CLIO 197 CUP - Project TF

[Tarticmonkey]

Just had some photos through from Tom at Parkin race developments of cage progress.

 

[Tarticmonkey]

Now comes the fun task of painting it whilst it’s in the car….

 

[R20BTG]

This might be a silly think to point out but please tell me they’re going back to finish those welds?

 

[Tarticmonkey]

This might be a silly think to point out but please tell me they’re going back to finish those welds?

No such thing as a silly question. Yes. It’s just tacked together for now.

 

[R20BTG]

Good stuff, what threw me was you talking about painting it and I was like, errrrrr…

 

[Tarticmonkey]

Cage is fully welded and finished.



Got it primed as well today. Not died from fumes but may have shortened my life by a year or two but it’s reyt.

 

[Beany]

Have you decided on a colour?

 

[VeiRoNv2]

is it half cage but welded in?

 

[Tarticmonkey]

Have you decided on a colour?

It’s going glacier white

 

[Tarticmonkey]

is it half cage but welded in?

It is indeed. There provisions to add to the cage if I want to make it full.

 

[Tarticmonkey]

Clio cage and interior is pretty much done.

Is it perfect? The cage is fine but painting wise I’ll be honest no it’s not. Am I happy with it? Not 100% but it can be worked back to something I can be semi happy with.

Plan is to tidy it up for now and get some trackdays do as is then get a body shop to do to give it a once over.

In hindsight I wish I just got an off the shelf cage that I didn’t have muck about painting.

Harnesses will be going in this weekend too providing my old foe K-Tec can actually deliver in the lead time they quoted. If not I’ll be borrowing off a friend.

 

[Beany]

done a better job at it than I prob could’ve managed.

Hindsight is always a bitch, but I’m sure the provisions you put in place for future proofing to change it to a full cage would be better than trying to adjust a pre painted bolt in.

 

[Tarticmonkey]

Thanks @Beany I appreciate that; I'll be open and honest I've been very flattering with the photo I have uploaded here. I always have this deluded arrogance that I can turn my hand to anything and be perfect. I then get frustrated when it doesn't come out perfect first time! The cage is the first thing that I've painted that wasn't with either hammarite or water colours in school.

My plan is to do a before and after comparison on some of the worse areas when I get chance to work on them over the weekend.

 

[Beany]

Ha we all envision in our heads of something grand and spectacular then the meat fists end up doing something completely different and it is infuriating..

I had 1st hand experience at my centre console I sprayed

 

[burrellbloke]

Most track cars have got bumps and scrapes on them. I wandered around the paddock at Brands Hatch on Sunday for a 750MC meet and almost every Clio I saw had some kind of ding or dent in it. As long as your car can pass the 10m test then it will be fine.

 

[Tarticmonkey]

Thanks Gavin. That actually means a lot.

I just need to chill out and stop taking it too seriously.

 

[Tarticmonkey]

Just to put a quick update date to this thread.

Drivers seat is in and drivers harness has been mounted. Thanks to @EthanMenace for the help with mounting locations.

No photos of the install or rough parts of the cage as promised. If I'm honest I forgot all about the thread when working on the car over the weekend and just enjoyed garage banter with my mates.

Also got the knock sensor changed on the car too.

Drove the car to a pub near me for a few beverages (non alcoholic for me don't worry mum)



Took an artyish photo of the shed. Yes that is still masking tape on the window.



Caused an international incident when pouring old oil into the bottle.



All in all good weekend. Roll on alignment on Friday and Blyton Saturday.

 

[Tarticmonkey]

Cleaned the car ahead of Saturday and for a bit of head clearing time.



The cage definitely passes the 10 foot test though I’m still not 100% happy with it.



Here’s an example of an area I’m really not too happy with. Ignore reflection of Barnsley’s answer to Keith Lard.


Had some old off cuts of grip tape laying around so decided to do a little diy bodge / mod. This will either be a great idea or it’ll be out of the car by 10:30 am tomorrow.

 

[Tarticmonkey]

Blyton Park - 11/05/24

In what feels like a lifetime ago I attended a Blyton Park track day with the clio a couple of Saturdays ago; and due to work commitments I have only just had the time to really reflect on the day.

We've all done a track day so I wont bore you with the full run down of the day but suffice to say it has been the hardest I have been able to drive the car. I was accompanied by a few friends again in their Clio 200, RX8 and R53 (Purchased from Bradford for £900 two days before the track day).

I started the day after getting the car aligned and set up thinking that I wouldn't be able to do the car justice for the upgrades that are on the car now. However that quickly faded when I realized how much more confident in the car I was able to be. Taking the wiggler in Third and bishops at similar pace with me ending the day I only really need some more balls and comfort lift to be able to take that in fourth.

The car performed faultlessly all day with me only having to call it short due running out fuel.

So what does the car need? Seat time, my diff fitting, a map to remove the flat spot and more seat time. Really happy with the car and the work that has been done. The cage has made a massive difference to the car and has given me much more confidence in driving the car as well as adding some much needed stiffness to the car.

In other news I also ran a go pro for a session; I still need to get the footage but will upload it here when I have it. Hopefully the exposure settings were right; as it was a good session to watch back from memory; and included getting brake tested by some pilchard in a cayman.

Some of my favorite photos of the day are below.



I jokingly said on insta that this photo was my "senna levels of car placement" photo.



My mate Harry (discount Bono) getting the go pro set up.

One thing I really am starting to consider is a trailer. Need to start doing some sums. But all I can say in the meantime is bring on Cadwell in June .

 

[Beany]

Trailing is the life but they’re expensive.

If you can find somewhere to rent first see how you get on.