Renault Sport R26 - Road car to clubsport track weapon
Discussion
Hi all,
Thought i would put a thread together of my once very clean Megane R26 (fairly low mileage of like 67k when I picked it up)
The date is sometime in early 2021...I have a Renault Sport Clio 172 Cup track car currently that I built for track and has done many track days with but I wanted more speed... the clio was a fun nippy car and very capable but after doing around 15 track days in it I felt like I needed to step from the clio...
So I thought about going up to a Megane, i didn't know at the moment if I wanted a R26 or a 250 Cup...
So I put a thread on on fb on one of the megane groups asking what I should go for coming from the clio to a megane.
Surprisingly a lot people told me I should go for the R26 over the 250 as they still felt quite raw like a clio which I kinda wanted still, as it was only going to be a odd weekend car and clubsport spec track car...
I had a heatly budget to buy and modify the right car, so I started the search for a clean nice R26..I orognally wanted a white or liquid yellow one only but this red one popped up for sale..
The car was a recent competition winners car where the guy who had just won it and before taking delivery said he was going to sell it...(he already had a track built megane)
Now a few weeks later, this megane was sold to someone else and I was still looking for either a LY or white one, the guy who bought it, saw my wanted add and dropped me a PM asking if I wanted to buy it as he had bought it for a 2nd car and for his wife to drive but she couldn't get on with the heavy clutch (had a aftermarket helix set up on it). Seeing the photos of it in the red I was sold on the idea of now thinking I should buy this car..
The guy sent me some photos from the comp page and photos he had taken and I kinda fell in love with it... so I had arranged to go view it.
It was bank holiday weekend -Good Friday of 2021 when I drove up to Leeds (i think) from Swindon to go view it. I had to buy it. So I did...
So here it is... My Renault Sport Megane R26 in Ultra Red of 120 sold in the UK... Much rarer colour than LY or white
Mods were
. Hybrid turbo
. Gram lowering springs
. Helix orangic clutch (SMF conversion)
. Forge Motorsport intercooler
. 630cc Injectors
. 3 inch K-tec exhaust from turbo with sports cat
. Quick shift mod on gearbox
. Mapped by RS Tuning it was pushing 300/300 HP/Torque
So it already had some tasty mods before I got my hands on it.
Photos from the competition page where the car was originally won
Photos of the day I picked it up on the way home.
Back home i had to go take some photos
![](https://forums-images.pistonheads.com/699793/202604193933498?resize=720[/img]</a> <a href="https://forums-images.pistonheads.com/699793/202604193940521" Target="_blank" >[img]https://forums-images.pistonheads.com/699793/202604193940521?resize=720)
Thought i would put a thread together of my once very clean Megane R26 (fairly low mileage of like 67k when I picked it up)
The date is sometime in early 2021...I have a Renault Sport Clio 172 Cup track car currently that I built for track and has done many track days with but I wanted more speed... the clio was a fun nippy car and very capable but after doing around 15 track days in it I felt like I needed to step from the clio...
So I thought about going up to a Megane, i didn't know at the moment if I wanted a R26 or a 250 Cup...
So I put a thread on on fb on one of the megane groups asking what I should go for coming from the clio to a megane.
Surprisingly a lot people told me I should go for the R26 over the 250 as they still felt quite raw like a clio which I kinda wanted still, as it was only going to be a odd weekend car and clubsport spec track car...
I had a heatly budget to buy and modify the right car, so I started the search for a clean nice R26..I orognally wanted a white or liquid yellow one only but this red one popped up for sale..
The car was a recent competition winners car where the guy who had just won it and before taking delivery said he was going to sell it...(he already had a track built megane)
Now a few weeks later, this megane was sold to someone else and I was still looking for either a LY or white one, the guy who bought it, saw my wanted add and dropped me a PM asking if I wanted to buy it as he had bought it for a 2nd car and for his wife to drive but she couldn't get on with the heavy clutch (had a aftermarket helix set up on it). Seeing the photos of it in the red I was sold on the idea of now thinking I should buy this car..
The guy sent me some photos from the comp page and photos he had taken and I kinda fell in love with it... so I had arranged to go view it.
It was bank holiday weekend -Good Friday of 2021 when I drove up to Leeds (i think) from Swindon to go view it. I had to buy it. So I did...
So here it is... My Renault Sport Megane R26 in Ultra Red of 120 sold in the UK... Much rarer colour than LY or white
Mods were
. Hybrid turbo
. Gram lowering springs
. Helix orangic clutch (SMF conversion)
. Forge Motorsport intercooler
. 630cc Injectors
. 3 inch K-tec exhaust from turbo with sports cat
. Quick shift mod on gearbox
. Mapped by RS Tuning it was pushing 300/300 HP/Torque
So it already had some tasty mods before I got my hands on it.
Photos from the competition page where the car was originally won
Photos of the day I picked it up on the way home.
Back home i had to go take some photos
Edited by R26 Lee on Sunday 19th April 10:48
Edited by R26 Lee on Sunday 19th April 10:54
Edited by R26 Lee on Sunday 19th April 10:57
So its still the long bank holiday weekend and I have owned the car only a matter of hours...
Im at home, pleased with my purchase, still with a healthy bank account as I set my budget of nice 250 cup money and I wanted to turn this into a clubsport spec build. I started making some purchases to build this car how I wanted it to
Within a matter of hours/days i had the following on order
BC coilovers DS series with 7kg spring rates from Kam Racinng
Full Powerflex bush kit from George (sorry can't remember your company name)
EvoL dog bone for gearbox mount from EvoL
SW Motosport bolt in half cage from SW Motosport
Corbeau Pro Series X seats from GSM Motorsports
TRS Magnum super light 4 point Harnesses from GSM Motorsports
PureTrack seat mounts from PureTrack
Protrack one wheels from Tegiwia
235 40 18 Nankang AR1 Ktec Racing
Parts where stacking up...
I had to wait a few weeks for the cage and seats to be made and delivered... suddenly my dining room was now my store room...
Im at home, pleased with my purchase, still with a healthy bank account as I set my budget of nice 250 cup money and I wanted to turn this into a clubsport spec build. I started making some purchases to build this car how I wanted it to
Within a matter of hours/days i had the following on order
BC coilovers DS series with 7kg spring rates from Kam Racinng
Full Powerflex bush kit from George (sorry can't remember your company name)
EvoL dog bone for gearbox mount from EvoL
SW Motosport bolt in half cage from SW Motosport
Corbeau Pro Series X seats from GSM Motorsports
TRS Magnum super light 4 point Harnesses from GSM Motorsports
PureTrack seat mounts from PureTrack
Protrack one wheels from Tegiwia
235 40 18 Nankang AR1 Ktec Racing
Parts where stacking up...
I had to wait a few weeks for the cage and seats to be made and delivered... suddenly my dining room was now my store room...
I couldn't wait for the seats and cage to arrive i had to get these wheels on asap...
As soon as my tyres arrived they were on!
I think I was the first megane 2 in the uk to run the Protrack one wheels... you seen them on the mk3 boys but never on the mk2!
Wheels are on.. 8j and a ET45 they were the perfect fit 👌🏻 😍
As soon as my tyres arrived they were on!
I think I was the first megane 2 in the uk to run the Protrack one wheels... you seen them on the mk3 boys but never on the mk2!
Wheels are on.. 8j and a ET45 they were the perfect fit 👌🏻 😍
More parts started to arrive...
My seats arrived from GSM along with my Puretrack seat mounts
I had a Ktec boot mat on order once the rear the seats were out
Think I drove around most of May with just my new wheels on and I think I was still waiting for my cage to arrive
End of May/start of June..i booked my first TD at my local circuit Caslte Combe for sometime in July so I had to get my skates on and start fitting the rest of the parts I had stocked up.
My seats arrived from GSM along with my Puretrack seat mounts
I had a Ktec boot mat on order once the rear the seats were out
Think I drove around most of May with just my new wheels on and I think I was still waiting for my cage to arrive
End of May/start of June..i booked my first TD at my local circuit Caslte Combe for sometime in July so I had to get my skates on and start fitting the rest of the parts I had stocked up.
Cage arrives from SW... freshly built and painted (had one of these cages in my clio so I know how good the quality was)
Rear seats out...
Tested fitted the new Ktec mat...looked good, was unsure about cutting it up to fit the cage in tho...
Cage unpacked
With some help of some friends it was in..
Got the new seats in too as had to take the standard Recaro Trendlines out to get the cage in
Had one seat in temp as the car was booked in to get the suspension fitted along with the bushes
So temporary had one seat in lol
Few days later I got the car back and got the passenger seat in and harnesses fitted
Now its starting to become the car I wanted it to be...a clubsport spec Megane R26!
Rear seats out...
Tested fitted the new Ktec mat...looked good, was unsure about cutting it up to fit the cage in tho...
Cage unpacked
With some help of some friends it was in..
Got the new seats in too as had to take the standard Recaro Trendlines out to get the cage in
Had one seat in temp as the car was booked in to get the suspension fitted along with the bushes
So temporary had one seat in lol
Few days later I got the car back and got the passenger seat in and harnesses fitted
Now its starting to become the car I wanted it to be...a clubsport spec Megane R26!
Some time in June a couple of weeks before my first TD with the megane...
New Ferodo DS1.11 pads going in with some fresh Motual 660 brake fluid.
Cars now running well, dailed in, brakes feeling good.... Ready for its first TD at combe!
My Megane and Clio togther... was time for the clio to go..
Photos from my the megs first outing
The car was epic.
So easy to drive fast, felt similar to the clio on track but with more power and the factory LSD it felt wwy better..i had made a good move!
New Ferodo DS1.11 pads going in with some fresh Motual 660 brake fluid.
Cars now running well, dailed in, brakes feeling good.... Ready for its first TD at combe!
My Megane and Clio togther... was time for the clio to go..
Photos from my the megs first outing
The car was epic.
So easy to drive fast, felt similar to the clio on track but with more power and the factory LSD it felt wwy better..i had made a good move!
Couple weeks later its now August. Its my birthday on the 8th and I always book the week off so I book a track day always around my birthday (how else do you spend your birthday week lol)
Im at Donny im the sun.
Starting to enjoy the car, taking it some events. Went to the Ktec open day think it was in August still..
Stopped by Cheddar for a wounder then the Megane went all French on me..
The key card decided it didn't want to work anymore so I had to be taken home by this chap.
New key made! Car was back running again... thanks Car Key Swindon who came to my house and made me a new key card!
Same week I had a phone call from Ktec to tell me i had on their raffle from there open day... I had first prize (£250 voucher to spend at ktec)
I also had won 2nd or 3rd prize too.... what are the chances... so i had this lot turn up at my house
Was worth going even if my car did break down on the way home!
Im at Donny im the sun.
Starting to enjoy the car, taking it some events. Went to the Ktec open day think it was in August still..
Stopped by Cheddar for a wounder then the Megane went all French on me..
The key card decided it didn't want to work anymore so I had to be taken home by this chap.
New key made! Car was back running again... thanks Car Key Swindon who came to my house and made me a new key card!
Same week I had a phone call from Ktec to tell me i had on their raffle from there open day... I had first prize (£250 voucher to spend at ktec)
I also had won 2nd or 3rd prize too.... what are the chances... so i had this lot turn up at my house
Was worth going even if my car did break down on the way home!
My friend took some wicked shots of it for me...
September 2021...
Cars driving epic
3rd TD and im back at combe again bit this time at Forge Action day for a few sessions.
Cars flying, action days are not like normal TDs so im out there with a bunch of wacky racers
At Beaulieu motor museum for simply French Show in September with some pals
Great rolling shot
Spending my ktec voucher towards more tyres
Winter 21 now and the car is barely used, the hybrid turbo starts smoking on start up... oh no.
Luckily I had a friend who had just taken this stock 250 turbo off this mk3 to go hybrid so i bought it after finding out my turbo was basiclly scrap from Owen Developments and wasn't worth fixing...
September 2021...
Cars driving epic
3rd TD and im back at combe again bit this time at Forge Action day for a few sessions.
Cars flying, action days are not like normal TDs so im out there with a bunch of wacky racers
At Beaulieu motor museum for simply French Show in September with some pals
Great rolling shot
Spending my ktec voucher towards more tyres
Winter 21 now and the car is barely used, the hybrid turbo starts smoking on start up... oh no.
Luckily I had a friend who had just taken this stock 250 turbo off this mk3 to go hybrid so i bought it after finding out my turbo was basiclly scrap from Owen Developments and wasn't worth fixing...
2022 updates!
January the new used turbo goes on and the car goes for mapping at Cooksport. It makes 310bhp at lower boost than the hybrid turbo did!
Happy days! Drives lovely.... let's get some track time booked!
Oh I started buying some non go faster bits to tart it up..
But back to TDs...
February 2022... Donny in the wet, road tyres back on. Was cold, was very wet. I said no more TDs in winter 😅
Some carbon to jazz it up from Mega Carbon
January the new used turbo goes on and the car goes for mapping at Cooksport. It makes 310bhp at lower boost than the hybrid turbo did!
Happy days! Drives lovely.... let's get some track time booked!
Oh I started buying some non go faster bits to tart it up..
But back to TDs...
February 2022... Donny in the wet, road tyres back on. Was cold, was very wet. I said no more TDs in winter 😅
Some carbon to jazz it up from Mega Carbon
March 2022
Carbon on and Protracks back on
Clutch was really heavy at this point and felt horrible like it was at its end of its life so I ditched the helix set up and bought a TTV Racing R26R SMF flywheel and R26R clutch...
Missed my first show of 2022 at Castle Combe for spring action day..
So my friend lend me this for the weekend...bit different from the Meg!
The N75 valve gave up ghost... turns out you can't buy these new from Renault anymore...luckily I found a good used one.
Back out at combe again
Big booty
Carbon on and Protracks back on
Clutch was really heavy at this point and felt horrible like it was at its end of its life so I ditched the helix set up and bought a TTV Racing R26R SMF flywheel and R26R clutch...
Missed my first show of 2022 at Castle Combe for spring action day..
So my friend lend me this for the weekend...bit different from the Meg!
The N75 valve gave up ghost... turns out you can't buy these new from Renault anymore...luckily I found a good used one.
Back out at combe again
Big booty
2023... Cars been sleeping over winter
Over the winter period I picked up some new bigger stoppers
Brand new Meg 3 calipers (bigger than the mk2 set up and more choice of pads)
Some new shiny Godspeed 355mm 2 piece discs
While upgrading the stoppers. I changed fluids to Cadtrol SRF and the pads I choice was Carbon Lorraine RC6
This set up was mega. I never felt I needed more brakes after this!
Over the winter period I picked up some new bigger stoppers
Brand new Meg 3 calipers (bigger than the mk2 set up and more choice of pads)
Some new shiny Godspeed 355mm 2 piece discs
While upgrading the stoppers. I changed fluids to Cadtrol SRF and the pads I choice was Carbon Lorraine RC6
This set up was mega. I never felt I needed more brakes after this!
Memories from some of the TDs its been on...
Removed ready to make some new memories in 2023 TD season...
Organised another Renault Sport Wiltshire cars and coffee meet for March this time at five Zero Supercars
Car was ready for some proper use now as April was coming and we had some miles to cover...
Removed ready to make some new memories in 2023 TD season...
Organised another Renault Sport Wiltshire cars and coffee meet for March this time at five Zero Supercars
Car was ready for some proper use now as April was coming and we had some miles to cover...
April 2023....
Now then, its time to get back out on track...
2 big track days booked over winter...
1 at Spa and 1 at Ring on the same week..
On the train...
Haven't been to ring for a few years...
Currywurst at Cockpit... If you know, you know!
Not forgetting the legendary pizzas from Picnicinos
Standard while at the Ring...102
Right let's get to Spa....What a circuit. First time here,
Definitely will be back
Met some guys I've previously chatted to on insta and made some new friends
Got really luckily with managing to get a Spa TD and a Ring TD the same week!
Tagged this sign with one of our Renault Sport Wiltshire stickers
What a week... plenty of laps of the Ring on the TD, Some TF laps too
Now then, its time to get back out on track...
2 big track days booked over winter...
1 at Spa and 1 at Ring on the same week..
On the train...
Haven't been to ring for a few years...
Currywurst at Cockpit... If you know, you know!
Not forgetting the legendary pizzas from Picnicinos
Standard while at the Ring...102
Right let's get to Spa....What a circuit. First time here,
Definitely will be back
Met some guys I've previously chatted to on insta and made some new friends
Got really luckily with managing to get a Spa TD and a Ring TD the same week!
Tagged this sign with one of our Renault Sport Wiltshire stickers
What a week... plenty of laps of the Ring on the TD, Some TF laps too
That is simply superb; I've always loved this shape of the Megane - my wife and I (then she was just my GF) tested one of these back in the late 2000s and it was such a good drive; took it from Renault Preston up to Warton and back along some country roads and then the bypass - it absolutely flew and it just wanted to go as well...
You've done some serious work to it; it sits so well on those Protracks too; I had them on my previous E81 130i LE and they're fantastic wheels
You've done some serious work to it; it sits so well on those Protracks too; I had them on my previous E81 130i LE and they're fantastic wheels
danb79 said:
That is simply superb; I've always loved this shape of the Megane - my wife and I (then she was just my GF) tested one of these back in the late 2000s and it was such a good drive; took it from Renault Preston up to Warton and back along some country roads and then the bypass - it absolutely flew and it just wanted to go as well...
You've done some serious work to it; it sits so well on those Protracks too; I had them on my previous E81 130i LE and they're fantastic wheels
Thanks bud, I remember being at school and the mk2 megane coming out and the early sport models. I hated the shape at first, it wasn't like any other hatch at the time. You've done some serious work to it; it sits so well on those Protracks too; I had them on my previous E81 130i LE and they're fantastic wheels
As I got older, I grew to love the shape. I think it's aged now so well and looks so aggressive from the front.
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