wink: will know the highs and the lows I've experienced, the emotional rollercoaster that has been my journey with this car. A car that is affectionately now known as Le CBR... Le Clio Bas***d Rouge (a name so deserved and fitting, courtesy of Fred at BTM). Through the often frustrating times and incredible lows I've experienced, I remember - in equal measure - those incredibly enjoyable moments I've had with it. Driving the length and breadth of the UK, around Europe; enjoying some of the best driving roads that this continent has to offer. Enjoying a few track days along the way, too. And - especially - the wonderful people I have met purely through Clio ownership. :smile:

And so, with a heavy heart and further tears, I have to officially announce that the Trophy will be staying in my possession forever. As stated many times before it is a keeper and I don't plan on getting rid of it. Yes, I know there will be more tears, more tantrums and more drama than your weekly soap omnibus... but it's my Trophy, it's got under my skin, and I'm keeping it. And I've spent far too much on it. :tonguewink: It has NOT been sold. Even though Russ offered me TWO Mars Bar multi-packs I politely declined.

All I can say is that I hope you continue to follow my thread now and again, or dip in occasionally to see what particular issue I'm battling with at that particular time. My future dream is to be able to - one day - get out and enjoy this wonderful car. It will happen. I have to keep telling myself that...

Thanks for watching :smile:

:stig::up:

And on a slightly more serious note, I would like to thank those that have kindly offered their help and support with the car recently - @Filters , @George182 , @Russ_16v , @Phase1sr , Dan (SJM) and others. I am grateful and will give you a shout if there's something that you might be able to help with. Obviously give me a shout if there's anything in return I can help you with.

As for the time being, Russ kindly offered to take the Trophy into his care in a bid to fix some of the issues (starting with the leak!) As mentioned elsewhere (I think) I'm struggling with a neck/shoulder/bicep/elbow injury and cannot easily work on the car. During this downtime I have seen the car develop a leak and the footwells fill up with water. In addition to the other problems I've been growing more and more frustrated with it and yet been unable to do much about it. I think Russ thought he'd get in quick before I flipped and took it to the scrappies to be crushed! In a nutshell I have dumped, er, hadned the car to Russ along with the list of issues. He's a legend and is currently going through the list and fixing as many things as possible. I really cannot thank him enough. As I said to him yesterday... if I were single, female, 10 years younger and he was single... I'd be all over him like a rash! Hahahah! :innocent:

So there you have it. That's where things are currently at. I'll finish this update by thanking again those that have helped and offered help, and especially Russ for having had the cursed car dumped in his garage!

More updates soon I'm sure...

Cheers,
Andy
 

RMDavis

ClioSport Club Member
Andy what an epic thread! A real roller-coaster of emotions!
I've been reading this all day at work between actually working :tongueout: and for me, your car and your passion is a real eye opener! In terms of your engine that's exactly how I wan't mine. (Maybe not as much as an ordeal as yours!) but would you recommend the Pure Motorsport top mounts and strut brace? After my timing belt change that was going to be my next mod.
Unless I missed something in this thread I would highly recommend chucking the entire Powerflex range at the Trophy as its improved mine no end! Hope to meet you and the car at a meet in the future, she's a testament to you!
 

mharvey

ClioSport Club Member
Hi Andy, I still remember reading this thread when I was lurking (before I even joined the forum) a few years ago.
Since then I met you (and Le CBR) at a Black Mountain Run and have also seen the car a couple of times at BTM.

I have to say I'm full of admiration not only for the car but also for your determination.
The car (despite it's latest problems) is a credit to you and this IS without doubt my favourite Clio Build thread on here partly due to the project itself but also due to the fact it's well written and well presented.

I'm really glad you're keeping Le CBR (not that I doubted it for a moment) and I look forward to the next update (when hopefully things start to go your way).
 
Glad to hear your keeping it! I couldn't sell after all this. Once it's finally sorted I'd like to think it'd stay sorted for a while to come with all work that has been done.

Hope it gets sorted soon and hopefully will see you on a road trip through Wales in the summer [emoji41] [emoji106]
 
  53 Clio's & counting
Ha, no he hasn't.

So, I took today off work to crack on with a few bits on it, and first job was to get the passenger seat out so I can look at the state of the carpets after the leak.

Once I had pulled the carpet up, as expected the underlay/soundproofing was soaked - I mean saturated, so it had to come out.


20150128_113620_zpsfiysnu9z.jpg



I chucked some rags in the footwell to soak up Lake Trophy, and while I waited for that I decided to get the rounded off screws that had annoyed Andy, and then remove all the crap that usually collects behind there.

20150128_115010_zpsmkgzdnpw.jpg




20150128_115220_zpsdxugdpps.jpg




20150128_115352_zpscjkuejqz.jpg




By the time I had cleared all that out and put it all back together, Lake Trophy was all sucked up and I moved on to finding the leak.



20150128_113832_zpsvyjscbbi.jpg





I got the watering can out, and noticed quickly the trail of water running in from the N/S, close to the bonnet pull.

Next step was to get the scuttle panel off, and this is where I hit an issue as for love nor money could I find my wiper puller/ball joint breaker!

So I turned to using the most amazing stuff in the world:



20150128_122750_zps86gwgucy.jpg




This plus Gas was my granddads, and it must be 25 years old - and in can un-seize ANYTHING



So I left that to soak for a while and looked at a few other bits on my list - one thing was the grille is bending in slightly where it has lost it's integrity due to being cut for the ITB's, so I have an idea for a small bracket that I am going to make to give the grille it's shape back.

I then lubricated the bonnet catches, door hinges, boot hinges (Just reminded myself I need to look at the slow electric window) and I need to look at the gear linkage - Andy has noticed the car can, in effect, slide out of 3rd gear when pressing on - unfortunately on road test I couldn't get it to pop out, but by the feel of it I believe there is a linkage issue - the box feels good, but I can tell the shift isn't quite right, so a look at that is needed.


I then had to call it a day for today - it's my Dad's birthday today ,so had to help Claire get the place ready for the roast she cooked, so the Trophy is back in the garage with another dosage of Plus gas on, ready for the weekend to do more bits :smile:
 
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Great to see it getting niggly bits done. Its a collection of niggly bits that soon gets you down!

My arch liners were just like that and I had water in foot wells. As I cleared all crap from the front, water started to push through the crap!

Fair play to you for helping Andy out. [emoji106]
 
  Ex 182 owner
Great little update. It tips like that which just make this site worth the £12 a year. Would never have expected to find that much dirt behind the arch liners. Chris "makes not to self to pull those off one day" and have a look.

Russ any reason those horrible little torx bolts can't be swapped with stainless items? They do make these cars look horrible around those areas.
 


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