New none 133 or GT Owner - Just putting my toe in the water

I've been a member for a little while, I don't have a 133 or GT just a 1.2 Dynamic with a few mods (Factory and my own) To be honest there aren't that many forums around which answer some of the questions I had, except this one, so I hope you don't mind me just introducing myself.

I brought the car back in Sept as a Cat D, she was 6 months old and had only done 2500 miles (it was stolen recovered with front end damage) but was back running again, although to a standard that was not really acceptable - but the price was .

So what makes this a little more unusual is some of the Renault mods, it's got 16" alloys, a full carbon fibre effect wheel arch / side sills and front & rear spoilers plus a GT roof spoiler, then we get into my mods, as the car was so cheap I decided to change the suspension, it's now lowered (25mm) using Bilstein B14 coilovers, K-Tech Solid Top mounts, plus I've fitted some Mtech slotted and dimpled discs with Yellowstuff pads, revised induction system (BMC style Carbon Fibre) plus the next 2 weeks it will have a new stainless exhaust system with a 200 CEL cat fitted and then finally a new map to make the throttle reponse better and give a slight increase in BHP - (not expecting a great deal more interested in getting the throttle correct etc), and finally a set of Carbon Mods mud flaps.

So why do it - you may ask yourself, well for £30 year road tax and over 50 mpg with the handling of a go-kart plus insurance of £280 full comp with all the above mods, plus it makes even more sense when it cost less than half the price of a new one (including all the above mods)

As you will guess I've been around cars for a while , (Yes that's my Spitfire - had it for 24 years) I've recently sold my MR2 Roadster which was pretty well modded to a reasonable standard, so I thought I would give a front wheel drive ago, strange choice I know but I do actually enjoy working / driving the car, might even do the odd track day with it, one thing I learnt from the MR2 - power is certainly not everything, it's about the package as a whole.

So I think I've gone on a little too long, if you don't think it's correct for me to continue then please say so as i don't want to offend anyone.

Also one final pointer, the bolts which fit the front strut to the hub are a one shot deal, why because I managed to stretch mine setting them to the 105 nm torque that is required - not good for sure.

Here's a couple of photo's - don't laugh

Rob.

Welcome.

I'm not sure on the side and rear (it's the first car outside of a Renault brochure that I've seen with it though) but that front spoiler looks great.
The facelift looks great in red!

Welcome to the club!

I've got a 1.2 i-music pre facelift myself. I'll be interested in the results when you get the remap You may find that the car maybe running more than the 74/75bhp before the remap.

Welcome to the mad house. Anyone's welcome no matter what the model is so stick around.

Welcome.

Like Maggi, other than brochure pics, that's the first one I've seen with the body kit fitted.

At least its easy to get to your cat, unlike the 133, so I think it makes sense if your changing the exhaust anyway With a bit more power and firmer handling, it should be a hoot to drive.


Karen ^^^^ I know I'm not allowed to, but Twiglet would look good on B14s :lol:

Welcome

Thanks guys for your warm welcome - Happy New Year as well.

As for the carbon kit, it does look a lot better in the flesh, even more so when it's clean

Next stage for me is getting the alignment right, went over to Demon Tweeks before Christmas to have the base setting checked after it had been lowered, two areas were out, the first being the rear toe which had the OSR at 22' and the NSR at 32', so going to get a set of shims from Pure Motorsport to correct and pull them both in to around 10', I prefer a more positive steer from the front hence changing from the norm which I understand is around 20' for a lowered car.

The next area is the NSF caster, it's about 1 deg out so I'm going to reposition the subframe as it was moved when they did the repair on the front, all other settings were within spec but still going to fit some Eibach camber bolts to get a bit more neg on the front, I want to be around -1.5 to -2.

I can put the above information / results in the technical section if you wish, or do you want it in the general Twingo section as it's not specific to the 133?

Thanks again.

Rob.

singlespeed":t8jfwqly said:

At least its easy to get to your cat, unlike the 133, so I think it makes sense if your changing the exhaust anyway

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Yes the exhaust is so simple, I couldn't believe it myself, a single box and cat and that's it, just got to make sure it has a big enough anti fowler fitted post cat, to stop EML coming on. As for the cat, already got one from Redback - E approved as well, so should be OK for when it has its first MOT. I'll post some pics once it's done.

Doing mods to a car that seem completely awkward and pointless are the whole idea of building something crazy that no one expects.

Welcome to the forum!

I like it but would get the windows tinted a bit darker

MaartenKv":ygpzvx2z said:

I like it but would get the windows tinted a bit darker

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Yep you are right (been quoted £99 for the two side rears plus the rear), it was supposed to have it done at the factory (it states it in the brochure for the rear glass) but for whatever reason it was not, I've seen a few around from the same year and they are the same - must have been a Renault oversight. :roll:

I've just ordered some smoked side wind deflectors (Heko's) which will give it a bit more shade on the front windows plus stop me getting wet every time it rains :lol: :lol: