Nick’s Albi Blue 197 Project

[Rallye-nick]

Hi all

Welcome to my project thread of my recently purchased Albi Blue 197.

The car is a 2006 FF 197, with the only option being the projector headlights.

The car is on relatively low mileage at 77,000 and the bodywork is very clean for its age!



The car is simply a weekend/track toy for myself as I have a company vehicle and my wife has the larger car (which my dc5 was sold to fund [emoji22])

First thing first was to get the car jacked up in the air this evening to start giving it a quick health check over the next couple of evenings. First thing I found was a slight leak around the bell housing, which I’ve cleaned up and I will examine further tomorrow, but to my pleasant surprise I’ve found what I assumed was a completely standard car was not, it looks to have a toyosport exhaust manifold fitted.



(If you zoom in on the picture you can make out the “toyosport” plaque)

The rest of the exhaust system is completely standard and I have no warning lights on the dash, so I’d assume the car has had a remap/generic flash to remove the EML light that I guess would be present with the decat manifold.

I will continue my check over of the car tomorrow evening and the weekend, and then hopefully soon after some more interesting updates [emoji106]




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[Pav]

glad you have decided to start your own progress thread.,..you will be surprised how much advice and help you will get..
glad the car was treated to a new manifold..they prone to cracking...enjoy and share as much as you can..we do like pics

 

[Rallye-nick]

glad you have decided to start your own progress thread.,..you will be surprised how much advice and help you will get..
glad the car was treated to a new manifold..they prone to cracking...enjoy and share as much as you can..we do like pics

Thanks Pav I must confess the week before buying the car I did read the entirety of your build thread

I shall try my hardest to keep this up to date and add photos when I can

 

[Pav]

Thanks Pav I must confess the week before buying the car I did read the entirety of your build thread

I shall try my hardest to keep this up to date and add photos when I can

bloody hell you are brave..
that's what i mean..i started mine and look where it got me..you'd better start saving up for the big upgrades

 

[Big Ben]

Good starting point Nick. The manifold is a real plus!
As Pav said we all like reading progress threads and seeing pics.

If any advice is needed on how to spend money we’re also very good at that

 

[Rallye-nick]

bloody hell you are brave..View attachment 126371
that's what i mean..i started mine and look where it got me..you'd better start saving up for the big upgrades View attachment 126372

Haha yeah, there’s plenty on the list to put the pennies aside for

Good starting point Nick. The manifold is a real plus!
As Pav said we all like reading progress threads and seeing pics.

If any advice is needed on how to spend money we’re also very good at that

Thanks Ben, yeah I was pleased to see the manifold. Yeah well I’m open to any suggestions on mods, I currently looking at the power flex engine mounts as we speak as it seems people tend to couple these with the manifold, any suggestions as to where to get these from?

 

[Pav]

If any advice is needed on how to spend money we’re also very good at that

amen..

any suggestions as to where to get these from?

i got my from ebay but there many other places to get them from..

 

[Johnny 99]

I currently looking at the power flex engine mounts as we speak as it seems people tend to couple these with the manifold, any suggestions as to where to get these from?

I got mine from www.kamracing.co.uk
Good to see the progress thread up Nick. Looking forward to following.

 

[Rallye-nick]

I got mine from www.kamracing.co.uk
Good to see the progress thread up Nick. Looking forward to following.

Lovely job, thanks for that, I've ordered myself up the torque mount for the meantime as well as some new oil and a genuine filter

 

[Rallye-nick]

Not so much progress but a few photos I took this morning on a wee drive out in the 197.

These are a mixture of photos taken using my iPhone X and my Garmin Virb XE.



Really enjoying this car so far, cannot wait for the modifications to start [emoji16]


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[Pav]

these cars still look the business..all ok with the car??

 

[Rallye-nick]

these cars still look the business..all ok with the car??

I agree they certainly do! Yeah everything seems spot on, few little things to sort, hopefully the power flex mounts will help with the manifold vibrating on the subframe.

 

[Pav]

it will surely improve it mate..i was very (pleasantly) surprised how much those powerfelx inserts helped with an overall drive ability...

 

[Rallye-nick]

it will surely improve it mate..i was very (pleasantly) surprised how much those powerfelx inserts helped with an overall drive ability...

Brilliant that’s good to hear, I’m not sure what difference I’m expecting from them besides the additional vibrations in the cabin and helping with the manifold knocking.

 

[Big Ben]

Brilliant that’s good to hear, I’m not sure what difference I’m expecting from them besides the additional vibrations in the cabin and helping with the manifold knocking.

Don’t even notice them after a few hundred miles. Other than the car feels tighter

 

[Rallye-nick]

So a whole load of goodies arrived at work today, nothing that hasn’t been seen before on these forums.



This evening I managed to get both the torque mount bush and lower engine mount bushes fitted.

Both nice and simple to install.







Just taken the car out a short run to the shops and back, definitely an increase in vibrations through the car, but thankfully it has cured the manifold knocking against subframe issue [emoji106]

So all in very happy with the end result.



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[Big Ben]

They should settle down after a few hundred miles fear not!

 

[Pav]

as Ben said..it will defo improve over time..good progress..these cars need some tlc..glad you are happy with your purchase...

 

[Rallye-nick]

Busy day today.

Removed the front bumper this morning, nice simple job with the help of the how to section from the forum [emoji106]

Replaced all the headlight bulbs, have removed all the grilles and painted them. Removed the Renault diamonds and have painted them as well AAAND de badged the rear of the car.

Will put some complete pictures up tomorrow



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[Pav]