THE RESURRECTION OF A 15 TL

By Ben (the very Broke) Bayley, Melbourne VIC Australia

Starring : The Mechanic - Adam (the Miracle Worker) Schonekas

Co-Starring : The Owner - Ben (the Very Broke) Bayley

Props 'n Things - Volker (Spare Parts) Schubert

Welding Music - Michael (Subwoofer) Suckling

Project : Strip & Rebuild 15TL within 2 weeks.

Tasks - Removal and replacement of front bumpers and lights etc, lots and lots of rust repairs - front guards, rear guards, door pillars, window sills, rear wheel wells etc., repair gap in drivers seat floor pan, remove and weld new front drivers floorpan, weld handbrake bracket, rebuild front suspension, front indicator lens, some globes, add vented discs and late model drum brakes, wire hazard lights, electric pump washer bottle, install new super plush moulded carpets, seat belts, and a windscreen and a couple of minor engine details.

This story starts, with something that shouldn't really be mentioned in a 15/17 Register Newsletter, but a terminally ill Renault 12 Virage, with either 40 or 100 PSI compression, depending on which cylinders you tested (Anyone wanna buy a cheap car!! (Hark I hear laughter all around me)), this brought about a sudden urge to separate myself from the world of 12's, and leap with Visa card and bankbook in hand into the illustrious ranks of the 15/17 owners club.

With a visit to Alpine Affaire, and after some inquiries about fairly cheap cars for sale, Colin Stark announced that he had two Renault 12's and a 15 for sale. We test drove one of the 12's and the 15 and there was no doubt as to which I would choose. After checking credit limits and bank balances a new era was about to begin (Pause for massive applause for the correct decision).

The 15TL is an import from Europe, It originated in Belgium then it lived in Greece, number plates being 5292 TT75. As the previous owner liked it so much it came to Australia to live, where it lived happily ever after, one of 3, believed to be in Australia, and was previously owned by John Pappas.

DAY 1 Travelled to Reno Spares and purchased two vented discs, tie rod arms, ball joints, and an ISO Delta steering wheel. Removal of lights and bumpers - nothing too complicated about this process but removing the front guards proved to be frustrating due to them being re-welded at the front after a previous removal, this was completed after some major grinding and swearing.

DAY 2 - 6 Preparation of the rear guards, rust removal, fibre glassing and filling. Also swapped rear axle for one containing the larger drum brakes. In between we engrossed ourselves in videos, slaughtered hordes whilst playing Tie Fighter, gorging on Jelly Belly jelly beans and having the occasional nap.

DAY 7 Another trip to Reno Spares, to obtain a floor pan, some reinforced wishbones (as the 15TL ones were originally hollow), and an electric motored washer bottle to replace the 16 foot pedal which was fitted. In the afternoon some hurried prep work was done on the new floorpan in order to make it weldable.

DAY 8 Woke early to hire a MIG welder and set off to retrieve said welder with Mr. Volkers' assistance. Returned home and promptly started pacing, waiting for Michaels' imminent arrival. Received mobile phone call saying he was imminently late and would be another hour. I wasn't worried about the delay, I was worried about the heat. I knew Michael wouldn't enjoy welding with temperatures rapidly approaching the expected top of 32 degrees. During the afternoon there was much consuming of liquids, none alcoholic as I wanted as straight a weld as possible, much sweating, much cursing, much patience from Michael, and not much else. After a difficult installation of a solid 25mm sway bar on Michaels' 17 as payment, all was well.

Special note : Very grateful to Michael firstly for putting up with the difficult conditions both weatherwise and rustwise and secondly for letting me borrow his brand new Yello CD. Thanks Mike!!!

DAY 9 Adam ground and fibreglassed the new floorpan, both inside and underneath. Fibreglass and resin everywhere!

Day 10 Woke early (6:15) in order to prepared for the distant journey to GT Suspension in the city to reset the Miracle Workers front springs for his 12 G, (this is another tale to be told elsewhere). Left home (Ferntree Gully, normally 1 hour from Melbourne) at 7am and promptly did not arrive until 9:05 due to a spill near the Chandler exit on the Eastern Freeway. (The traffic was backed up all the way to Doncaster Road - approx 10km).

DAY 11 More filling, sanding, primering, filling, sanding, and bitumen painting.

DAY 12 Second last day for roadworthy, are we going to make it before I have to go back to work???? NO....... Due to a faulty seat rail a nonexistent/non-functioning master cylinder and a sheared off bleed valve.

DAY 13 Stripped the master cylinder and found that the end piston was seized solid, and needed to be rebuilt (Master cylinder stainless steel sleeved and and new valves at ABS Brakes $130). Whilst replacing seats the drivers side rail decided to abscond (fall off that is). We took said rail to Volkers in an attempt to narrow the rail.

DAY 14 No work done as Adams' 12 was being rewired, with some confusing but satisfactory results.

DAY 15 Family function - no work today.

Thanks to Alpine Affaire, Reno Spares and Volker Schubert for supplying the bits. Special thanks, praise and eternal gratefulness to Adam Schonekas for putting the bits together. Extra thanks to Michael (the welder) Suckling for his commitment above and beyond the call, and lastly a distant thanks to Renault for manufacturing 15's and 17's.

P.S. Yes we finally got the car on the road, on the following tuesday, with it's new rego TL.0015.

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