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Our little budget track Clio



  Clio RS200
We bought another Clio from a member off here a few months ago. We bought it with the intention of it being the daily and the 200 being used for special occasions. Well we bought it with the MOT nearly up and the tax nearly expired. We put it in the garage when we got back and pretty much forgot about it.

A few months later we fell into Lydden Hill race track on the way to a shopping trip (Lydden Hill is 10 minutes down the road from our house) and Sophie said she wanted to get out on the track. There's no way I'll put the 200 on there so bring on the fate of the little blue Clio.

Its only a 1.6 16v but it does perfectly well at holding its own on the track. Lydden's only straight is downhill so this helped :) It came with a K&N cone filter, K-Tech Supersport decat exhaust system and lowered 40mm on Apex springs so it fitted the bill really. We can't spend that much on it, it's on a budget build for a bit of fun, and to be honest, with a 1.6 engine, there's no point. When it's had enough it'll be put to the back of the garage and a 172 put it in its place.

When we got it
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Started to strip it
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All this junk came out
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Rear Strut brace fitted. It was custom made from a member on here and it was a perfect fit.
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Seats starting to go in. We got the OMP subframe and runners for the drivers side from YB Racing, I know they get a hard time but ordered midday and arrived the next day in the AM so couldn't complain. We had some time waiting for the drivers sub and runner so as we had some spare seats we would see what we would come up with for the passenger seat. We weren't going to put one in, but I had 2 Corbeaus so thought why not. It only needs to be a static seat so didn't worry about runners but we did manage to use the subframe from the passenger side Clio seat and modify it to fit the Corbeau seat. I wouldn't recommend doing it again though. It's a lot of work and head scratching.

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Put the tow strap in and fitted the CAF which is really really awful but we were doing all this with only 2 days to spare so it was a rush job.

Rear Spoiler and some other bits of exterior painted in BMW sparkling anthracite, which looks bloody amazing tbh
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One of my mates was helping me with the car and he wouldn't let the headlight stripes go. Everytime I took then off he put more on. He went through a whole roll of electrical tape just for that. I admitted defeat and they stayed. The car is low and the bumper and splitter made it impossible to get the car on and off the ramps so, two clips later, we have a removable bumper.

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Day before the track the roll cage turned up
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We serviced it, roll cage fitted, drivers seat fitted with the runners and subframe, harnesses fitted, cleaned and then placed on the truck at 1 am on the track day.
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Day at the track. Arrived at half 7
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We flipped a coin to see who would be first out in the track. Sophie won. Bear in mind the only one of us had driven the car and that was all motorway so driving a car flat out that you aren't used to is difficult. We didn't know how it handled or anything really so this was really just a test day. We had new Toyo tyres that had never seen tarmac and new brakes so we were really pushing it.

Sophie went out with Bill Richards who is an instructor at Lydden. He is a massive player in the mini sport world and his own personal mini is just pure evil.

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We did lose Sophie on the very first corner. It's out of view from where we were spectating but it turned out she spun it and ended up in the grass. A muddy alloy wheel I can just about let her off with. She was very praised by Bill from what she managed to do and ended up Sophie is a better driver than some of the lads. Bill said the car was to blame for the spin as the rear is very nervous and there was possibly some oil on the track. We took the rear strut brace out and played with some tyre pressures to keep the back end in check.
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As we looked like such a professional set up, Japspeed decided they wanted to pitch up next to us. Turns out they have a famous driver so queue the stalking and then the photo
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There are plenty of other pics of myself and Steve going round the track but they all start to look the same so you don't need to see them. The little Clio did really well on the track....as in it didn't break down, and it had enough punch in it to keep up. Its given us an idea of what we may be able to achieve next time though. We were backing off alot as we weren't used to it. We are going to try one of the track days at Brands Hatch in a couple of months so hopefully will be able to get the Clio some decent lap times.
 
  mk2ph1 rsi 106rallye
looks like you had a great day nice to hear the clio did ok on the track cant wait to got my rsi done and out on track.

anything you plan on upgradeding before your next track day?
 
  Clio RS200
looks like you had a great day nice to hear the clio did ok on the track cant wait to got my rsi done and out on track.

anything you plan on upgradeding before your next track day?

Only the handling, there's no point going too far on the engine. When are you going to be getting yours out?
 
  Clio RS200
Great write up. Just proves that you dont need big power to have fun.

Not at all. There was a VTS going round and it lapping everything! At Lydden its all about the handling and stopping as all the big engine turbo cars don't have enough time to get wound up before they have to break again. Low down straight away power is the way ahead lol
 
  SG boost'd 200
I've done a session in my 197 when I was testing my track car...then I felt that I was getting sucked in, which at Lydden isn't good when driving your pride and joy as run off is minimal!
You'll have to let me know when your tracking again and I'll pop down and have a look ;)
 

Sunglasses_Ron

ClioSport Admin
looks like you had a great day nice to hear the clio did ok on the track cant wait to got my rsi done and out on track.

anything you plan on upgradeding before your next track day?

I heard that they might add a nice little sat nav to the car?
 
  Clio RS200
I've done a session in my 197 when I was testing my track car...then I felt that I was getting sucked in, which at Lydden isn't good when driving your pride and joy as run off is minimal!
You'll have to let me know when your tracking again and I'll pop down and have a look ;)

I had the 200 sitting there. I was considering it, but then slapped myself and sacked the idea. My first run they put me at the front, that was not fun! I like having someone to follow, not being followed lol It was non competative so aren't really allowed to race but I let a few past and then found myself a 306 to use as a pace car. It helped. Lydden haven't got another track day til about September time, but Brands Hatch seem to have one nearly every week so it'll be there next.
 


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