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Clio 172 Cup OEM+ Restoration Keeper



Mbeau

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
Purchased this car a couple of weeks ago after seeing it listed on Gumtree. I can't help myself!! It is a 2003 Renaultsport Clio 172 Cup, Mondial Blue, 57k, 2 previous keepers with full service history. The last owner had the car since 2014. Apart from a few minor bolt on modifications it is pretty much standard. I arranged to go and see the car after a brief chat with the owner as it was not too far from me. Turns out he was a Cliosport member. Viewing, test drive and a deal was done. The car was extremely clean, low mileage and low owners. Still had its original genuine front splitter. No obvious signs of rust and all the standard interior present. It was a 172 Cup that got me into Clio ownership over ten years ago and I have gone full circle! This is a really nice genuine original example. Plan is for me to keep this one. Mondial blue is my favourite colour too.

After leaving a deposit, I collected the car the following day. Drove home lovely and this is the first time I have had my own car with the PMS shifter. I won’t be doing too much with the car aside from making it mint. I plan to do a few modifications, but nothing that cannot be reversed easily. Headlights need a refurb. I have already fitted a different set of Turinis with new Michelin PS3 tyres. I have removed all the sticky interior plastics and replaced with those from a lower spec Clio. New number plates, rear number plate light, floor mats and de-cat pipe until I decide what to do with the Scorpion system. I don’t want to be cutting the bumper up. I am tempted by a full PMS silenced system with stealth pipe, but would be interested to hear from anyone that has this set-up with regards to noise.

Belts have been done twice by Renault in the cars lifetime. The cambelt was only done 10k ago, but is due again on age. I am just hoarding bits for a major service, which will be completed by my trusted specialist @renotec in the next month or so. This will be dephaser pulley, cambelt kit, water pump, aux belt, spark plugs, oil, oil filter, gearbox oil, braided front and rear hoses, brake fluid change as a minimum!

Biggest change will be a set of Evo 7 Recaro seats with Jon Foz subframes. These are a set of seats I used to own and are the most comfortable I have had in a Clio. I was going to fit them in the inferno,
but they are pretty much perfect colour in the Cup. I will store the standard seats safely in the loft. Steering wheel will be replaced with a Snappy item. I like the PMS shifter, but this may be replaced with a PH1 shifter that I have.

It has the standard Cup shocks and springs, which I will hopefully replace with Bilstein B14’s, that are perfect in terms of height and ride on the road. This car will not be going on the track. I will probably get the inlets either blasted or buy some MS Design ones to tidy the engine bay. I will try and update on here with the work I complete. I read through the entire Trophy build thread of @Ash the other night and this is the sort of route I would like to go. OEM plus should we say!

Few pictures, will add a few more this week as I get on with various bits.

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Mbeau

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
I have spent this afternoon removing the front seats, giving it all a good hover and clean inside, then fitting the Recaros. Have also fitted some genuine mats I had. All that is left to fit is some seatbelt clip covers and a gear gaitor to the PMS shifter. Hopefully getting a Snappy steering wheel too. Only other interior upgrades will be a bluetooth stereo, which I already have and some upgraded speakers. Then on to the exterior!
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I have also removed the standard Cat and replaced with a decat pipe from Ebay that is actually quite good quality and fits very well.

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Nice one Mark. This looks like it has loads of potential!
I will be very interested to watch the progress after trying to do something similar with my Cup.

Yours looks like a great car as it stands so I’ll look forward to seeing what you do with it.
 

Mbeau

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
Nice one Mark. This looks like it has loads of potential!
I will be very interested to watch the progress after trying to do something similar with my Cup.

Yours looks like a great car as it stands so I’ll look forward to seeing what you do with it.

The car and paintwork is in amazing condition, I am so pleased with it. Can't wait to get on with cleaning the exterior. It is so straight and the sills don't ever appear to have been jacked up on. These are the seats....

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Yarp

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 182
Love it. Those recaros will look fantastic in there instead of the poverty standard seats
 

Ash J

ClioSport Club Member
  Sunflower Ph1 172
Lovely buy that, look forward to seeing progress.

Assume it was my Trophy project thread you were referring to, nice to be of inspiration!

Also those seats... first set of Recaro’s that have got me thinking they may look ok in my Ph1! Would like to lower the seat height in the Ph1 but not sure OE Trendlines or the Pole Positions I had in my Trophy would work with the blue/grey Ph1 interior. Think it would clash. However, the grey/blue in those Recaro’s may work and allow me to run Jon Foz adapters 🤔
 

geoffn

ClioSport Club Member
  172 Cup
Mark,

Soo this is the new project ! Looks great mate, well done on another brilliant find !

Look forward to seeing how you progress.

Geoff.
 

Mbeau

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
Lovely buy that, look forward to seeing progress.

Assume it was my Trophy project thread you were referring to, nice to be of inspiration!

Also those seats... first set of Recaro’s that have got me thinking they may look ok in my Ph1! Would like to lower the seat height in the Ph1 but not sure OE Trendlines or the Pole Positions I had in my Trophy would work with the blue/grey Ph1 interior. Think it would clash. However, the grey/blue in those Recaro’s may work and allow me to run Jon Foz adapters 🤔

I tried to amend the tag, but it was over the 15 minute limit. It was your Trophy build I was referring too, that car was awsome. Such a great OEM car with choice modifications 😍

The seats are Mitsubishi Evo 7 Recaros on Jon Foz subframes. Much more supportive than the Trophy Recaros and the colour is perfect for the Cup. I can still take passengers if I need to. I love the seats!
 

Mbeau

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
Had a bit of time today and every time I looked at the headlights they annoyed me. Was not too sure how well they would come up as were pretty bad, but will let the pictures do the talking......

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Always a very satisfying job and makes such a difference. Also gave the car its first clean in my ownership and had a look at the overall condition of the paint. Well impressed is all I can say! Won't need much at all. Can't ever have been parked in a car park either as 99% dent free 😁 I have the side skirts off as usual and there is no rust. The sills are so straight too. Pictures to follow. Removed the horrible 3D GB numberplates and waiting on a 3/4 front plate and standard rear.

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Further pictures will follow of interior tomorrow. I won't put the side skirts back on until I have polished down the sides of the car.
 

jameswrx

ClioSport Club Member
Do you seal the headlights with anything? Mine always look bad after a few months and the same again after a year but I’m sure I read people would spray them with UV resist lacquer?
 

Mbeau

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
Love this...

So in the Mbeau RS fleet we have the Cup, the turbo and the Meg. I do hope they're all able to stay mate :)

At the moment. The Meg and Cup are definitely staying. Not sure I can justify keeping the inferno now though! If someone offered me the right money for inferno I would let it go.

Do you seal the headlights with anything? Mine always look bad after a few months and the same again after a year but I’m sure I read people would spray them with UV resist lacquer?

I have done a quick restore of the lights and generally keep on top of them. They will be going to my painter who will restore them further and UV laquer them. This is the last set I had done. They look amazing when lacquered.

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Colin-S

ClioSport Club Member
  172 Cup
Do you seal the headlights with anything? Mine always look bad after a few months and the same again after a year but I’m sure I read people would spray them with UV resist lacquer?

I put some Gtechniq C4 on mine, make sure you use Isopropyl alcohol and the surface is super clean before applying. Also do it on a warm sunny day, you don't want any rain on them for 24hrs.
 

Mbeau

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
Been getting on with a bit more on the Cup today. No point in polishing down the sides until I had cleaned all the arches, which I hate doing!

All arch liners removed, mud removed, jet washed, then cleaned and jet washed again. Still amazed how much mud gets in there. Much happier now that is done.

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While the wheels were off I also cleaned the back of them all. The wheels are not perfect, but in excellent condition. Too good to get refurbished yet!

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Had a look at the Scorpion exhaust back box too. I like the sound and it's a well made system that is only a few years old as have the receipt for it. The exit pipe is 4" and looks too big. If you look inside it is only about a 2" hole on the backbox inside the tailpipe. I think the local exhaust place could remove the 4" tailpipe and weld a 2.5" slash cut tip on for not much money. This would retain a nice sound and exit under the bumper to save cutting it. It would still look ok too I think. Will see what they say.
 

IW365

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172 cup 2002
Looks like a great project, looking forward to seeing your progress.
 

ixell

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172 cup phase 2
Like the seats I need a pair of them for my Cup I will have a look around.
I tried to get some fabric for the front seats but had no joy
 

Mbeau

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
Had to shuffle the cars round on the drive earlier and finally got a picture of the seats fitted. They are on Jon Foz subframes and sit lower than standard seats. They are such good seats and colour of them suits the car. I have a custom fit Recaro seat cover to protect the drivers seat. Bit more cleaning of the interior to do yet and fitment of steering wheel, but nearly there!

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Will be ordering all of the service items this week ready for it's big service in a couple of weeks. Spoke to my painter today and side strips will be getting colour coded when the front lights are restored further and UV lacquered. I really don't like the standard Cup matt finish on the side strips. Few marks on the corners of the rear bumper so that will be painted at the same time.

Hope to have a fair bit of the work I want done by end of this month. Then I need to find some Bilstein B14'S, xenon headlights and get the exhaust tip sorted!
 

HaveaCuppa

ClioSport Club Member
That is unbelievably clean. Looking forward to see how this turn out as I’ve a soft spot for OEM+ cars.

You must have the only Clio with a decent fuel filler area!
 

Mbeau

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
Been busy this week with the Cup. I have removed the rear bumper, side strips and got a couple of spare wing mirror covers to drop off to my painter. I noticed one of the rear lights was slightly cracked so dug out a spare one I have to replace it with.

Dropped the car off Thursday to @renotec for the following work

Cambelt kit
Dephaser Pulley
Water pump
Coolant change
Aux belt
Spark plugs
Engine oil and filter
Gearbox oil
Braided hoses front and rear
Brake fluid change

I have also managed to get a pair of black insert xenons from @Andy120 as I love xenon lights 🙈 Picking the car up tomorrow and can't wait!

Will be a couple of weeks before I get the bits back from paint and I can then finish the car off. The only other thing I want for it is a set of B14'S and will be pretty much my perfect 172 Cup.

The underneath of the car is really tidy too.

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Is it wrong that I quite like the exhaust system 😬 will get some pictures when I have given it a proper clean and detail. Looking forward to it.
 
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Mbeau

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
It's back home! @renotec has worked his magic on the car. Despite the last cambelt change being done at Renault the timing was still out a small amount! Ticks over better now and gear changes even smoother with the gearbox oil change. Always so worth doing on these. Brakes feel more positive now and well chuffed with the quality of the braided hoses I purchased. I have replaced the broken O/S rear light too.

Excited to get the bits back from my painter and give the car a proper detail. It is so straight and original. Will get the black insert xenons fitted once I have fixed the adjusters and had lenses refurbished. I am looking at buying a carbon shaft for the PMS shifter, which I think is a fantastic bit of kit. I can see why people rave about them so much. The carbon shaft will blend into the interior better. Need to get my stereo fitted too.

On the look out for some B14'S as they will be perfect for road use. Once bits are back from paint will update with some finished exterior pictures.

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