Clio 172 Track Car Project

[AshRS250]

Picked up our Clio on Friday. Lovely little car, a few issues that weren't highlighted on eBay advert and we didn't pick up on our short test drive, as we were in a hurry to get back home after negotiating heavy traffic on Friday evening to get to Peterborough.

Although there was a little inspiration on the way to keep our spirits high as we followed a stripped out Clio on trade plates for a few miles:


Biggest issue is 5th gear cruches as you engage, done a little research and apparently a quick change of the dogbone bushes should cure this. Will be ordering it this week. Hopefully it will be this simple to resolve. If not new gearbox.

Anyway here's a couple of pics: (took them Saturday as it was too dark on Friday evening)





Then Saturday we picked up our trailer: (this one needs alot more work)







and some new (breaker yard) steel wheels and tyres for the trailer as the original were unuseable:

Edited by AshRS250 on Friday 30th September 22:08

[FlashBastd]

Looking forward to more progress with this, following your previous "what track car" post.

[Greg99]

Picked my Cup up last weekend so looking forward to keeping tabs on the progress.

[joe_90]

new gearbox then.. I have had all the bushes go a few times, and never had a 5th gear crunch.. but hopefully it will sort it for you.. get a powerflex dogbone one.

Was there any knocking when you let off the throttle in 1st / 2nd gear? on tapped the brakes?

[Sir_Dave]

I wouldnt worry too much about the box, its about £300 to get it refurbed at Agency Transmissions in Gloucester. Or £250 or so for a 2nd hand box on Cliosport.net

[Ten Four]

Try redline lightweight shockproof for the box?

[AshRS250]

Thanks for the suggestions. Just googled the oil, looks good stuff.

Anyway, ordered a couple of items this week all arrived within a couple fo days, nothing much but going to keep this thread as a full log of items that relate to the track project. . . . .

New Full Face Helmet from V2Sport . .


Stickers removed . . .


And a Powerflex dogbone bush kit . . . (this will be fitted tomorrow, hopefully. Pics will follow))

[wackojacko]

Decent build, your pics seem to come up small, as if thumbnails, try "forum fit"



The V2 sport helmets are very good, I will be buying a Matt black "Pro" version.

[AshRS250]

wackojacko said:

Decent build, your pics seem to come up small, as if thumbnails, try "forum fit"



The V2 sport helmets are very good, I will be buying a Matt black "Pro" version.

I post the thumbnail link from photobucket to keep the picture size down on the posts, keeps the post tidy and easy to read, they are all clickable for a larger picture to be viewed. How do you do "forum fit"??

I thought about getting the matt black one but quite like the white and tinted visor look. Just need to add my luck number 13 to it and all done. I want to find a "8 ball" design but replace the 8 with 13.

[nobodyknows]

Looking forward to following your progress.

[wackojacko]

AshRS250 said:

wackojacko said:

Decent build, your pics seem to come up small, as if thumbnails, try "forum fit"



The V2 sport helmets are very good, I will be buying a Matt black "Pro" version.

I post the thumbnail link from photobucket to keep the picture size down on the posts, keeps the post tidy and easy to read, they are all clickable for a larger picture to be viewed. How do you do "forum fit"??

I thought about getting the matt black one but quite like the white and tinted visor look. Just need to add my luck number 13 to it and all done. I want to find a "8 ball" design but replace the 8 with 13.

On the small photo uploadr link it has two options (thumbnail and forum fit) Yep that's a good idear just wondered if you know they where thumbnails.

Indeed they do look good, reasonably priced aswell for Snell approved helmets.

[AshRS250]

Dogbone kit fitted. apart from one of the bolts being a slightly stuck, the job was fairly simple and easy to do.

All jacked up and resting on Axle stands:


The old one:



Removing the Bushes:


Polyflex bushes fitted:

[AshRS250]

Small update . . . .

Tow Straps purchased (the start of the orange details)


Gearbox Oil Changed:

definitly need changing old stuff smelt horrid and was a really grey/black/brown colour



And our budget trailer is coming along:


Also bought a Mini DVR camera.


Tried it out by cable tying it to the fron grill of my RS250 (test video i put together = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1dQIhST_i0 ). Video quality isn't bad for a £20.00 camera (including seperate memory card) Wind noise is horrendous. So i'm going to try to mount in some where in cabin.

[grenpayne]

Looking good, keep up the good work.

Did the dogbone kit sort out the crunching in 5th?

And can I ask why you decided to change the gearbox oil? I've recently bought a Clio 172 (on a WX52 plate as well!) as a cheap daily drive and you've got me wondering if I need to do mine....

[Jw Vw]

Cool project OP. Have fun.

[joe_90]

grenpayne said:

Looking good, keep up the good work.

Did the dogbone kit sort out the crunching in 5th?

And can I ask why you decided to change the gearbox oil? I've recently bought a Clio 172 (on a WX52 plate as well!) as a cheap daily drive and you've got me wondering if I need to do mine....

Just do it, it's cheap and very easy.
1) take off air box
2) jack up and locate the drain plug on the gearbox, undo and drain.
3) undo the butterfly plug on the front of the gearbox, just get a bar and tap with a mallet lightly to start it moving.
4) put gearbox plug in (with new washer)
5) put in a pipe where the butterfly plug was and put in 3 liters of gearbox oil.
5) pull out pipe (some may start leaking out) and put in the butterfly plug, do it up finger tight the a bit more.
6) put air box back on.
7) done.

[AshRS250]

joe_90 said:

grenpayne said:

Looking good, keep up the good work.

Did the dogbone kit sort out the crunching in 5th?

And can I ask why you decided to change the gearbox oil? I've recently bought a Clio 172 (on a WX52 plate as well!) as a cheap daily drive and you've got me wondering if I need to do mine....

Just do it, it's cheap and very easy.
1) take off air box
2) jack up and locate the drain plug on the gearbox, undo and drain.
3) undo the butterfly plug on the front of the gearbox, just get a bar and tap with a mallet lightly to start it moving.
4) put gearbox plug in (with new washer)
5) put in a pipe where the butterfly plug was and put in 3 liters of gearbox oil.
5) pull out pipe (some may start leaking out) and put in the butterfly plug, do it up finger tight the a bit more.
6) put air box back on.
7) done.

As above took me about an hour. Really simple to do. ClioSport members recommended me doing it and for £40.00 i would say its well worth it.

Dog bone bushes and gearbox oil change still haven't sorted the 5th gear crunch so i think i'm going to have to send the gearbox away for refurb. Suggestions please where i can send it?

[joe_90]

Will you ever use 5th on a track day? Just use it till it breaks.

[Porkie]

Good luck with your 172. Great cars. I love my one.

Why trailer it though? Are you taking it off the road? Track car only?

I drove mine to and from Donnington yesterday. Was a pleasure.... had 4 spare Exige wheels in the back and 6 helmets as well! Proper little track toy/van it is!

If you do one thing. Make sure the cambelts been done by a expert of these engines!

oh and get it set up by Mark fish suspension wise. Mans a genius!

[AshRS250]

Porkie said:

Good luck with your 172. Great cars. I love my one.

Why trailer it though? Are you taking it off the road? Track car only?

I drove mine to and from Donnington yesterday. Was a pleasure.... had 4 spare Exige wheels in the back and 6 helmets as well! Proper little track toy/van it is!

If you do one thing. Make sure the cambelts been done by a expert of these engines!

oh and get it set up by Mark fish suspension wise. Mans a genius!

Thanks.

Yes, the car is only going to be used on track, so we didn't want the fork out the expense of Insurance & Tax each year (approx £750.00) when that money could be used for better things. Uprated parts, track days, etc.