5 GT Turbo Another Red Renault 5 GT Turbo On It's Way Back To The Road

[Leigh5t]

Mega job on the repairs mate, looks spot on.

Cheers Brigsy!

 

[Leigh5t]

Front of the inner sill next




I then cut through the inner sill, along the floor pan. I have a Dremel with the flexi shaft that is great for this type of thing (foreshadowing)


I then dropped a bollock!
I was repositioning myself, with the flexi shaft in my hand.....(still running)...and I caught the dash with it! absolutely gutted!!
It's fairly minor, but the dash was in mint condition...and it's RIGHT THERE front and centre! Idiot! I've been so careful too! fuming!

@Turbell warned me this could happen (relating to the bodywork). Ironically, I've had the dash covered over with a fire blanket but I had just moved it to where the sparks were flying. The dash and headlining are the only interior left in too. In hindsight, maybe they should have come out.

Oh well, could have been worse I guess. I am able to say that now I've kicked my self good and proper, but it is true. We move on and figure the dash at a later date.

 

[Leigh5t]

Again leaving some material on the front and lower edges to be trimmed once welded.


Lick of weld through


Plus plug weld holes in the floor flange.



Taking it steady to keep the heat down. This section warped on me on the other side so trying to avoid it this time.


Finished with very little warp.




I set the laser up again to transfer a line to the new section.




Trimmed flush and that's that section almost complete.


Now for the centre section.








The floor flange is worse than the other side. The rear section has vanished, but a lot of the rest will go again.

And that's me up to date again. Proper gutted about the dash! I was getting over it but then posted this and it's set me off again Although, I'm sure worse will happen before the project is complete. Comes with the territory doesn't it.

Cheers .

 

[Turbell]

Just goes with the territory mate, I've rebuilt a seat for bike I'm doing from base up, new foam, new cover, paid trimmer to fit cover, fookin mint it was, then doing someone a job, knocked folded up workmate into it......put a hole in cover...nearly spewed.
You could ask Peak Trim if they still do smart repairs, Louise runs it with her husband, trim repairs were his thing before they bought trimmers, they're at Clay X, Chez Vegas.

 

[Leigh5t]

Just goes with the territory mate, I've rebuilt a seat for bike I'm doing from base up, new foam, new cover, paid trimmer to fit cover, fookin mint it was, then doing someone a job, knocked folded up workmate into it......put a hole in cover...nearly spewed.
You could ask Peak Trim if they still do smart repairs, Louise runs it with her husband, trim repairs were his thing before they bought trimmers, they're at Clay X, Chez Vegas.

Good to know mate cheers. I’ll bear them in mind. I’m hoping it won’t be that noticeable . Regardless, I’m not gonna spend any time sorting that until it’s the worst bit of the car. That’ll be a while yet.

 

[Duncan Grier]

Great progress and looking much better

I can fully sympathise @Leigh5t and like @Turbell have my share of stories .....If I list them will trigger it off the same gutted feelings so I am not going to lol

Focus on the positive progress made and sure you will sort the dash to a standard you are happy with after

 

[Leigh5t]

Great progress and looking much better

I can fully sympathise @Leigh5t and like @Turbell have my share of stories .....If I list them will trigger it off the same gutted feelings so I am not going to lol

Focus on the positive progress made and sure you will sort the dash to a standard you are happy with after

Cheers mate. Majority of the major rot removed now so I’m getting there.

Agreed, pretend none of it ever happened and save yourself the pain.
In fact, I’m sure I heard the sound of @Turbell workmate being launched down the road yesterday!

 

[Turbell]

If it's your own it's a bummer, if it's someone's else's you've fucked up and it's cost you a day, a week, a month's worth of brass, then that's when it really hurts, count your blessings , worse things happen at sea......

 

[paulseabrook]

Cheers mate @paulseabrook

If you’re worried about welding on your car, get yourself down to your local scrapyard and buy a panel to practice on
Plus, you don’t have to be that good. I’m not great but I’m making progress. I’d say it’s more important that you keep yourself and your car/garage/house/street as safe as possible.

I couldn’t agree more about this forum!

I look forward to your progress. Best of luck.

Funnily enough, I've just bought myself an R Tech welder and it's amazing, my car is a little worse than yours but luckily I've got a 1.4 R5 GL as a spare, which I've cut loads of panels off including the roof skin! Tempted to put a thread up. Just getting started on the driver's floor pan and chassis rail, there's a long road ahead!

 

[Duncan Grier]

Funnily enough, I've just bought myself an R Tech welder and it's amazing, my car is a little worse than yours but luckily I've got a 1.4 R5 GL as a spare, which I've cut loads of panels off including the roof skin! Tempted to put a thread up. Just getting started on the driver's floor pan and chassis rail, there's a long road ahead!

Definitely get a thread up! Interested in your roof swap, especially any pictures given my current area of focus with the 5

 

[Leigh5t]

Agree with Duncan, get a thread up

That’s great that you have a donor car! It gives you patches and panels you can take for yours (assuming they’re not equally as bad, or worse), and also gives you lots of metal to practice on.
Also, If you don’t end up using the area around the fuel flap, I’d buy it from you. I bought one of a guy on eBay and it never turned up! So I’m on the lookout again

I’m looking forward to seeing your progress @paulseabrook

 

[Leigh5t]

Assuming it’s the same on turbo/non-turbo models!?

 

[paulseabrook]

Definitely get a thread up! Interested in your roof swap, especially any pictures given my current area of focus with the 5

My old roof skin has been removed, I'm leaving the new roof skin until my welding is 100%

 

[paulseabrook]

Agree with Duncan, get a thread up

That’s great that you have a donor car! It gives you patches and panels you can take for yours (assuming they’re not equally as bad, or worse), and also gives you lots of metal to practice on.
Also, If you don’t end up using the area around the fuel flap, I’d buy it from you. I bought one of a guy on eBay and it never turned up! So I’m on the lookout again

I’m looking forward to seeing your progress @paulseabrook

I'm pretty sure mines mint around the fuel cap, let me check and let you know. These cars hide rot well!

 

[paulseabrook]

Assuming it’s the same on turbo/non-turbo models!?

Has to be a 3 door roof but yes they are the same.

 

[Leigh5t]

Has to be a 3 door roof but yes they are the same.

Sorry, I meant the fuel flap and surrounding area. I might need a flap too. Anybody able to confirm if it’s the same across all trim levels? Cheers.

Mine is roooopey!

 

[DaveL485]

My old roof skin has been removed, I'm leaving the new roof skin until my welding is 100%

You can spot weld the roof on, less heat and hassle, check my R21 thread for pics of my full roof skin change. Similar structure to the 5.

 

[Leigh5t]

Time to crack on with the floor flange.

Considering what this area must have been exposed to over the years, I think it has survived remarkably well. Only the rear section in need of repair.




This scab has caught my eye a couple of times, and seeing as I had the grinder and a knotted wheel in hand, I thought I'd clean it up to see the damage.


Nowhere near as bad as I imagined.


Underside of the flange is in good condition.


Cleaned up the inside. The rot didn't extend in as far as I thought, maybe 5mm.



I made the repair piece up before removing any of the original metal. Cereal box CAD.




Folded (smacked in the vice), with excess material on all edges.


Notched for the curve and bend.


Offered up and marked where to cut.


Cut the section out



Patch final fettle and offered up.



Then defrost my hands.

 

[Leigh5t]

As per previous picture, it's been stupid cold in the garage for a while. So cold in fact, I'd forgotten about the paddling pool I'd had in there a while ago. Well....it's warmed up a bit now..... so all that damp is coming out to play!



Regardless, we press on.


Tacked in place




Then gradually filling between the tacks.


Until complete



Then to fill in the notches.



You can see where the heat has driven the moisture away!! I'm going to have to start having the door open for a few hours each day. I've got a dehumidifier but I doubt that would touch it. I do have a few disposable dehumidifiers already inside the car and so far it looks ok.


Welds ground back.



Flange depth scribed.




Trimmed to size.


Tickled the welds inside.


Done

 

[Turbell]

You'll never know this has had a torch on it, really neat buddy.