Clio Engine Conversion Suggestion

[GeeUK]

First of all guys, I am not some dick head boy racer that is dreaming of a fast car with no cash, I have spunked about £4,000 on my Clio just to make it look good. Just wanted to get that outta the way!

Right, I am thinking of either:

1)Dropping another lump in my 1.2 (below) or
2)Maybe getting a Pug 106 GTI or Toyota Starlet etc.

I will decide once and for all once I have saved up enough funds.

OK, I have kinda ruled out a 172 conversion to save on insurance costs, so I am looking at around 130 - 150bhp, SO....what lump could I drop in?

There has been a suggestion of a T VAG lump, whatever this is? Found in Golfs and Audis?

Where could I source such an engine around 130-150bhp, what list of parts would I need? And I am assuming I will also need a full brake set up etc? Maybe this is where some 172 parts could come in to it?

Any other suggestion to a T VAG?

Thanks alot and here is the motor it would be dropped in to:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v679/GeeUK/MyClio29.jpg

 

[Ali]

Its all complicated mate...Engine conversions arnt worth the hassle! I hate people who say this to me, But jus hang fire and buy a 172 when u can. Hell ive spent 5k on mine, not gonna get anything bak, but i sure as hell cant afford the insurance on a 172 aged 19 with a conviction.

 

[GeeUK]

Hmmm. I see where you are coming from AJR, its just that loads of people seem to do it!

Well, maybe I should just go for getting a different car then? The money I SHOULD get from the Clio could source an older performance japanese car I think....

I like my Clio thou! I think it looks nice! Thats why Im getting info ona conversion,

 

[16v_jon]

I have converted my 1.2 16 to a 172 lump wasnt too hard to do- did all the work myself.
all the mounts are the same - in the same place
the electics are all the same
got all my stuff from matt (j3ned)
pm if you want any questions answering

 

[GeeUK]

Cheers Jon.

 

[The Big Yin]

Ren 5 GTturbo engine Im sure Torsion , or Gdi can do it for a decent price prob need a donor car and easy to get 130bhp with 200 achievable in future when age,insurance allow - try phoning insurance companies first to get an idea of prices you may be pleasantly surprised

 

[jongsr4]

^^If it was me though im not sure how i would feel dropping such an old engine (R5GTT) into a nice newish car

 

[jongsr4]

sorry mate gotta say it again that is a seriously good looking car u got there!

youve done that really nicely

 

[GeeUK]

Thanks for the suggestion Yin, but Im with jongsr4 on this one.

I have had a very helpful PM off John who has done a 172 conversion, onyl thing for me is labour cost (Im no mechanic!), insurance and transporting the engine. God dam! LOL!

 

[GeeUK]

Quote: Originally posted by jongsr4 on 20 March 2005


sorry mate gotta say it again that is a seriously good looking car u got there!

youve done that really nicely

Dont be sorry This is exactly the reason why I dont want to let her go!

 

[The Big Yin]

Quote: Originally posted by GeeUK on 20 March 2005

Thanks for the suggestion Yin, but Im with jongsr4 on this one.

I have had a very helpful PM off John who has done a 172 conversion, onyl thing for me is labour cost (Im no mechanic!), insurance and transporting the engine. God dam! LOL!

I know what you say about the gt engine but im sure gdi etc would rebuilt it if any probs its their reutation after all - personally id go down the 172 route if any but 3k for the conversion i think id just put it back to standard , sell it and then transfer the bits you could to a ready made 172 but i understand why you are against this im the same nice car and to start from scratch is a pain and you know your own cars faults if any

Good luckwhatever you decide - the car is lovely tho.....

 

[clio__chris]

for engine conversion the cheapest and easiest option is gonna be a 172 engine

would be good to have a 1.8T in there but afaik it would be a lot of work (but i havent a clue on what would need doing)

 

[GeeUK]

I am aiming towards a 172 conversion now. By the time I have saved, I will have 2 years no claims and will be a year older, so well see.

Need to research a bit more at the mo.

 

[R3OBC]

Im with Ali on this one mate, engine conversions aint worth it i wouldnt say - but again, i am no mechanic. I defo would not dump an old engine in a new car.........there is more to it all than just power tho...........you will still be running the basic base model clio underpinnings (in places surely)

If it was me............you wanted to keep a clio cause it looks nice, get the Reno Sport model and stick yer wheels on it...........put yours back to standard for the bits you with to transfer over. That way you will probably sell it easier, and not loose your mods, i.e wheels.

Up to you mate, but imagine getting half way through spending £1000s on a conversion, then getting bored with the car again........ouch.

 

[major b]

Ya can still get 5gtt engines m8, just not the car itself i think, plus 5ts can do 1/4 miles in 12s, not slow, plus very light, otherwise it might be the 16v with 137bhp, or the williams with 150bhp. bbt will do a turboed valver for 51/2k cough cough.

 

[GeeUK]

Yup, valid points mate, I know where you coming from. Funds would be more readily availabe for the conversion than buying a MK2 172 thou.

By the time I save up they will probs be going for pennys thou! lol!

Like I said, nothing is concrete, I am just researching at the moment mate.

Thinking about getting a second night/weekend job to help save, becoz I am sick of having a slow car. I love the looks but thats it!

But as you say, a silver 172 with cup spoiler and OZ rims and slammed, yum yum!

 

[Deeg]

Personally I wouldnt bother with an engine conversion, it always seems so much hassle for a road car.

I am in a similar position, in that I want a faster car, looking at options etc.

If it is any help, I can get insured on GRP 15/16/17 at £1500 F/C (2 Years NCB, 1 claim, 5 points CD10), which isnt too bad at all, considering it was £1300 F/C on a 1.25 Fiesta.

I would just save up and buy a standard faster car, especially with you not being a mechanic, as I would have thought Labour will rape you, unless you know people.

There is quite a lot of choice depending on what you can afford / want to pay on insurance, so what is the point causing hassle for yourself. IMO anyway.

Just wait till you have the money and then consider the options, Pug 106 / 306GTIs, Saxo VTR/S, all the jap options, 1.6 Clio (engine for conversion???, dunno the figures, 172. But I guess you know all the options anyway.

The other point is, if you wait another year / 6 months, your that bit less likely to be posting a "just binned my car" post.

 

[Mondial172]

One thing I dont understand? A you planning on dropping in a 172 lump and not telling the insurance company youre 1.2 has now become a 2.0 with double the horse power?

Surely a 1.2 with a 172 engine would cost as much if not more to insure than a real 172?

Also surely a 1.8T engine would be more tuneable due to it being turbo charged? even a 150bhp version makes silly power once remapped.

Its really hard (after all youve spent of youre lovely motor) but are you sure you really cant stetch to a real 172 or Cup? They are pretty cheap now. Sure I saw a mk2 172 going for around £7k the other day. Just think of what the conversions gonna cost ya!

From what I understand its not just a case of dropping the engine in.

 

[m4rk]

Quote: Originally posted by GeeUK on 20 March 2005





First of all guys, I am not some dick head boy racer that is dreaming of a fast car with no cash, I have spunked about £4,000 on my Clio just to make it look good. Just wanted to get that outta the way.








can i ask where the £4000 went?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v679/GeeUK/MyClio29.jpg

 

[TheJesus]

Gee, just sell yours m8, in 1-2 years you will be able to pick up 172s for about 4k or less id imagine. MK1s are going for around 5-6k at the moment, so may as well wait. The things that make your car look good are the wheels and the spoiler/lowering. These can be done again for cheaper than dropping a new engine in.

 

[FlamingMonkey]

I saw a MK1 172 in Autotrader for 4599

 

[GeeUK]

Yup, all valid points lads. As I say, I am simply researching at the moment!

m4rk,

Wheels and tyres - £1,000 at the time
Zorst - £130
Springs - £80, + labour
Skirts - £100
System - £300
Colour Coding and fixing a dint - £260+
Spoiler - £180
Air Filter - £100

List goes on mate, you think I was talking sh*t or summat?

Cheers for ya help anyway lads.

 

[Dan_mk1]

Its just a 1.2 mate, sell it and get a Valver/willy or save for a 172.

 

[Ally]

Sorry Gee, very nice car, but Im firmly with the "why bother with a conversion" side. Youd have much more chance of getting your money back by returning the car to standard, selling it, buying a 172 and fitting your bits back on. Insurance on a 172 conversion would surely be the same if not more than a 172 anyway.

I think its something quite a lot of people think about. When I was 18 (a long time ago... ) I traded up from a Punto 1.1 S to a Punto Sporting - I loved my first Punto - colour-coded bumpers, etc. - but at the end of the day there was no point sticking another engine in it. So I bought faster Punto.

Hang fire, save up, and get a 172.

 

[GeeUK]

I think the majority here say 172 all the way! But most of you are going on like I have my mind firmly set on a conversion which is just no so.

Especially after this thread thats simply not the case.

Thanks for all the help thou.

 

[Mondial172]

If it were me Id save for a silver mk2 172 and when the time comes take all the bits off youre car and stick them on the 172.

51 reg examples honestly are getting very cheap Gee

 

[StevieP]

My Mk 2 172 was 8K, but that was a few months ago and had around 21K miles on. Bit of a rarer colour compared to the others, at the time I saw Mk 1 172s for 5K, like people have said above, 172s will be going for 4K I reckon in a handful of months time.

Also an engine conversion in my books would have to be something really special to warrant the labour cost and parts cost (ie, R5 GTT engine in a Mark 1, Meggy 225 engine in a Mark 2, Audi TT engine in a Mark 2 sleeper!)

I know how people can get attached to their cars, but by the end of it, you will probably have spent £6k on a 172 engined Clio thats in a 1.2 shell with lots of nice bits on. My humble opinion, like a few others on here, would be to strip the 1.2 of the nice bits, and put them on a 172/sell them to fund the 172. Be patient, if you wait and end up getting a proper 2.0 16v Clio youll know when you floor it in every gear that youve made the right choice

 

[GeeUK]

Yeah, makes sense, better get saving *huff*