Thought I'd share....

[Apg100]

hi.

Thought I'd share a bit about my car and clio experience so far...

I bought an ebay clio at the beginning of the year, to scratch a racing itch I've had for years, racing. No idea what I was looking for, or what I'd bought!

Ended up with my 2003 172 clio. Absolutely love it!!

I tracked it a few times and couldn't believe that a risky ebay purchase didn't turn out to be a turd. The car really did feel like a good one.

I took it to a chap in Wakefield that builds cars, to have a look at it and let me know what I'd bought. The car is pretty stripped, has a role cage, racing seats, etc, and ready to race. Adjustable suspention, stuff like that.

I got in touch with a racing club called Track Attack, to see about racing in the Tricolore Cup series, intending to start in 2015. All very helpful and looked like a friendly enough series.

Well, after my third track day, I decided to bite the bullet and see if I could get a race this season. Got in touch with club and booked on for Cadwell Park in September! I then started bricking it! Never having raced before, and had no idea if the car was any good! I got my licence a few years ago, but life got in the way and stopped me racing!

Anyway, got sorted and went for my first race weekend. Within 5 mins, of arriving at Cadwell, 5 or 6 of the other drivers had come over and introduced themselves (thanks all). It turns out they are all a friendly bunch!

Out for a curry, in preparation for my first race, decided to have a couple of beers to get me to sleep

Race day was really busy, scrutinering, qualifying, then racing all packed in. Car failed Scrutinering! Joy! Luckily, a chap called Sonny came to the rescue and got me out for the first race, after missing qualifying. Last on the grid!

First race started 26th, finished 17th. Second race started 17th and finished 11th. Well chuffed! Had the best day of my life! (Don't tell the wife!) and totally got the bug!

Next race is Snetterton on the 1st of November. Time to get the car ready again.

Don't have pots of money, so decided to spend time lightening the car, rather than looking for extra power. Also upgrade the breaks, as the original ones were a bit poor.

Today, fitted new GRP doors, from CM Composites, removed the glass, in prep for Perspex, and tidied up a bit of the wiring, after removing the dash. Also fitted a bar on the back suspention that stiffens stuff up, from Whitline. Electrician also added a push button start, cow there cool!

I've kept a track of the bits I've removed, and so far have saved about 110kg, but have put on about 18kg, so basically removed the weight of the fat driver (me). I'd be interested to see the difference to power it makes (unless anyone knows the equation?)

On Tuesday, I'll be fitting a new machined inlet manifold, which is in the only power change I'm making at the moment (no idea if it's going to be any good!), then it's off for wrapping, to make it look a truly Yorkshire car!

I'd add some pictures, but have no idea how to do it!

Sorry for boring you all, but if you have any suggestions and things that I can do, without spending a fortune, to improve the car, let me know.

Cheers

Andrew (Wakefield, Yorkshire)

 

[Addicted]

Sounds awesome, any pictures/ .

 

[imprezaworks]

Excellent mate. Look forward to any future updates. And good luck with your plans.

 

[Cub.]

Sounds great. The racers are a great bunch of guys

Do you want me to make this a project thread?

 

[Apg100]

Sounds great. The racers are a great bunch of guys :smile:

Do you want me to make this a project thread?

No idea, does that mean I go in and update stuff? If yes, then yes, but I've no idea how to upload photos.

 

[imprezaworks]

Upload the photos to photobucket

 

[Cub.]

No idea, does that mean I go in and update stuff? If yes, then yes, but I've no idea how to upload photos.

I've moved it to the project threads section bud. Basically, you update this thread whenever you please with photos, write ups etc

Let me know if you want the title changed to something more personal I.e. APG's Racecar

In terms of photos, have a read of this;
http://www.cliosport.net/threads/how-to-post-pictures-the-newbie-guide.639150/

Give me a shout if I can help.

 

[Apg100]

Does this work?

http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b492/apg100/imagejpg4_zpsbcdd60a4.jpg
http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b492/apg100/imagejpg8_zps84bbf642.jpg
http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b492/apg100/imagejpg6_zpsb3b8c4b2.jpg
http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b492/apg100/imagejpg5_zpsb573d254.jpg
http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b492/apg100/imagejpg1_zpsd59cdf57.jpg

 

[imprezaworks]

img code mate, not the other. Hope your driving is better than your computer skills

 

[Apg100]

Try again...

 

[Apg100]

 

[Cub.]

There we go

Looks good!

 

[Apg100]

Me and IT sometimes don't get on!

Now I've Sussed it out, I'll take some more tomorrow and post.

 

[imprezaworks]

Winner. Car looks good. You hate IT, I hate wires, lol

 

[Russ Rallye]

I love wires!
Looking good Andy, glad to see your sticking with the class A car, might be worth having a browse through the other build threads on here of the class A cars, will give you a lot of good info of what's been tried before and the usual route to go to improve the car. I won't be at snet but I'll see you next season.
Russ

 

[Apg100]

I love wires!
Looking good Andy, glad to see your sticking with the class A car, might be worth having a browse through the other build threads on here of the class A cars, will give you a lot of good info of what's been tried before and the usual route to go to improve the car. I won't be at snet but I'll see you next season.
Russ

Hi Russ, good to hear from you. I'll do that.

I still have owe you a cable. I've bought one, so can either post it, or bring it to first meeting next season?

 

[Rob]

Good read so far!

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Awesome. I really want to get into racing over the next few years. I have no money though which is always the problem!!

I was thinking mk1 MX5s but Clios would be on my list of maybes too!

Would you mind sharing any of your costs?

 

[Apg100]

Don't mind sharing at all Jeff.

Car cost £5500, including the Trailer. Tyres are about £110 a corner, my current set have done 3 track days and a weekends racing.
Bought a set of wheels with wet tryes on, which was around £500
GRP doors were £650 (ish), including the air scoop.
Cutting the perspex ourselves, rather than buying ready made, so costing about £80
New Brembo brakes £209
Ferodo pads £125
Whiteline Anti Roll bar £170
Oil breather tank £40
Various tools and spares about £400
Induction Manifold thingy £280
Service and garage bills are around £250 in total, which includes oils and service stuff.
All in all, the car and set up has cost just over £8k. I started with a £10k budget for the first year, which I've managed! Saying that, I haven't hit anything yet.

I've also bought a van, to tug the trailer around, which is half converted in to a camper, which stands me at about £7k

Race weekends have cost around £500, including entry fees, petrol, etc. But that doesn't include ale. I needed the visa for that - The series I've joined should be having 7 weekends next season, so expecting around £3500 in fees and petrol, and no doubt will spend some money on mods!

 

[Fantom]

That looks great I would so love to have a go at racing one day. Just don't have a racing budget!

 

[v15ben]

Car looks good, especially the mock up of the Yorkshire livery!

 

[MiseryStreak]

Great to hear about your experiences. Good luck at Snetterton next month!

I've kept a track of the bits I've removed, and so far have saved about 110kg, but have put on about 18kg, so basically removed the weight of the fat driver (me). I'd be interested to see the difference to power it makes (unless anyone knows the equation?)(Wakefield, Yorkshire)

A standard 172 weighs 1,110 kg. You have lowered this to 1,018kg. So, assuming standard power, your power/weight ratio has increased from 157.5bhp/ton (an imperial ton typically used in a power/weight figure is 1,016kg) to 171.7bhp/ton. An increase of 9% over standard.
In terms of acceleration this is the rough equivalent of increasing your power from 172bhp to 187bhp. This equates to a 0.5 second reduction in 0-60 time (i.e. 6.6s rather than 7.1s).

If you know your power output since having the engine work done, just use that as the power/weight figure in bhp/ton, as your vehicle weight is near enough exactly 1 imperial ton.
Divide this by 157.5 and then multiply by 100 to get your power/weight improvement as a percentage over a standard 172, this will be in the form 1XX% of standard, i.e. 109%.

But as you know, increasing the power only improves acceleration and top speed (almost irrelevant on a standard UK circuit) and worsens fuel economy. Decreasing the weight improves acceleration, braking distance, braking force longevity before fade, fuel economy, cornering speed, lateral traction, steering response, suspension behaviour, tyre wear, and component wear including twisting forces on chassis itself.

 

[Apg100]

Great to hear about your experiences. Good luck at Snetterton next month!



A standard 172 weighs 1,110 kg. You have lowered this to 1,018kg. So, assuming standard power, your power/weight ratio has increased from 157.5bhp/ton (an imperial ton typically used in a power/weight figure is 1,016kg) to 171.7bhp/ton. An increase of 9% over standard.
In terms of acceleration this is the rough equivalent of increasing your power from 172bhp to 187bhp. This equates to a 0.5 second reduction in 0-60 time (i.e. 6.6s rather than 7.1s).

If you know your power output since having the engine work done, just use that as the power/weight figure in bhp/ton, as your vehicle weight is near enough exactly 1 imperial ton.
Divide this by 157.5 and then multiply by 100 to get your power/weight improvement as a percentage over a standard 172, this will be in the form 1XX% of standard, i.e. 109%.

But as you know, increasing the power only improves acceleration and top speed (almost irrelevant on a standard UK circuit) and worsens fuel economy. Decreasing the weight improves acceleration, braking distance, braking force longevity before fade, fuel economy, cornering speed, lateral traction, steering response, suspension behaviour, tyre wear, and component wear including twisting forces on chassis itself.

Thanks for that info! It's actually been fully stripped, and I'm getting it weighed on Tuesday, with some corner scales, so I'll post its weight on here. To be honest, I didn't realise it made so much difference. I'm expecting the car to be about 930kg, judging by what people have put on here, so it should be around 20% quicker!

The only real engine mod I'm doing at this stage, is the matched inlet manifold, which alledgedly give 8-13bhp (others will know better than me on this. Once that's fitted, I'm getting IT remapped. Not sure if there will be much point in getting it tested on the dyno, as they will only be able to tell me numbers, rather than change anything.

 

[sonny172cup]

Excellent read mate, glad you had fun at Cadwell and managed to race.

See you next season

Sonny

 

[Apg100]

Go two of the windows fitted today.

http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b492/apg100/imagejpg1_zpsd59cdf57.jpg

Anyone know what these are? I've seen loads of people putting info on, about engine mounts, and have no idea if mine have been upgraded.

Same with the suspention too.

 

[sonny172cup]

Looks like a Ktec solid engine mount, the front strut brace is a Pute Motorsports one with the pms solid top mounts.

Be worth checking the dogmount and gearbox mount too.

 

[car.crash]

Great thread

 

[Apg100]

Looks like a Ktec solid engine mount, the front strut brace is a Pute Motorsports one with the pms solid top mounts.

Be worth checking the dogmount and gearbox mount too.

Is that a good set up?

 

[GrahamS]

Is that a good set up?

Yeah. I've never tried the pure motorsport kit but everyone rates it.
Vibratechnic engine mounts are a really big improvement.

 

[Cub.]

Yep. A good setup, same as I have on mine (vibratechnics engine mounts and PMS top mounts with strut brace).

This is coming along nicely.

 

[Apg100]

That Pure Motor Sports website is going to cost me a fortune!!

Just ordered some rear camber shims, a rear axle bearing conversion kit and a gear linkage kit. Not sure if I'll have time to fit them before Snetterton though. Probably just be part of the winter build stuff.

 

[sonny172cup]

Exactly, use these races to test and adjust your set up for next season iv still got to do my rear beam yet still on 10 year old bushes :/

 

[Chambers_RS]

Cracking work so far

Can I ask how you secured your windows in? Screwed fronts bonded rears?
I'm fitting mine this week also how did you get the rears out lol don't wanna break em lol

 

[Apg100]

Cracking work so far :smile:

Can I ask how you secured your windows in? Screwed fronts bonded rears?
I'm fitting mine this week :smile: also how did you get the rears out lol don't wanna break em lol

Screwed all in. Against some other opinions, I like the look when they are screwed in, it shows that they are changed!

Started cutting the back windows out, with a wire and blade, then ran out steam, so popped them with a hammer! Much quicker.

 

[Apg100]

Time for a couple of updates. Done a load of stuff, so will separate them all. Turns out, the car is so much better than I thought! I knew when driving, it was good, but on closer inspection, there is more to the car than first seen.

Anyway, electric starter fitter, wires all tidied up and ready for the new Ali dash (still to make).

From this....

To this....

Also stripped a load of un needed wires out.

 

[Apg100]

Next, was fitting the new matched and ported inlet manifold. Found once I'd taken the old one off, that it looks like the cylinder head has had some work done to it! That will save me a few quid!

Bit of work done here. Picture doesn't show it too much.

Fitted new gaskets, silicone sealed to ensure no leaks!

All done and started first time!

Changed the plugs and leads while at it. Sounds really sharp now.

Getting it re mapped week after next

 

[Apg100]

Re aligned the air intake, so it has a straight path from the front grill, rather than filling the battery hole, that it used to.

 

[Apg100]

I always struggle to get the car on the trailer, as its a bit low at the front, so fitted some of these catches to make it easier to get on and off.

It'll also make it a bit safer when racing.

 

[Apg100]

Painted all the trims today, to change from Orange to white.

Realist I took all the pictures with a filter on, so these are actually white, not cream!

 

[Apg100]

Cars now ready to go to the wrapping shop. This time next week, it'll be a true Yorkshire Racing Car!!

All the windows are cut and fitted, but we removed them ready for tomorrow.