TRD's Phase 1 Clio 172

[TameRacingDriver]

I've had quite a few cars over the last few years. MX5s, MR2s, Clios, Integra, Golf GTI, Fabia VRS, Primera GT, E36 328 etc... my last car, a UK spec MX5 didn't last long before the dreaded tinworm mean't I had to sell it... well I didn't have to, but it needed expensive repairs, and I wasn't feeling it.

This year I lost my job but quickly got a new one. The job now involves commuting (well I don't have to but I don't like public transport), so I needed a good all rounder that didn't cost the earth, but was still entertaining when hooning it around.

I quickly thought of the 172. Its a comfortable, relatively reliable car that can be picked up cheaply and are a hell of a lot of fun.

I had a budget of up to £2K. I was after a Phase 1 for the nicer interior (IMO) and the cable throttle. Many of the ones I looked at were close to £2k but needed a cambelt doing, and were well over one hundred miles away.

Then, this one popped up locally.



The good bits:-

• Low mileage - 74,000 miles
• Recent cambelt - 2 years ago and not many miles on it
• Reasonable price (or so I thought) - £1400
• On the whole, looks like its been looked after

The bad bits:-

• The wheels, although they look nice, are too big
• The front tyres desperately need replacing (as in, dangerous) - its obviously met with a kerb in a fairly severe fashion
• The suspension has been lowered - little compliance or ride quality
• The brakes feel poor and probably need replacing
• The exhaust was hanging down, was split at the mid section and is too loud and ugly

So... I intend to restore it to its former glory.

Today its getting two new front tyres, to replace the dangerous ones and the exhaust is being replaced with a hidden one which will hopefully be quieter, just look Renault Sport intended. I'm not keen on loud exhausts on a 4-pot. The Clio does not have a particularly sonorous engine note anyway, and I don't really want it to attract attention.

So, my plans for the car after today (assuming there isn't some underlying damage I don't know about but which I'm sure I'll find out about today) are as follows:-

• Original OZ F1 alloys 15" to go back on
• Original suspension or Eibach with slight lowering - but whichever is best for handling / ride compromise
• Uprated brake kit - upgraded discs, pads and lines.
• Sort out an irritating rattle coming from the rear.
• Have the cam timing checked to ensure the car is running the 165ish BHP that it should be.

After that, I'll take it from there.

More pictures / updates to follow.

Edited by TameRacingDriver on Wednesday 27th June 22:22

[bmthnick1981]

Nice project, great little cars.

[thebigmacmoomin]

Agree with you on the wheels, they look great but ate about 2" to big for the car.

[BREMBOV6]

Great project, good to see your going to tidy it up.

Will keep an eye on this.

[TameRacingDriver]

New exhaust and tyres fitted. A mate did my exhaust for me for a great price, and has done an excellent job.

Unfortunately, I didn't take a before picture, but basically, it had a Scorpion exhaust on, but it was one of these chavvy efforts with a tailpipe that would have protruded underneath the bumper, except the backbox was hanging down (missing a bracket) and the tailpipe had been sawed off in an effort to make it hidden. Looked and sounded terrible. It was also split at the mid section, so I've had a whole new cat-back stainless steel system made for it. I've deliberately had it made as quiet as possible so its as close to stock as possible.

Tidied the back end up no end:-

Sorry for the poor picture quality but here goes. Well chuffed. Already looks a lot more stealthy in the way a RS Clio should and it sounds better even though it is quieter, I'm not attracting to the attention of every chav in a 2 mile radius!

Edited by TameRacingDriver on Wednesday 27th June 22:27

[Hoygo]

Nice,i guess you will remove the horrid wheels and put standard ones back,good effort with the exhaust.

How does the 172 compare to your previous 182?

[MrBrightSi]

Glad to see more people loving the clio.

When you get the wheels and exhaust sorted, this will be a very nice car.

Looking forward to seeing more.

[TameRacingDriver]

Hoygo, yep the wheels will be going. A V6 can just about get away with them, but they're too big for a 172, and contribute to ruining its normal blend of ride and handling. The large wheels also seem to make the car less predictable in the wet.

Compared with the 182, I feel it is a bit more raw, slightly more responsive to throttle inputs, although possibly slightly less punchy in gear; the ratios are taller than that in a 182, with the end of 2nd registering almost 70 mph! However, I don't think there is much in it in straight line speed overall. I prefer it to the 182 overall, I prefer the white dials, the gearknob, the cheaper tyres (once new wheels are fitted), the throttle response, and the overall appearance which is "uglier" but less soft looking. The 182 had more toys though like cruise control, climate control etc.

Saying that, I'd swear it feels to pull better at the low end with the new exhaust, but maybe thats either placebo, or the fact the new exhaust doesn't irritate me every time I put my foot down!

Too many chavved examples about. I want to save this one if I can!

[p4cks]

Nice purchase! I had a 172 Cup briefly and loved it. By all accounts this is even more rawer (is that a word?!) than that!

If you ever fancy a retro Clio mini-meet just let me know, as I see you're local (I'm from South Shields and got a Clio Williams)

[TameRacingDriver]

We've met before p&cks, I remember your red vx220, I had a white integra type-r at the time. I work in shields so happy to have a mini meet some time.

[p4cks]

TameRacingDriver said:

We've met before p&cks, I remember your red vx220, I had a white integra type-r at the time. I work in shields so happy to have a mini meet some time.

Ahhhhhhhhhh yes! I remember you once gatecrashing a VX220 hoon

[VR46]

"relatively reliable"

[Hoygo]

TameRacingDriver said:

Compared with the 182, I feel it is a bit more raw, slightly more responsive to throttle inputs, although possibly slightly less punchy in gear; the ratios are taller than that in a 182, with the end of 2nd registering almost 70 mph! However, I don't think there is much in it in straight line speed overall. I prefer it to the 182 overall, I prefer the white dials, the gearknob, the cheaper tyres (once new wheels are fitted), the throttle response, and the overall appearance which is "uglier" but less soft looking. The 182 had more toys though like cruise control, climate control etc.

Saying that, I'd swear it feels to pull better at the low end with the new exhaust, but maybe thats either placebo, or the fact the new exhaust doesn't irritate me every time I put my foot down!

I agree,driven all the Clio 2 R.S range i would class the 182 as the softest of the lot,the 'Cup" makes it a bit better but still as heavy and not as agile as the ph1 172,the 172 ph2 cup may be faster than the ph1 but still not the same experience,ph1 is a lot more rawer and more rewarding IMO,would class the ph1 below the Trophy only,as the Trophy is the most complete R.S Clio and one of the best Fwd experiences IMHO.

ps:Don't feed the troll,it will flounce once faced with facts anyway.

[TameRacingDriver]

p4cks said:

Ahhhhhhhhhh yes! I remember you once gatecrashing a VX220 hoon

Yeah it was great fun, until I got lost and went the wrong way home

Give me a shout if you fancy a mini hoon some time.

Hoygo said:

I agree,driven all the Clio 2 R.S range i would class the 182 as the softest of the lot,the 'Cup" makes it a bit better but still as heavy and not as agile as the ph1 172,the 172 ph2 cup may be faster than the ph1 but still not the same experience,ph1 is a lot more rawer and more rewarding IMO,would class the ph1 below the Trophy only,as the Trophy is the most complete R.S Clio and one of the best Fwd experiences IMHO.

ps:Don't feed the troll,it will flounce once faced with facts anyway.

It was between the Cup and the Phase 1 but decided the Cup would probably be too similar to my old 182 (bit more hardcore obviously) and they still go for a bit more money, and I'm not that keen on the poverty spec seats but quite like the half leather ones in the normal models.

Now that I've got the tyres and tracking done, its driving a lot better, but its on Apex lowering springs at the minute, so once you encounter a pothole, you know about it. I can't wait to get the normal wheels and some better springs on it to see what its like then. I can't decide whether to go for standard suspension (quite high ride height and maybe a touch too much body roll? BUT - original!!) or some Eibach springs (slightly better stance, still decent ride, but slightly firmer around the corners?).

I am really enjoying the Clio. Similar in spirit to my old ITR, although it'll never quite be the car that was, its close, and for half the price! Most importantly though, once its finished, a LOT more stealthy!

[TameRacingDriver]

So after a good drive to and from work today, the new exhaust has made such a nice difference. Very slightly louder than standard, but nowhere near enough to be annoying. Seems to pull better from low revs. Now that the balancing / tracking has been done its driving so smooth now.

However, I'm still of the opinion the ride is far too hard over unsettled roads, so.... just bid on, and won some standard Renault springs to replace the godawful Apex lowering springs that are on there now, £23.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RENAULT-CLIO-SPORT-172-1...

I'll be getting the standard wheels too, if I can, and they will go on first, or at the same time, because 17" wheels without the lowering is just going to make it look tractor like.

The wheels are proving slightly harder to find, but it wont be too long, I reckon. Out of interest, I asked Renault how much for some new OZ F1s and they quoted me £190 each!! So the lookout continues...

[TameRacingDriver]

Just won some wheels on ebay.

They are 16" but they are OZ F1s so will look "OEM+"

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110894671449?ssPageName=...

From past experience, Clios ride and handle just fine on 16s (Phase 2s onwards all had 16" wheels, and the 16" F1s were an option on the Phase 1).

[JonLock]

This is going to look like my old phase 1, the 16s look awesome and are like rockinghorse s**t. Mine once i had spent alot of time and effort on it!











Miss this car like mad!

[TameRacingDriver]

Lovely car that mate.

Mine will probably ride slightly higher than yours on the standard suspension but I dont mind that as its a daily driver and primarily a road car that might occasionally see a track.

Next thing on the list is an upgraded brake kit from K-TEC.

[JonLock]

cheers was a minter! i think the new owner has binnned it though as its not on the insurance data base anymore and he told me he rolled his last car. great, it had quite a big spec list on it aswell.

[BREMBOV6]

Going to make a huge diffrence!