Clio 172 road rally car

[Caz4213]

Afternoon all,

Long-time-lurker, first-time-poster. I've bought myself a ph 2 172 cup, which has already been track-prepped, but now I'm going to modify it to go road rallying too. So with that in mind I'm hoping to harness the wisdom and experience of the cliosport forums for some words of advice about a few aspects of the modifications:

Hydraulic handbrake: I'm hoping to fit one but don't know where to start on plumbing the system in - has anyone had a go before?
Suspension: it's already got Bilstein B14 coilovers on, but the springs are too hard for road rallying (especially on the narrow, bumpy lanes of west Wales!) - has anyone swapped the springs on these dampers before or have any advice / experience regarding springs to go for?

I'm doing all the other usual stuff like fitting a sump guard and protecting the fuel/brake lines etc. I'll try and remember to post some photos as I go along!

Cheers

 

[Chambers_RS]

@Nathan Evans and @Hazza462 are probably your best shout.

Look at their project threads ??

 

[McSwerve]

I'm also interested in this.
I've been doing Targa rallies (similar regs a road rallys but on old MOD bases) for the past 3 years or so, in BMW's.
Superb form of budget motorsport, only £50 entry fee!
Always fancied a 1*2 so have just picked up a 172.
With the BMW's we didn't do much preparation, mainly better spring and engine mounts. Then just fix what breaks.

 

[Twingo 1??]

There doesn't seem to be a lot of love for Renault sports in general for rallying for some reason. Can't see why tbh, lots of people scared of trying new things I think. I would think a 172 standard set up would be fairly decent (not Cup). Done 2 targas in my Twingo 133 before it begun getting converted to a stage car and was top 6 both events and demonstration events for go motorsport during the rac all in standard trim. I would just make a sump guard and do an event and go from there. Everyone has there own way they like there cars set up so one person's ideas may not work with another's style.

 

[Nathan Evans]

There doesn't seem to be a lot of love for Renault sports in general for rallying for some reason. Can't see why tbh, lots of people scared of trying new things I think. I would think a 172 standard set up would be fairly decent (not Cup). Done 2 targas in my Twingo 133 before it begun getting converted to a stage car and was top 6 both events and demonstration events for go motorsport during the rac all in standard trim. I would just make a sump guard and do an event and go from there. Everyone has there own way they like there cars set up so one person's ideas may not work with another's style.

It’s not because there is a dislike for a Clio in rallying. It’s because of the uk class system with it being a 2.0. I’m in a Clio Facebook chat with around 25 lads who rally clios. And I know another 6 more lads who are not in it. Imagine how popular they’d be if they did a 2.0 fwd class.

 

[Pauleds]

Possibly got a 10mm alloy sump guard to sell

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

It’s not because there is a dislike for a Clio in rallying. It’s because of the uk class system with it being a 2.0. I’m in a Clio Facebook chat with around 25 lads who rally clios. And I know another 6 more lads who are not in it. Imagine how popular they’d be if they did a 2.0 fwd class.

They'd probably be the most popular 2.0 car out there if so many people didn't think anything that was built after 1980 was s**t lol.

Rallying in this country is stuck in the 1970s sadly.

 

[Brushwood69]

The 70s comes with a huge price tag now! I run a ABP hydraulic handbrake with a set of lines run internal. You will need a bias adjuster if your car had abs as it will return to a 50:50 setting which is far from ideal.

 

[Twingo 1??]

They'd probably be the most popular 2.0 car out there if so many people didn't think anything that was built after 1980 was s**t lol.

Rallying in this country is stuck in the 1970s sadly.

Sadly this is the opinion of a lot of rally folk! I grew up listening to Escorts in Hamsterley forest so they hold fond memories and my dad also used to rally imps, minis and avengers and I have owned 2 avengers but like most things tastes change in some people. I have moved on from the 70s rally cars but unfortunately lots of rally folk are still into escorts and disco!.
Is there a way of changing the class structure to have a FWD and Rwd 2.0 class separate?

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Sadly this is the opinion of a lot of rally folk! I grew up listening to Escorts in Hamsterley forest so they hold fond memories and my dad also used to rally imps, minis and avengers and I have owned 2 avengers but like most things tastes change in some people. I have moved on from the 70s rally cars but unfortunately lots of rally folk are still into escorts and disco!.
Is there a way of changing the class structure to have a FWD and Rwd 2.0 class separate?

Yeah they're undoubtedly an icon but, while the rest of Europe looks back on them fondly, moving on to new cars as they come out, rally folk here just seem to think everything else is s**t and stick to the MK2s ?

I don't think FWD vs RWD is the problem to be honest. The real issue (in my eyes anyway) is the weight limits. I was one of those that said a few years ago that we should drop the post-1981 limits closer to the pre-1982 limit, but I think that was a mistake. I think we should have pushed the older cars up to a higher weight limit. I don't like penalising people, but I think it's a bit unfair that an old car can run at a weight that you could never realistically get a more modern down to. It just means there is no incentive to build anything more modern because you're at an instant disadvantage.

One thing I do think might also help is, where possible, splitting the classes by modification. Do it very simply so, have the current class system but, within that, have a sub class where sequential boxes and throttle bodies are banned, just go give people who can't afford mega engines and gearboxes something to compete for. Rally First kind of covers it, but has been restricted to the BTRDA for the most part.

 

[Twingo 1??]

What are top running Escorts these days? 800kg? Top Clio 900?. I know its a problem is balest touring car style an answer?
I would like to know what the top 1600 cars kg's are to compare to the Twingo.
Another thing is that you can buy any competition part of an Escort so easy as there are so many companies out there doing it. Rallying needs to give its head a shake. I do think since D R has taken over things are going in the right direction. Need closed road events in Scotland now!

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

What are top running Escorts these days? 800kg? Top Clio 900?. I know its a problem is balest touring car style an answer?
I would like to know what the top 1600 cars kg's are to compare to the Twingo.
Another thing is that you can buy any competition part of an Escort so easy as there are so many companies out there doing it. Rallying needs to give its head a shake. I do think since D R has taken over things are going in the right direction. Need closed road events in Scotland now!

Yeah about that. I think it would go some way to sorting things, without penalising too heavily.

You're right, there is a lot of infrastructure for Escorts. I guess it's a time thing really. The Escort generation will disappear eventually. DR is definitely helping!

 

[Brushwood69]

Millington engines put out 340+bhp for a 2.5! but come with a £18k price tag. a friend of mine spend 18months buiding a mk1 with 300+ traktive shift avo suspension from focus WRC only to find he was 6months late to a gunfight in which he had brought an air pistol. He spent £50k only to find everybody had moved to paddle shift etc etc. At the end of the day we only win a plastic trophy so just get out and rally to have fun, spend what you want on what you want and prepare to lose. #needR5buthavenomoney

 

[Twingo 1??]

I think if someone was to grab the Clio market now for rally parts they would do quite well. I know pure motorsport do a fair bit so at least there are some bits out there. I never see Clios entered much up in the North on events or even club events (they still think a satria is the best thing since sliced bread).

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Millington engines put out 340+bhp for a 2.5! but come with a £18k price tag. a friend of mine spend 18months buiding a mk1 with 300+ traktive shift avo suspension from focus WRC only to find he was 6months late to a gunfight in which he had brought an air pistol. He spent £50k only to find everybody had moved to paddle shift etc etc. At the end of the day we only win a plastic trophy so just get out and rally to have fun, spend what you want on what you want and prepare to lose. #needR5buthavenomoney

I do see what you're saying, but the pot isn't the point, it's the competition. It would be nice if it could be made so it wasn't quite so much about money. Virtually impossible in reality though.

I think if someone was to grab the Clio market now for rally parts they would do quite well. I know pure motorsport do a fair bit so at least there are some bits out there. I never see Clios entered much up in the North on events or even club events (they still think a satria is the best thing since sliced bread).

Satrias hey? It's MG ZRs round here ?

 

[Nathan Evans]

What I don’t get is it’s only the uk that uses the CC....anything goes, class system. No one else uses that. Yes they have classes split by CC but the regulations are so much tighter than over here.

The thing is a well sorted Clio can and will beat the escorts, but there’s no competition for the actual genuine club man with a sub £15k car. I’m doing the Jack Neal stages in February, not as many escorts so might be up there if the Clio will last the day without breaking