Renault clio 1994 16v restoration

[Mark Robinson]

Alright folks, I've been on here a while and got some good advice, only today I noticed there is a project thread so here's mine!
I'm starting it here further into the project, I have a thread on ClioSportDotNet if any body is interested. Search NaplesMark16v
(Not sure if links are allowed or not)
---
Here's what happened yesterday, I was hoping to make a start on the shell but had to tidy the garage out first...
Here's before I sorted everything

Messy messy garage, bits everywhere, so I started moving stuff

Engine and panels in one corner

Rubbers arranged

Sorted through all the stuff, put some in the car and threw quite a bit, I was a bit stupid and wanted to keep a lot of little bits that were probably original to this car as they all had matching dates on. But space was needed so threw them out

Bonnet and front wings are stored in a box box at the bottom of the garden lol

Compressor in it's location with the welder also

Carpet removed

Through the floor selfie... LOL

More rust was found, again, not all that bad IMO. I've seen worse on newer cars that haven't stood for circa 3 year

And how I left everything,

I need to go and get some quick release couplings for my air hose as they didn't send me none. So will try get something done later and update

 

[Mark Robinson]

Not a lot has happened today, although I've got the drivers side sill off... Partially anyway lol. Was well confused as they're were 2 sill skins (outer sills)

peeled that back and it's Naples underneath lol. A very very bodged repair.
Evidence of too fast wire speed LOL

And it had only 2 spot welds along the bottom!
But it looks like this now

More tomorrow!

 

[Mark Robinson]

Okay... So today this is what I've done.

Started removing what's left of the sill

I did it bit by bit so I didn't cut it too short. Takes a little longer than it probably should but I'd rather not rush having not done anybody work in a year or 2
Removed the rear quarter, again bit by bit

And test fitted the new wing (I know it's not as flared as it should be yet but I'd rather have the shell ready for it to go straight on once it's done

Going to do the other side tomorrow, now I've got the "feel for it" back it will (probably lol) take me half the time than what today did

 

[katbloke]

Good stuff preparing me for what's underneath of mine

 

[Mark Robinson]

Good stuff preparing me for what's underneath of mine

Lol. Are you the guy that started chopping away at a williams 2? I recognise your name lol. All I can say, is prepare for more rust. Mines been stood for a couple years and IMO it's not that bad considering. It's all good fun

 

[katbloke]

Lol. Are you the guy that started chopping away at a williams 2? I recognise your name lol. All I can say, is prepare for more rust. Mines been stood for a couple years and IMO it's not that bad considering. It's all good fun

I might be lol, chickened out its going to a local resto company to get done

 

[Mark Robinson]

Lol. And I nearly did the same haha

 

[p0689109]

Did you not think of putting stays across the door aperture to ensure when you removed the sill the door aperture remained stable?

 

[Mark Robinson]

Did you not think of putting stays across the door aperture to ensure when you removed the sill the door aperture remained stable?

I did consider it but then thought if not bother as it's had work on the rear quarter/sill before so the aperture wasn't bang on anyway, as for the other side I will be tacking in a stay bar

 

[Mark Robinson]

Bit of an update! Not a big one though ha. Only managed to squeeze about 2 hours in today.

Cut away some rusty metal

Marked up the other side ready for the other quart coming off

And a video of all the rust that dropped out lol!

 

[katbloke]

Nice updates, thought i saw this on williamsclio too im off out to strip some more trim and glass out

 

[Mark Robinson]

Nice updates, thought i saw this on williamsclio too im off out to strip some more trim and glass out

You certainly did mate
Get stuck in and get plenty of pics is always good to see a classic getting some tlc

 

[Mark Robinson]

Been doing a bit of work on the car today, managed to remove the front panel and test fit the new one. Was going to sandblast the engine bay too but I'm going to leave it until I get a sealed gazebo

This came in handy for getting rid of the seam sealer in the hard to reach areas

Removed the subframe and all attached bits

Brake hose nut was dead tight, so had to snip the tw@ lol

Salvaged an old mop stick to retain some stiffness lol

Always wondered why my scuttle would fill with water haha

that's one way to gain access from underneath with a sander lol

a rust patch was found, gauged up

A bit of the old quarter panel is the same gague waste not want not lol

marked ready for cutting out (line is shabby, I'll cut it straight and weld it better lol)

removed old front panel (forgot I'd not tacked the bar in place lol!

new front panel offered up to the car ( still need to cut some out for the removable slam panel )

that's it for today I'm afraid. My front inner wings should be here this week, so will be able to progress a bit more then. Also decided I'm buying new tools as some have been "borrowed" fml... Lol

 

[Wallace]

Ye Gods you have a lot of work ahead of you there! The welder looks pretty new so presumably the gas & wire came with it, are you planning on upgrading to a larger gas bottle, regulator and 5kg rolls of wire? I hope so as the small rolls and bottles will devour your beer budget like no tomorrow.

Looking at your photos, a couple of tips that might save you some pain and suffering; the extension lead you have the compressor is plugged into looks a bit skinny in it's wire size and you might find it getting hot in use. If it's coiled up it will get even hotter and they do catch fire like that, seen it happen to a professional welder! Also, those old yellow bricks you have as axle stands will topple over easily, £22 spent a Machine Mart will help keep you out of casualty or the morgue especially if you are working alone.

 

[Mark Robinson]

Ye Gods you have a lot of work ahead of you there! The welder looks pretty new so presumably the gas & wire came with it, are you planning on upgrading to a larger gas bottle, regulator and 5kg rolls of wire? I hope so as the small rolls and bottles will devour your beer budget like no tomorrow.

Looking at your photos, a couple of tips that might save you some pain and suffering; the extension lead you have the compressor is plugged into looks a bit skinny in it's wire size and you might find it getting hot in use. If it's coiled up it will get even hotter and they do catch fire like that, seen it happen to a professional welder! Also, those old yellow bricks you have as axle stands will topple over easily, £22 spent a Machine Mart will help keep you out of casualty or the morgue especially if you are working alone.

I certainly do lol. But I'm looking forward to it
Yes the welder is fairly new and will be getting a bigger refillable gas canister and bigger wire reels. I'm also thinking about investing in a stick welder and a better mig too. This one is fine but I know there are better out there...
The extension is only temporary until I can spur electric from the house to garage, the bricks/axel stands :lol: are also a temporary measure, I'm investing in 4 from sgs engineering along with a hydraulic jack. I'm also extending the garage too in the future, it's very narrow and not quite high enough, but it will do for now. Thanks for the tips

 

[Wallace]

I hope you can keep that enthusiasm going when the build blues start to set in! Space is the one thing I have always had a shortage of. Any reason you need an arc welder on the Clio?

 

[Mark Robinson]

I hope you can keep that enthusiasm going when the build blues start to set in! Space is the one thing I have always had a shortage of. Any reason you need an arc welder on the Clio?

They have set in once or twice before :afraid: I always needed a garage or similar but now it's just not big enough lol.
The welder isn't necessarily for the clio, it's just to learn properly as I've not had much experience with arc welders.

 

[Wallace]

Even with the best will in the world long term projects can really get you down and life also gets in the way. If you stick with it you will find a lot of help on this forum and not only about welding. Just a suggestion due to your lack of space, if you don't have need for an arc welder but want to try the process don't buy one, see if you can borrow or use one elsewhere as it's only something else to store and trip over. Go careful with that needle scaler too, just getting it out of the box can be enough to scare those small French hatchbacks scuttling off to the scrap yard on their own!

 

[Mark Robinson]

Even with the best will in the world long term projects can really get you down and life also gets in the way. If you stick with it you will find a lot of help on this forum and not only about welding. Just a suggestion due to your lack of space, if you don't have need for an arc welder but want to try the process don't buy one, see if you can borrow or use one elsewhere as it's only something else to store and trip over. Go careful with that needle scaler too, just getting it out of the box can be enough to scare those small French hatchbacks scuttling off to the scrap yard on their own!

Everything seems to be going well for me ATM, other than lack of space and my tolls are not complete anymore, so they're getting thrown and some new bought along with some axle stands and a jack.
That is good advice! Don't need don't buy! My neighbour has one and he's said I can borrow it whenever I like so might ask him. As for the needle scaler, lol. The rust isn't as bad as others would think, a section of the floor needs doing on both sides where someone has jacked it up there! Arches, sills, some welding to the inner sills, inner wings front and rear, that about sums up the welding work, will be prep and paint time soon enough

 

[katbloke]

didnt realise 16v fronts were weld in all over the williams centre section is bolt in