Ali's Albi 197

Heppy997

Paid Member
Right, been lurking about on here for about 2 years now so thought I'd better start a thread! I've done a fair bit to the car recently so I'll try list it all in order, took photos at the time but never got round to writing a build thread. I bought an Albi Blue 197 in March 2015, fairly standard car, only mods were a Miltek resonated catback and an ITG intake. Was a student up until last year so most stuff was done on a budget! (and still is to be fair)

Here it is when i first got it:IMG_0010.JPG
Since then is benefited from the following:

Faster 200 steering rack
Toyo manifold with power flex mounts
Corsa VXR Recaros
Steering wheel retrim
Android head unit
Toyo Proxes which were swiftly replaced by PS4's all round:tearsofjoy:
Discs and pads all round
Fresh brembos
Bottom ball joints
Spax RSX coilovers
All new drop links
Sprint booster
New fuel pump
Projector lights
Refurbed wheels and sprayed interior bits


Done all the work myself as I like to keep it all dead cheap and I've usually got the time and tools. Plus its good experience to know your car inside out in my opinion, and you learn plenty. Not much experience of working on anything else but can't say these Renaults are particularly 'nice' to work on:tearsofjoy:

Anyway heres a few pics of all the above:
IMG_0008.JPG IMG_0011.JPG IMG_0012.JPG
Corsa Recaros, labour of love getting these to fit but they were cheap so they were going in lol. Ended up fabricating some brackets to mate them to the Renault runners. Then managed to wire them in with some Renault plugs soldered on in place of the vauxhall plug. Good job i did my degree in electronics!
IMG_0014.JPG IMG_0015.JPG IMG_0026.JPG IMG_0027.JPG
Fresh pair of refurbed Brembos to bolt on
IMG_0032.JPG IMG_0033.JPG
Did the inside trims same colour as the wheels. Turned out decent for my first time with a proper spray gun. Miles better than shitty rattle cans
IMG_0034.JPG IMG_0036.JPG
New ball joint in, easiest part of the job
IMG_0039.jpg
Managed to pick these up cheap as my shocks were shot when I pulled them out so thought I might as well upgrade while I'm at it
IMG_0041.JPG IMG_0047.JPG
Had to drill the pinch bolt out, replaced it with a nut and bolt, how it bloody should be!
IMG_0049.JPG
90% of my time working on this car was usually shite like this!!
IMG_0050.JPG IMG_0053.JPG
Wheels were much in need of a refurb
IMG_0055.JPG IMG_0057.JPG IMG_0073.JPG
Last on my list was a pair of projector lamps as they make the front end look so much better. Managed to swipe these off a normal clio for £70 delivered. Bargain
SAM_5137.jpg SAM_5138.jpg
Few pics to show off my hard work:smile:
IMG_0069.JPG
Then one day my brother decides he wants a clio too!
IMG_0070.JPG IMG_0071.JPG
Drive out into the Peak District a few weeks ago with a few mates. Some tasty motors there but I think I had the most fun in the plucky clio trying to keep up!
IMG_0072.jpg


And that's where I'm up to. The car is awesome now and really enjoying driving it. The only thing is the lack of power! So next on the list is a meg conversion I think.....
 

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Right, been lurking about on here for about 2 years now so thought I'd better start a thread! I've done a fair bit to the car recently so I'll try list it all in order, took photos at the time but never got round to writing a build thread. I bought an Albi Blue 197 in March 2015, fairly standard car, only mods were a Miltek resonated catback and an ITG intake. Was a student up until last year so most stuff was done on a budget! (and still is to be fair)

Here it is when i first got it:View attachment 114524
Since then is benefited from the following:

Faster 200 steering rack
Toyo manifold with power flex mounts
Corsa VXR Recaros
Steering wheel retrim
Android head unit
Toyo Proxes which were swiftly replaced by PS4's all round:tearsofjoy:
Discs and pads all round
Fresh brembos
Bottom ball joints
Spax RSX coilovers
All new drop links
Sprint booster
New fuel pump
Projector lights
Refurbed wheels and sprayed interior bits


Done all the work myself as I like to keep it all dead cheap and I've usually got the time and tools. Plus its good experience to know your car inside out in my opinion, and you learn plenty. Not much experience of working on anything else but can't say these Renaults are particularly 'nice' to work on:tearsofjoy:

Anyway heres a few pics of all the above:
View attachment 114527 View attachment 114528 View attachment 114529
Corsa Recaros, labour of love getting these to fit but they were cheap so they were going in lol. Ended up fabricating some brackets to mate them to the Renault runners. Then managed to wire them in with some Renault plugs soldered on in place of the vauxhall plug. Good job i did my degree in electronics!
View attachment 114530 View attachment 114531 View attachment 114532 View attachment 114533
Fresh pair of refurbed Brembos to bolt on
View attachment 114534 View attachment 114535
Did the inside trims same colour as the wheels. Turned out decent for my first time with a proper spray gun. Miles better than shitty rattle cans
View attachment 114537 View attachment 114538
New ball joint in, easiest part of the job
View attachment 114539
Managed to pick these up cheap as my shocks were shot when I pulled them out so thought I might as well upgrade while I'm at it
View attachment 114540 View attachment 114541
Had to drill the pinch bolt out, replaced it with a nut and bolt, how it bloody should be!
View attachment 114542
90% of my time working on this car was usually shite like this!!
View attachment 114543 View attachment 114544
Wheels were much in need of a refurb
View attachment 114545 View attachment 114546 View attachment 114554
Last on my list was a pair of projector lamps as they make the front end look so much better. Managed to swipe these off a normal clio for £70 delivered. Bargain
View attachment 114548 View attachment 114549
Few pics to show off my hard work:smile:
View attachment 114550
Then one day my brother decides he wants a clio too!
View attachment 114551 View attachment 114552
Drive out into the Peak District a few weeks ago with a few mates. Some tasty motors there but I think I had the most fun in the plucky clio trying to keep up!
View attachment 114553


And that's where I'm up to. The car is awesome now and really enjoying driving it. The only thing is the lack of power! So next on the list is a meg conversion I think.....
Great write up. Cars not wanting for much now!!
Keep us updated on future progress.
 
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glad you have decided to start a progress thread..your car and you deserve it..what a great progress since you bought it..the car looks much much better and i believe,it also drives much better with all your high quality upgrades..
would be good to see it on a track or you dont plan on doing so??
 
glad you have decided to start a progress thread..your car and you deserve it..what a great progress since you bought it..the car looks much much better and i believe,it also drives much better with all your high quality upgrades..
would be good to see it on a track or you dont plan on doing so??

Thanks for the kind words Pav:smile: yeah I think I will do a few track days now, although my brother bought the black one to use on the track so might just use that. Keep mine nice then:tonguewink:
 
Well, took the plunge and went to fetch this yesterday. Megane 225 engine and box on 60k and most of the bits I need for the conversion. Just need to get all the other little bits like decat, powerflex mounts etc. Then planning on doing the wiring and ecu myself to keep costs down :grimacing:IMG_6712.JPG
 
Not sure how i missed this. GREAT thread so far and LOVE the manly, greasy, proper up to your elbows in it pics too.

You come from an age when men were men and hammers were hammers; and just get stuck-in......!!!! :sunglasses:

New 60k lump sounds a good one. How soon are you hoping to make a start ?
 
Thanks chaps. Yeah just get stuck in, learnt so much with these cars from just having a bash:smile:

The conversion probably wont be happening for another month or so, I've had surgery recently and I'm meant to be sat on the sofa for 6 weeks, not lifting engines:grimacing: But it gives me chance to get together all the other little bits before I start, and sort the loom and ECU. Also need to ring my insurance up..:sweatsmile:

Will keep you all up to date
 
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looking forward to yet another conversion...are you going with a 225 or 250 turbo??
Just a 225 turbo chap, although its a fairly new one, done less than the engine. I'm not too bothered about it being stupidly fast, so trying to keep it simple and fairly standard. 250-260bhp I'd be more than happy with
 
clio is quite light compare to a megane so it will be faster than most meganes anyway..hope all goes well..
 
Exactly mate, it will be my daily driver so doesn't need to be daft. just needs a bit more oomph! Ta, I'm sure i'll be in touch when it all goes wrong:tearsofjoy:
 
Thanks chaps. Yeah just get stuck in, learnt so much with these cars from just having a bash:smile:

The conversion probably wont be happening for another month or so, I've had surgery recently and I'm meant to be sat on the sofa for 6 weeks, not lifting engines:grimacing: But it gives me chance to get together all the other little bits before I start, and sort the loom and ECU. Also need to ring my insurance up..:sweatsmile:

Will keep you all up to date
Hi.
If you need any help with insurance for this conversion then please feel free to drop me a line. I'd be only too pleased to try and help.
Regards,
Dan.
 
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Swapped the VXR recaros for a mint pair of Clio 200 ones which i think are better. Love the yellow dot pattern, seems to go well with Albi blue. They are a bit firmer on the bolsters than the VXRs and I'm neither tall nor wide so they're much better for me. Managed to do a straight swap too so happy days!
SAM_5181.JPG
 
Swapped the VXR recaros for a mint pair of Clio 200 ones which i think are better. Love the yellow dot pattern, seems to go well with Albi blue. They are a bit firmer on the bolsters than the VXRs and I'm neither tall nor wide so they're much better for me. Managed to do a straight swap too so happy days!
View attachment 115350

Did you swap with Ben Peace on the fb group by any chance ?
 
Swapped the VXR recaros for a mint pair of Clio 200 ones which i think are better. Love the yellow dot pattern, seems to go well with Albi blue. They are a bit firmer on the bolsters than the VXRs and I'm neither tall nor wide so they're much better for me. Managed to do a straight swap too so happy days!
View attachment 115350

Awesome! Love the yellow dots!
 
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