RenaultSport Clio 172 Ph1 - Trackday conversion
Discussion
I don't know if I've shown photos of my Clio before, if I have then I can find them that's for sure!
Here she is
PH sticker
Saturday it all changed...
Removed the rear carpet and parcel shelf... Extreme!
A little more adventurous
Stripped!
Won't be needing these anymore!
Next I need to get the angle grinder to the brackets and then it'll be time for a half cage, harnesses and bucket seats. Not intending spending a huge amount on it so I'll just be using clubman harnesses (3 point) which I collect tomorrow second hand and I'll be either getting some second hand seats or Bimarco Futura seats.
I've got a few ideas for how I'm going to prepare the interior once the cage is in but it'll remain a secret until the great reveal
Here she is
PH sticker
Saturday it all changed...
Removed the rear carpet and parcel shelf... Extreme!
A little more adventurous
Stripped!
Won't be needing these anymore!
Next I need to get the angle grinder to the brackets and then it'll be time for a half cage, harnesses and bucket seats. Not intending spending a huge amount on it so I'll just be using clubman harnesses (3 point) which I collect tomorrow second hand and I'll be either getting some second hand seats or Bimarco Futura seats.
I've got a few ideas for how I'm going to prepare the interior once the cage is in but it'll remain a secret until the great reveal
Edited by MagicalTrevor on Sunday 12th January 20:05
Good little project, I had a 240bhp turbo'd 172 cup so I know how much fun they are!
Ditch the fogs for some brake ducts, less weight cooler brakes, win/win
Also I would advise you not to bother updating shocks unless your going for a good set of coilovers ie hr or kw's, the spax are s
t on the clio, I had some and sent them back also GAZ seem to have a lot of trouble on the clio's for some reason
I ran koni shocks with eibach sport lines which where good for fast road use but too soft for track
Ditch the fogs for some brake ducts, less weight cooler brakes, win/win
Also I would advise you not to bother updating shocks unless your going for a good set of coilovers ie hr or kw's, the spax are s
t on the clio, I had some and sent them back also GAZ seem to have a lot of trouble on the clio's for some reasonI ran koni shocks with eibach sport lines which where good for fast road use but too soft for track
Friend did the same thing except the cage - removed passenger and rear seats, spare tyre, front fogs, anything else loose, ran ducting from fog housings to cool the brakes, connected 3 point harness to random bracket in the rear, fitted sticky rubber, took 6 seconds off of a 1.55 lap time.
He put it back to standard in under 2 hours come sale time.
He put it back to standard in under 2 hours come sale time.
I'm just going to use a cheap cage from eBay. Ok it's not FIA approved, but it doesn't need to be as I'll only be doing trackdays. The chap has a good reputation and I'm certainly not putting £800+ of cage in a £1k car!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131082165674
Picked these up second hand, not got anywhere to mount them just yet though!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131082165674
Picked these up second hand, not got anywhere to mount them just yet though!
Nice, I love these little track cars =)
Not meaning to hijack the topic, but you mention vehicle height after stripping:
Here's a pic of my project, my stripped Lupo GTI on standard suspension, it looks and rides like a fricking SUV:
No way it would pass the standardized Mighty Car Mods shoe test...
This has also altered the driving characteristics enormously, it tends to lift-off-oversteer much earlier than before -> scary at times in the dry, scary at all times in the wet.
Keep in mind that the Lupo GTI has the battery in the boot for better weight distribution - the Clio has even less weight in the rear.
I'm also going the half cage route same as you, and the added weight along with a lower centre of gravity due to lower (and stiffer) suspension should make the car more neutral.
Suspension-wise, are you doing the bushes as well? And are you going to put some camber on the wheels?
Keep posting pics, following this one with interest
Marvin
Not meaning to hijack the topic, but you mention vehicle height after stripping:
Here's a pic of my project, my stripped Lupo GTI on standard suspension, it looks and rides like a fricking SUV:
No way it would pass the standardized Mighty Car Mods shoe test...
This has also altered the driving characteristics enormously, it tends to lift-off-oversteer much earlier than before -> scary at times in the dry, scary at all times in the wet.
Keep in mind that the Lupo GTI has the battery in the boot for better weight distribution - the Clio has even less weight in the rear.
I'm also going the half cage route same as you, and the added weight along with a lower centre of gravity due to lower (and stiffer) suspension should make the car more neutral.
Suspension-wise, are you doing the bushes as well? And are you going to put some camber on the wheels?
Keep posting pics, following this one with interest
Marvin
Further progress today with quite a bit removed!
running outer of space to store it so it's had to be put back in again!
First seat out was the passenger side plus the carpet
Then the driver seat, whilst Trev supervises
and all done for today
Next I need to work out what I can cut out of the wiring loom. I'd like to also find some suitable electric window switches so I can fit them where the stereo is now
Got behind the dash today, I won't be taking too much out of the wiring harness but there are a few things like the passenger airbag, stereo and integrating USB cables for my GoPro and Dual XGPS150.
I had a Griffin dual-USB cigarette lighter adapter lying around so using the a guide on hard wiring I took the Griffin apart, wired it to a connector block
its not pretty but it works and nobody will see
Drilled an untidy hole in the top of the glovebox and stuff the contraption through it. I used half the original shell just to give it some structure and stuck in place with some sealant as that's all I had lying around
I was on a roll so I also moved my alarm light. I didn't want to remove it (didn't want to find that the alarm recognised a fault) so just moved it inside the glovebox as well
running outer of space to store it so it's had to be put back in again!
First seat out was the passenger side plus the carpet
Then the driver seat, whilst Trev supervises
and all done for today
Next I need to work out what I can cut out of the wiring loom. I'd like to also find some suitable electric window switches so I can fit them where the stereo is now
Got behind the dash today, I won't be taking too much out of the wiring harness but there are a few things like the passenger airbag, stereo and integrating USB cables for my GoPro and Dual XGPS150.
I had a Griffin dual-USB cigarette lighter adapter lying around so using the a guide on hard wiring I took the Griffin apart, wired it to a connector block
its not pretty but it works and nobody will see
Drilled an untidy hole in the top of the glovebox and stuff the contraption through it. I used half the original shell just to give it some structure and stuck in place with some sealant as that's all I had lying around
I was on a roll so I also moved my alarm light. I didn't want to remove it (didn't want to find that the alarm recognised a fault) so just moved it inside the glovebox as well
Being a bit cheeky.....sorry!
Read all of this : http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Read all of this : http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Lordbenny said:
Being a bit cheeky.....sorry!
Read all of this : http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Serious work in that thread! I'm not quite so adventurous!Read all of this : http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Studio117 said:
Please fit a cage and proper seats if you are going to use harnesses.
Sorry did I not mention that?The harnesses are just there to work out length at the moment. I'm intending getting some Bimarco Futura/Expert seats and a half cage in a week or two. Will be using either bolt in or weld in subframes and sidemounts for the seats.
A small development.
I wanted somewhere to mount my phone for controlling my GoPro, listening to music whilst on my way to trackdays and also for various iOS apps.
It's a RAM Mount for the iPhone 5 + a mount that I've bolted to a single DIN stereo cover. It will ultimately also be used to mount the hazard switch.
I didn't want it mounted with a suction mount for obvious reasons but wanted it in easy reach
I wanted somewhere to mount my phone for controlling my GoPro, listening to music whilst on my way to trackdays and also for various iOS apps.
It's a RAM Mount for the iPhone 5 + a mount that I've bolted to a single DIN stereo cover. It will ultimately also be used to mount the hazard switch.
I didn't want it mounted with a suction mount for obvious reasons but wanted it in easy reach
Edited by MagicalTrevor on Saturday 25th January 17:03
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