Project Fast Frenchy

I thought I would keep a tab on the build of my clio 172 track car, but as its not a Nissan is doesn't belong in the projects section.
So far all that's been done is induction kit, brakes and now i've stripped it out. There will be more to come!

It started with the induction kit and brakes being done for the Nurburg trip with all plans being to leave the car there when it broke or sell it when I got back but it was so much fun to throw around that it is now going to be a track car.

The 'build' began in Nurburg when someone at the bar (where all the best ideas are had) said I should make the car lighter so I could go faster, I then spent a couple of hours the next day pulling out everything in the rear I could and putting it in the hotel room.

(Some pictures are rotated, no idea why.)

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I don't suppose the weight loss made a huge difference as novice track driver but I thought I looked cool (even cooler with my nurburgring baseball cap and t-shirt on )


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Now back in the UK, the clio has been on a diet and I have stripped out everything that is not necessary and have plans for new seats, steering wheel, suspension, exhaust ect. So if anyone wants some clio 172 interior to tart up your Gti's let me know.
































This weeks jobs are to move the washer bottle and battery to the rear so updates to follow......

Awsome! Looks like you did what my little dream was, I was going to try a simular thing and buy a clio to take around the nurburg and then try to flog it after, looks like you have fell in love with the hairy armpit thing

Looks awesome, I'd love to get one of these to burn around in as a daily. Look forward to further updates mate

Trackslag172 wrote:
So if anyone wants some clio 172 interior to tart up your Gti's let me know.
.

Ahem.... Gti?
'GTIR'

Stu wrote:

Trackslag172 wrote:
So if anyone wants some clio 172 interior to tart up your Gti's let me know.
.

Ahem.... Gti?
'GTIR'

It was a typo, honest

if your going all out for weight saving Tim why not pull the dash out too then mount the clock head unit on a frame.
only thing I would keep would be the heater blower unit, also an aftermarket wheel with smaller diameter would make it easier to flick round the corners. with a cage fitted and the BC coilovers with lightweight Volks rims youll have yourself a very quick little trackday weapon there that will give any turbo'd car a good run for its money.
Always have the option of fitting wilder cams too, and ecu chip to punch more power from her then your not to be underestimated on any trackdays we do especially on the smaller curcuits like Brands indy. i reckon youll give my gtr a bit of a hard time as you could well be faster round the tight bits

As i write this i am in the car stripping out the dash. I am going to order a 300mm steering wheel and boss, a decat pipe and take a look at seats and harnesses. I dont want to remove my steering wheel airbag and not at least have harnesses in place.
I took it out last night after stripping it and there was a real noticable difference in speed.

GTI-R US wrote:if your going all out for weight saving Tim why not pull the dash out too then mount the clock head unit on a frame.
only thing I would keep would be the heater blower unit, also an aftermarket wheel with smaller diameter would make it easier to flick round the corners. with a cage fitted and the BC coilovers with lightweight Volks rims youll have yourself a very quick little trackday weapon there that will give any turbo'd car a good run for its money.
Always have the option of fitting wilder cams too, and ecu chip to punch more power from her then your not to be underestimated on any trackdays we do especially on the smaller curcuits like Brands indy. i reckon youll give my gtr a bit of a hard time as you could well be faster round the tight bits

cheers Bob, I am looking forward to getting it back on a track with all the mods. I am going to order a 300mm steering wheel and decat tonight and probably seats and harnesses as I want a matching pair


The dash is now completely gone. the lower dash was a bit of a pain but overall not to difficult.

If anyone can think of things to do better or differently post below, I have never done anything more than basic servicing on a car so all this is new to me and I'm learning as I go.


Top dash out

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Steering wheel off

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collection of important items to put back after

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Bottom dash off

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my new 'cable tie special' dashboard

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Can I assume that the tubular frame behind the dash is important and I shouldn't remove it to save more weight?

if in doubt rip it out

There is a guy near me breaking his 172 track car. can anyone recommend any bits I should have off it? I have already asked for the decat, exhaust, roll cage, braided hoses and battery.
Some of the engine parts are over my head, so if anyone can tell me what bits are worth buying, i'll see if I can afford them.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Renault-Clio-172-Sport-Track-Race-Car-/191649787776?rmvSB=true&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&afsrc=1&clk_rvr_id=891385190545&ssPageName=STRK%3AMESELX%3AIT&nma=true&si=wRhPDwFBEnTG0ktv%252BN3oYPkAUHg%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Says the item has gone 

nomad wrote:Says the item has gone 

The car didn't sell for what he wanted on ebay so he text me offering the parts. The ebay listing is just to give you guys an idea of whats on the car

Today's update:

Moved the washer bottle to the rear. I will be getting a different washer bottle but for now this will do.





Stripped out the remaining sound proofing from behind where the dash was


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Pulled up the tar or rubber pieces on the floor of the car, needed a blow torch and multi-tool to get the fuckers up

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Now time for a hoover and clean up ready for its interior paint job next week!

white spirit and rags and that will clean up like new. i did the same in my old 200. suprising how good white spirit is.

I'll do that tomorrow then, I gave it a wipe over to get the majority of the dust off but couldn't shift those stains. Cheers

Today's update.

The stains in the floor have been shifted with some white spirit as advised,
The metalwork across the dash that held the fusebox and dash up has been removed, making it harder to cable tie the instruments in place
A new bucket seat and harness has been installed. I hadn't planned to put one in but a guy was coming round to buy some of the old car carpets and had it for sale in the back of his car, so £30 and some car carpet later it was mine with the harness. It is not what I planned to get as its steel framed, has little cushioning and it is not the most comfy seat in the world but for £30 and some carpet I cant complain.





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Tim is going in on his track car build no shit. Got the fever mate lol

got to lose every kg I can to beat your turbos. I'll be a skinny fucker next time you see me haha

Lexan windows weigh 1/3 of glass. Buy some lexan sheets, use your glass as template to draw around, cut and rivet in.

joetheeskimo wrote:Lexan windows weigh 1/3 of glass. Buy some lexan  sheets, use your glass as template to draw around, cut and rivet in.

I was going to but I like my electric windows. I might do it for the rears. The plan is to keep the aircon and electric windows until they break then strip them out. But I'll see how my next track day goes, seen as I have gone from a normal clio 172 to the above after 1 trip to nurburg and a long weekend I think I will probably end up pulling anything not absolutely vital out to save weight (and to beat rich)

Wont the replacement windows just sit in the oe runners then ???

nomad wrote:Wont the replacement windows just sit in the oe runners then ???

Not sure, never fitted them before. I have just emailed a polycarb window specialist and asked. If they do I will probably get some

Good work Tim

Ideally you need to get some alluminium or lightweight stuff and make up little box sections to house ecu, stereo and cable tidies or similar to tidy up the wirin a little

Trackslag172 wrote:

nomad wrote:Wont the replacement windows just sit in the oe runners then ???

Not sure, never fitted them before. I have just emailed a polycarb window specialist and asked. If they do I will probably get some

Got a reply back today, The polycarb windows are bolt in only. Will not work in auto or manual winders Looks like I am waiting until they break then.

GTI-R US wrote:Good work Tim

Ideally you need to get some alluminium or lightweight stuff and make up little box sections to house ecu, stereo and cable tidies or similar to tidy up the wirin a little

I plan to eventually. Need to get something to put the radio in, I can reach it now i've got bucket seats lol.

Its probably because they are not curved like the oe ones i guess ... im sure if they are the exact size it should work ...