Kangoo Compact (aka Racevan3)

TDLR - im an idiot and keep buying scrap Renaults and a new project is in stock

A few months ago in my old job i had a 68reg Kangoo, got it with delivery mileage brand new. Noted pretty crap in diesel form, and handling average however i had heard that the underpinnings were very similar to meg/mk3 clio, and confirmed when having a look underneath briefly.

Said van

Returned when i left the job, good riddance to tracker and 62mph speed limiter. Thought to myself that it would probably be sound, with more power and better handling.

At the time i still had my old Kangoo 172 (Racevan2), which was leagues ahead. Lacked a bit of straight line speed, and deep down im a turbo man missed the turbo torque so sold which stuck some money back in the pot.

With the drive looking less cluttered and bank balance up a few quid said no more projects until my Extra (Racevan1) is back on the road.

Had the idea of a Megane rs powered Kangoo2 for a while, and seen the compact version. The compact is the same length as Clio2. Compared to the usual ml version of the Kangoo2 its like a micro machine.

Press pic of the compact next to ml

Thinking this would be a great project to do once the Extra is done, sat on the idea. The compact is rare to find for sale, as from what i gather nobody bought them with the 4 foot load space in the rear making them pretty useless as a van.

Mrs was looking and seen one for sale on Facebook marketplace, needing a new engine and only down the road. Made the mistake of going for a look, looked pretty unloved but bodywork quite good, engine totally shot. Stuck a low bid in, scrap money and the fella was up for it.

Collected on the back of my mates truck this week

Short arse

Cleaned up and roof rack removed and pushed into position.

Current engine bay half a dci lump with melted pistons on cyl 1 & 4

Had a good look round and the subframe looks pretty identical to meg2 or clio3. Meg rs track control arms, hubs and brembos bolt on as one as already been done, so handling should be great. Mounts look identical to megane, so in theory a meg lump and ndo box should go in (pk box fits).

Wiring may or may not be tricky, however i have been thinking about this, and there is a few options, if all else fails standalone ecu and stack dash.

So will get the Extra done, and then start on this. Watch this space

 

Love it, proper mental little micro machine. Really hope it's at CSF
For such a small chassis, how do you find it handles with that much power?

Cheers mate. It seems to just be like a meglio with a frock, wheelbase is 200mm shorter and 170mm shorter than 182.

Lsd pulls it about a little on camber on the roads which keeps you on your toes. It struggles with traction at higher torque levels compared to megane rs even though weight is similar. Overall, not bad have driven more lairy fwd. Feels pretty quick.

 

Would love to see the VXR driver face


Great work as always!

 

Cheers mate. It seems to just be like a meglio with a frock, wheelbase is 200mm shorter and 170mm shorter than 182.

Lsd pulls it about a little on camber on the roads which keeps you on your toes. It struggles with traction at higher torque levels compared to megane rs even though weight is similar. Overall, not bad have driven more lairy fwd. Feels pretty quick.

Credit where credit is due bud, it's a cracking build. Amazed that it's that much shorter than a 182!

Not surprised it feels quick with 350BHP behind it if it's on track at CSF I'll be collaring you for some passenger laps

 

Would love to see the VXR driver face


Great work as always!

Cheers mate ! Vxr driver just give up. I also made a 19 reg golf gtd go backwards fast. Was hilarious as he was trying to be clever and failed. Laughed at him

Credit where credit is due bud, it's a cracking build. Amazed that it's that much shorter than a 182!

Not surprised it feels quick with 350BHP behind it if it's on track at CSF I'll be collaring you for some passenger laps

Cheers mate! Its mad that its shorter than a 182. Pic of them back to back. Collar me for a passenger lap at CSF, be first shakedown so will see how it goes. Hopefully well🤞

 

Updates

Had a bit of spare time this week on an evening as been off the gym. Supposed to be resting my arm up but yeah..

Went to Asda on Tuesday in it and heard the cars on track at Teesside so popped over. On way back was nice evening/sunset so got some pics down the sea front on way back.

Got talking to a local fella who turned out to be a massive petrolhead, so was there quite a while and tide started coming right up to the wheels..its prob rusting happily after all the salt air

Got chance of some lift time Wed afternoon at a mates garage. Oil and filter change done, michelin ps5 fitted to the comps and geo done on the hunter.

Camber and toe was miles out initially and it was wondering a bit on the street. Not sure whats going on there but must have settled a bit since last geo.

Spiced up the front a little for Anglesey. Drives true again and straight on boost. Not tried cornering too much due to traffic, have chucked it into a few roundabouts and turns in nice, where it was a little understeery before. I was always a bit dissapointed with the understeer considering rs perfo hub setup but we will see how this goes.

Castor still a bit out but cant get nothing on that on current setup.

in theory its semi slicks and full tank of fuel and its good to go. Ill prob change rad for oem meg before we go as concerned the aftermarket is not up to the job. Easy enough job to do.

Thanks for reading!!

 

Updates

Had a bit of spare time this week on an evening as been off the gym. Supposed to be resting my arm up but yeah..

Went to Asda on Tuesday in it and heard the cars on track at Teesside so popped over. On way back was nice evening/sunset so got some pics down the sea front on way back.

Got talking to a local fella who turned out to be a massive petrolhead, so was there quite a while and tide started coming right up to the wheels..its prob rusting happily after all the salt air

View attachment 1655694View attachment 1655695View attachment 1655696

Got chance of some lift time Wed afternoon at a mates garage. Oil and filter change done, michelin ps5 fitted to the comps and geo done on the hunter.

View attachment 1655690

View attachment 1655691

Camber and toe was miles out initially and it was wondering a bit on the street. Not sure whats going on there but must have settled a bit since last geo.View attachment 1655693
Spiced up the front a little for Anglesey. Drives true again and straight on boost. Not tried cornering too much due to traffic, have chucked it into a few roundabouts and turns in nice, where it was a little understeery before. I was always a bit dissapointed with the understeer considering rs perfo hub setup but we will see how this goes. View attachment 1655692
Castor still a bit out but cant get nothing on that on current setup.

in theory its semi slicks and full tank of fuel and its good to go. Ill prob change rad for oem meg before we go as concerned the aftermarket is not up to the job. Easy enough job to do.

Thanks for reading!!

- 2.00 is about right Jon, should be great on the track.

 

Updates.

More datalogging, still had a slight overboost situation up hills/max load. Ive knocked 1.5 turns of preload off the acutator to lower the base pressure and done extensive datalogging on the road late at night. 100% confident its bang on the money, 22psi tapering to 19psi under full load up hill and 11.7 afr tapering to low 11s up top.

Got a fine as forgot to pay the merseyflow on the way back from efi. Could have took a better pic for £22

I was running an evol dogbone and the bushes had fallen to bits on both sides and causing a knock in reverse. Bought a posh vibratechnics dogbone and fitted that.

Finished off my spa intake temp sensor. My friend alloy tig welded it for me. Pressure tested all good, sensor threads sealed with locktite 577. Fitted, works good.

Fitted the technomagnesio/A048 M/H compound semi slicks in prep for CSF. Looks mega like compomotive mo5.

Also changed rad for new oem renault so no chance of it getting hot. Its been road tested today/datalogged all good.

Done as much as i can so that will have to do!

Thanks for reading all.

 

Looks mint on the amphasite wheels Jon👍

 

So much better on the MOs

 

Best thread on here TBH
Before the wives and girlfriends one was removed obvs

 

Thanks all!

Didnt see the wags thread

If the stars have aligned i should get more than 6 laps this year at CSF. Hopefully nothing will go wrong and itll be a good one.

 

CSF update.

Csf done and pretty successfull overall, the stars finally aligned. 600 miles on the trip, 3x tanks of fuel and 4x track sessions on the pm.

Sat ready to go with the Extra.

I was anticipating a 2 lap wonder and something to go wrong so had datalogger in initially for first few laps. Checked logs, coolant temps were very good 87deg, Iat great 5deg above ambient, no timing pull or noticeable overboost issues.

I thought id broke it with vibration on certain parts of the circuit but was due to the epic amounts of rubber on the circuit.

Full send after i got used to driving it. Its quite hard to pedal, suspension needs dialling in better and you have to feed the power in on corner exit as its pretty lairy. Can rotate the back end nice with trail braking on the tighter corners. Its planted at speed on the throttle and when cornering but its a bit twitchy on high speed braking 100mph + but controllable.

Finally works. Pizza on the evening to celebrate success.

Spotted on the way back on a55 iirc?

Back at van HQ safe and sound.

24mpg overall, not too bad. It was drinking it on track so assume it levelled out on steady return journey.

Give it a once over and all seems to be good. Have refitted the white mo's with the cup2s as more road friendly.

Thanks for reading!!

 

Both vans were epic mate. My lad thought they were mega, as did I.

 

Both vans were epic mate. My lad thought they were mega, as did I.

Cheers mate! Was good to catch up.

Had mega fun in the Extra catching you up at the back end of the day. Back end looked lively on it!

 

Cheers mate! Was good to catch up.

Had mega fun in the Extra catching you up at the back end of the day. Back end looked lively on it!

That van is bonkers mate, proper rapid. My Mrs turned up at the end of the day so I asked her what the M3 sounded like and she said "I couldn't hear anything other than the van" 🤣

My tyres had turned to playdoh by then so it really wanted to get sideways.

The guy who did the briefing warned me at the start I'd be off the track if they caught me going sideways so I was keeping it in check the whole day 😅

 

I didn't realise how much of a queue there was for this Jon🤣

I just rocked up and jumped in, felt like a bit of a dickhead since everyone was eager for a passenger rip🫣🤣🤣

 

I didn't realise how much of a queue there was for this Jon🤣

I just rocked up and jumped in, felt like a bit of a dickhead since everyone was eager for a passenger rip🫣🤣🤣

Peefect timing that mate

 

Long time no update!

A couple of vids i forgot to add from CSF. The exhaust is loud as feck for a meg engine on driveby!





@MarkCup 's awesome footage.



Ive not really used it much since Anglesey sadly. I did take it out for a hoon one night and my mate confirmed it puts large flames out the exhaust at night after a long pull in 5th gear! also ridiculously low mpg 15-20 from memory

Motivation has been low for car washing or detailing recently and not cleaned it since before Anglesey. Wheels were black with brake dust and rubber marks all over and loads of bugs all over the front. A good hour later and its back to clean.

Will see how weather fairs and might sorn it at the end of the month if it turns.

Thanks for reading!!

 

That video is great from @MarkCup 😂

 

Its class this. Still can't believe i've not seen you around the Teesside area

 

Its class this. Still can't believe i've not seen you around the Teesside area

Cheers mate! Not used it much recently if im honest. Mpg is fcuking horrendous on it low 20s all the time normal driving so hurts the wallet a bit, and ive been working away too so always in the blue clio. Had it out a couple of weeks ago for a blag about though and now its sorn for winter.

Need to start looking at ecumaster install soon.

 

Small boring update.

A bit of prep for winter layup.

Fired up and ran up to temp as need to drive onto small ramps to get the jack underneath. Fired up first time as if it had ran yesterday.

Jacked up and ph1 225 wheels fitted, ds1.11 front brake pads removed and stock brembo pads fitted. Discs coated in xcp rust block to stop excessive corrosion. Coilovers and other parts coated in xcp whilst up in the air for corrosion protection.

Looks gash but saves sitting outside on the cup2's.

Compomotives cleaned inside and out. Some savage fallout off the ds1.11 pads, a decent dose of BH autowheel removed 99% of it.

Bagged up and on the wheel rack in the garage until next spring.

Thanks for reading!!

 

@Brigsy - A bit late to the party, and kinda new here, but i've gone over this thread in detail, and am blown away, what a stunning project, and spot on as I would have done it (though might have chosen a Scenic as a basis and not a Kangoo). I really love the fact it looks totally stock, as though Renault have done it themselves, and the attention to detail which really looks mega.

 

Thanks mate. It all worked out quite nice for an unknown conversion. Only downside was cost!

Looking forward to better weather, will tax it and get it used again.

 

2024 update.

After coming off the road in October last year the Kangoo is taxed and back on the road.

Started straight up no hesitation today first crank. Jacked it up and changed wheels for the white compomotives. Whilst wheels were off checked everything over for mot, all looks OK.

I had coated all suspension and alloy underbonnet components in xcp rust block before winter hit so no changes really. Even give the discs a good coat of xcp to keep them right and there was only a slight bit of surface rust on them, so worth doing if your laying a car up outside to save the thick rust forming that takes ages to clean off.

I did however suspect the rear calipers were binding a little before i took it off the road as it hardly moved after CSF, so whilst rear wheels were off i give them a once over. The pistons were slightly tight winding back initially - worked piston in and out a couple of times with some red rubber grease to lube and they seem fine. Cleaned up pads, sliders etc whilst there and refitted.

Taxed and drove it to tesco for some fresh momentum 99 and a 30 mile trip to makro.

Dinky

Nothing to report really all good. Forgot how quick it is - squats and goes!

Small list of bits to do.

Oil & filter change - was done before Anglesey so not ages ago but needs doing.

Whistle from exhaust manifold area when cold - assume very minor blow which shuts up when engine is hot. Noticed this last year will do some investigation soon.

Mot expires in 2 days - get that done in next week or so.

Thanks for reading!!

 

That’s absolutely belter 😍

 

This awesome little machine never fails to put a smile on my face when I see the pics in your updates. 👍