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Rooby Clio 172

gtrnav

gtrnav

First of all, let me introduce you to my Phase 1 Clio 172. I have owned the car for the last 8 years, and in that time the poor thing has had a very hard life as my daily driver, plus it has been successfully campaigned throughout the South West of England in road rallies, sprints, hillclimbs, 12 car rallies and navigational scatters. The photo shows Clio after a South Hams Rally last winter.

imgp0191w.jpg
 
Lol poor car, I didn't realise you could use a Clio for ralley, what are your plans for it now ?
 
This winter it became clear that an engine rebuild should be on the cards, as 134000 has recently appeared on the mileometer. I looked carefully at my options, and realised that the most I could hope to get is around 220BHP, which was going to cost a tidy penny or two!

My best buddy owns Scoobybits, which specialises in repairing and breaking Subaru Imprezas. In an idle moment, I ran a tape measure around an Impreza, and came up with some startling similarities between that and the Clio. The Scooby wheelbase is only 48mm more than the Clio, and track 66mm wider.
On closer inspection, it would seem that the strut tops vary by only 25mm, and the chassis rails are an identical distance apart.

Sadly for the Cliosport purists among us, an idea began to form. Probably the daftest idea I have ever had!

Yes, you've beaten me to it...... Why not drop Impreza running gear into my Clio? Cheap power, plus four wheel drive!

So that has become my winter project, which I shall let you all know about as it unfolds.

Sorry I shall be posting only one picture per post, because I don't seem to able to go back to text after posting the photo, so bear with me, or can someone tell me how to do it?

Any way, here is the first photo, of my donor scooby being stripped.

scaled.php
 
Incidentally, I shall have some redundant bits for sale soon, which I will be posting when I have got them sorted and cleaned. Probably some wheels with T1Rs, more with R888s, KW coil overs, front and rear hubs with cross drilled discs and stud conversions, plus a fairly tired engine for rebuild, gearbox, and air-con delete kit.
 
I'd better give you an idea of the current proposed spec, plus the updates that will happen as funds allow........

Initially the engine and box is from a JDM WRX, and has a TD05 turbo, decat and 3" exhaust. Should be around 260BHP. Eventually we will change the injectors, fit Simtek management with anti-lag and launch control, plus I have a Type R DCCD gearbox, which will give much lower ratios plus electronic control over the centre diff. Can only fit this once I have sourced a 180 rear diff and shafts.

On the bodywork side I am fitting a V6 bodykit to incorpoate the wider track, plus there may not be much room at the front for the radiator, so this may end up located in the rear compartment, using the side ducts of the V6 for air entry to the rad, which will exit under the car over a rear diffuser.

Not finalised the colour yet, still debating that one, but I rather fancy the old Megane F2 rally car colours of blue and yellow. Would welcome any feedback on colour, please, guys and girls.

At the moment I have no plans to run the car on the road, so will not be fitting lights etc, and I am going to see if I can bond my carbon fibre bonnet to the V6 front wings and bumper to make a one piece removable hinge forward clamshell, which will make access easier, and make sorting the inner front wings simpler.

Time to head off to the garage now to do a bit more, so will update later!
 
Just realised I should have given the eventual proposed power output, looking at about 320/330 from this engine, but wh oknows how much later if the bank balance will stand it!

These mods mean the car will now run in the Sports Libre Category in the hillclimbs and sprints, so will be up against all sorts of spectacular and oddball "wacky racers", but I'm doing this project just because I can, not to seriously try and win the class!
 
Gotta see how this goes (obviously hoping for great success and back slapping :approve:), subscribed.....
 
Then had a dummy run to see how the Scooby lump would fit. Although I couldn't lower the shell right down, due to the fact that there is no transmission tunnel in the Clio yet, I am really delighted at just how well it all fits. Looks like a straightforward job to fabricate the front end, using most of the Scooby chassis rails, leaving the Clio inner arches, with the Scooby turret tops grafted onto them.

edit_preview.php
 
Every time someone posts an engine conversion thread, asking stupid questions, I sigh and suggest buying an interesting car in the first place, instead of making something you can already buy 'off the shelf'.

This however, is the whole point of an engine conversion to me ! Doing something seemingly daft and most importantly something you cannot buy already !

Good luck with the Cliobaru. It's going to be epic !!!

Properly disappointed this will not be on the road ! :dapprove:
 
TheEvilGiraffe said:
Every time someone posts an engine conversion thread, asking stupid questions, I sigh and suggest buying an interesting car in the first place, instead of making something you can already buy 'off the shelf'.

This however, is the whole point of an engine conversion to me ! Doing something seemingly daft and most importantly something you cannot buy already !

Good luck with the Cliobaru. It's going to be epic !!!

Properly disappointed this will not be on the road ! :dapprove:
Click to expand...

Thanks for the great comments, much appreciated.
I've not completely dismissed the idea of putting it back on the road, so I will leave provision for refitting lights, but of course it would have to be IVA tested, which isn't cheap these days!
 
Good progress mate, ill have to pop down and take alook for myself instead of relying on updates from tammy lol.
 
gtrnav said:
Thanks for the great comments, much appreciated.
I've not completely dismissed the idea of putting it back on the road, so I will leave provision for refitting lights, but of course it would have to be IVA tested, which isn't cheap these days!
Click to expand...

Yeah I'd 'package protect' for lighting ;)

Quick Google suggests it's only a couple of hundred quid. I'd pay that for a drive TBQFH :rasp:
 
wookie said:
Good progress mate, ill have to pop down and take alook for myself instead of relying on updates from tammy lol.
Click to expand...

Cheers Ben! Welcome to take a peek anytime. You can see all the other crazy projects. At the moment we have a Hawk Stratos kit being built, the two V Storms, A RS200 replica having a Scooby engine and box conversion, plus a Mk4 Escort Estate being "G3d" to RWD with a Zetec in the front! Same guy wants to RWD a new Fiesta, too. Good job there are lots of other daft people in this world LOL.
 
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