BLJ's Nimbus R27 - Black Dipped wheels

[BLJ]

Hi there!

Welcome to the progress thread on my 197 R27.

I own the car for a few weeks now and still really enjoying it. I wasn't specifically looking for a R27, but it had to be a 197. For budgetary reasons and I dislike the look of the 200 front. On the other hand, I preferred to have the Cup chassis and the Recaro seats, so the R27 fits the bill. I was rather lucky to find the right car with a full service history from new. I bought it from the second owner. It's got a little over 140.000 km / 87.000 miles on the clock.

Only thing on the spec sheet I am disappointed about that I didn't get, is the keyless entry. NO, not for the keyless entry itself, but for the axial adjustable steering column. While I sit fine as it is now, I can't help but wonder how much improved my seating position could be with this feature.

Clio R27 F1 Team Nimbus Grey #2400

​

Mods

Front Brake Pads - Ferodo DS Performance
Rear Exhaust Silencer - Fox Sport Exhaust
Top Torsion Engine Mount - Powerflex

Updates / To do list

• Correct steering play in the dead ahead position -> Refit missing track rod end bushes
• Correct intermittent faulty right rear marker light -> New bulb
• Clean scuttle panel -> Cleaning, protected with silicone spray, number plate holder advertisement deleted
• Set of wheels for the winter tyres -> New Michelin CrossClimate+ and Laguna Silverstone wheels
• Silver indicator bulbs -> Fitted
• Check front brakes / clean and re-grease guide pins
• Drive and have fun!
• Nürburgring trip
• Retrim steering wheel and side bolster

 

[Chris]

Very nice indeed!

Look forward to your progress!

 

[peter]

NO, not for the keyless entry itself, but for the axial adjustable steering column. While I sit fine as it is now, I can't help but wonder how much improved my seating position could be with this feature.

welkom.

you could use this spacer, to improve your driving position. by far the best mod i have on the car. pricey though ...
http://www.clio197.net/threads/steering-wheel-spacer-kit-for-oem-st-wheel-w-airbag.57493/

 

[Pav]

looks very tidy..enjoy her..

 

[Johnny 99]

Welcome to the club.

 

[BLJ]

Welcome to the club.

And it will stay that way

 

[Jimmy]

Very nice R27, and good photos too!

 

[Doogle]

Very nice bud. I love the look of the Nimbus Grey, I looked at a few but really wanted an Albi Blue car. Looks very clean for the mileage though.

With regards to play in the steering, that might be steering rack bushes. They are worth doing and on my to do list.

 

[nutnutwelshman]

Very nice love the colour

 

[LOCKE]

Looking good. Love Nimbus.

 

[Adam93]

Looks great, if you're doing a ring trip worth upgrading your brake fluid and changing to braided lines.

 

[BLJ]

Very nice bud. I love the look of the Nimbus Grey, I looked at a few but really wanted an Albi Blue car. Looks very clean for the mileage though.

With regards to play in the steering, that might be steering rack bushes. They are worth doing and on my to do list.

Thanks. The last owner assured me the car was only hand washed since new. When I washed it myself I could notice that it had indeed been cared for

I already suspected the steering rack bush. It does only have 1 of those bushes right? On the passenger side of the steering rack?

Looks great, if you're doing a ring trip worth upgrading your brake fluid and changing to braided lines.

Good shout and I was thinking about it. I hope my current set up with the uprated pads is at least capable of doing the odd Touristenfahrten lap.

 

[BLJ]

Need help sourcing a part. Remember this:

• Correct steering play in the dead ahead position

My mechanic told and showed me both my wheel hubs are missing the ring/spacer between the hub and the tie rod end!

Some photos from my 197:



Photo showing the part I am missing:



My tie rod ends were replaced by a German workshop just a week before I bought the car. My mechanic tells me the part must have stuck to the old tie rod end and be thrown in the trash with the old part.

The problem is they can't source the part from Renault NL without ordering a complete hub assembly, something I'd rather not do unless absolutely necessary. Do you guys know the part number for this part?

I have come across the parts catalog for the Clio CUP car:



Do you guys know if part #14 in the image is the same as the part on the street car?

 

[Big Ben]

@turkie172

 

[turkie172]

This happens all the time when you disconnect the track rod end the bush stays on the track rod end and accidently gets thrown away and Renault dealers do not sell it as a spare part it comes fitted to new hubs. But if dealers always replace the assembly so then they should have lots of old hubs with them still fitted. Ask the person you bought the car from if they still have the old track rod ends or buy used hubs from eBay with the part fitted. Ring the Clio championship parts supplier and order it as a race part you have the part number.

 

[Pav]

 

[BLJ]

Thanks @turkie172. My mechanic said he managed to order the part on his own. Fingers crossed it's going to fit properly. I searched ebay and other sites, but second hand hubs aren't around anywhere.

So you are positive the Cup Car part and the street car part are identical?

 

[turkie172]

Well if the cup uses the standard hub and standard track rod ends so the part that puts them together should be standard and better than what you have at the moment.

 

[BLJ]

The part is ordered. Hope to get it back soon, it has been far too long now. I miss driving the little thunderbolt

 

[BLJ]

Well, I finally got the car back last week

First job I did, is cleaning the scuttle. I bought this Midlock wiper puller, which fits well on the Clio wipers, though not perfectly. But it made disassembly really easy.



As a surprise, we got a tiny bit of snow.



Parked the car in the garage to get cracking.



Taping up the original wiper alignment:



Removing the nuts that hold the wiper arms:



Remove the plastic rivet screws on both sides:



Remove the plastic scuttle cover. I didn't take a picture of this, but you slide it towards you and lift it up. It should come loose easily.

Before:




After:


Both drain tubes were clear of any dirt and cleared the water instantly, glad that this was in good shape. Either the previous owners took great care of it, or it was parked indoors most of it's life.

While I was at it, I also managed to get rid of the advertising number plate holder by just spraying some black bumper paint over it.


(halfway through painting)