ClioSport.net

Register a free account today to become a member!
Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read more here.

Budget Build Titanium 182



Unlucky-Racing

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
Hello everyone,

Thought it was about time to introduce myself and my project. My names is Giles... and I’m Clio addict. I fell out of love for cars around 8 years ago, started a family and bought a Ford Galaxy. But I’ve always had an itch for another project.

I first joined ClioSport 17 years ago with my mk2 ph2 1.2. After selling my Monaco blue 172 around 8 years I’ve always promised myself another one. As prices seem to be getting stronger and going up rather than down I thought now was the time to pull the trigger. I did consider a few other cars but always came back to the Clio.

My criteria was cheap, some MOT, driveable, rough around the edges, mainly cheap. I wanted something I could work on and improve over time.

7580DC0C-D221-4F85-B563-783A31213F3D.jpeg

80D88327-3932-4291-84DE-1383E077FA9B.jpeg

First jobs were to remove the horrible graphics and give it a service.

2A3EF6D7-5439-4E3F-AE99-76DD063B38EB.jpeg

Gave it a wash, oil change and of course had to fit a smaller plate and Skoda splitter! Transformed the car from what I’d picked up Monday.
4DE65237-6ADB-4512-B71B-A6D257631DD1.jpeg

It had a weird mix of suspension. Koni adjustables on the rear, standard shocks and springs on the front with K Tec solid top mounts, it also has a K Tec exhaust. It allegedly has been mapped but I have no evidence of that so will take it with a pinch of salt. It feels quick... but maybe I’m too used to driving a bloody people carrier. I’m happy with standard engine/power.

Took it out for a spirited drive last night and it developed a misfire which seemed to disappear after 3 or 4 minutes driving. So today’s job is to diagnose that (and pray it isn’t an injector because the cover is going to need an angle grinder to remove). Also going to attack the headlights this weekend.

Plans going forward are to address the mix and match suspension (although it still handles very well) and get some track / fast road tyres (still undecided on what to get), tidy up the body work a bit and to upgrade things as and when they break.

It looks like it’s had some sort of light bar fitted to the front at some point and it’s so dirty and dusty underneath I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s been used for a rally of some kind. If anyone has any history on the car I’d love to hear it.
 

Cads

ClioSport Club Member
  Elise, Merc C180 Est
Welcome along pal.
Looks the makings of a decent project. 👍
 

Unlucky-Racing

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
1C9CD6C6-01C0-4ACF-B8B2-45BDAA72A839.jpeg

Had a spare couple of hours so decided to do a little headlight resto this morning. Not sure if it’s just me but crystal clear headlights make the car look so much tidier.

Bonnet is annoying me so is on the list of things to replace ASAP. Grill and front bumper also have holes that are bugging me. I shouldn’t care as the primary focus for this car is to be useable on track. That being said I want to keep it tidy.
 

Unlucky-Racing

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
An update... not a very interesting one but an update.

I decided to wash the car again Friday (I'm currently at the tail end of 14 days self isolation and going mad). I wanted to give it a proper decontamination and layer of protection and really go over every panel to see what I've got. A bit disheartening as there are quite a few imperfections. I just need to remind myself that I bought this car to be a reliable track car and not for perfect paint.

I've resisted smashing the credit card and ordering the new suspension bits for now. End of the month I'll start ordering the suspension bits I need.

My plan at the moment is to make my way through the MOT advisories that I can see haven't been done...

Windscreen washers poor (I assume this means wipers as they're all crap) - Order new ones
Rear brakes (discs worn and pads wearing thin - ordered new ones

Suspension....

Rear coil springs corroded
Bump stops in poor condition

Plan is to order Grams springs, front Koni adjustables and new genuine bump stops and top spring platforms. The car already has Koni rear shocks, K tec solid top mounts and camber bolts.

The car had a bit of a misfire and I panicked a bit because I was struggling to get the fuel rail guard off (turns out someone had bodged a 13mm on). But since then it hasn't come back. It could have been from me cleaning the engine bay and a bit of moisture getting into the coil pack. I'm ready to tackle the usual suspects if it comes back though. Will get the plugs off and give them an inspection this week.

Also had the standard swimming pool in the footwell Friday morning so Saturday managed to unblock the central drain in the scuttle. God knows how long it had been like that and why the previous owner hadn't done it.
 

Unlucky-Racing

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
Updates are slow as work has been extremely busy.

I’ve also kept my self busy collecting parts.found a second hand pair of Koni adjustables for the front which came with a set of front and rear Eibach Sportlines. I was nearly very impatient and through the budget out the window and bought new. Gonna get some new dust cover / bump stops and throw them on. I think this set up should be really good with the solid top mounts as well.

Just need to find some time and hope for some dry days to fit them along with the rear brake and new wiper blades.

One of my headlights required the adjuster fixing so I’ve ordered an E39 adjuster and just waiting for that. Might treat it to a new set of xenon bulbs whilst the front ends off as well.

Looking a bit sorry for itself at the moment. Dying to have a little drive...
88C3DE15-B4BC-47CC-9FE0-EF8A470C2FE3.jpeg
 

Unlucky-Racing

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
Finally got the Koni fronts on and an alignment done. Wheel still sits off centre so going to tale it back this week and get them to check it again. Haven't had a chance to drive it properly yet as it's been wet every day since. It's definitely sits a lot better now. Tyres need changing next as these ones have tried to kill me once or twice in the wet with the back end sticking out. The old boy who sold me the car gave me two sets of wheels... a set of standard 1.2 Dynamique wheels and these. The 182 wheels apparently had the tyres that will be good on track... Jinyu's on the rear - I'm not so sure.

Apart from some Uniroyals, rear brakes and a sun strip I'm leaving her alone over winter. New wheels and some track tyres in the spring. I cannot stand the exhaust but I don't plan on taking it for long journeys so I'll live with it. Might even decat it after the next MOT.

I'm really pleased where it's at from what I picked up. It's amazing how much a few little changes can transform a car. I'm absolutely in love with it.

clio.jpg
 

Jamess182

ClioSport Club Member
Nice work mate! Massive transformation from when you first collected it. What wheels are you thinking? Anyone other than the standard 182 alloys is an improvement imo, horrible looking things.
 

Unlucky-Racing

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
Nice work mate! Massive transformation from when you first collected it. What wheels are you thinking? Anyone other than the standard 182 alloys is an improvement imo, horrible looking things.

Yeah, I've never been a fan. I'm just glad these are painted black so they're a little bit hidden. If budget wasn't a factor I would 100% go for 2118's but as it stands I've got my eye out for some OZF1's. I just missed a set last week that went for £100 5 minutes down the road from me. I'm just gonna be patient and wait for a something cheap to come up. I'd love Turini's but I want 15's and can't justify the price they're going for these days.
 

Unlucky-Racing

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
So had a bit of a dramatic week with the Clio. Was leaving a friends pub late on friday (back when we were allowed in pubs 😭) and hit a pot hole. The most dramatic pot hole I’ve even hit in my life as it set the passenger seat air bag off. Loud bang and some smoke I thought the worst. Quickly pulled in and had a look round the car... it ‘looked’ fine (it was very dark). Drove off tentatively and it seemed to drive ok. Bit of a wobble in the steering wheel but nothing too bad.

A job on my list was to do the inner tie rods and track rod ends. So thought this was perfect timing to check suspension components and change them.

I’ve done the drivers side before I ran out of light. Feels like I haven’t measured right and put the alignment out AGAIN! But it’s all good. Worst part was getting the steering boot back on... which I’ve left for now. Gonna crack on with the other side tomorrow.


6AB6A5E2-3941-4878-B31D-579C986EA351.jpeg
 

Unlucky-Racing

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
So... Bit of an update. inner and outer tie rods done. Managed to get the alignment somewhere close so just needs a proper alignment done to finish off. Picked up a new passenger seat after my airbag incident. Also managed to get two different steering wheels... One a nicely trimmed 182 wheel and the other a (fake) OMP suede one with boss. Not sure which one I'm going to put on the car yet. I need the alignment doing first as the steering wheel is slighty off centre.

I sold my car for a third of what I paid for the whole car. Bought a decat to replace it (obviously there's a magical spare cat ready to go back on for road use and MOT time). Whilst I'm waiting for some new exhaust clamps to turn up I'm going to do the utterly pointless job of cleaning and polishing the exhaust.

Need to source a new wheel and tyre as one is buckled with a slow puncture. Keeping an eye out for wheels local to me at the minute. It's not a priority yet though. Havent driven it (proper;y) since before christmas. Can't wait to get it back out.

It's also crying out for a clean.
clio182.jpeg
 

Unlucky-Racing

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
Right let’s blow the cobwebs off this thread…

I ended up SORN’ing the car and taking it off the road in February. With the country not in any hurry to open up my ability to earn extra cash was limited. So I’ve been busy squirrelling away parts ready for when I had the money to get the old girl back on the road.

Things I bought…

Replacement SRS module
4 x injectors
4 x spark plugs
Inlet gaskets
New steering wheel
Spacers
Stud & nut kit
Rear spacer/shims
Rear brakes
Powerflex Engine Mount insert

Chucked it all on (there’s probably more I’ve forgotten about) and it’s almost ready for an MOT (got a bloody air leak to sort out).

Been umming and arring about some 2118’s for weeks when these Turinis popped up. Not convinced on them… the look has been done to death and I prefer a darker wheel against silver. But they were such a great price and on my doorstep so rude not to.

Somehow managed to snap a handbrake cable moving it about. So got that and the air leak to sort before next Saturday.

anddddd here it is…

F62F24AE-B9D2-4FB3-820B-1313C9A0C297.jpeg
 

Unlucky-Racing

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
A9F2686C-01F7-4A0F-9139-094BB21F2173.jpeg

Was literally on the road for two weeks… and someone decided to smash my windscreen up outside my house one friday evening / Saturday morning 🥲

593037B2-5F62-4C1A-99C5-E6BB784CC64E.jpeg


Autoglass have been a proper nightmare. Didn’t turn up yesterday morning, then the glass turned up from a courier but no Autoglass man, the the Autoglass man rang me and tried to have a go at me because the glass had been delivered to me and not him…. I reminded him he was meant to be there between 8am and 11am and it was now 12pm.

He turned up 15 minutes later. Spent over an hour fitting it only to find he had two right hand side trims and I have to wait till Monday for them to finis it.
 

Unlucky-Racing

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
Some proper crackheads round this way. A load of cars got their wing mirrors kicked off same night. Some idiots on this planet… hey ho. At the end of the day it’s just a windscreen and £75 on the excess. Life goes on.

There are some proper morons in this world. Why smash somebody's screen in like that. On the brightside they could have nicked your alloys as well.
 

Unlucky-Racing

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
Turning my living room into a spray booth on a Saturday night was not my smartest decision ever.

But… Cup spoiler pending. Just need to work out what to do with these LED’s.

65B282CC-3E95-470B-A27D-CD86D27761DA.jpeg
 


Top