Project Claude

[JdeW]

Good to see another R4 will be saved, a nice GTL with the 688D7/12 engine.
Keep up the good work and don't be surpised when you get some R4 surprises.
Have a look on my GTL full restoration to see what you can expect, and don't hesitate to ask.
https://www.renault4.co.uk/forum/threads/r4-gtl-1985-restoration.8252/

Regards, Joop

 

[Davemassey1983]

Thanks joop, I’ll keep that in mind! Had a little more time with him today but had the wife’s car in for a spot of welding on the door hinge! Wiring harness stripped, a few ancillaries removed and we took some more of the dash/interior wiring out!

Dave

 

[Davemassey1983]

Evening everyone, I need a bit of advice, I was in the process of getting the gearbox freed up to remove and realised there was a huge amount of slack in the gear lever when in neutral. Is this normal? If not is there a rebuild kit for the shifter or is it a gearbox rebuild job?
Thanks
Dave

 

[Andy McGhee]

Dave
I don't know whether this'll help, but have just taken some rough measurements on my GTL - in neutral, there's about 6cm of free lateral movement and 4cm of longitudinal (in the vertical stick from the box). Very unscientifically measured, but it might give you an idea.

 

[Davemassey1983]

Thanks Andy, appreciate that! did you take the measurement from the base or top of the stick?

Dave

 

[Andy McGhee]

The top of the stick (as in your picture - forgive me for copying it here, but it avoids any ambiguity; it's the stick that comes out of the box rather than the gearstick inside the car).

 

[Davemassey1983]

Perfect! Thank you very much, I will check next time I’m with the car, very much appreciated.
Dave

 

[Davemassey1983]

Well not as much progress as I hoped over the Easter weekend but I’ve finally got to the point where I have started to remove the body.
All wiring, dash, steering column, body bolts etc have been removed and the horrible body sealant has been 80% removed (still need to work out how I’m going to go about removing the boot floor from chassis)
So hopefully by next weekend I’ll have it removed and I’ll be starting the cutting and welding!

 

[Davemassey1983]

Oh and while I’m on the subject of grinding I thought I’d mention this little parkside cut off tool...what a great bit of kit it is for relatively little money, I think it cost £40 and is great for those hard to reach places. It has a fair old bit of grunt for a 12v grinder....definitely a handy thing to have in your toolbox!

 

[JdeW]

still need to work out how I’m going to go about removing the boot floor from chassis

Hello Dave, I separated it just by the weight of the chassis.
Removing the bolts is obvious and further there's that horrible bitumen thats's holding the boot floor to the 2 rear beams and the cross beam.
I jacked everything up (4 inches from the ground) and strapped the body to my double A-frame (could be a firm ceiling as well) and then let the weigt and gravity do the job for you.

 

[Davemassey1983]

I’ve tried a different approach and it seems to have worked, I used a few paper scrapers and a Stanley knife to attack the easier to get at parts then gently lifted the front of the body until there was some pressure on the rear. I went back today after leaving it for 24 hours and it’s seems to have separated a treat! (Sorry for the awful pics!)

 

[Jurjenz]

Yeahh it's off! Are you going to put a new floorplate in? Or only patch work?

 

[Davemassey1983]

The front section will need a whole new floor, chassis rails need a fair old amount of work but the rear only has a few holes so I’ll probably just patch them up! Still a bit of work to do getting the frame stripped but I’m hoping the welding will start next week!

 

[Davemassey1983]

Well it’s officially in 2 pieces! That was sketchy doing it on my own and still need to make a frame for the body to sit on.
Gave me a chance to have a good look at the frame which isn’t as bad as I first thought, the drivers side seems to have taken the brunt of the weather and also a little corrosion from brake fluid!
Now the fun part starts!!!

 

[Davemassey1983]

I forgot the pics!!

 

[JdeW]

Oh yeah, this looks all so familiar as I look at the chassis and the rear wheel support arms. The body is in a better state.
Good luck and have fun with the fun part

 

[Pete Isom]

Hey yeah ive been there as well, i think mine was probably to far gone but its now solid as a, well solid thing

 

[Davemassey1983]

Just out of interest, does anyone know the correct steel to use for chassis repairs?

 

[Pete Isom]

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...L3yxcXK8Np_Jvxd8HEiMw5R7tJv5-kD4&__tn__=-UC-R

 

[Pete Isom]

these guys did mine, they called it Zintec I think, im seeing them saturday, could ask if no one else knows