Spotted in Australia!!!!!

by **renman3000** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 1:50 pm

At work on Thursday avo I looked out and saw my GTA Turbo on a flat bed truck reversing into the building.

I cannot describe my feelings - I had to rush out and touch it! This was the first time I'd clapped eyes on it. Six months to the day after my first contact with the seller on your shores and here it was, the car I'd only seen in pics and vids. Yes, I was emotional.

I have thanked the seller - he was very honest and the car is probably better than I imagined. My goal is to have it complying with Aus regs and registered before the 8th of July which is the beginning of the Brisbane based Renault Sport & Alpine Expo.

This event runs Fri Sat & Sun. Sunday is the yearly Bastille Day (almost) celebrations which involve the Grand Display of French Cars - a large gathering of froggies which this year will feature Alpine & Renault Sport & Gordini vehicles. Registrants are from A110s onward, so we'll have a great collection of notable cars sourced from all over our wide brown land!!

Its a biggie for us - the Renault Club of Queensland have been planning it
for seven months or more. So as Club Cap'n I'd better be there for the Saturday Run (300kms) and the Grand Display on Sunday with my GTA.

Hooroo and thanks to all who have helped me

Graeme

Website · by **Juzzblack** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 2:41 pm

Do you have to wait until it complys with the regs or have you had a sneaky drive?

How does it go? Is it a turbo or atmo?

by **renman3000** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 1:18 am

It goes great - Turbo

by **stephendell** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 11:40 am

Any pics for the visitors section please?!

by **renman3000** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 9:49 pm

Some pics soon - any news on a drivers side headlamp glass?

by **stephendell** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 10:41 pm

Only new or plastic I'm afraid at present.

by **renman3000** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 9:16 am

Have you got prices for both new and plastic, Stephen?

by **renman3000** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 12:49 pm

Spotted my own GTA Turbo registered this avo!!
What a feeling, finally 6 months + and I can drive my car (only saw it for real on 9th Jun).
AlpinePete cruised home with me in a Laguna just in case anything happened on the first drive. Lagunas look like a skyscraper from a GTA. I guess thats the biggest difference to me - the fact that I have a very low car to drive. I didn't get much opportunity to explore tonight as it was still raining and I had no interior lights, dash , fan demister ----

My family love it though - everyone laughs when they see the wipers work first time!!

by **peterg** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 1:25 pm

Dash lights will be the damn dimmer switch....they are very dodgy! I have wired round it to do away with it. Rain is no excuse for not driving it hard.....its just a more entertaining experience

I thought you Aussies were meant to be a hardened bunch :lol:

by **renman3000** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 11:37 pm

Nah - I'm a weaky on my first drive! :oops:

I'll have a look at the dimmer switch thanks
Graeme

by **simontaylor** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 10:08 am

Yup, previous owner has removed dimmer swithch from my car too. All 4 blue wires under the sterring wheel tray are connected together.

by **renman3000** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 9:08 am

Okay I'm getting the idea that the electricals are none too reliable.
I'll be trying that dimmer switch bypass on the weekend. Had a hopeful fiddle with it tonight but no luck.
Have noticed my water temp gauge and oil pressure guage both read max on most occasions, apart from one journey when they both seemed to read properly until right near the end, when they sprang up to their highest readings.
Anyone had this experience? I'm going for poor connections somewhere again? Relays? By the way where do the rad fan relays live??

Demister fan also a no go - really I'll come clean and say that the speedo, tacho, the lights and wipers work - but nothing else is playing the game.
So I'll be playing with wires for a while I can tell. Any more hints would be very much appreciated.
Thanks
Graeme

by **clee** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 12:04 pm

Probably poor connections ,it's usualy a good idea to give the dash connections a check.If you've got two fans the fuses/relays are behind the drivers side headlamp cover .

by **peterg** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 12:58 pm

The blower fan on mine was also kaputt when I got it....or rather it only ran on the very slowest speed. Turned out to be the resistor under the knob in the centre console. A new switch later and all was well again.

by **LiamMcShane** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 10:45 am

Once you do get all the electrical gremlins sorted on your car, you shouldn't have too many more. Most of them seem to be caused by corrosion and bad connections (more of a problem to those of us near the sea, in which case anywhere in Northern Ireland! :lol: