The RR/Targa 197

[RSRowe]

Everyone loves a new project right?

130k miles off fury. A questionable history, which shows that it’s had a belt in 2013, 4 front springs, and 2 attempts at fixing the exhaust manifold in 2017 and 18.
There’s a line on one receipt stating “coolant sealant“ and a recommendation to replace the radiator. So fingers crossed it isn’t the head gasket

The plan for this one is to stay relatively stock for now. I need to give a good once over, and once I’m happy with that I intend on doing some Road and Targa Rallying.

Ultimately I wanna try and get hold of some Laguna Silverstones, some more suited tyres, bucket seats, plan on fitting the old half cage out of my track 197 (which I’ve since bought a full cage for)

 

[Twingo 1??]

That will be a fun little project. I used to love road rallys. Can you run smaller than 17s? Just you might struggle to get suitable tyres.
I would love to do it again but finding a navigator these days is really hard.

 

[RSRowe]

It’s possible I believe, but the cost likely far out-weighs the advantages.
I know the proper rally cars list a smaller disc which can be used. A lot of the not so competitive targa boys seem to run Rainsports.

Virtually none of my friends are into rallying, so I’ve sent a text out to the old man.
He seems keen enough. It’s funny how things come around, as he sold his Mk2 Escort road rally car in the early 90’s when my mother dropped the bombshell that she was pregnant (with me)

 

[jenic]

12 car season starts soon which is a great way to spend an evening during winter, clios are ideal for it too!

 

[Twingo 1??]

Rainsports are fairly good tbh as its what I used to run on the Puma. Are you making a sump gaurd? Just remember for road rallys you need to keep an interior and something that resembles a back seat.
My dad was rallying minis, imps and avengers when I was little.
Where abouts in the country are you?

 

[RSRowe]

Yes I intend on getting some protection for underneath, inc the tank.

Interior is all staying in place. That was the main drive for buying another car instead of using the track one really.

I’m in Stoke on Trent

 

[RSRowe]

Not really much of an update. Quickly switched over the angle eye headlights which were in it, with another set of standard projectors I have hoarded away.

Had it up on the ramp to see what needs doing, and spotted a few interesting points:
- Gear cables are resting on the manifold and partially melted
- Thermostat housing has a pin missing
- It’s definitely overheated at some point
- The rad support has been used as a tow point, bent, and broken the tabs off the bottom of the rad
- gearbox is quite moist
- rear main seal is damp (possibly)
- N/S track rod inner

So in the grand scheme of things. There’s not a great deal which needs doing that urgently.
Suspension wise, it would be nice to refresh the springs, shocks, and top mounts. But that can wait for now.

For now, I’ll do the cambelt, get the rad and rad support sorted, and do a fluids service.

 

[Clio_fool]

Dephasers are on back order at the moment. If you find someone who has a couple let me know though please!

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Looking forward to seeing how this comes together. In terms of modifying, I probably wouldn't do a lot until you've done an event or two. See what it's shortcomings are and go from there. I'm sure there will be some serious machinery doing road rallies on that side of the country.

 

[RSRowe]

Dephasers are on back order at the moment. If you find someone who has a couple let me know though please!

The mk3 ones?
I’ve had one in my toolbox since I did the belt on my track 197. I never bothered doing it as I wanted to see how long it lasted

I don’t think they’re as much of an issue on the Mk3 compared to the Mk2 ones

 

[RSRowe]

Looking forward to seeing how this comes together. In terms of modifying, I probably wouldn't do a lot until you've done an event or two. See what it's shortcomings are and go from there. I'm sure there will be some serious machinery doing road rallies on that side of the country.

I don’t intend on doing a great deal. It’s just a bit of fun anyways. I’m never going to be competing against the regulars in 20-30k of machinery

Want to get the fundamentals right, and make sure nothings gonna break.

 

[Twingo 1??]

I think it would be quite a quick car. RR and taga boys are still hung up on using mk2's or protons.
It's nice that you have gone a different direction. I bet when you have done a few events you will be able to see where the clio's strengths and weakness are.
I may go back to grass routes next year as I have a car sat there doing nothing and stage rallying is just getting even more out of reach 😭.

 

[Clio_fool]

The mk3 ones?
I’ve had one in my toolbox since I did the belt on my track 197. I never bothered doing it as I wanted to see how long it lasted

I don’t think they’re as much of an issue on the Mk3 compared to the Mk2 ones

Yeah I had my 200 booked in for belts etc doing last week and they rang me to say they couldn't find a dephaser anywhere and all the usual stockists were waiting on renault to deliver. I've no history so wanted the whole lot doing even though it runs smooth and is nice and quiet.

 

[RSRowe]

I think it would be quite a quick car. RR and taga boys are still hung up on using mk2's or protons.
It's nice that you have gone a different direction. I bet when you have done a few events you will be able to see where the clio's strengths and weakness are.
I may go back to grass routes next year as I have a car sat there doing nothing and stage rallying is just getting even more out of reach 😭.

It’s a fair point really. I think a lot of it on the Targa days is just not making silly mistakes.
The last one i marshalled there were only a handful of cars which did our control correct.

I think the only thing the Clio has against it is it’s size. They’re quite a big car for a ‘small hatchback’

Yeah I had my 200 booked in for belts etc doing last week and they rang me to say they couldn't find a dephaser anywhere and all the usual stockists were waiting on renault to deliver. I've no history so wanted the whole lot doing even though it runs smooth and is nice and quiet.

Yeah I understand. For me I do all the work myself, so it’s no trouble for me just banging a dephaser on if it fails.
That being said, I’ve never actually heard of a Mk3 one fail.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

My mate did really well in targas in a bog standard 106 Quiksilver. Makes me laugh when people show up for them in fancy cars. My old Escort is used for targa rallies. Total overkill.

 

[AlanWak]

I won the Rushmoor Targa in my pretty standard 1275 Micra, beating Escorts, BMWs,... 😁

Getting the Tests right and not hitting cones is key.

The pace of Targa Rallies is increasing, with Pumas now winning most events.

The 061 Targa is running at Weeton next Saturday, go and Marshal if you want to learn more about Targas.

I run the BTRDA Targa Championship so ask if you have any questions.

 

[RSRowe]

The 061 Targa is running at Weeton next Saturday, go and Marshal if you want to learn more about Targas.

I had intended to come next week, but can’t make it as I’ve got stuff on.

My old man’s been trying to organise some heads to marshal it, but isn’t getting much of a response from his club.

 

[RSRowe]

And so it begins….

Really begrudge paying for a ‘proper’ rad support. So I’m gonna cut the tab off and weld it back in the right place.

My mate kindly donated me his old Clio rad, having recently Meg converted.
Need to try and keep the above a secret from the missus, as I keep telling her I’m skint.
Will have to come up with a good excuse when the boxes keep arriving to the house.

 

[RSRowe]

So I had intended on taking loads of pics today, but the reality of it was I was just trying to crack on and get things sorted.

Word of advice kids, don’t use the rad support as a tow point….

Been a while since I’ve done any welding, so excuse the poor effort. But I relocated the bracket on the standard Clio rad support. Dead easy to do, and saves quite a bit of money.

My free radiator took a bit of fettling to get right too, as my ham fisted friend who gave it me had snapped the fan mounting clips off.
Found some mega glue stashed in the unit, and it seems to of done the trick.

I was hopeful that the condenser was still air tight, but it has also fallen victim to the towing incident.

I also fitted the new steering parts. Unfortunately the inners don’t come as a full kit, but fortunately I managed to get a set of universal ones from a local motorfactor.
I also chucked a set of old PS4 on which I had stashed away. They should be a bit better than the M+S tyres which were fitted (which are also banned on certain targa events).

The list of things is slowly getting shorter. For now all I need to do is fit the cambelt kit i bought, and source an AC condenser.
Thought it was sensible to sort the radiator out first to make sure the head gasket wasn’t dead on it.

 

[Twingo 1??]

Good work mate but a brave man to be wearing crocs in a workshop.

 

[RSRowe]

I have no good excuse to respond to that 🤣

 

[Inequality Street]

I have no good excuse to respond to that 🤣

Footwear of champions!!

 

[RSRowe]

Not really much of an update. But I’ve had very little motivation to sort this over winter.
I have however gone on a bit of a spending spree of recent.

I actually did a proper job and did both the timing and aux belt, including tensioners.

Scuttle drains done me dirty.

Previous owner or his mechanic had used bolts and nuts to attach the cross brace… not that useful given you can’t actually get a socket or spanner on them. Need to try and find the part number and order the proper replacement

Passenger shaft refuses to come out of the hub. I’m hopeful a soak in ATF with work some wonders until I next work on it. Had enough of it today, so will get back to it another weekend.
Really not looking forward to doing the swivels, cus they look very crusty and very original.

I had kind of forgot how much of a t**t these cars can be when they aren’t maintained. Crunchy basically fell apart as it was generally in pieces most the time between trackdays.