21 Turbo 1988 Red R21 Turbo

[DaveL485]

Hello!



In and ready for jigsaw puzzle time



This shell has had some major body restoration already, and I dont think I need to do much body wise save tarting the paint up a bit from storage so we're going to go straight to the bit where it all goes together and makes a whole car.

Probably

 

[DaveL485]

I've kicked the R9 out of the garage to start laying out the puzzle, started tidying some stuff in the engine bay, cable routing etc. Nothing too exciting, so here are some pics of the incredibly clean shell.



Only crossmember i've seen better than this one is mine, and thats only cos I replaced it for a brand new OE one in 2016 lol

 

[DaveL485]

 

[DaveL485]

I cleaned off some sticky goop stuff, I assume an underseal of sorts from the subframe, think I might gravitex it. I think I saw new subframe bushes in the parts boxes as well so may just be easier to drop it, coat it and lob the bushes in at the same time.



The engine needed the crank seal fitting and a spigot bearing so they went in



At this point I was considering chucking the gearbox in, I didnt in the end as I wanna coat the subframe but I dressed it with legs and some fittings



I put the flywheel on the engine also, however that got cut short of fitting the clutch as the one that came in the boot supplied to the last owner as a Turbo clutch....isnt I knew as soon as I looked at it, but hey ho, I guess now I need to find one lol



My garage floor now looks like an autojumble!

 

[Brigsy]

Looks like a good clean shell

 

[21 quadra]

Very nice job !

 

[DaveL485]

While I am prevented refitting the engine and box by the lack of a clutch I decided to drop the subframe and have a crack at making it less yuk.

Gave the vibration dampener a bath



Then spent an eternity cleaning off the sticky underseal grot off, and the greasy and oily build ups










Razzed it over with a knotted wheel



Then the good old Bilt Hamber Hydrate 80, Bonda Primer and Gravitex combo







Much better. Ready to have the bushes pressed in when its dried properly.

 

[Darren Lomax]

Were these as quick as the Sierra RS Cosworths when they were new?

What plans do you have for it?

 

[panhard65]

That spigot bearing doesn't look very good, surely it should be a sealed bearing as that isn't going to get any lubrication and will soon clog up with dust from the clutch.

 

[DaveL485]

Were these as quick as the Sierra RS Cosworths when they were new?

What plans do you have for it?

Pretty much, bit better midrange, not quite as much top end (8v to 16v)

That spigot bearing doesn't look very good, surely it should be a sealed bearing as that isn't going to get any lubrication and will soon clog up with dust from the clutch.

Just for fitting up the clutch as the centering tool locates in it, i've got sealed ones in the cupboard (somewhere) but this was the first one to hand.

 

[pouyoux]

Hi all,

Another good invest, Dave !! Congrats

Hope to see this car drive in France as soon as possible !!

Enjoy restoring it

Julien

 

[DaveL485]

Prepping the subframe for fitting, the nuts and washers I replaced but the bolts were OK so I cleaned and greased them, then fitted the subframe bushes. The old large washers under a 36mm socket are perfect for this.







Then dropped the 'box on - it's easier to lift the subframe and box in together than get the box in afterwards.



And in she goes.



Then I turned to the clutch slave which looked a bit manky



I punched the piston down, cleaned the bore up and popped the piston out with some air pressure



Bit of elbow grease and it's looking a lot better. Note the holes in the back of the piston that feed fluid in to the U-profile seal to expand it into the wall of the cylinder





New seal fitted, piston & spring back in and then a new dust seal.

 

[DaveL485]

Popped the slave on the bellhousing along with a new fork and a new bleed pipe and new release bearing





Then, in anticipation of refitting the engine on Sunday I put the steering hydraulic lines back in, and unfortunately as I tightened the back union the threaded segment broke out of the rack! FUMING!



Stomped off in a strop.

 

[DaveL485]

Came back to it Sunday and had decided I wanted the engine back in come hell or high water so I had to swap out the rack for the rebuilt one from my white quadra, I can source and rebuild another for that one I guess! Pipes went back in OK this time.






Annoyed at the waste of time and money. Anyway. Reconnected the speedo cable while the engine wasnt in the way. Old skool mechanical cable, none of this electronic bumfluffery!



Got the engine ready to go in, brand new engine mounts to go with the new gearbox mounts and subframe bushes, new clutch, new spigot bearing, the whole 9 yards










Realised as I strung the engine up that i'd not attached the gearbox earth so popped that on



Then (i've learned this the hard way) I checked the locating dowels were all there and that I didnt have dowels in both holes on the engine/box. One was missing in the end so I dug a new one out of the cupboard still in its Renault bag




And then...

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

Only just found this thread for some reason Dave! WOW! What a beauty of a bodyshell!! Smashing condition for the age! Wonder if it's been sitting in a flippin Museum all it's life!?

Look forwards to reading about your furious work on this before you get distracted by the next beautiful butterfly

 

[DaveL485]

Only just found this thread for some reason Dave! WOW! What a beauty of a bodyshell!! Smashing condition for the age! Wonder if it's been sitting in a flippin Museum all it's life!?

Look forwards to reading about your furious work on this before you get distracted by the next beautiful butterfly
View attachment 202826

The previous owner started an extensive resto, its had new sills and jack points and a paint job and all sorts but he got waylaid by other things including a stunning Austin Healey resto and an air cooled Porsche and this one stalled...so along comes old muggins here being a sucker for a needy 21 Turbo and here we are. I know he wants to see it finished and I believe is following the thread along

 

[Andyquadra]

Popped the slave on the bellhousing along with a new fork and a new bleed pipe and new release bearing

View attachment 202812

That release bearing doesn't look right?

 

[DaveL485]

That release bearing doesn't look right?

It's fine, I checked it. It's an SKF part. Fits nicely on the fork & tube, just the right size for the pressure plate.

 

[DaveL485]

Garage is like a sweat box at the moment! I lost nearly two kilos on Saturday lol - still, cracked on! Got all the bellhousing bolts in, I couldnt find the ones with the car so I had to raid my stash of spares.

Water pump back housing threads cleaned and fitted



Turbo support fitted



Starter motor fitted, i cleaned and painted the rear bracket but i'm missing the L brackets to the block, might have to make some... then the alternator top bracket.





Then I dragged the engine loom out and set about repairing ropey connectors, and re-taping the loom







New plug needed here





Cleaning and sorting this took so much time, but its done properly so I lobbed it back in the car and then started sorting through boxes.

 

[DaveL485]

Refitted some easy trim and stuff while I was sorting, this is the primary intercooler bracket/surround (the 21 has two intercoolers from the factory)



Clutch line located and connected to the slave



Oil cooler/Aux coolant pump bracket refitted too



And then the engine loom mostly routed and plugged in with the ECU and primary relays



Crawled underneath and hooked up the gear linkages and reverse defender - short of clutch fluid & bleeding this should be a working gearbox now.



Carried on refitting bits and bobs, working on these things so long gives the advantage of knowing stuff like this particular little woggle clips on one of the fins on the gearbox bellhousing and holds the TDC sensor wire between the sensor and loom.