Soldato
The pace of work is incredible. Great stuff. Keep it up!
Purchased a small French lightweight hot hatch - Renault Clio 172 Cup & NOW 182 Trophy
Soldato
What’s the total spend so far?
Shall work it out once all parts arrived and belts done, but including the car it shall be around £3500, as I am quite a perfectionist so I will change every suspension component for fresh, not just the bits that need doing, in short I want it to drive like it drove the day it was brand new.
As you know just a short list I can remember:
- new Cup dampers all round - £120
- fresher Cup springs all round - £20
- New front wishbones - £150
- Inner / Outer track rods - £60
- New top mount kits - £60
- New engine / gearbox mounts - £100
- Powerflex yellow upper drivers side engine mount - £30
- Powerflex rear beam bushes - £60
That is just the stuff I can remember, but that is £600, then the specialist work shall be around £850 for the full major service and all belts, pulleys, dephaser, water pump changed etc.
When I do something, I do it right!
A guy who did similar recently on a 172 Cup with 79k miles, he advertised his at £4250 and it was sold within a week, so its not wasted money even if my intention was to then sell it, however there is no plan to sell it, but to enjoy the car it shall remain as per original specification as much as possible but of course if the factory cars had an inherent weakness, for example such as RTAB's on E46 M3's really benefit from limiter kits even when brand new, then of course such items shall be added, just like for tyres I am fitting AD08R's which of course are superior to the old factory fit Michelin Exalto tyre Cup's used to come with.
But the intention is to keep it as close to stock as possible or certainly have the ability to make it completely factory stock quite easily in just a few works that I can carry out myself.
Hi there
So a quick job this morning, as it required no tools, well you need you driving licence or anything that is a similar size, credit card etc.
Popped out the old grotty amber side repeaters and fitted some white/clear ones, also fully cleaned them up before fitting:
It is one of those cheap (£10) and easy modifications to do which really freshens up an old car.
So a quick job this morning, as it required no tools, well you need you driving licence or anything that is a similar size, credit card etc.
Popped out the old grotty amber side repeaters and fitted some white/clear ones, also fully cleaned them up before fitting:
It is one of those cheap (£10) and easy modifications to do which really freshens up an old car.
Soldato
Fair play to you really great to see one of these being brought back to its former glory. Always will love the 172’s
More deliveries for the project:
Full synthetic Renault approved engine and gearbox oil.
New latest revision wishbones which have additional camber, new ball balljoints, now engine mount (more mounts too arrive), fresh wipers all round, new dust boots for new front dampers.
So the previous owner at some point must have allowed the wipers to fail resulting in bear metal wipers scraping the glass and thus the glass is deeply scratched. I've attempted to polish out with zero success they are just too deep. Then I tried what I watched on youtube which is use Fast Orange hand wash with pumice mixed with some compound or polish, about 70% fast orange and 30% compound, then use with a 3M polishing pad on a rotary. Well I only have a sponge on a drill end so not proper polishing pad but better than trying to do by hand.
Before on drivers side:
After on drivers side:
A vast improvement for sure, it is still there but it is about 65% gone, this was around an hour of constant polishing, another hour will probably improve it a lot or get the proper 3M polishing pad and a rotary.
Passenger side was even worse, really deep scratches and a lot more off them, not just on the outer radius:
After on passenger side:
An improvement, about 50% reduced, but needs a lot more effort but after constant polishing for a couple of hours I had enough and now want to get some dinner. Shall try to get proper 3M pads compatible with my drill and see if that helps makes progress faster.
So a question for the Renault experts, I want the car to handle, steer, grip like it would have new, so far I have:
- new cup dampers
- new top mounts
- revised upper top mount nuts
- new grams springs
- new wishbones
- new balljoints
- new anti roll bar bushes and drop links
- new engine & gearbox mounts
- Powerflex upper engine mount insert
- Powerflex rear beam inserts
- new AD08R tyres
Have I missed any bushes that are key, any items I should be replacing on steering, rack etc. to make sure its all tight?
Full synthetic Renault approved engine and gearbox oil.
New latest revision wishbones which have additional camber, new ball balljoints, now engine mount (more mounts too arrive), fresh wipers all round, new dust boots for new front dampers.
So the previous owner at some point must have allowed the wipers to fail resulting in bear metal wipers scraping the glass and thus the glass is deeply scratched. I've attempted to polish out with zero success they are just too deep. Then I tried what I watched on youtube which is use Fast Orange hand wash with pumice mixed with some compound or polish, about 70% fast orange and 30% compound, then use with a 3M polishing pad on a rotary. Well I only have a sponge on a drill end so not proper polishing pad but better than trying to do by hand.
Before on drivers side:
After on drivers side:
A vast improvement for sure, it is still there but it is about 65% gone, this was around an hour of constant polishing, another hour will probably improve it a lot or get the proper 3M polishing pad and a rotary.
Passenger side was even worse, really deep scratches and a lot more off them, not just on the outer radius:
After on passenger side:
An improvement, about 50% reduced, but needs a lot more effort but after constant polishing for a couple of hours I had enough and now want to get some dinner. Shall try to get proper 3M pads compatible with my drill and see if that helps makes progress faster.
So a question for the Renault experts, I want the car to handle, steer, grip like it would have new, so far I have:
- new cup dampers
- new top mounts
- revised upper top mount nuts
- new grams springs
- new wishbones
- new balljoints
- new anti roll bar bushes and drop links
- new engine & gearbox mounts
- Powerflex upper engine mount insert
- Powerflex rear beam inserts
- new AD08R tyres
Have I missed any bushes that are key, any items I should be replacing on steering, rack etc. to make sure its all tight?
Soldato
Who lets their wipers get in such a state they fail. They'd drive me mad months beforehand with constantly leaving trails of windscreen wash. Good read so far.
Unfortunately some people see a car merely as a means of transport, nothing else and hate to spend money unnecessary.
The good things about the car is the low miles and only one previous owners, but that owner literally had the car serviced by Renault for the first three years, then it never went to Renault again and was serviced by a mate yearly and parts were only replaced as they failed or MOT failure.
Its a very honest car but it needs a lot of TLC which it is now getting, major service, all belts and pullies this Friday, along with all the fresh suspension/bushes fitted, should drive like new then. Just leaves to then restore anything else that needs doing mechanically on underside of car.
Advantage is the owner did not seem to drive the car hard, or anywhere, just a commuter too and from work, after all to survive 15 years and 55k miles without a single belt change shows its had quite an easy life as to how hard its been driven, plus the cars feels remarkably tight, I probably don't need to change half the suspension as I am, but I don't do things by half and any good parts that come off, I will sell.
Soldato
It's worth doing given the price of admission. I've done similar although to a slightly lesser extent with my s2000. Well, except that's over years and yours will be within months!
Hi there
Well was expecting a lot more deliveries, but courier drivers must be taking a break, only DPD deliveries on time, so not so much to report.
But ordered a set of car mats to keep the interior carpets from getting worn and I like the blue accents and cup172 branding on them:
There is also a nice big mat in the boot too which was ideal as the original boot trim mat was ruined and the aftermarket mats are higher quality and better finish.
The Grams lowering springs arrived from KAM Racing which are made in the same factory as the Cooksports to a similar specification. The drop is in theory around 20-25mm on a 172 Cup so nothing outrageous and feedback is a tad firmer than stock but improve handling, as I have no real stock reference to go from the only kind of feedback I shall be able to give is how the car feels on them with a complete suspension refresh, but have nothing to compare too.
Here they are next to some pretty fresh 172 cup springs (20,000 miles) you can see the Grams are a small amount shorter, of course once on the car the originals will compress more with the cars weight whereas the Grams will compress less simply due to being a higher spring rate. (Grams are glossy ones and original cups are the matt ones):
I also weighed the springs, the original cup springs come in at 6.8kg total, whereas the Grams springs weigh in at 7.9kg total, this again makes sense due to the Grams having more material due to the closer packed coils and thus more coils.
Well was expecting a lot more deliveries, but courier drivers must be taking a break, only DPD deliveries on time, so not so much to report.
But ordered a set of car mats to keep the interior carpets from getting worn and I like the blue accents and cup172 branding on them:
There is also a nice big mat in the boot too which was ideal as the original boot trim mat was ruined and the aftermarket mats are higher quality and better finish.
The Grams lowering springs arrived from KAM Racing which are made in the same factory as the Cooksports to a similar specification. The drop is in theory around 20-25mm on a 172 Cup so nothing outrageous and feedback is a tad firmer than stock but improve handling, as I have no real stock reference to go from the only kind of feedback I shall be able to give is how the car feels on them with a complete suspension refresh, but have nothing to compare too.
Here they are next to some pretty fresh 172 cup springs (20,000 miles) you can see the Grams are a small amount shorter, of course once on the car the originals will compress more with the cars weight whereas the Grams will compress less simply due to being a higher spring rate. (Grams are glossy ones and original cups are the matt ones):
I also weighed the springs, the original cup springs come in at 6.8kg total, whereas the Grams springs weigh in at 7.9kg total, this again makes sense due to the Grams having more material due to the closer packed coils and thus more coils.
Soldato
Gibbo, I have rear camber spacers for the rear kicking around, along with a new water pump (gen Renault) plus some other bits from my cup if you want them free...
Cheers fella, shall let you know, car is in on Friday for all the major cambelt work, once all suspension is on and fresh tyres, shall get it on alignment and if for whatever reason it can't be put to around factory specification due to been a little lower I will give you a shout.
Soldato
Good progress. Nice to see a build/restoration/whatever log going at the right speed, rather than one update a year too
The mats are awful though. I would actually get rid of the accenting throughout the whole interior (I know it's OEM). It's probably just me - I also prefer the orange side repeaters to clear ones.
The mats are awful though. I would actually get rid of the accenting throughout the whole interior (I know it's OEM). It's probably just me - I also prefer the orange side repeaters to clear ones.
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Soldato
Even better then
I don't miss my 182 at all but I can definitely see the appeal.
Was it Gilly that bought one brand new?
He bought mine, was about 1 year old and 3000 miles when I sold it. I think he only sold it a couple of years back.
HK03 RPY
Great fun car, needed new fronts after only 2000 miles, drive it like you stole it!
I've been considering buying this:
https://www.cliosport.net/threads/snappy-wheel.820936/
Put my blue bit back at the bottom and of course I don't need the cruise control stuff.
Am guessing it is a simple and easy job to fit and will fit my 172, considering its of a 182 FF?
Price good or bad?
I'd keep my original wheel too as its got minimal wear and should I ever sell and next owner wanted a truly original car than I have all the stock items to go with car, such as cup springs, amber side repeaters and original wheel.
Caporegime
- Joined
- 13 Nov 2006
- Posts
- 26,216
If you're doing a full refresh are you not better off changing the windscreen?
Saved the image, here it is:
It is £160, good or bad price, was maybe gonna offer £140 delivered, it does not come with the trim (buttons and lower insert) which is fine as my car has no buttons and I prefer my blue insert.
Can't get them, if I change it, then it shall be replaced with a full weight regular windscreen.
Value reasons the car is worth more with all the original glass. A few more hours polishing and I am sure I can 90% remove those scratches and if I was buying a 172 cup for collection reasons or wanted a genuine car having the original glass throughout would be important to me as its thinner lighter glass from the factory.
The 172cup was vastly lighter than other models, 89kg to be exact which is a lot of weight, particular on a car that weighed only around 1100kg to begin with, whereas the Cup weighs 1011-1021kg depending where you read, I guess the 10kg difference is probably down to options.