1982 Renault 18 GTL

[derskine]

Credit to him but they still don't do it for me.

[derskine]

Drove out to 18 today hoping to get the oil changed but was met with an obstacle.

An internal square sump plug! Why can't they just use a normal nut?.

Anyway, I managed to find one on ebay for £3.49. Fuck that I thought, and fashioned this up

 

 

Just a bit of threaded rod with the end filed down to an 8mm square, with a nut welded to the other end.

Should do the trick, may need a little "persuasion" (hammer) to go in.

[tooSavvy]

^^^^^^ my SAVVY has a Renault Clio 1.2 16V engine + Square sump plug  .

 

 

Yep... 2p capscrew jobbie 

 

 

 

TS

[derskine]

Smashing! Shite engineering at its best.

[CortinaDave]

This looks really tidy! I hope you dont OMG RATLUK DULUX SLAMMED YO! it as it seems a genuine old beast and a self paintjob and chopped springs extravaganza almost always makes you the last owner as it becomes impossible to sell.

 

 

This is all good if its borked anyway/you plan to keep it but otherwise ive found you end up lumbered with it.

 

I sold a tidy cortina crusader a few years back and the first thing the new owner did was give it the matt black paintjob of doom.

 

its next owner was the weighbridge.

[barrett]

I think square sump plug things are a French 'thing' - it should be the exact same size as the square bit of a socket driver, I do hope you tried that before wasting your time making your own nut...

[derskine]

Yeah I did try that, those are 3/8" though (9.5mm) whereas the plug is 8mm.

[derskine]

This is getting rat looked though, got a drum of paintstripper, a tub of salt and a flap disc.

Putting my own stamp on it.

[trigger]

This is getting rat looked though, got a drum of paintstripper, a tub of salt and a flap disc.

Putting my own stamp on it.

 

Your joking right?

[derskine]

100%. Where does one acquire a drum of paint stripper without looking like a meth cook/serial vandal?

The car will be staying beige, I'll get round to respraying the lacquer peeled bonnet during the warmer months.

[trigger]

Glad to hear it!

[derskine]

Changed the oil in the 18 today. Was an absolute bastard to get started, jump leads just wouldn't cut it, had to swap the polos battery into it and once some fuel had been pumped in I switched the batteries back and jump started it. Think the fuel pump might be a bit shit.

 

Also put it in the garage next to the girlfriend's polo, and managed to spill atleast 50% of the oil that came out on the floor as you can see from the black shit and cat litter affair.

The oil didn't look too bad, and the tappy noise is still there. I don't care about the noise though as long as it runs okay.

I discovered the secondary butterfly on the carb wasn't opening at all either, so wd40'd the mech and its opening okay now.

 

 

 

The beast

 

[derskine]

Battery was a piece of shit, swapped the one from the 340 in permanently so shouldn't have issues starting anymore.

 

Today I did a quality* repair on the sunroof, I pulled off the trim as suggested to tighten the frame but it was already as tight as possible.

So out came the silicon and clingfilm

 

 

Long awaited inertia (interior) pic

 

[vulgalour]

That interior looks super comfortable.  Why the clingfilm?  Am I missing something obvious with this high quality* repair?

[derskine]

It's fantastically comfy, I thought it couldn't get much better than the 340 but this wins.

With the clingfilm on there it means when the silicon sets I can peel of the clingfilm and still open and close the sunroof.

Presuming this means there will be more pressure on the glass and hence, hopefully, a better seal.

[DVee8]

Lovely car

[derskine]

Had a look at the 18 again today and can confirm I've successfully sorted the running issues.

It now starts fairly easy too.

The problem with the lack of power was the secondary butterfly not opening, now it opens all the time and I'm actually surprised at how spritely the car is.

Also planned to do the front wheel bearing but forgot to take LM grease with me

 

Sunroof repair also failed massively so may consider just evosticking the thing down.

[derskine]

Just drove the 18 home today after fixing the rogue pushrod, much more power and a very comfortable drive I must admit.

The real test will be the commute tomorrow, though the radio has stopped working!

Will get some car park action shots tomorrow.

[Squire_Dawson]

Good stuff, looks like it's coming together to be a nice car. Looks a nice car.

[Skizzer]

+1.  I even like the (original) plastic wheel trims.

[derskine]

The wheel trims are history, I don't like them personally

 

Had a little issue with the carb base nuts coming a little loose so was idling poorly, sorted that this morning though.

 

[DodgyBastard]

Needs some chrome beauty rings, funnily enough I have a set attached to a set of those wheels.

[derskine]

Not a fan myself unless they're fitted to chrome wheels.

[DodgyBastard]

I'm sure you can get some chrome paint from poundland...

[derskine]

Trying to think of something that describes the shitness/inaccuracy of the "chrome" colour in that paint.

[Squire_Dawson]

Those plastic wheeltrims aren't bad. They do suit the car.

[derskine]

Agree 100%, they look great, however not easy to find.

The previous owner (nisfan) has a set of mk1 espace wheels for sale though so very tempted to get them.

[nigel bickle]

I've a spare set of ratty rims -same style as that 18 pic, that someone definitely wanted- then vanished. as soon as we hauled them out form the depths of a barn

 

PM me if of interest. -before they go back. 

[derskine]

The espace ones are these

 

 

I have sent a pm as turbo ones would be great!

[nigel bickle]

Yup -I have those 2, but only 1 spare set -so would be expensive.

 

Cos I've got 3 spare sets of t'others, I'm happy to punt a set on. I've sent you pics.

 

No obligation..