Clio 172 Cup- Track Car

[Gaz-m]

Ok, the eagle eyed of you might have noticed the other thread i started with a standard 172 which i was planning on turning into a track car, well i eventually managed to get hold of the guy with this 172 Cup which i fancied as it has a lot of track orientaded bits on it already.

Also had a recent dephaser pulley, timing belt kit and clutch. (£1000 of work!!)

Has 74k miles with full service history and a folder of receipts!

Current spec is;

Yozza exhaust & decat
K-tec air filter setup
K-tec Engine mounts
OMP strut brace
Koni coilovers (dampening adjustable)
K-tec Solid front suspension mounts
HEL braided brake lines
Brembo front discs (need replaced)
DS2500 Front pads
Toyo Proxes tyres all round

Has Trophy Speedline Turinis and upgraded xenon headlights too.

Happy its a Cup too, no air-con, climate control, ABS or traction control crap. What else differs on a Cup?

Ive said enough, quick pics once picked up

Plans are to strip it, rollcage, bucket seat, steering wheel and polycarb windows at some point. Cant wait !!

 

[Chi]

Great start mate CONGRATS

 

[Fraser.J.]

Looks cracking mate, nice to see you got the cup, spec sounds ideal to start on track!!

What garage do you work at?

 

[Gaz-m]

Cheers lads, its the spec that made me buy it really.

Fraser, its Meadowbank motors, in Leslie. Where in Glenrothes you from? Your car dedicated track?

 

[Fraser.J.]

I'm up near the balgeddie house hotel.

It's not track only, it will be back on the road probably around April, but it's up my unit the now for more goodies!

Handy to know I'll be needing an MOT soon

 

[Gaz-m]

Not far away at all then!

You got a post with your car in it?

yep let me know if you need an MOT !

 

[Fraser.J.]

Yes mate, in the project section called 'frazjams ph1 project' or something! It's my old username!

 

[Gaz-m]

So, progress towards track/competition car...

A wash before starting

Before

After

Numerous things ordered including fibreglass bucket seat, steering wheel, harness, 6 point rollcage, polycarbonate windows, isolator switch, tow straps. Still more to order but already been a very expensive week!!

Still need front discs, steering wheel boss (theyre a rip off), ABS plastic to make door cards, door handles, paint for the inside and god knows what else.

Next im going to pull the dash back to remove sound deadening and to help for fitting the cage.

 

[Fraser.J.]

Nice progress! Had a cheeky text from Craig tonight haha!!

 

[Gaz-m]

Did you, he was in last night and seen the 2 Clios stripped then said he knew a boy Fraser just down from him and started describing your car! He text this morning saying i had him looking at Clio track cars last night. Haha! :race:

I can see there having to be dedicated Clio track days!! That would be ace!

 

[mccabe172]

Dedicated clio day at knockhill would be awesome. Add a night on the drink afterwards would be even better!

what size seats are people going for?

 

[Gaz-m]

Parts arrived. This is getting more involved than i planned :O

Next stage is to weld on footplates and doorbars, then bolt it all down.

Then sort out seat mount and position.

Then paint it all, modify dash around cage and refit it.

Its not much fun this part!!!

 

[Fraser.J.]

What cage is that? Seems very basic, no door/harness bars? Do you plan to add more in?

 

[Gaz-m]

What cage is that? Seems very basic, no door/harness bars? Do you plan to add more in?

Its Sparco 6 Point, its only just in place, door bars have to be welded on where they suit.

I like the look of X bars and harness bars but i suppose its saving me weight.

 

[Advikaz]

Looks promising

 

[w33 brl]

No hanging around are you lol

 

[Gaz-m]

No mate, i dont like to ***** about. Haha

Lightened all the dash and cut to fit around the rollcage.

 

[Gaz-m]

Seat bars made up, got the welder kindled up and welded in and seat fitting in place. Very happy with seating position- good height, angle and distance from pedals etc.

 

[182jwilliams]

Gaz-m what are those seats like mate? Thinking about getting some

 

[Chi]

Great progress..

 

[sonny172cup]

Looking good, I like what you did with the seat mounts. Are you going racing with it at any time soon?

 

[Gaz-m]

Seat seems good, snug fit for a 32" waist so be careful what you buy.

Bumper removed, tow strap fitted, bumper mod to fit strap through, re-fit with minimal fixings for quick release, fit tow sticker as per MSA

OMP steering wheel boss arrived so fitted and played with column height- dropping it an inch

 

[Gaz-m]

Ive now stripped doors back to next to nothing, ready for polycarbonate windows and inner trims to be made up.

Before

Door harness before

After (Im keeping central locking!)

After

My mate builds stock cars, so can just about weld in his sleep, had him do my rollcage spreader plates as i was worried about scruitineering!

I was the fireman!

Front polycarb windows in to check fitment, not a clue what best way is to remove rear bonded ones!

Now need to finish bolting cage in so its in its final position and i can position and have the door bars welded in place, hopefully get that done tonight.

Then ill paint front and get dash back in so i can get it running again!!

 

[MG cup]

Getting there Gaz, is your rear arch stay made up of two pieces of CDS?

Doors are in my list of to do when I'm home, you shure you don't want some FG doors? I bought them and not allowed to run them in SMRC

You going to higthen it some, looks like it needs it.

 

[Gaz-m]

Looking good, I like what you did with the seat mounts. Are you going racing with it at any time soon?

Sorry just realised i hadnt replied! Hopefully have a shot at Super lap Scotland at some point this year, we'll see!!

Getting there Gaz, is your rear arch stay made up of two pieces of CDS?

Doors are in my list of to do when I'm home, you shure you don't want some FG doors? I bought them and not allowed to run them in SMRC

You going to higthen it some, looks like it needs it.

Full cage is made of CDS, its a Sparco FIA/ MSA approved one.

Im happy with the doors as they are for now, hopefully be light enough as it is. How much weight do you save with them?

Once inside is done im going to strip all the suspension and brakes, clean up the coilovers to help easy adjustment, fit new balljoints, track rod ends (make easy tracking adjustment), probably polybush suspension arms and ive got new brakes to fit.

 

[Fraser.J.]

I thought cages needed 3 bolts each plate, the rear of that is only 2?

Like the looks of your doors I'm going to do mine tonight I think, what are you doing for opening the doors on the inside?

Let me know how you fix your front Polycarbs, not sure how to hold them up!

 

[Gaz-m]

3 Bolts for front and main roll bar, back stays need 2. Back stays also just need a spreader half the size of mains. Yous need to read the bloody book. Lol.

Im going to re-fit standard door handle into the ABS plastic panels.

The windows are so tight in the seals that they hold themselves up, so ive just put 2 screws at the bottom into the door reinforcing bar to hold them up. Very easy!

 

[MG cup]

Yous need to read the bloody book. Lol.

I would be better reading a Japanese encyclopedia it would make more sense than that book, I just look at the pictures.

Don't cut the pull handle fixings where the tapered head long 6mm bolt goes when you do it Fraser, it will make it easier.

 

[Gaz-m]

Front of car/ cage painted to get the dash back in and get it running again!

Now to get some door trims made, paint the rest and have rear windows fitted. Hopefully be done by Sat!

 

[George@RTR_Parts]

Nice work so far pal, keep it up :approve:

 

[Gaz-m]

Got most of inside done last night and today, all painted, loom wrapped in loom tape and P clipped in place , doorcards made from ABS and fitted (cheers Findlay!), polycarbonate windows all fitted. just needs few finishing bits done and car needs a good wash again!

All done myself other than spreader plates and making of doorcards, very happy with it!

 

[Gaz-m]

Fitted my ScangaugeII to the dash where radio info was

Fitted Aerocatches, spent ages perfecting their position so they open/ close spot on!

Removed foglights for fitting some ducting.

 

[George@RTR_Parts]

Looks the part now Gaz, much left to do before you can get it out on track

 

[Martin.]

Looks awesome man. Really coming along nicely.

No harness bar?

 

[Gaz-m]

Thanks G, ive got Brembo max discs, CL RC5+ pads, AP 5.1 brake fluid, ball joints, track rod ends, suspension arm polybushes all to put on it aswell as remove and clean up the coilovers for making easy adjustment.

Then ill set camber and tracking and hopefully get it corner-weighted.

Then an oil change with good oil, fit either my slicks or bite the bullet and buy 888s and itll be ready for the track!

Never ending.. My other half hasnt seen me in weeks :nono:

 

[Gaz-m]

Looks awesome man. Really coming along nicely.

No harness bar?

Thanks! Cage is MSA/ FIA approved so id rather not go fannying about with it when i dont need to. Although it looks cool with harness bars, its just extra weight, money, time and hassle- which isnt needed! Id rather build it and use it than spend my life doing a never-ending project :race:

 

[Martin.]

Thanks! Cage is MSA/ FIA approved so id rather not go fannying about with it when i dont need to. Although it looks cool with harness bars, its just extra weight, money, time and hassle- which isnt needed! Id rather build it and use it than spend my life doing a never-ending project :race:

Yeah that's fair enough.

Really liking the interior and how the door cards and windows look together, this will be my next task..

Did I miss it, what did you use to paint your interior, rattle cans or a proper spray gun?

 

[George@RTR_Parts]

Goodstuff mate

There are cheaper alternate tyres to R888 these days. Granted they don't have the out right grip of them but not far off ime and a fair bit cheaper. Like the Federal RSRs (using these atm) and Nankang NS2R (fairly new and may try these next) for example. Makes it a bit more fun imo , might be worth a look pal

 

[w33 brl]

Speak to Fraser he might be able to help you out with part worns until you make your mind up

 

[Fraser.J.]

Don't speak to Fraser I'm keeping my 6 sets for myself