James's Black 172 Phase 2 Road/Track car (on a budget!)

[James-EP400]

Hi all,

I recently bought my first Clio - A 2002 (51 plate) Clio 172 Phase 2 in black with 82k recommended by a friend of mine who MOT'd the car recently.

This car has had a few modifications on it already (some I like, some I will probably change!!):

*Silver 16" Speedline Turini's (cheap plastic tyres will need to be replaced soon as they are aweful!!)
*Decat
*Twin slash cut exhaust (unknown brand, pretty loud and unfortunately bumper has been cut)
*Lowered on Eibach springs
*Skoda Fabia front splitter
*Front grille has been sprayed black (I assume normal ones are grey plastic and unpainted)
*Front Renault diamond badge is black
*Pipercross viper air filter
*Brembo discs & Ferodo pads

A couple of pictures from the previous owner:

It is a nice clean & tidy car, just need a couple of dents taken out of the drivers door and as i'm fussy probably a front bumper respray sometime!

Here is a few pictures of how the car is now (clear side repeaters and clear bulbs) - I love this car already as I washed it in the rain before the Taunton Clio meet although didn't bother to dry it!!:

Future plans:

*280mm steering wheel, boss and airbag resister kit
*Recaro seats from Accord Type R / Evo 5 (harnesses for track days)
*15" wheels and track tyres (for the many track days i'm hoping to do!)
*Cup wishbones and shocks or coilovers
*Standard air filter setup or V6
*Replace exhaust - maybe 182 manifold, cat and yozzasport
*Whiteline ARB
*Strut braces
*Braided lines
*RS Tuner

Any thoughts, suggestions or comments are welcome - sorry it looks like yours Lesley, although like you and Dan said it doesn't have Recaro's.... yet!!

 

[AdamDoug]

Looks a beauty mate!
future plans sound awesome also! Looking forward to seeing this through the stages!
good luck with your track days.

 

[Cupman29]

Looks a very clean and tidy car for it's age.

Plans sound good and ive got some bits in the garage that may interest you like standard airbox, full 172 cup suspension. I'm looking for a 172 Decat too if you decide to get rid.

 

[jesus]

Looks great and I love that numberplate!

 

[James-EP400]

Looks a beauty mate!
future plans sound awesome also! Looking forward to seeing this through the stages!
good luck with your track days.

Many thanks, yeah nice clean and tidy car I thought and picked it up quite cheaply compared to others for sale

Yeah possibly Llandow in March, action days at Castle Combe and maybe others, will have to see. Have only done 1 track day previously so looking forward to doing some more again.

 

[Dan@SJM]

Needs 197 cams and an RS2.

 

[James-EP400]

Looks a very clean and tidy car for it's age.

Plans sound good and ive got some bits in the garage that may interest you like standard airbox, full 172 cup suspension. I'm looking for a 172 Decat too if you decide to get rid.

Thankyou very much

I have already got a standard airbox and just trying to source a few bits so I can fit it on (both cold air feeds, rear bracket, rear rubber mount and rear nuts, bolts, washers) if you have them?

Might be interested in the cup suspension in the future but I've just bought a set of Recaro's from an Integra Type R (although they look like Evo 5 / Accord Type R ones) mounted on Recaro frames on Clio runners which are being delivered Thursday

When I change the exhaust system I will put it up for sale on here anyway but will keep you in mind for the decat

 

[James-EP400]

Looks great and I love that numberplate!

Thankyou very much Jesus

Numberplate has been in the family for about 60 years now - Grandad got it cheap in the 1950's I think as he knew someone who sold numberplates. His initials were EP and the 400 was just the final numbers, been passed from him to my dad and then to me.

 

[James-EP400]

Needs 197 cams and an RS2.

If only I could afford an RS2 Dan

197 cams in the future could be a possibility

Good to see you and Chip on Saturday, will you be down at the next Exeter meet?

 

[Dan@SJM]

Nah, the Exeter meets are Fridays which I can never make due to work.

 

[Dan@SJM]

Mike from MWM Is selling some 197 cams

 

[James-EP400]

Mike from MWM Is selling some 197 cams

Oh yeah I remember you saying something about Saturday being better!! More meets on a Saturday or Sunday needed then!!

yeah I did see Mike had some for sale but as I've just bought the recaro's that will probably be it for now. How did you mount your seatbelts as I couldn't see any seatbelts on the pics. Did you use the standard ones with yours?

 

[George@RTR_Parts]

The Turinis look really good on it. Enjoy it

 

[Dan@SJM]

Oh yeah I remember you saying something about Saturday being better!! More meets on a Saturday or Sunday needed then!!

yeah I did see Mike had some for sale but as I've just bought the recaro's that will probably be it for now. How did you mount your seatbelts as I couldn't see any seatbelts on the pics. Did you use the standard ones with yours?

The recaro subframes have the fitting for the OEM belts mate.

 

[stevo172-RWD]

Love the 172 in black

 

[James-EP400]

The recaro subframes have the fitting for the OEM belts mate.

Excellent that's good news then as the ones I have bought are on Recaro subframes. I just need to swap the belts over from my seats then? I assume they are quite easy to swap over?

 

[Dan@SJM]

Dead easy mate. Let me know when you have them in and ill turn the seat airbags off in CLiP.

 

[James-EP400]

Dead easy mate. Let me know when you have them in and ill turn the seat airbags off in CLiP.

That sounds great, help when changing them over would be great they are being delivered this Thursday between 9 and 10am by courier

 

[lesley]

Hey twinnie


looks lovely, people are going to get ours mixed up now! 2 black 172's with personalised plates, silver turinis, black badges and soon to be recaros in taunton lol

 

[Dan@SJM]

I should be over in Taunton Saturday anyway mate, doing Lesley's car on CLiP too.

 

[James-EP400]

I should be over in Taunton Saturday anyway mate, doing Lesley's car on CLiP too.

Hey Dan, long story but seats aren't coming now!! Will have to look out for some more in the future

 

[James-EP400]

Hey twinnie


looks lovely, people are going to get ours mixed up now! 2 black 172's with personalised plates, silver turinis, black badges and soon to be recaros in taunton lol

Heya Twinnie!!

True there are a lot of similarities but yours will still be a lot quicker and sound a lot more civilised!! Long story but seats aren't coming so will have to look out for some more in the future

 

[James-EP400]

Just a quick update, haven't actually added anything new to the car but thought I would try and find out what what brake pads and what exhaust system I have on my Clio as I've got no paperwork for either.....

Firstly the brake pads. I could see that I had Ferodo pads but which ones were they? After a quick check of the pads I could just see DS2500 and typing the part number FCP406H into google it confirmed that the pads are DS2500's. This is an unexpected bonus as I thought they might have been the cheapest Ferodo pads.

I also took a picture of the Brembo Max front brake discs:

Now onto the exhaust, I measured the exhaust and its a 2" system with a decat and no centre box. The backbox says "Wolfrace" which I wasn't expecting and didn't even realise they did exhaust systems!! It looks like a similar backbox to this system http://www.kentcustoms.co.uk/acatalog/Wolf_Design_Full_Stainless_Systems_for_Renault_Sport_172.html

 

[James-EP400]

Thought it was about time for an update on progress on my Clio.

Here are some additional photos I took after I washed it (apologies for the poor iphone picture quality, it was getting dark!)

I have also bought a few new items for the Clio (some fitted and some not yet)

For my track wheels I bought a set of Team Dynamics Monza R alloys with almost brand new Bridgestone Turenza Tyres. I know they are not the lightest or probably look the best but they were cheap and should last me this year with the track time I will be doing. The wheels are also apart from a few small marks really clean.

JMS V6 airbox bought and fitted

Powerflow decat back system fitted (it will be moved higher up into the bumper) to replace the twin system that was previously on the car. Thanks to Danlp6 for this. To go with this I have also bought a 182 exhaust trim.

I have also fitted the 280mm steering wheel, which is needed so I can fit in the car properly and steer without my legs getting in the way!!

I have picked up cheaply a set of Evo 5 Recaro's in really good condition which will be fitted on Clio runners

I have also bought the following items which need to be fitted:

*Front diamond which I might respray in black as my current black diamond is start to peel and some of the clips are broken.
*Black tow strap
*Whiteline rear ARB
*Set of matched inlets from Danlp6
*RS Tuner remap from Chip
*Set of blue Sparco Harnesses

The first tracktime I will be doing will be at the end of April at the Castle Combe action day and hopefully by the spec of the car will be the following:

Engine
*JMS V6 airbox
*Matched inlets
*RS Tuner 98 ron exhaust & filter map
*Decat
*Powerflow decat back system

Interior
*Set of Evo 5 Recaro seats mounted on Clio runners
*Set of blue Sparco 3 point harnesses
*Back seats will be removed for track time
*Dash strips painted black

Handling
*Track wheels - Team Dynamics Monza R alloy wheels with Bridgestone Turenza tyres (might change the wheels and tyres for next year)
*Daily wheels - 172 Clio Cup Speedline Turini's
*Whiteline rear ARB
*Eibach springs

Braking
*Ferodo DS2500 pads
*Brembo Max discs
*Braided lines
*Dot 5.1 fluid

Future plans
*Respray Front and Rear bumpers
*Refurb Cup Turini's

As always comments welcome and any other suggestions or ideas.

 

[James-EP400]

Thought as I had done my first action day at Combe yesterday and following the March SW rolling road day I would update my project thread a bit more....

Firstly my rolling road printout and a couple of pics of my car on the rollers....

Ran 175.6bhp at the flywheel, 174.3bhp corrected power and 146.6ft lb of torque. I don't think that is too bad for the following mods: 98Ron RS Tuner map, decat, powerflow decat back and JMS V6 airbox as some cars were in the high 150's and low 160's although that might have been due to timing.

A couple of pics on the rollers...

Detailed, cleaned and polished the whole car on Friday as I took a half day from work before the Castle Combe track day, sorry for the poor quality iphone pics.

Before I went on the rolling road day I had the following fitted:

*Both rear wheel bearings, hubs and discs (as one was so welded it cracked the disc and wouldn't come out!)
*ABS pump as mine had failed
*Whiteline rear ARB set to the hardest setting
*Also had the exhaust moved up into the bumper and put the 182 trim on which looks 1000 times better then it did
*Polished the headlights as they had gone the usual hazzy!

Got some photos, some professional, some from my friends who were there, if anyone has any more I would love to see them

First up the professional ones....

Then a couple my friend took at Quarry...

Had an amazing time in the one session I managed before a lot of oil came out from somewhere, not sure where and hopefully it is not too serious!

As usual any comments welcome.