Malcolm's New Renault 5TX

[malcolm]

Paint has started out OK apart from the colour seems to be wrong. There's only a light coat on the inner wing so I can refit the outer wing but it's a lot more blue than the original.

Probably still a weekend more prep before I can colour coat. Hoping to get a better match to avoid painting the whole car.

 

[Lobster]

I'm amazed (although not that surprised really) that there are so few Mk1 R5s left. I must admit that I've helped their demise though, before I was converted to 4Ls I've had loads of Mk1 5s and really liked them. Quite a few that I had ended up being donor cars though for my decent ones and many of them spent their last days with me before a trip over the weighbridge.

Had a reasonably nice (but rotten) '77 5 TS which eventually donated its engine, box and highback seats to a 5 door GTL that the then Ms Lobster drove everywhere very quickly in (and continually broke).

Looks nice that Malcolm, be a really nice car when its finished.

 

[malcolm]

They are bad for rust. The how many left website knows about 10 TXs, 6 of which have tax. I guess Mk1 R5 owners don't get involved in the old Renault scene as I only know of the Renault collection one and the other green one that was knocking about on the sale sites a couple of years ago.

Figured out the colour match problem - the sides of the car were repainted a few years ago. My colour matches the original much better than the last repaint so I'm planning to repaint everything apart from the roof. (avoiding the roof as that would count as getting carried away).

More primer and guide coat today. If it flats well I'll have colour on next weekend. Might have a couple of days off just to make sure.

 

[simonandjuliet]

Painting

I bet you end up doing the roof as well ..... it's only a tiny bit extra !

Restoration creep ?

 

[malcolm]

No way I'm doing the roof - I'm determined not going to get carried away!

I'm definitely not going to fill in all the dents and do a full respray. No way that's going to happen.

Though it happens every time. The original plan was to just do a little welding at the bottom edge and spray it in. Now I'm filling in all the dents and planning an all but full respray.

 

[barnfind]

I have a soft spot for 5's, but most good quality survivors seem to be autos, which don't really appeal. Perhaps as well.

 

[malcolm]

I got some paint on the R5 today.

Really happy with the result - expecting disasters at every stage but everything went smoothly and the result should be perfectly presentable for a R5.

 

[Bobble]

Looks really nice, you must be very pleased with it, i hope when i do mine that it turns out like that.

 

[Lobster]

That really does look very nice indeed!

 

[malcolm]

Still excited - can't believe it was me that painted it. Will likely believe it later on when it comes to polishing out the fly I didn't spot before I clear coated over it. Apart from that and a little sag it's turned out really well.

Colour match to the roof isn't perfect. Maybe I'll paint that too.

 

[simonandjuliet]

!!!!!

You will have to do it - you'll never be happy otherwise .....

 

[Rutger-peer]

That looks superb Malcolm! Great. I know what a pain in the ass spraying can be . Great job! I'm following your R5 restoration as well, always a joy and very useful to follow your proceedings!

Keep up the good work!

Rutger

 

[Stuart Delahoy]

I want it back now!

Superb job Malcolm can't wait to see it in the metal.
How about two tone with a black or even a white roof?

Stuart.

 

[malcolm]

I pulled the engine apart this afternoon. It had a head gasket failure (and no anti-freeze at the time) and the middle two bores have gone rusty. The bearings are weird - both big ends and main bearings have rough bubbles on one side. Haven't seen that before but possibly it's corrosion from the water in the oil. Wants a rebuild!

Does anyone know if the TX pistons, liners and bearings are exactly the same as Gordini bits? If so I can get some from Mecaparts, but info left out of the book might be a difference in piston height. Else does anyone know where to get them? Will have to root out old bits from the scrap bin and compare.

Edit - It's looking like the liners, bearings and piston rings from the Gordini engine will fit but the pistons themselves are different.

 

[angel]

Malcolm, if you can't source the pistons / liners, give me their details (diameter, pin diameter, compression height). I may source them here, as there are some high quality ones (Mahle, Perfect Circle etc) left over from the 80s.

 

[malcolm]

I think I'm OK for the pistons - the ones I have look perfect! The engine machine shop that is working on the cylinder head has managed to find new liners, bearings and piston rings in the UK. The head has been pressure tested and skimmed, and they are fitting hardened exhaust valve seats this week (I have a habit of destroying exhaust valves in the Sierra engines).

I also took a second cylinder head from a 956cc engine to the engine shop. It had been skimmed recently in France but there is still water in the oil. It crack tested OK. I'll replace the liner seals on that one and look for cracks in the block I guess. Hopefully I'll find the problem.

 

[malcolm]

Nearly finished now! There is a bunch of stuff on http://www.renault4.co.uk/r5-restoration.htm to fill in the gaps since my last post.

I'm getting a bit stuck on the last few things. I'm trying to find the paint code for TX wheels. I can't match the original colour as the lacquer has come off and the paint has gone a bit white.

I need to paint the bumpers as the rear is a replacement stolen from a Le Car and is silver. Do they not do the nice plastic bumper paint in anything other than rattle cans any more? I can't find it. Otherwise I'll match some 2K paint and use a matting agent.

I need a fitting kit for rear Girling brakes (same as the R4).Trying to avoid postage from Der Franzose. eBay is handy - doctor_car has a few fitting kits listed for the later R5 which look about right. I've ordered one and will see if it is the same.

Also I need a beige plastic cover to hide the boot hinge access hole in the headlining. Anyone have a spare R5 knocking about with one of those?

Looking good and nearly there. I've had the engine running and it is sweet.

Still haven't painted the roof. I'm doing good.

 

[alewis]

Looking good!