Jake's RB clio 197 track car

[182jwilliams]

Been a while since I last drove something that was fun. My third Renault sport now first one being a 182 and second being a megane, love the cars for the price you pay I think they're great!

Anyway picked up this 197 in racing blue yesterday from a nice chap called Sam, he said the car was built mostly by Richard Burk and Beanie Sport.

The spec is as follows;

80k 197 engine with new gasket and belts
Gearbox rebuilt with ZPO shifter
KW clubsport 2 dampers
Sparco grid Q seats with puretrack side mounts, fire extinguisher and schroth 6 point harness
SW rear cage
New clutch slave cylinder and master cylinder and ktec clutch damper delete kit
New rear calipers, mintex pads handbrake cables and discs
New front discs with RS29 pads
OMP WRC 350mm steering wheel
Aircon delete kit
New swivel joints, uprated bushes throughout
200 wheels with Michelin PS4 (road/wets)
Speedline wheels with AR1 (dry)
Recent oil, oiler filter gearbox oil and brakr fluid change

A very well spec'd car for a price I couldn't say no! Was over the moon driving it home and it feels good to be back in a Renault sport again.

All I've done so far is adjusted the seating position, ideally would like it further back another inch or two but it's better than what it was. Removed rear wiper, aerial and badges. Added a sunstrip and would like to remove the F1 stickers but that can wait as I think they're going to be a nightmare.

My plan for the car this year is to just fit a cup racer spoiler, can anyone suggest where to source one of these from? I'll mostly be doing track days this year. Over the winter I plan to get it fully stripped, painted and caged possibly add a bigger seat aswell.

Here's some photos of the car after a quick little Sunday morning drive

 

[Cub.]

Welcome back, looks good.

 

[182jwilliams]

Welcome back, looks good.

Thank you mate its good to be back, hope you're well

 

[imprezaworks]

Yeah looks the part.

 

[182jwilliams]

Update:

Stripped the front end of the car including sound deadening.

I was tad big for the sparco's so I sold them and bought a corbeau pro series in XL, only the 1 for now. Also used a plumbers tap blank for the hole where the aerial used to be. SW motorsport side mounts as I found the pure track ones weren't wide enough for the new seat and I liked I had more adjustment with the SW. Along with their foot tray, I added some grip tape.

Ordered some tailgate/bonnet pins from delou motorsport (nice customer service) got those fitted along with some black renault badges.

 

[182jwilliams]

KTR cup style spoiler got delivered and test fitted it. Dropped it off to the father in law and he got it sprayed.

Took out for a drive last weekend to make sure the pins were safe all was well but started noticing some overheating issue when stationary for a while. Pulled over and noticed the fan wasn't working, had Jade Developments booked in for a geo and corner weight and asked Sean if he'd take a look at the issue. I don't think it's anything major but cancelled the track evening I had booked at Donington for 20th April to be on the safe side, still plan to do bedford for 9th May though.

Looking forward to getting the car back from Jade Developments, heard good things about them. I've just got to fit the spoiler then all set for a summer of track days!

 

[182jwilliams]

Picked the car up from Jade Developments on 27th May, Sean really knows his stuff and sorted the car out as it was abit of a mess.

Geo setup
Corner weight
Removal of unnecessary wiring
New radiator fan (current one was wired up incorrectly and was dead)
General tidy up in the engine bay/interior

I did some bits over the weekend. Fitted the spoiler and a rear sunstrip and give it a quick wipe down.

Done a track evening at Bedford after work Monday and the car was faultless other than the rear bumper kept popping off and flapping around and the brakes overheating on the last session.

Fitted some quick push pins to rear bumper after work on Tuesday, not the best but a lot better than having the bumper flapping around. Got some RBF600 brake fluid on order so will get that in before the next track day.

And also got some plates for trackdays.

Not much else planned other than maintenance and more track time.

Over the winter I've a few bits planned for the clio but also expecting another little one so will see what funds are like.

 

[182jwilliams]

Update;

I was going to buy a PMS exhaust and manifold over the winter but luckily one come up for sale but with a Cobra cat back, should be delivered sometime this week.

KTR induction kit also come up for sale on Facebook, after everyone saying how good they sound I thought I'll buy it. Noise is awesome and so glad I brought it, got it fitted pretty much as soon as it arrived.

After my last track evening at Bedford the EML came on, I didn't think much of it as the car drove perfectly fine. Plugged it in and came up with P0300 fault code, after a little research it could of been a number of things but I decided to start with the exhaust sensor and also put some cleaner into the fuel tank. Removed the fault code and took it on a spirited drive.

Still no EML so happy days..

Door handles were looking a little bad so gave them abit of TLC.

Started off with sanding them down with 120 and 1200 grit sandpaper. 2 coats of primer, 3 coats of paint and 2 coats of lacquer (probably could of done with another coat of lacquer but ran out after 2)

Next up, Cadwell Park;

What can I say other than it was a perfect day!

Nearly 400 miles racked up on the clio and it was faultless and no EML. I was so impressed with the car and there's so many upgrades still to come! I had to leave at lunch as I had work early the next day and it's nearly a 3hr drive from me. I booked again as soon as I got home for August 4th and luckily will be staying all day!

I'm not really one for timing my track days, I just like to find others to have a fun battle with and see what/who I can keep up with. I managed to get a clip of my second session, exposure with the camera is still an issue, I'm not great with these things but they'll get better.

 

[182jwilliams]

I can't wait to get back here in August!

And of course a post track day clean.

I've ordered up some bigger grip pedals, they should be here Tuesday so this morning I removed the metal ones and also the grip on the foot tray and tidied it up abit. Also got rid of some more plastics.

Over the winter I plan to remove the dash and remove as much weight/wiring as possible. Heated windscreen or T7 heater I haven't decided yet. I also want to remove the stalks and having everything on buttons attached to the steering wheel.

Something like this.

Bedford a week tomorrow. All I have to do before that is change the tyres, I don't think AR1's will hold up, a brake fluid change with some ATE200 and fit the pedals.

 

[182jwilliams]

Update;

Few bits tided up on the car. Got a portable charger for the camera, got the MRF tyres fitted, fire extinguisher mounted and got myself a new Zamp helmet. Nice bit of kit.

Had an evening at Bedford on 4th July, went really and only 1 red flag.

I was impressed with the tyres, they seemed to last longer than the AR1 I had on previously. Had a good time with an E36,E36 Compact and a MINI JCW. Although they were a lot quicker down the straights.



After Bedford I dropped the car off to Jade Developments for the following;

Fit PMS manifold and catback exhaust I got second hand off Facebook
Gripper diff
Gearbox refresh
ATE200 brake fluid

Brakes felt abit spongy at Bedford so thought whilst the car was with Sean I'd get him to flush some fresh fluid through, they feel better now but I've got some EBC RPX pads in the garage I'll fit over the weekend.

The exhaust sounds mega, couldn't be happier with it and the car feels and responds alot better now. Looking forward to getting it mapped over winter.

I was going to go full cage and polycarb windows over winter but thought the griller diff would be more beneficial. Good job I went down that route along with a gearbox refurb as the box wasn't looking too good.

 

[182jwilliams]

I was going to go full cage and polycarb windows over winter but thought the griller diff would be more beneficial. Good job I went down that route along with a gearbox refurb as the box wasn't looking too good.

Sean and his team done an amazing job on the car yet again, really happy and it's a bonus as he's only an hour from me!

On the way home I had geo checked, toe was out slightly so had that sorted.

Running the following;
Front
-3.2 camber
15mins toe out
5.8 caster

Rear
-2.5 camber
8mins toe

Happy with this setup for now.

Back to Cadwell next week 4th with Javelin. Looking forward to trying out the gripper, never driven a car with a gripped diff before.

 

[182jwilliams]

Cadwell update;

Car was spot on. Gripper diff is incredible so glad I went for one instead of the full cage. The grip on corner exit really is something.

I also fitted some EBC RPX pads a few days before the track day, I was really impressed with them, pedal feel is better than the RS29's that were on previously imo. The pure motorsport manifold and cobra catback also sounds nice, double Earplugs for the 5 and a half hour round trip was needed though lol!

Few pictures from the day;

Not overly impressed with the pictures but oh well.

The whole day was well organised, had some good fun laps especially with @Kiffle and his friend in his 197.

That'll probably be the last track day this year for the clio. Plan over winter is to make it lighter.

Strip some more wiring
PC680 battery relocated
T7 heater
Poly windows
Possibly spray interior (time/budget dependent)

And would also like to run slicks for next year's trackdays.

Video of my quickest recorded lap. I'm not usually one to time on trackdays but I was curious, only timed the second session.

 

[182jwilliams]

 

[182jwilliams]

Update;

After Cadwell I decided to start stripping some more weight out of the clio. Never had a proper dedicated track car, so I'm going to go extreme with this one. My goal is to get it under a ton.

That being said, after Cadwell I got started. Brackets and more sound deadening.

Actually used a proper spot weld drill bit this time rather than a 20mm bit leaving holes everywhere.

Picked up some polycarb windows from ACW and seeing aa I was on nights and didn't have the little one, I got them in this week.

Didn't bother with a slider for passenger side, can always add one in at a later date if needed.

Roof vent was next.

 

[182jwilliams]

Ordered a T7 heater and Odysssey pc680 battery a little while ago. Plumbed in the heater just need to wire it up. Ordered a relocation kit from duct3d and will do the battery when the kit comes.

Made up a switch panel, just need to add a switch for the heater and would like traction control on there aswell.

Next up I decided to remove the dash and get started on thinning the loom removing all unnecessary wiring.

And this is where I'm at, at the moment.

Managed to get rid of alot and there's still quite abit to get out. It's very time consuming so I'm doing bits here and there inbetween other jobs.

When the dash was out I removed the airbag and trimmed away at some of the trim. I was going to get it flocked but didn't realise how expensive it is so that can wait for now.

Did an oil and filter change, need to do the gearbox oil and also had delivery of a set of Dunlop DZ03G. MRF were good but heard the dunlops are more grippy.

Not much else to do after these upgrades other than maintenance. Next winter I'll get a full cage and I'll respray the interior myself.

 

[182jwilliams]

Update;

Finished up with the wiring and got it all taped back together, still a lot more wiring to be removed but that'll do for now.

Started off with the engine bay battery relocation was surprisingly easy using the duct3d kit, nice simple instructions.

Then decided to spray the interior, sanded it down using a wire wheel on a grinder and a range of different sandpaper.

Battery relocated with an Odyssey PC680

Original plan was to have it behind the passenger seat but couldn't get the rivnut to compress properly. All was well but after a test drive there was a small puddle of petrol on the passengers side just under one of the holes, I've definitely put a hole through the fuel tank which is very annoying as it was all going so well, that's next on the list. No trackdays till next year so not in a rush, Gearbox oil still needs changing and the heater needs some bolts along the bottom and wired up and a good clean is needed.

 

[Maarten]

Nice car and great project! I'm thinking of doing the same on my 197 over here in The Netherlands. What is the weight of the car?

 

[Robproof]

Impressive read, looks a fun track toy!

 

[Djw Dave]

Update;

Roof vent was next.

View attachment 1610274
View attachment 1610275

Nice read - coming on really well.

Who makes the roof scoop it's a nicer style than the usual tear drop.

 

[182jwilliams]

Nice car and great project! I'm thinking of doing the same on my 197 over here in The Netherlands. What is the weight of the car?

Thank you mate, not sure on weight will get it weighed soon though I'm hoping under 1100kg

Nice read - coming on really well.

Who makes the roof scoop it's a nicer style than the usual tear drop.

Thanks! It's a motamec roof vent but I got it from motorsport tools as it was cheaper

 

[182jwilliams]

We welcomed the latest addition to the family early December, so now having two under 2 there was no chance I was getting a spare day or 2 on the car to do the fuel tank. Done the gearbox oil last week, originally put the normal elf stuff in along with some modifier but a few people advised against the modifier so drained it out and added the normal stuff without the modifier.

The oil wasn't bad, but Sean did say to change it after its first track day with the Gripper.

Also got a couple other small jobs done on the car.

Got it picked up this morning from a company called Dally Drive Automotive Service, brilliant couple guys they came with an enclosed trailer which was a bonus.

Also done the rear bumper cut outs a little while ago.

Will aks Sean to wire up the heater and over check everything to see if it's all good.

Got Cadwell booked for 6th March so looking forward to that

 

[Clio172T]

great build, and gone to great lengths to make it perform better

 

[182jwilliams]

great build, and gone to great lengths to make it perform better

Thanks dude much appreciated