My 4th Frenchie is ?

[sco14]

This is a few photographs of my 4th Frenchie undergoing some restoration work.

 

 

 

[Mr Lobster]

Friggin nora an R14. More info on that please!

[sco14]

 

Its a 1981 Renault 14TS purchased by my father new in March 81, silver grey metallic (620) with rust interior.

[Felly Magic]

Mr Lobster has just fainted. These buggers are rarer than finding dodo turds that contains hens teeth. These cars rotted so fast when new, so finding this, well, all I can say is top man.

[sco14]

I agree these cars were rot boxes! This one was waxoyled in July 81 and has been done several times through the years. Below are the pictures taken on the day the car went off to get the work done. The bonnet was rotten on the nearside where it sustained accident damage in 1985. I could have got a few patches on the inner wings and got a MOT but decided to do it properly. The floorpan and boot floor are unmarked.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ragger]

That's nice. I remember my Dad having one from new for a couple of years; I think he replaced it with a 9GTX which looked pretty sporty and actually went very well.

[panhard65]

Hi nice 14 they do like to rust though it looks like yours has got pretty much the same rust as mine had. Have you got new stripes for the front wings ? I only ask as I need some as well so maybe a group buy if you find anyone who can do them. It does look good though they are a very under rated motor with the 1360 engine. Is yours the 5 speed as they were the dogs when new. Mine is a ts but only the 5 speed

[whitevanman]

PM TimL of this parish...he can make up any graphics you need

[HillmanImp]

Thats fuggin gr8. How many UK spec ones of these are left I wonder. I was genuinely surprised to see it was RHD in the first shot. Its ace that its been family owned too.

[sco14]

Hi nice 14 they do like to rust though it looks like yours has got pretty much the same rust as mine had. Have you got new stripes for the front wings ? I only ask as I need some as well so maybe a group buy if you find anyone who can do them. It does look good though they are a very under rated motor with the 1360 engine. Is yours the 5 speed as they were the dogs when new. Mine is a ts but only the 5 speed

 

Andy Johnston of AJ's Design n' Signs, mobile phone number 07737809882 made the front wing decals from an original I had. He has made all my other vehicle graphics, check out the light blue 205 and blue/grey 205 on his ebay shop. The quality of his work has always been excellent.I have yet to fit the wing decals are there are other jobs to be done first.

 

[sco14]

Sorry forgot to say in the last post that this is only a 4 speed. I think if my memory serves me well the 5 speed was available on the 1982 model year, so from abour Sept 81 would have been 5 speed. Even the 1981 R14 TS Regency was 4 speed, that was the one fitted with amil alloy wheels, pop up sunroof and sports style steering wheel.

[cms206]

Hell's bells, Ayrshire registered too - I take it you were pretty far into East Ayrshire for it not to have dissolved altogether?!

[sco14]

Hell's bells, Ayrshire registered too - I take it you were pretty far into East Ayrshire for it not to have dissolved altogether?!

Supplied new by Drew Dodds, Prestwick Road, Ayr, on 25th March 1981, a 1978 Renault 5 GTL was the trade in.The car has spent all its life about 10 miles from Ayr.

[panhard65]

Thanks for the info on the stripes I will give Andy a ring next week and see if he can knock up a pair for me. I have got a pair of wings to go on mine and a bit of paintwork on both sides. If I can get another car sold I will put it through the paintshop and looking good in a fresh coat of beige

[sco14]

Thanks for the info on the stripes I will give Andy a ring next week and see if he can knock up a pair for me. I have got a pair of wings to go on mine and a bit of paintwork on both sides. If I can get another car sold I will put it through the paintshop and looking good in a fresh coat of beige

 

Did you manage to get genuine front wings? I ordered genuine wings, both came with genuine stickers and wrapping but one was more like a pattern part when we tried to fit. I was lucky to find a genuine new old stock bonnet. Parts are a pain to find for these cars now.

[mk2_craig]

Wonderful to see this getting some serious work done. The number of roadworthy R14s on British roads looks like taking a turn for the better!

[panhard65]

Both are genuine wings one from france which has a bit of damage from transit and the other is a mark one so will be used as a donor for the bottom corner that is the only bit I need. The ones on it are ok but a bit frilly at the bottom by the A panels so I might as well get it right

[sco14]

Both are genuine wings one from france which has a bit of damage from transit and the other is a mark one so will be used as a donor for the bottom corner that is the only bit I need. The ones on it are ok but a bit frilly at the bottom by the A panels so I might as well get it right

 

What condition are your bumpers in? I recoloured mine with the grey Plastic care trim dye. It can be found on ebay but is aimed more at recolouring Peugeot 205 GTI bumpers and side trims. I had used it before on my Peugeot bumpers but donot use autoglm bumper care afterwards.

[Alexg]

Bugger me, fantastic stuff. I'm really looking forward to seeing the progress on this!

[stilo_active]

I love these things, my uncle had one when I were a wee nipper. KDV533V I think it was. "Give me all your pocket money, lad, and it's yours"

[sco14]

A few more photos of the restoration.

 

The engine bay after engine removal.

 

 

Repaired offside inner wing

 

 

Welded repair required behind plastic trim on nearside rear arch.

 

 

Nearside inner wing repaired.

 

 

Offside rear arch.

 

 

Nearside rear arch showing the corrosion.

 

 

Drivers door was the only one corroded.

 

 

The boot or floorpan did not require any work.

 

 

The engine as removed from the car.

 

 

After clean up and fitting new starter, alternator water pump etc.

 

 

The engine bay after painting.

 

 

The offside inner wing after sealing and painting.

 

 

New genuine Renault wings were sourced and fitted.

 

 

The bodyshell almost ready for paint.

 

 

Grill after cleaning and refurb.

 

 

Shell refitted with wings doors and tailgate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nearside rear wheelarch after application of stonechip, before painting shock absorber and the fitting a genuine Renault genuine full exhaust system including fittin kit.

 

 

I will upload more later.

[ayrshirelad]

Looks excellent. I spied the Ayrshire reggie and i was gonna ask where the car came from. I remember Dodds Garage in Troon. Although i remember it as Ford garage rather than a Renault one. The building is still there but it is now a shop/ I can remember walking up the garage floor years and years ago with my Papa to look at a car. At that time mk2 grannies were in there hundreds parked in the Garage awaitng sale!. Unfortunalty Dodds bus garage, which they are better known for, has long gone. Replaced with houses. However thankfully Dodds of Troon as a coach company is still alive and well having moved to East Rd in Prestwick. No longer involved in local bus work Tours private hires and school work. Tis good that at least one of the cars they sold is still with us. Quite a lot of cars with the Ayrshire reggis, i e SD CS SJ or going further back,AG, were actually Glasgow or Lanarkshire cars. Towards the end of the old registration system you had to ask for an Ayrshire reg for some reason or other. Which was most annoying!

[sco14]

The car was supplied new by Drew Dodds and I don't think it was part of the Dodds of Troon group. They used to run AA buses from Ayr when I was a boy.

[nigel bickle]

That is bloody excellent. Those repairs look damn good -helps the inner wings 'appear' to be flat panels.

 

Mine has rot in the rear suspension -as usual. No mention of any probs with yours, there?

[sco14]

No corrosion around rear suspension, however the car had copious amounts of waxoyl applied in this area on numerous occasions. I believe this area is quite complex to repair.

[Rocket88]

£87 zillion on the Purple knob website when finished.......................

[ayrshirelad]

I re read the post Hmm i will ask in my work tmoz. But think you are correct. I was thinking of Dodds garage in Troon. AA and DODDS were one and the same. The AA buses in Ayr were run by the Young Family. Whne they gave up the bus side of things AA buses was run by Dodds from their garage in Troon. The Green livery then changed to a Darker green, rather than the light green that they had used. Youngs were big users of the Leyland National. The AA/Dodds bus station being at Bothwell park across from what was the Tesco store and is now a car park. Used to take pics of AA buses from the front of Tescos many many moons ago!

[panhard65]

The 14 is looking good. I am sorting the clutch out in mine at the moment it has been leaking oil all over the plate and making it slip every now and again. In other news I have bought the GTL that has been on ebay a few times. It is very rotten in my opinion and will get broken for parts so if anyone wants anything let me know. I am going to look into a possible right hand drive conversion but at the moment it isn't looking particuarly easy. Looking at your pictures is the heater unit mounted behind the cover on the baulkhead or is it inside the car.

[sco14]

I think the matrix is inside the car.

[HillmanImp]

I have nothing to say other than that looks well smart.