BG Clio 182 FF Road/Track Car Project

[harveyxsmith]

I wanted to start a build thread for the car as soon as I bought it last year, but never got round to it. Some of you may know this Clio (HK04 JOA) from the Odd Auto's Youtube channel.
It was a slightly impulsive buy, I was semi-interested in buying a Clio as a track car at the time, along with other cars, and this one popped up 20 minutes away for £2000. I wasn't aware the car was on Youtube or of Paul's YouTube channel until I went to view the car. The car pulled well and had no rust which is really all I was after, I like a car with a story so I found it pretty cool it had been off the road for 10 years and been on a couple of YouTube videos getting it back on the road. I've pretty much done everything I wanted to the car now, but I will add photos in the order I modified the car.

 

[harveyxsmith]

After buying it and driving it home, the 17's wheels had to go, they looked cool (marmite I know) but rode dreadfully. I knew I wanted a set of track wheels and a set of Speedline Turini's for the road wheels.First purchase, a set of 15" OZ Ultraleggera's. What a difference 15's made.

 

[harveyxsmith]

Next job, putting my plate on. The car still had its original dealer plates riveted on with 20+ years of dirt behind behind them.

 

[harveyxsmith]

I'd also sprayed the door bullets black, which I forgot to mention on the previous point.

 

[harveyxsmith]

My next purchases were all for the interior and beginning to turn it into a track car. A ZPO extension, which I'm debating swapping out for a PMS. A pair of Recaro Pole Positions which cost me almost as much as the car, and a Sabelt wheel / Volantech panel.

 

[harveyxsmith]

Managed to pick a set of Turini's up for £250. Desperate for a refurb and tyres and had to travel to west Wales for them, but they were solid.

 

[harveyxsmith]

The car needed an entire suspension overhaul, as you can imagine being sat for 10 years. Every bush on the car replaced with Powerflex poly bushes, BC Coilovers and new ball joints. Drove like a new car now.

 

[harveyxsmith]

Out with the old...

 

[harveyxsmith]

At this point, I didn't think I'd ever make a thread for this car so stopped taking photos, but to prep it for it's first track day at Donington Park, I'd given it a service, purchased HEL braided lines, PBS ProRace pads, Brembo high carbon discs, a Nut & Stud kit from CP Performance, and the Corvette brake cooling ducts from FrogJam Motorsport.

 

[harveyxsmith]

The car performed well at Donington Park, I'd previously done Donny in my E92 M3 & F56 JCW. I was worried the Clio would feel slow at a big track like Donington, but the speed I could carry through Craners was similar to that of my previous cars, likely down to driver skill more than anything though. I booked Mallory Park for 2 weeks after my Donington outing, I was bit sceptical as I thought this track looked abit boring on paper, but it seemed to really suit the Clio with not many long straights for the faster stuff to get away. Really enjoyed it.

 

[harveyxsmith]

My most recent, and likely final modification to the car was a false floor and half cage. I had no interest in the Clio ever being stripped to bare bones as I'll continue to drive it to and from track days, a 'clubsport' style build to retain some road driving ability was always the goal. I picked up a JC Clubsport false floor and a MSV half cage from one of the Facebook groups. The cage was pretty chipped and bright orange, so had it powder coated black. Once fitted and harnesses in, the car was pretty much how I wanted it now.

 

[harveyxsmith]

The car has tested my patience at times, with typical French car things. It's had 3 cabin leaks since I bought it, 1 from the front and 2 from either side of the rear which all are (fingers crossed) seemingly resolved now. Electrical gremlins like the indicators choosing when they do/don't want to work and the hazards randomly deciding to go off (although I think this may be a sticky switch). But, all in all it has been an enjoyable ownership experience, mainly because it's cheap as chips and will hopefully continue to be.

 

[harveyxsmith]

The car survived Oulton a couple weekends ago where it really got beat on and didn't skip a beat once, although it does now need new pads. Debating whether to go PBS ProRace again or Ferodo 1.11, just unsure on the £100 price difference.

 

[harveyxsmith]

So, what's next? I'm booked on a ring trip at the end of June so plan to give the car a full once over for that 1500+ mile road trip to ensure it survives. I'm tempted by a PMS shifter in the future as I had a big ZPO shifter in my Megane RS and really liked it, but want to avoid damaging this gearbox if I can help it, but if for whatever the reason box does go it's a good excuse to throw an LSD in.
I'll try to keep this thread updated on the car going forward. Hopefully this hasn't been to painful of a read as I'm admittedly not the best at writing stuff up.

 

[Razmann4k]

Awesome thread, I watched the videos on Odd Auto's channel like twice each, and wanted to know what happened to it, glad I do now! Amazing how the 15s look almost the same size as the 16 inch Turinis 😂

 

[NorthloopCup]

Clean and tidy looking 182 you’ve got there mate!

 

[Brigsy]

Looks spot on, nice and tidy.

 

[Advikaz]

Vast improvement

Nice one

 

[harveyxsmith]

Awesome thread, I watched the videos on Odd Auto's channel like twice each, and wanted to know what happened to it, glad I do now! Amazing how the 15s look almost the same size as the 16 inch Turinis 😂

That's exactly why I made this thread! Seems some people are really interested/invested in the car going by the Youtube comments.

 

[harveyxsmith]

Clean and tidy looking 182 you’ve got there mate!

Looks spot on, nice and tidy.

Vast improvement

Nice one

Cheers guys.

 

[Clio_fool]

Good to see it having a new lease of life after being dormant for so long. Well done sir👍.

 

[PerthRS]

Lovely piece of kit you have there!
Do recall watching the YouTube video when it first released.

That JC clubsport floor is a nice touch. Very OEM+ if you will.
I was looking at getting one myself. But from my understanding they aren't made anymore.

 

[harveyxsmith]

Good to see it having a new lease of life after being dormant for so long. Well done sir👍.

Thanks mate.

Lovely piece of kit you have there!
Do recall watching the YouTube video when it first released.

That JC clubsport floor is a nice touch. Very OEM+ if you will.
I was looking at getting one myself. But from my understanding they aren't made anymore.

They were taken over by another company called RJL Motorsport due to the business going bad. I had a dealing with JC Clubsport as they built my floor for my Megane RS and supplied me a cage, never again. I think this new owner is going the same way with bad reviews on the Megane Facebook groups. If you’re handy with tools I think it’d be a fairly straight forward DIY as the 182 boots are pretty flat and fairly square. 👍🏼

 

[Razmann4k]

Thanks mate.

They were taken over by another company called RJL Motorsport due to the business going bad. I had a dealing with JC Clubsport as they built my floor for my Megane RS and supplied me a cage, never again. I think this new owner is going the same way with bad reviews on the Megane Facebook groups. If you’re handy with tools I think it’d be a fairly straight forward DIY as the 182 boots are pretty flat and fairly square. 👍🏼

Yeah, some MDF, a jigsaw and a pencil is all you really need to make a false floor, to make it easier you can start with cardboard as a template, and if you're doing it DIY you can go all out and choose your own carpet, retaining clips, anything really.