A948 SYH Pre-restoration

Contents 1 Introduction 2 September 1998 3 December 1998 4 January-April 1999 5 April to December 1999 6 Auto Express Photoshoot 7 Other work

[edit] Introduction

This page is an archived list of the work I (Andrew/, User:R5gordini) performed on A948 SYH just after purchasing it, before I started its restoration proper. The list of work here is quite long, so if you can't be bothered to read it, skip to the A948 SYH Restoration article for interesting tales about the restoration itself!

[edit] September 1998

When I purchased the car in September 1998, it had quite a few latent issues and things that needed sorting out. Here's a list of what I found/had to do:

• Wire fell off the starter motor solenoid just after the 350 mile (5hrs 30 mins) journey home - it's a good job we made it home! That journey was a little stressful - driving all that way in a car we'd just bought - unsure of the safety or condition of the car. It managed just fine though
• Short circuit - fuses blowing! - Some of the fuses kept blowing. I replaced them for a while but soon got fed up. The fault finally traced to the earth lead at the back of the engine being fitted wrongly and chafing its way through the wiring that went to the front of the car. Fixed! No more fuses blowing!
• Windscreen wipers - Intermittent wouldn't work, mechanism very worn. Replaced relay unit and mechanisms with the ones from a donor car.
• Clutch cable pulled through the bulkhead. Bodged for the moment but I have a new clutch cable waiting to be fitted.
• Engine! It's making noises I would rather it didn't. It sounds rather "clanky" and makes a knocking noise under light acceleration. It doesn't seem to be on its way out though so I'll live with it for the moment. The more urgent job is sorting the bodywork.
• Boost bleed valve - this allowed the turbo to boost more, giving vastly improved performance, but I was getting detonation problems. So I removed it. The result is still a quick car but the engine should last longer.
• Exhaust - replaced with a "Scorpion" stainless steel item. It was only slightly more expensive than the factory one and looks great with the polished 3" tailpipe. It sounds good too as the silencer is straight-through. I'm very impressed with it because it simply isn't noisy.
• Battery tray. Oh dear.... I took out the radiator and supplimentary battery tray the other day, to find that the battery tray on the front chassis rail has rotted through. So I'm off to buy a MIG welder! Pictures of the rust and (hopeful) fix later.
• Rear wheelarches. These always seem to go on Gordini Turbos.
• Passenger side front floor. It's coming apart at the complicated double skin at the bulkhead! A tricky job to fix when I buy the long awaited MIG welder.
• The tailgate - it's rusty! It has rusted through at the lower edge. I have a spare tailgate which I am in the progress of repairing and painting.
• Tyres - who put those 185 60R13's on the car then??? Unfortunately they rub the underside of the car. So I'm going to put the correct, standard size of 175 60R13's on the car. I've been recommended to use Michelin MXV2's. First of all I need to polish up some wheels.
• Front brake discs - these are ridged so will be changed ASAP.
• Rear trailing arm. Doh! Yours truly to thank for this one. I was removing the supplimentary fuel tank (R5 Le Car 2 Turbos were fitted with extra plastic fuel tanks under the car in front of the standard tanks - and mine wasn't connected, the filler just being stuffed with a rag!).... In order to remove the tank the rear anti-roll bar had to come off. As I was removing it one of the bolts snapped in the trailing arm. So I've got to take the arm off. Lots of hammering the daylights out of torsion bars to come. Great fun! (not...)
• No rear seatbelts?!? Got some from a scrapped R5 TX - they are nice because they are interior coloured. So I replaced the front ones at the same time.
• A few water leaks into the interior. Will fix as soon as I can.

[edit] December 1998

I was invited to take the car to the International Classic Car Show at the NEC, Birmingham in November! Unfortunately in October, things were running less than smoothly with the restoration of the car:

• Real problems with the rear trailing arms of the car. Yours truly made pig's ear of getting them off the car (both had to come off in the end). To cut a long story short I ended up:
• I couldn't get one torsion bar out - got it jammed half-way in a trailing arm!
• Had to cut through said torsion bar with an angle grinder! Good job I had spare torsion bars...
• Took trailing arms down to local garage for them to re-tap the thread for the anti-roll bar bolt and extract the broken torsion bar.
• Re-painting and re-fitting the trailing arms and torsion bars.
• Re-fitted the rear anti-roll bar. This was a challenge as it didn't fit easily any more as the new bolt (where the thread had been re-tapped) was too large!
• I also had most of the brakes apart.
• Replaced one rear caliper with one from the donor car - the bleed nipple had rusted in solid.
• Replaced one rear handbrake cable (didn't get round to doing the other).
• Replaced all rear rigid brake pipes and all except one of the flexible ones (my garage sent the wrong part)!
• Replaced one front flexible brake hose and one rigid pipe.
• Repaired the rust in the front chassis rail/battery tray - welded/brazed a patch in place after cutting out the rusty metal.
• Repaired some small damage to the offside (passenger) side inner wing - glued (using epoxy) and rivited the same part from the donor car in as a patch. That part of the car is now probably stronger than original!
• Repaired the supplementary battery tray from the donor car and fitted it to the car (after substantial modification - they were different! Why is nothing ever simple)!
• Re-made one of the radiator supports (it had broken).
• Replaced radiator top and bottom hoses. Filled and bled the cooling system.
• Replaced fuel tank (after trying 2 tanks - both leaked from the same place)! The fuel tank I ended up using was the only one that didn't leak. It was the one that I had bought that is designed to work with the supplimentary fuel tank, which of course to save time, I had not reinstalled! So bodgit (me) returns and blocks up the extra filler with a large bottle cap and a hose clip! MUST fix this soon!
• Re-fitted the radiator, wheels, exhaust, rear shock absorbers, front grille and bumper, air horns, etc.
• Road tested the car!

When parts were taken off the car, all that could be were de-rusted and painted, or generally renovated. I also cleaned (cue lots of underseal in my hair!), de-rusted and painted the underside of the car where the suspension and fuel tank are. Nice job! Also, once I was sure the car was OK (it seemed to handle a little strangely at first, but then settled down), I had all four tyres replaced with the Michelin MXV2's as described above. What a difference! The car doesn't "crash" over bumps as much and it seems more comfortable. The handling seems better along with the cornering, acceleration and braking. The car still has difficulty putting all the power down, but the new tyres make it a much easier job. One of the old tyres had an inner tube in it! Not such a good idea in a tubeless tyre...

Phew! What a list! A lot of the above took a very long time and most of it seemed to be spent under the car outside in the pouring rain and (almost) hurricane force wind! A very, very big thank you goes to my father for braving the elements with me. Without him the car would not be on the road now. His help, dedication and aid to my determination is very much appreciated. It's the same with his classic car - whenever he reaches a seemingly impossible hurdle, I encourage him to overcome it. We achieved the above in a space of three or four weeks in a state of mild panic (or even major panic)! This involved careful (or not so careful) balancing with my University life and my father's work. NEVER AGAIN! (Well, probably major work quite soon again actually)!

[edit] January-April 1999

Finally sorted out the petrol tanks. The car now has the supplementary plastic tank under the rear seats fitted. My girlfriend (now to be my wife) and I cleaned the outside of the main tank with petrol (a disgusting job). She painted it with epoxy chassis paint. The connections for the extra tank were rather complicated, but it's all fitted now. It did leak a little to begin with, but I think I've fixed it now.

The car's MOT (roadworthiness test) is now due - on the 11th February (fingers crossed).

Other news:

• Passed MOT test without major problems.
• Fitted new air horns - now the horn works. They sound quite good really. I think air horns were only fitted to the later R5 Gordini Turbos.
• Annoying squeaking noise coming from front suspension. I suspect upper wishbone bushes. Will investigate!
• The wire to the ignition module from the crank position sensor broke (the wire broke just up the hill from the house, so my father - who was driving the car at the time - managed to coast down the hill!) - so I soldered a join in that.
• Ooops. Discovered that the main hose clip on the top radiator hose wasn't tightened properly at the water pump. So I've been driving around with a water leak for 2000 miles....
• Replaced the clutch cable - at last!
• Replaced the front shock absorbers with Spax adjustable ones.

I have also bought the following parts:

• A complete set of rear suspension - the car from which this came was cut up around the rear suspension!
• A gearbox that I am assured is decent (no second gear synchromesh problem like the one I have at the moment).
• A starter motor.
• Leather gearknob - the leather on mine was not there when I bought the car.
• Another leather steering wheel.
• A spare plastic supplementary fuel tank.
• New(ish) rear quarter panel (genuine Renault) for the driver's side.
• Other sundries.

[edit] April to December 1999

Wow! Loads has happened over the summer...

Bulkhead/pedal boxThe pedal box cracked around where the clutch cable goes through. It was flexing very badly and didn't allow the clutch pedal to return completely. Not an easy job to fix. Here is an overview of the job and the steps I carried out:

1. Disconnected the accelerator cable, brake pedal and clutch cable (I'd only just fitted a new clutch cable)!
2. Removed the brake and clutch pedals.
3. Removed the air filter, unbolted the brake master servo, juggled the brake servo out (not much room at all)!
4. Took the dashboard apart, removing the instruments, etc.
5. Separated the steering column universal joint.
6. Unbolted the pedal box from the bulkhead and released the bolts at the top of the steering column.
7. Withdrew the pedal box complete with steering wheel and upper steering column.
8. While all this was off, I removed the ignition module and washer bottle, brake fluid reservoir, washer pump, etc. I was then able to clean and paint that side of the engine compartment (thanks, wife-to-be for your help). It's come up really nicely!
9. I got the crack in the pedal box welded professionally. The pedal box was also strengthend with braces to support it better.
10. Painted the pedal box, etc.
11. Replaced the pedal box, sealing it to the bulkhead with silicone sealant (I think it will be much more effective than the original sealant and may provide some strength.
12. Refitted the pedals and connected the cables.
13. Jiggled the brake servo into position with silicone sealant on the mating surface (to the bulkhead). Not sure how I'm ever going to remove it!!!
14. Refitted the master cylinder, brake fluid reservoir, screen washer bottle, washer pump, ignition module, dashboard instruments, etc. Arrrghgh!
15. Adjust clutch cable, job done.

This job took me absolutely ages and the car was off the road for a couple of months. I have seen other Renault 5 Gordini Turbos with cracked pedal boxes, but they have all been crudely repaired. I managed to repair mine without the repair being visible. The standard way of repairing the crack is to weld the pedal box to the bulkhead - a bodge if you ask me!

[edit] Auto Express Photoshoot

I was invited to take my car to an Auto Express magazine photoshoot - the brief was that it would be pitted against a new Renault Clio 1.4 16v. The article was comparing many modern-day cars to their older equivalents, e.g.:

• Renault 5 Gordini Turbo vs. Clio 1.4 16v
• MGB vs. MGF
• Saab 99 Turbo vs. 9-3 Viggen
• Rover 2000 vs. 75
• Jaguar MK2 vs. S-Type
• Ford Sierra Cosworth vs. Mondeo ST200

For their opinion on my car - read on!

The Clio which was pitted against my car. My own feeling was that the Clio was a bit of a disappointing car:

• It didn't feel particularly nippy.
• It took ages to get up to speed.
• It was no fun!

On the plus side:

• It seemed quite comfortable.
• The car felt quiet, well built and safe.

My Gordini Turbo is noisy and loads of fun! That's why I like it!

Auto Express' summary of the cars was:

"For a Seventies creation, the Renault 5 has a wonderfully timeless look, more so than the mid-Eighties version. It's a hoot to drive, despite a sloppy gearchange and rubbery steering. The Gordini's tweaked suspension and extra turbo kick add true hot hatch performance for the road. Unfortunately, time has not been kind to the cheap interior trim and rust-prone bodywork.

While the Clio's looks are not as endearing, the latest 16-valve models have been re-established as a sporty edge for Renault. Boasting considerably more grunt and tidier handling than earlier Clios, the Alize is more warm than hot. Nevertheless, it sets the stage for the eagerly awaited 172bhp, 2.0-litre and the outrageous mid-engined V6 version - all of which suggests the 5 Gordini was a little underrated...

OUR CHOICE: The Renault 5 Gordini. In retrospect a leader in the hot hatch race."

Source - Auto Express magazine Issue 568.

[edit] Other work

Front right-hand side brake/suspension assembly. I have replaced the following:

• Dampers (shock absorbers) - replaced with Spax adjustables.
• Brake discs.
• Brake pads.
• Brake calipers.
• Brake hoses.
• All balljoints (apart from left-hand side lower and steering rack end balljoints).

Points of interest:

• In the above picture you can see the yellow Spax damper. I can't make my mind up whether I like the Spax or not! Set too soft, the car is very wallowy, and at the moment the ride is hard... Perhaps I need to soften them a little.
• Also, I had the brake calipers re-manufactured by Brake Engineering. I handed them into my local Partco (pattern parts supplier) and they sent them away for me.
• Generally I prefer to fit original equipment Renault parts, but in this case I knew that I would get back my original calipers and that they should be as good as new (and a lot cheaper)!
• Now the discs, pads and calipers have been renewed, the braking ability of the car has been transformed! I can't wait until I've done the same to the rear brakes.
• I found the brake discs impossible to get off the hubs (literally) so I removed the front suspension stub axle carriers whole and took them to my local Renault garage. One set of wheel bearings was replaced at the same time.
• The Gordini Turbo has thicker discs than a standard R5. The caliper pistons are also of a larger diameter.
• Renewing the balljoints has made the steering of the car much lighter. I still have to replace a couple of the joints - and hopefully that will make a further improvement.

No Bonnet!Can't cars be infuriating??? I just popped out one morning before I went to work, to check on something under the bonnet of the car and the bonnet release cable had fallen off the catch!!! So I had to undo the bonnet hinges and reach under it with a metal rod to flick the catch manually, then remove the bonnet. Here's a pic. of the car without its bonnet.

The offending bonnet catch. I put a cable tie (the red thing) on the end of where the cable slipped off, in an attempt to stop it happening again. By the way, when I was re-fitting the bonnet, I managed to break the catch! The bonnet wouldn't spring up any more because I'd broken the lifter. So I had to replace the catch. The offending bonnet catch.

Other jobs done since last update:

• Oil changed for Castrol Magnatec for basic engines.
• New spark plugs (didn't really need changing).
• I dismantled a rear suspension set that I bought a while ago. It's now in the back of the garage. So far it's provided one caliper, which has been reconditioned and is awaiting fitting to my car.