ClioSport.net

Register a free account today to become a member!
Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read more here.

Harlow Motorsport mk1 cup racer



  197 clio 16v
Not so long ago I was browsing through FB market place and I saw a Clio Williams spoiler for sale £20 I didn't have any use for the spoiler but I decided it was cheap enough and local enough to go have a look and see what else he had I could purchase that I could sell on for more any way I turned up 14 mins from my house and I'm surrounded by a bunch of classic cars and race cars so I ask is there any more Clio bits for sale he replies not not really although there is this as he opens a old dusty gazebo he reveals a MK1 cup racer not only a cup racer but a Harlow car these used to be the front runners back in the day and probably the most desirable ones to buy and also the most colourful witch suits me down to the ground

Anyway I tried to contain my excitement and casually asked it's for sale expecting a high price he said he wanted £4500 witch I agreed to and picked it up later that week

The car was a non runner and was covered in dust had Ferrari challenge bucket seats fitted in the front for some reason and the rear brakes seized on but I got it on the trailer and got it home ready for its recommissioning back into service it had a Williams engine loosely fitted in the bay and came with the original blue printed 1.8 Harlow engine a fibre glass bonnet and a second set of magnesium cup racer wheels needless to say I'm very happ with my purchase here's the first veiw I got of it

IMG_20200714_185416.jpg
 
  197 clio 16v
After a little digging I've found out the car was driven by a man called David Shaw as a silver car number 9 and later as number 2 car for Harlow Motorsport here's a picture I dug up in its racing days thanks to Richard Northrop I expect he's on here but no idea how to tag him

received_652654718930399.jpeg
 
  197 clio 16v
It's quite hard to see in the photo but where the white number square was on the door the sun has faded the paint where the white was and not where the black number two was looks like glue residue but it's not after a month of owning it I also noticed the key would have saved alot of research lol it's nice owning a little piece of history 😊

IMG_20200822_123307.jpg


IMG_20200905_142759.jpg
 
  197 clio 16v
I started with removing the Williams engine got that sold immediately for £1000 I then got shot of the Ferrari front seats £800

After being used in the Clio cup the car was used in endurance racing as most of them were and had a competition long distance racing fuel tank in the boot that also got removed and sold £270 becoming a cheap project this :)

IMG_20200720_185832.jpg


IMG_20200820_193107.jpg


I've lost the photos of the seats
 
  197 clio 16v
Long story short Im going to ruin it by fitting a f4r there's no way I'm driving it with the original 150bhp 1.8 bring on the hate

So the engine is a low mileage 172 ph1 engine I bought a complete car and broke it for the engine sold all the bits I didn't need for more than I bought the car so free engine yay I then fitted 197 cams injectors 182 manifold and a Tessa inlet so I didn't have to cut the bonnet I also had the flywheel lightened and balanced

IMG_20200901_183926.jpg


IMG_20200821_200244.jpg
IMG_20200821_200254.jpg
IMG_20200901_181429.jpg
 
  197 clio 16v
So the car was supplied to me with a plain white bonnet it was crying out for some colour I assume the original was damaged and binned a long time ago

Do the Harlow colours on the car (light blue,blue,red) are painted on I don't have time for that so I had it done in vinyl in as close a colour as possible
IMG_20200822_112231.jpg
IMG_20200822_113205.jpg
IMG_20200822_115618.jpg
IMG_20200822_120723.jpg
IMG_20200909_211014.jpg
 
  197 clio 16v
So mappings happened and I'm very happy efi did a epic job as usual power everywhere as usual delivered perfectly feels alot quicker than my 190 bhp yellow valver unfortunately due to my excessive camber toe out and slick tyres we couldn't get a accurate power reading luckily power figures are useless other than pub talk I also got spotted along the way looks awesome 😄

FB_IMG_1601504333076.jpg


IMG_20200910_133751.jpg
 

sk84life

ClioSport Club Member
  2000 Clio 172
Looking good, always wanted one of those sun strips for my (old) Valver. Does this have PAS?
 
  197 clio 16v
So the cup racer after a small breakdown on the way to Mallory where all the alternator bolts fell out I must of left them loose oops but the shakedown went well throwing up a few problems mainly the wipers not working after being modified to clear the cage

Also the windscreen isn't connected to the car very well ffs the fuel sender wiring rubbed through blowing the dash fuse a few times before I figured it out and the starter motor wire fell off

Other than these little problems it performed really well it pulls really well and handles better than any MK1 I've ever been in and the tyres are also a different level of awesome slicks were great but it's the wets that really impressed me

IMG-20201009-WA0016.jpg
IMG-20201009-WA0005.jpg
IMG-20201009-WA0015.jpg
IMG-20201009-WA0004.jpg
IMG-20201009-WA0007.jpg
IMG-20201009-WA0007.jpg
IMG-20201009-WA0006.jpg
IMG-20201009-WA0012.jpg
IMG-20201009-WA0011.jpg
IMG-20201009-WA0000.jpg
IMG-20201009-WA0014.jpg
 
  197 clio 16v
So after my shakedown at Mallory the two biggest issues were the windscreen and the wiper mech the windscreen was easy enough to sort I got a local firm to me to remove and reglue it in place awesome the wiper mechanism had previously been modified to clear the cage however it wasn't up to the job and failed the first time I used it after considering all my options I decided the single wiper conversion was the way to go not what I want to do but it makes so much sense anyway it's fitted and it works and k don't hate it maybe one day I'll be able to find a better solution but right now I just want to get in and drive it

IMG_20201023_102704.jpg


IMG_20201023_175043.jpg
 
  197 clio 16v
So for some reason I decided it was a good idea to remove all the unnecessary wires from my loom central locking speakers windows etc ended up with a bag full of wires and quite a neat loom

IMG_20201031_150145.jpg


IMG_20201031_150153.jpg
 
  197 clio 16v
As visibility was a big issue at Mallory I decided to put the heater back in they would of had a heater in when it was raced in the Clio cup it was removed later for endurance racing no more steamy windscreen

IMG_20201031_172327.jpg


I had more issues getting the heater blower in around the cage I had to take it apart and re assemble in situ
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20201031_172700.jpg
    IMG_20201031_172700.jpg
    4.5 MB · Views: 154


Top