Castle Combe Action Day - Pics of my Clio on track

[James-EP400]

A few pictures, some professional, some from my friends of me on track today in the 11.15-11.30 session.

If you were there mine was the Clio which decided to smoke a lot at the end of the session and drop oil out the back (apologies).

Still not 100% sure what the fault is, seems to look & smell like engine oil, possibly crack seal has gone. I'm hoping it was from the oil breather pipe at the back of the engine as this was pretty loose but will have to see next week. Fingers crossed its not too serious as I loved getting back on track at Combe.

Photos below, if anyone has any others of my car and would let me have a copy that would be great or you could post them on this thread i'd love to see them. Also hoping Chip's rear facing camera was working so I have some video action of my Clio, gutted also about his Turbo getting a radiator leak and the BMW swiping Dan into the tyres At least everyone walked away.

​As usual any comments welcome

 

[Rob]

That looks very at home. Nice!

 

[Ash87]

Back end of this bounced so high goin over the dip into quarry, is it on std sus?

 

[Chip-mk1]

Mate you were PROPERLY pedalling that thing, I was genuinely surprised how long it took me to catch you in the turbo, obviously the outcome was inevitable but it took a lot longer than it took me to catch most other similar spec cars.

Shame about the oil leak, but fingers crossed it gets sorted soon, you taking it down for kenny to get it on a ramp and have a proper look?

 

[Martin.]

obviously the outcome was inevitable

Love it.

Great pics though mate!

 

[Luke.]

obviously the outcome was inevitable

Yes, because a 280-300bhp Clio is bound to beat a 172bhp Clio.. Ha

 

[Ed.200]

Nice pics there, car looks good.
​Shame about the oil leak, hope you get that fixed and its not to much of a bit job.

 

[James-EP400]

That looks very at home. Nice!

Thanks Rob, did roll around a bit as its only on standard dampers and a set of Eibach's along with a whiteline rear ARB

Back end of this bounced so high goin over the dip into quarry, is it on std sus?

Yeah that doesn't surprise me, had a few bits fitted this week for the action day and I only found out then my rear shocks were completely shot!! That might explain it! On standard dampers, black Eibach springs (whichever ones they are, proline or sportline) and whiteline rear ARB. When I was under the car looks like it has a few poly bushes too.

Mate you were PROPERLY pedalling that thing, I was genuinely surprised how long it took me to catch you in the turbo, obviously the outcome was inevitable but it took a lot longer than it took me to catch most other similar spec cars.

Shame about the oil leak, but fingers crossed it gets sorted soon, you taking it down for kenny to get it on a ramp and have a proper look?

Thanks Chip, I was trying to push as hard as I could I have only driven combe once on a track day 3 years ago so was having to "remember" the circuit again and the Clio is untested really. I could certainly feel that front left was struggling come the end of the session as I only had a set of Bridgestone Turenza road tyres.

Yeah I will speak to Kenny next week, hopefully he will be able to have a look at it

Love it.

Great pics though mate!

Thanks, thought i'd get all the professional ones they took, the guy counted 4 pictures which is £20 then after I'd paid he saw there were 6!!

Yes, because a 280-300bhp Clio is bound to beat a 172bhp Clio.. Ha

Yeah Chip was always going to come past plus he has better suspension, brakes, tyres and another 100+ bhp

Nice pics there, car looks good.
​Shame about the oil leak, hope you get that fixed and its not to much of a bit job.

Thanks Ranger, yeah will have to see how serious it is, will have to try and get it in to my friends garage next week, fingers crossed.

 

[James-EP400]

For anyone who is interested the full spec of the car is:

Engine
*RS Tuner remap
*JMS V6 airbox
*Decat
*Powerflow decat back system
*Rolling roaded at 175.6bhp

Chassis
*Eibach springs (black - proline or sportline?)
*Whiteline rear ARB
*Some poly bushes

Brakes
*DS2500 pads
*Braided lines
*DOT 5.1 fluid
*Brembo max grooved and vented front discs

Tyres
*Bridgestone Turenza road tyres!

Otherwise the car is standard apart from a 280mm steering wheel so I can get my legs under (i'm 6"7)

 

[Fletcher]

I saw this on track. Liking the number plate.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Yes, because a 280-300bhp Clio is bound to beat a 172bhp Clio.. Ha

Indeed but he made it a lot harder than I expected given I knew how basic a spec his car (and tyres) were. I'm sure he is a lot better driver than I am despite me having loads more experience of Combe, some people just have more natural talent than most other folk and I'm sure James falls into that category.

 

[Dan@SJM]

Yeah I will speak to Kenny next week, hopefully he will be able to have a look

Well you know where I am if he can't

 

[James-EP400]

I saw this on track. Liking the number plate.

Thanks Fletcher. It's a plate which has been passed from my grandfather to my father to me. His name was Eric Plumbridge (EP) and he got it off a friend who dealt in plates in the 1950s I think and thought he would like the plate. The 400 was just the number on the end: EP400

Indeed but he made it a lot harder than I expected given I knew how basic a spec his car (and tyres) were. I'm sure he is a lot better driver than I am despite me having loads more experience of Combe, some people just have more natural talent than most other folk and I'm sure James falls into that category.

Thanks for your comments Chip, much appreciated. I saw you behind and didn't see much point trying to race or defend as these action days are not about that, i'd rather let you past and "try" to keep up, much better for everyone plus hopefully I get more time on video I did 5-6 years of karting and did the national championships for one of those years so that's what's helped me get my pedal down.

Unfortunately I seem to have got the bug again for track/action days which is what was not supposed to happen

Well you know where I am if he can't

Thanks Dan, I managed to drive it home slowly stopping many times to check the oil level which didn't seem to change and none of the oil warning lights came on. Wondered whether all the oil could have been from the oil breather pipe as i'm running a V6 airbox and the little filter on the end of the oil breather pipe broke off so i've just been running it with nothing on the end (my silicone 90 degree bend has no hole for the oil breather). Also had a quiet whining noise from 5th gear which I don't like the sound of!

 

[Chip-mk1]

Yeah race experience in karts at national level certainly trumps anything I've done.

will see if I have footage in the week when I've more free time. Flat out today.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Change your forum name to James-ep400.

Would make it a lot easier for people to know who you are at meets and stuff. And sign up to clubopd.com and do some more days with us. Always handy having people to help and tools on hand etc which we always do

 

[James-EP400]

Yeah race experience in karts at national level certainly trumps anything I've done.

will see if I have footage in the week when I've more free time. Flat out today.

Yeah but you've had hundreds, maybe thousands of hours out on track and you also have driven all the cars you have hard and know what they are like.

Hopefully you might have some front facing footage of me, forgot to say earlier apologies if I slowed down too much for the red flags, thought i'd put my hazards on to try and warn you as I wasn't sure you had seen them

Change your forum name to James-ep400.

Would make it a lot easier for people to know who you are at meets and stuff. And sign up to clubopd.com and do some more days with us. Always handy having people to help and tools on hand etc which we always do

Yes I e-mailed one of the admins previously but never heard back, is there anyone specific you could suggest who I could message to change my username?

Will try to sign up for clubopd.com now

 

[Chip-mk1]

Hopefully you might have some front facing footage of me, forgot to say earlier apologies if I slowed down too much for the red flags, thought i'd put my hazards on to try and warn you as I wasn't sure you had seen them

Hadnt seen them mate and thought you put your hazards on as you had a problem TBH, if anything it distracted me from seeing the flags rather than helping, but no harm done, lol.


Not sure who the best person is to contact admin wise, try russ16v as he is very approachable.

 

[James-EP400]

Hadnt seen them mate and thought you put your hazards on as you had a problem TBH, if anything it distracted me from seeing the flags rather than helping, but no harm done, lol.


Not sure who the best person is to contact admin wise, try russ16v as he is very approachable.

No worries mate, I won't do that next time! lol

I've e-mailed one of the admins so hopefully they can help, if not I will try russ16v

I've signed up to clubopd.com as James-EP400 which I am hoping to change my name on here too. Do they organise trackdays, action day tickets etc?

 

[Chip-mk1]

Well they organised your ones this time

Its just a group of us that attend trackdays together mate, we dont actually run the days, just a group of people who like to attend together.

 

[Ed.200]

You can change your name via your profile page.
There is an FaQ about it in the section - I did it earlier

 

[James-EP400]

Well they organised your ones this time

Its just a group of us that attend trackdays together mate, we dont actually run the days, just a group of people who like to attend together.

Excellent, well i've signed up now. Many thanks for the use of your tools and the other guy's axel stands as well mate, much appreciated again.

Thanks to Ed i've also managed to change my username through the profile settings to James-EP400 which should make things a lot more easier!!

You can change your name via your profile page.
There is an FaQ about it in the section - I did it earlier

Thanks Ed, i've just managed to change mine now

 

[Chip-mk1]

Much better with the new name

 

[James-EP400]

Much better with the new name

Definately much better indeed! Finally that is now sorted

 

[jesus]

I don't think Chip has ever made a post on the forum without the word 'turbo' in it.

Nice car mate - I really like that plate!

 

[Chip-mk1]

I don't think Chip has ever made a post on the forum without the word 'turbo' in it.

Never seen me post about our RS2 car? And there was me thinking I'd bored everyone to death with it, lol.

 

[jim cook]

Nice pics buddy !!

 

[SharkyUK]

Here's another pic that my mate took.

 

[plymcl172]

Because chip drives a 'turbo' maybe ??

Nice pics there brave man on this track !

 

[Chip-mk1]

Nice pic there andy.

 

[Chip-mk1]

I don't think Chip has ever made a post on the forum without the word 'turbo' in it.

Nice car mate - I really like that plate!

Just checked for you, 98 percent of my posts on the forum have contained the word turbo.

Hope that helps


regards.

Chip


​

 

[James-EP400]

I don't think Chip has ever made a post on the forum without the word 'turbo' in it.

Nice car mate - I really like that plate!

Haha, yeah I have seen a few posts without the word 'turbo' in it!! According to him 98% of his posts haven't got the word turbo in

Thanks, yeah a few people have commented on that, thankfully now managed to change my name so that should help people knowing who I am, had that plate since I started driving, was passed from my grandad, to my dad, to me

Nice pics buddy !!

Thanks, thought I would buy the ones that the professionals took, really pleased with them

Here's another pic that my mate took.

Awesome, that is another great pic!

 

[James-EP400]

I found a picture of my car smoking before I pulled off the track through one of the other threads

​

 

[Lawro]

Car looks great on track James, real shame about the issue but fingers crossed it's just something minor. Those brake lines arrived safely by the way, thanks again!

 

[James-EP400]

Car looks great on track James, real shame about the issue but fingers crossed it's just something minor. Those brake lines arrived safely by the way, thanks again!

Cheers Lawrence, car is going into my mates garage tomorrow, I'm hoping it won't be serious and the oil was only from the breather pipe, we shall see....

Excellent, no problem at all, pleasure doing business