WHAT "TRACKDAY" MODIFICATION TO CARRY OUT ON A TIGHT BUDGET???

[Crumbie]

Hi guys,
Back After a few months gap off the forum....
So I have a 04 Clio 182. Tidy, straight clean car both cosmetically and so far mechanically! (No evidence of the dephaser change ! )
I bought the car as a weekend car but now want to turn it into a TRACKDAY car... My budget is quite tight £500!
What things do you guys advise to change with this tight budget? I.e, brakes, drop links, suspension, steering etc etc???? This car is obviously only going to be used once every 2-3 months so not looking to turn it into a monster track car, just a nippy and reliable one.
Any help would be grateful
Cheers Alex

 

[bashracing]

Good front discs, pads and fluid change
4 nanking ns2r tyres
thats about all you'll get done

 

[imprezaworks]

Weight is a factor and cheap, well zero costs.

Tyres
Brakes
Suspension is all good
Mechanically ok

Good to go really

 

[Tony Hunter]

Get brand new suspension shocks, about £140 for front and rear.
Braided brake lines.
Ball joints
Discs front and rear
Fluid change
And some decent pads.
Go have some fun

 

[mikey4410]

As above
Brake pads,braided lines and new brake fluid (super important) and just check and makesure discs are in good order.

Tyres(good ones will help)

 

[Crumbie]

Thanks for the advice guys! Pretty much what I was thinking, as these cars a pretty much a built track cars !
Already started to make a list now,
•Set of BREMBO discs and pads (fair price & quality)
•Brake fluid change
•Decent tyres
•Strip all unnecessary interior out
Hoping to pick up some second hand suspension setup to on here?
Also what you guys think of the dephaser change? I've phoned my local Renault dealer there price was £949 for a timing belt a dephaser change. Also phoned a local Renault/Citroen specialist, they said THANKS BUT NO THANKS! I'm based in Bridgend, South Wales. Any advice?

 

[The Boosh!]

Instruction, instruction, instruction!

 

[lsdweb]

Go to Avia Autos (Queens Court, Bridgend Industrial Estate). I'm sure Andy will sort out the belt and dephaser job. He has years of experience racing and building cars so will be able to help you with modifying it too. As The Boosh says, instruction would be the best option -get to Llandow and ask Andy to sit next to you!

 

[MarkCup]

Instruction, instruction, instruction!

Exactly this, spend the money on something you'll continue to get the benefit from whatever you might be driving.

 

[gambit]

Was going to say the same, track day tuition .

 

[Tony Hunter]

I usually say it, but nobody listens to me anymore.

 

[JimF]

Instruction, instruction, instruction!

As The Boosh says, instruction would be the best option -get to Llandow and ask Andy to sit next to you!

Exactly this, spend the money on something you'll continue to get the benefit from whatever you might be driving.

Was going to say the same, track day tuition .

I usually say it, but nobody listens to me anymore.

I actually came on here to post "Get tuition/instruction".

I'm going to sound like a tosser here, but here goes: You need to decide what you actually want. Whether you want to 'own a track car' with track modifications, cool wheels, cool seats, big brakes, rollcage etc, which is fine, OR whether you want to start 'doing trackdays'.

If its the first, then thats fine, modifying for modification's sake is the basis of most car scenes, I've been guilty of it with every car I've ever owned. But really then just buy any parts you like the look of.

If you actually want to start doing trackdays, then make sure the car is in decent condition (cooling system, brakes, tyres [including tread to make sure you're legal to get home as well] etc) not necessarily super duper track spec, just in decent condition, and take shorter stints out on track. 1 warm up lap, a few hot laps, then a cool down lap. Make sure you get tuition. Its like £20 a 30min session. Do a couple of track days then see what needs upgrading. You could think "Hmm, I just need some pads that can cope with the heat and maybe some ducting" or you might think, "the car was fine but I need a smaller steering wheel/better seat". Also, with your £500 budget, that could get you 2 days at Oulton Park with tuition and fuel. Again not meaing to be a dick, and just calling a spade a spade, if your modifying budget is tight, can you manage 4-6 track days a year at a minimum of £120 a pop?

This is only my advice and I'm far from being an authority on the subject, but its the route I'm following.
If you want a cool motorsport themed car, go for it! Get a build thread up I'd love to see. If you want to start driving, drive!

Enjoy the car mate, didnt want to come across as preachy, after all we're all just strangers on the internet.

 

[BIFCAIDS]

I actually came on here to post "Get tuition/instruction".

I'm going to sound like a tosser here, but here goes: You need to decide what you actually want. Whether you want to 'own a track car' with track modifications, cool wheels, cool seats, big brakes, rollcage etc, which is fine, OR whether you want to start 'doing trackdays'.

If its the first, then thats fine, modifying for modification's sake is the basis of most car scenes, I've been guilty of it with every car I've ever owned. But really then just buy any parts you like the look of.

If you actually want to start doing trackdays, then make sure the car is in decent condition (cooling system, brakes, tyres [including tread to make sure you're legal to get home as well] etc) not necessarily super duper track spec, just in decent condition, and take shorter stints out on track. 1 warm up lap, a few hot laps, then a cool down lap. Make sure you get tuition. Its like £20 a 30min session. Do a couple of track days then see what needs upgrading. You could think "Hmm, I just need some pads that can cope with the heat and maybe some ducting" or you might think, "the car was fine but I need a smaller steering wheel/better seat". Also, with your £500 budget, that could get you 2 days at Oulton Park with tuition and fuel. Again not meaing to be a dick, and just calling a spade a spade, if your modifying budget is tight, can you manage 4-6 track days a year at a minimum of £120 a pop?

This is only my advice and I'm far from being an authority on the subject, but its the route I'm following.
If you want a cool motorsport themed car, go for it! Get a build thread up I'd love to see. If you want to start driving, drive!

Enjoy the car mate, didnt want to come across as preachy, after all we're all just strangers on the internet.

Exactly what I've done with mine.

 

[GrahamS]

I think solely spending the money on tuition whilst a nice idea would take a huge number of track days to actually complete that much! Book with open track and it's free anyway.
Depending on how mental you are going one of the best modifications you can do it take weight out of the car, acoustic valve, interior, engine mount weight, carbon canister. That might actually mean you can sell some stuff and get about £50-100 back.

Having looked at the list of modifications on my cup I'd say

• Braided lines £30
• Fluid £10-15
• Brembo discs £45
• CL RC5+ or RC6 £150 (don't worry about rear pads)
• Either dampers and springs or cheap coilovers. I paid £250 for my coilies and although they aren't perfect, they are a lot better than standard gear.

If you're anything like me it'll get out of hand so fast.

 

[Addicted]

Bucket mod!!

 

[JimF]

I think solely spending the money on tuition whilst a nice idea would take a huge number of track days to actually complete that much! Book with open track and it's free anyway.

That's a daft way of looking at it isn't it? Tuition would take ages so don't bother?
And with regards to cheap coilovers being better than standard, surely new standard equipment would be better

 

[GrahamS]

That's a daft way of looking at it isn't it? Tuition would take ages so don't bother?
And with regards to cheap coilovers being better than standard, surely new standard equipment would be better

I don't mean that, I completely support tuition and do it myself. I mean that if tuition is £30 a go it would take you over 15 track days to use £500 so I don't think it's good advice to only tuition as a good way to allocate this money.

I've got AP coilovers which aren't track orientated at all but they were better than when I've used standard dampers and springs in the past. The height adjustment is also beneficial for lowering centre of gravity and distributing weight better. When I say cheap I mean buy wisely not the cheapest thing you can possible find.

 

[Tony Hunter]

Quick question.
Was your standard dampers and springs brand new, or 80k old

 

[GrahamS]

Quick question.
Was your standard dampers and springs brand new, or 80k old

Mine Tony? On the 182 I used at brands it was about 10k after a full refresh. Eibach springs, the more adjustable whiteline arb and p zeros all round.

 

[bob the builder]

i think tony and a few others hit the nail on the head with suspension refresh, braided lines and good brake fluid, new discs and some decent pads and if you have enough left over some good tyres.
remove everything possible to loose wieght then go out and have fun.
thats basically how i used to run my car for trackdays and still do in tricolore trophy race series.
bags and bags of fun. just take your time and learn your car.

 

[Rob669]

Don't change a thing I reckon. Spend the £500 on the track day petrol. It's a Clio 182 designed to go go go from out of the crate (OK, it's not a race car but...).

 

[mikey4410]

at lydden hill today they had FREE tuition included in the 159 quid

its incredible what u can learn from them in a few laps

 

[JB21]

Needed is a car which is mechanically sound. 2 x sets of 15" rims one with decent wet weather tyres (RS3's in 195/50/15) for commuting to and from and when its pissing it down on track, the other set with upper range track tyres (used 888/Ad08 from ebay) and decent discs and pads up front, Renault OE rear. Keep your fluids fresh, learn how to drive it on the edge...job done!

 

[BIFCAIDS]

Needed is a car which is mechanically sound. 2 x sets of 15" rims one with decent wet weather tyres (RS3's in 195/50/15) for commuting to and from and when its pissing it down on track, the other set with upper range track tyres (used 888/Ad08 from ebay) and decent discs and pads up front, Renault OE rear. Keep your fluids fresh, learn how to drive it on the edge...job done!

Only thing different on ours is a cage and that's solely for safety.

 

[JB21]

Only thing different on ours is a cage and that's solely for safety.

That's my next mod mate as well as seat and harness. Is yours a full or half cage?

 

[BIFCAIDS]

That's my next mod mate as well as seat and harness. Is yours a full or half cage?

Full cage from Mark Fish, we've got the seats and harnesses.

 

[JB21]

Looks ace, how much for the cage fitted?

 

[JackD]

About £1,500 I believe, group buy going on at the moment

 

[JB21]

About £1,500 I believe, group buy going on at the moment

Presume I'd need to deliver the car pre-stripped ready for fitting?

 

[BIFCAIDS]

Looks ace, how much for the cage fitted?

£730 for the cage in spec, then I took the car to Amery Motorsport in Congleton to have the cage fitted £500. I took what I could out for them apart from the roof lining, they removed all the gubbins for the Auto Wipers, Auto headlights, interior lights and wiring for the sun visors. The quality of both the cage and welding Amery did is fantastic, they did everything they needed to do in 3 days.

 

[JACAM]

For a daily driver that gets a few track days ...... new brake fluid is key. On the track day : Passenger seat out. Rear seats spare tire and iso fix out. 10L of fuel or so. Monitor tire pressures. Compared to most other day racers these Clios are awesome stock standard.


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[ForceIndia]

I usually say it, but nobody listens to me anymore.

Bloody kids. They won't be told.

 

[Knuckles]

Good front discs, pads and fluid change
4 nanking ns2r tyres
thats about all you'll get done

That.

That's all you need

 

[Adam G]

Decent pads and brake fluid and that's it. You can spend all the money in the world, it doesn't make it any more fun and there will still be somebody faster. To make any real difference weightwise, you need to go the whole hog with poly windows and lighter panels. Just taking the rear seats out will have almost no affect.