Rob's F4R'd Dynamique Track Car

[ROB91]

Right i think its about time i started a project thread for this as i have been planning and gathering parts for the last couple of months. As some of you may know i have previously done 2 trackdays in my 1.2 last year and i think its time for a bigger engine.

OUlton park sept 2010

And Anglesey Oct 2010

I enjoyed both trackdays so much i have now caught the bug and cant wait to do more. I thought about buying a 172 but wanted something that was going to be more of a project for me. After talking to a few people about conversions i decided to go for it and started to buy/gather parts to convert my 1.2 16v to a 172 track car.

First of all before i begin i would like to say a huge thanks to jord (f0xy) and Adam (Adam Anderton) for all the help on the car. Thanks alot guys. I was happy with the way that the car looked so im not going to change anything with the looks.

I first bought the car in Feb 2008 from renault. LOved the car since day 1. Its a 2004 1.2 16v dynamique.

After a bit of planning and gathering i started to clean up and refurb all the parts that i had bought over the last few months... I bought all the basic running gear off a 172..

Subframe
Wishbones
ARB
Hubs
Callipers
Inlets
Exhaust manifold
Cat
Pedal box
172 cup master cylinder
172 cup servo
172 cup engine and interior looms
ecu, uch, and keys
clocks
steering rack
rad pipes
rad
rear beam rear callipers

ect ect.........

Ive not take any pics of refurbing all the parts as there would be simply too many pics lol....

 

[ROB91]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

After re-furbing all of the parts that came off a 172 i painted them all and started to piece back togeather the subframe..

I ordered a set of Powerflex bushed for the wishbones and a new set of wishbone bots and nuts

I then files out the wishbones so that the powerflex sleeves would fit in the standars renault wishbones

I ordered a new set of track rod ends and ball joints form euro car parts and fitted then on to the wishbones and steering rack, then fitted them to the subframe.

I couldnt fit the anti-roll bar at this point as renault had messed me about with the order so i had to do this at a later date.

I ordered a new mk1 1.8 16v alternator off ebay.

Then the project really started.... We removed the engine and gearbox along with all the wiring loom, plumbing and rad.

 

[ROB91]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

After removing the engine it was time to strip everything else that wasnt sport related off the car ( basically everything barr the shell). Took a while but got there in the end lol.

Standard exhaust removed

Couldnt get the exhaust off in one piece so had to cut it, that was when the grinding disc exploded lol, thank god i was wearing a full face visor

We then started to removed the dash so that all the interior wiring could come out...

After removing the dash and all the wiring we took out all the sound deadening and all heater pipes from behind the dash

Next thing was to remove the 1.2 pedal box, servo and master cylinder, Im fitting the 172 servo with a 172 cup master cylinder as i want to get rid of the abs.

Cup master cylinder

We then had to remove the old 1.2 subframe, running gear and coilovers ready for the 172 runnig gear to go on.

We built the 172 subframe up before putting it onto the car. Getting it onto the car was a bit harder than expected but we got there in the end lol....with the use of an engine crane lol

Once the subframe was attatched and secure, we started to put the 172 hubs on...

I had bought a new set of FK highsport coilovers for the conversion along with a new set of suspension bolts as the old ones were crusty..

We cracked on and fitted those to the car.. felt goo to be putting things on the car rather than taking stuff off lol

 

[ROB91]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

As for the brakes i ordered a set of brembo HC discs

And a set of Ferodo DS2500 pads

Got those fitted to the car aswel

Thing started to pick up as we got alot done, working on the car til stupid o'clock nearly every night.

 

[harribo66]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

Great read mate! . Wish I could do his to my 1.2!

 

[Gray]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

Sweeeeeeeeeeeet

 

[oliver.james]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

Great project!

 

[VIICarCare]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

very cool! wish i had the space to do that!

 

[Sanders]

Good effort mate, some work gone into that

 

[Whiskerz16v]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

Going well so far then
How longs it taken you so far?

 

[f0xy]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

Its only been a week, although there is a lot more done than hes wrote up. Im sure he'l carry on writing later!

 

[Christopher]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

Nice work! I'm glad you did it this way, rather than buying a sheddy 172.

 

[Mcaff]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

awesome project, was planning doing the same to mine but the cost added up to much for me to justify.

fair play good luck with it.

 

[Camble]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

Awesome project mate, good idea to keep it on the low until you got most of it sorted

Car looked mean when I saw it, can't wait for it to be finished!

 

[Englebert]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

Pointless/Awesome. Keep up the good work!

 

[Hixle]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

Awesome work mate! Love projects like this! Fair play for tracking the 1.2, too

 

[chriscummins7]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

good work! Will be a nice sleeper at the end. I would love to do this, but my mechanical knowledge is poor at best :dapprove:

 

[Jay Payne]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

Looking good so far

 

[Dunn]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

Not the easiest way to go about it

but awesome build and it will make it all that bit special

engine gouing to be standard or you going for ITB's ?

 

[mat-nos]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

nice work, not pointless as you learn so much from playing around and, know everything is 100% right and how to fix stuff when it breaks if you do it yourself!!
i always admire built not bought....

 

[JoeyD]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

This is f**king impressive, mate! Would have loved to do this to my car.
I'll be watching closely!

 

[ROB91]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

Not the easiest way to go about it

but awesome build and it will make it all that bit special

engine gouing to be standard or you going for ITB's ?

HI, no dont think im going to run ITB's or anything yet, just running a standard 172 engine.

Cheers for all the comments guy's got loads left to write up tonight, so will be another late night lol. Will get some pics of my recently bought yozza sport exhaust too later if i get chance.

 

[Conlon]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

i really like this! will be keeping an eye on it!

 

[ROB91]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

After fitting all the suspension, subframe, hubs, discs, callipers... ect.... It was time to start to pipe up the brakes. As the car is going to be used mainly for track i have decided to get rid of all the ABS, which ment getting a 172 Cup master cylinder. After the pedal box was fitted, and the master cylinder was on we started to run the brake line. Im also using Goodridge braded lines front and rear.

Had to lend all the brake tools so that we could flare the lines cheers for that Adam

Once we started the front lines were done really quick, Ive utilised the standard lines that run under the car as they were in perfect condition. So we ran all the front lines...

The 172 cup master cylinder...

Next thing was to cut all the heater pipes and unwated things off the back of the dash not saved too much weight but every little counts

Im still keeping the window heater in the car i have just blanked everything else off. Next was to fit the rear discs and the rear callipers.

 

[ROB91]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

Once the interior wiring loom had been cut down off all the things that have been removed, cd player, interior light, electric windows ect ect.. it was time to re-fit the bottom dash.

I have relocated the UCH to where the passenger airbag was

Then we fitted the 172 clocks and the top dash

The inside of the car is starting to look something like now the dash is back in.

It was now time to run the brakelines to the rear callipers.

Again ive got the goodridge braided lines on the rear

Next step was to get the new 172 coilovers put on the back so i could get the car back down on all four wheels..

We filled up the brakes and blead the brake system without any problems which was good, everything is starting to run abit smoother now, which is good.

Took a few pics when i got the car back on all four wheels, the car really needs a clean but that can wait until the work is finished lol.

The inside.. I have also fitted a K-tec short shifter aswel

Finall after the long wait i can actually see some brakes behind the wheels lol.. they look fantastic am really happy with how the brakes are looking.

Well hopefully the next thing to go in will be the engine and the gearbox later this week once i get the box back from agency transmissions. I collected a new exhaust y'day from a member off the forum, still have to get some photos of this and then will post them up. If all goes well the engine should be in later this week and driving by the weekend. Fingers crossed

 

[maynard]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

cracking progress rob, coming along nicely

 

[ROB91]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

Cheers mate, its getting there now mate, Still loads to do but its moving along now at a steady pace. Just waiting on the gearbox to get sorted out now. Cant wait to get it up and running. Abit different since you last saw it lol

 

[f0xy]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

I have relocated the UCH to where the passenger airbag was

Wonder which wiring pro had that idea

Missing pics of quite a few of your other parts too?

 

[Sam@NP]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

looks good, great project.

Prefer Dynocup though

 

[f0xy]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

looks good, great project.

Prefer Dynocup though

DynAcup you mean?

 

[ROB91]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

Wonder which wiring pro had that idea

Missing pics of quite a few of your other parts too?

Hmmm i wonder lol....

Sure i have put all the pics up, ill double check in a min

 

[Sam@NP]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

DynAcup you mean?

FML

 

[ROB91]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

This arrived for me on friday....

Powerflex dogbone bush.... not fitted the bush yet will do then when the engine is in.

 

[freemo77]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

looking really good this, keep us updated

 

[G3 NYX]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

Looks epic! I want to do that to my 1.2 but I'm holding off for now

 

[ROB91]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

Looks epic! I want to do that to my 1.2 but I'm holding off for now

I was thiniking about doing it for a while, i toyed with severl ideas from buying a mk1 to buying a mk2 ph2 172, but i wanted something that was going to be a project. Im loving doing it tbh

 

[Bren Rogers]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

So much work already done.... when is the engine and box going in?

 

[ROB91]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

Yeah i know, With abit of luck the engine should be in at weekend but im just waiting for the gearbox to come back from agancy transmissions.

 

[Jon.G]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

I've been waiting to hear about this since the end of last year when I spoke to you about it.

Good to see your doing it, I take it Jordan and Adam are helping you most of the way as well. Sounds like its all gone really smoothly and fast too! Keep up the good work.

 

[f0xy]

Re: 1.2 Track car Conversion

Me and Adam have had a few days off from it, Robs soundtrack of - 'Cant do it' - is still ringing fresh in our ears. You CAN do it. Lol.