197 Cup Hillclimbing Car

[G197]

Hi all,

Thought it was time I started a project thread on my 197 Cup Hillclimbing car.

My most recent posts on the development of my car have been in the newbie section here: https://clio197.net/threads/new-197-cup-owner.57117/

The current spec of my car so far is as follows:

• Cambelt, Water Pump & Dephaser
• HEL Braided Brake hoses
• Brembo Discs
• Mintex Pads
• Safety Devices 6 Point Roll Cage
• OMP Champ Bucket Seats & Subframes
• Harnesses
• Driver & Passenger Airbag Delete
• Racing Steering wheel
• Steering Wheel Boss
• Team Dynamics 1.2 Pro Race 45 Offset
• Wheel Stud Conversion Kit
• Towing loop
• Drivers Foot Plate
• ITG Induction Kit
• Battery Relocation to Rear Footwell

I now have my next set of mods planned and have just placed an order for the following from PureMotorsport:

• Bilstein Full Coilover Kit - (Hillclimb Spring Rates: 70N/mm (400lb/in) front, 300lb/in rear)
• Adjustable Top Mounts
• Front Strut Brace
• OEM Front Wishbone Bushes
• Rear Axle Stiffening Plates
• Super Pro Rear Axle Bush Kit
• Super Pro Anti Roll Bar Links
• Super Pro Anti Rotation Links

Nick at PureMotorsport is a top bloke and has given me lots of great advice in helping me pull the spec together for my suspension mods. I can highly recommend him if you have any questions about any planned mods.

It’s going to be a few weeks until the kit arrives and then I need to book it in at my local motorsport garage (TTP Motorsport) to get it all fitted and set up. I will try to get some pics of the fitting process and will of course post an update once it’s all fitted and I’ve had a chance to test it out.

 

[G197]

Here’s some updated pics of my car from a recent drive I went on.

 

[G197]

Some new goodies have arrived courtesy of Nick at Pure Motorsport. Looking forward you getting my car booked at my local motorsport garage to get the parts fitted and geometry all set.

 

[RSRowe]

Wow. Look at those!

 

[John Gordon]

The rear dampers with the near 1/1 spring/damper ratio makes a really big difference to the characteristics of the car.

I'm curious on your thoughts of the rear damper setup from Pure, I was tempted myself at one point. What springs have you gone for?

 

[G197]

Cheers, will let you know what it’s like once it’s all fitted.

I went for the following spring rates which are recommended for hill climbing:

• Bilstein Full Coilover Kit - (Hillclimb Spring Rates: 70N/mm (400lb/in) front, 300lb/in rear)

 

[G197]

So finally got my car booked into my local race mechanic to get all the parts I ordered earlier in the year fitted. Here’s some pics of the work getting under way.



will post more pics when I can.

 

[G197]

Finally got my car back today with all the parts fitted. Only had a short run in it back home as it was a bit wet today but really happy with how it feels so far and how it looks. Had the rear beam fully powder coated after the strengthening plates were welded on. Hopefully will get some dry days over the next few weeks to get out for a bit of a drive. Here’s some pics of the rear beam and how it now looks.

 

[G197]

Here’s an updated list of what I’ve now completed:

• Cambelt, Water Pump & Dephaser
• HEL Braided Brake hoses
• Brembo Discs
• Mintex Pads
• Safety Devices 6 Point Roll Cage
• OMP Champ Bucket Seats & Subframes
• Harnesses
• Driver & Passenger Airbag Delete
• Racing Steering wheel
• Steering Wheel Boss
• Team Dynamics 1.2 Pro Race 45 Offset
• Wheel Stud Conversion Kit
• Towing loop
• Drivers Foot Plate
• ITG Induction Kit
• Battery Relocation to Rear Footwell
• Bilstein Full Coilover Kit - Rates: 70N/mm (400lb/in) front, 300lb/in rear)
• Adjustable Top Mounts
• Front Strut Brace
• OEM wishbone bushes
• Adjustable anti roll bar links
• Adjustable anti rotation links
  Rear Axle stiffening plates
• Rear axle bush kit
• Engine Bushes
  • Lower Engine Mount Insert
  • Upper Engine Mount Insert
  • Gearbox Mounting Bush Insert
  • Upper Engine Mount Torque Arm Bush

 

[suj]

Car is looking great, some amazing mods there, bet this will go well!

TTP Performance, are they based in Bromsgrove? If so you're not too far away from me (I'm near Longbridge).

 

[G197]

Yep not far, I’m just over in Droitwich. TTP are based just outside Bromsgrove now. Very experienced guys, really good quality, honest work! They fitted my cage for me and are well known on the Hillclimbing scene. Lucky to have them nearby.

 

[suj]

Oh so you're very close to me.

Yep I've heard very good things about them, it's good to know more companies nearby.
They've done a great job on the Clio!

 

[G197]

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything as not much has happened over the winter. The car has been wrapped up in the garage as I always SORN the car over the winter which means it has not been driven since I picked it up after all the suspension work was done. It has been one long winter waiting to test it out to see how it drives.

I have managed to undertake a few jobs (mostly cosmetic) over the winter months tho so thought I’d share a few photos of the progress (I will take some better ones once the car is back out the garage).

Jobs completed:
1. Front and rear badges sprayed black
2. B Pillar badges removed and replaced with stickers
3. Interior trim painted red
4. Door bullets painted red
5. New pedals fitted (after much swearing and aching back working round the roll cage)!

 

[paul330d]

awesome looking car bud have you got any photos of where you welded your anchor points for your harness as I'm about to weld my anchor plates in .
cheers paul

 

[G197]

Cheers thanks. The shoulder straps run off the rear part of the cage. The lap straps run off some eye bolts through the centre tunnel and directly off the seatbelt mounting points on the door side. Some pics below. I can take better / other ones if you need them.

 

[paul330d]

Cheers thanks. The shoulder straps run off the rear part of the cage. The lap straps run off some eye bolts through the centre tunnel and directly off the seatbelt mounting points on the door side. Some pics below. I can take better / other ones if you need them.

Thanks that’s great did you get different threaded eye bolts for the door side or did you weld anchor plates there as well , also is your harness road legal if so what make is it sorry for all the questions I’m trying to keep mine road legal but will mostly be used for track days and hill climbs
Cheers Paul

 

[G197]

The eye bolts that came with my harnesses were the same size thread as the thread in the door for the original seatbelt mount so they are just screwed in directly. I’ve taken some more pics to help show the fitting on the door side, tunnel and the ones at the rear of the seat mounts for the crotch straps.

Also added a pic of the harnesses I think I got these from Ktec. They are perfectly fine for road use, my car has to remain road legal and MOT’d for the hill climbing regs.

 

[paul330d]

Cheers for that I've ordered some anchor bolts from k tech racing now the photos are very helpful

 

[jamesrobinson]

Thanks for sharing Geoff. Your car look spot on in the flesh too.

 

[G197]

Once again it has been a while since a posted an update on the progress with my Hill Climbing car.

Since my last post I have undertaken a number of further modifications and improvements which are continuing to transform the car.
Over the winter of 2021/22 I had to have the gearbox rebuilt due to the usual 3rd gear synchro issue but I took the opportunity to install a Gripper diff which along with the Bilstein Coilovers really transforms the handling and grip of the car. The car had also developed some play in the steering rack so again I upgraded to the 200 rack, can’t honestly say I can notice any difference but it is supposed to be a slightly quicker rack. Cosmetically I also added the Clio RS front splitter and to help shave a bit more weight I swapped out the standard battery (which had already been relocated) for a lightweight Oddessey race battery.



Over the 2022/23 winter I have re-routed the ITG Induction Kit to maximise the space created by the battery relocation and to link it up directly to a cold air feed from the front fog light duct. I’m hoping this will help with breathability and ensure colder air rather than warm air around the engine. The car has also been on a bit more of a diet and I have removed a further 5kg of tar / sound proofing that is stuck to the various panels around the car, as well as the Carbon Cannister and the rear bumper support which I have removed to make fitting a rear tow strap easier (and saved 3kg of weight).

I have also added a rear Cup Spoiler which really helps finish off the rear end of the car, painted it matt black to match the front splitter.

Finally I have fitted the Pure Motorsport Manifold and single exit exhaust, with a 200cell sports cat. After some bedding in throughout this season the exhaust now sounds amazing and the car now actually sounds like a race car!

I have also had the car corner weighted again and geometry re-set, the car now weighs in at a total of 1180kg – the previous weight was 1230kg so hoping this will help me find a few extra 10ths.

Future plans are to head to Engine Dynamics to get some cat-cams fitted and have it re-mapped so I can properly take advantage of all the mods I have done.

Here is a full up to date list of the spec of my car and some pics. Here’s a link to my youtube channel if you want to watch any of my competition runs. https://youtube.com/@geoffhedges8037?si=MatIV96Q3qzYwAxt

• Cambelt, Water Pump & Dephaser - Oct 2017
• HEL Braided Brake hoses
• Brembo Discs
• Mintex Pads
• Safety Devices 6 Point Roll Cage
• OMP Champ Bucket Seats & Subframes
• Harnesses
• Driver & Passenger Airbag Delete
• Racing Steering wheel
• Steering Wheel Boss
• Team Dynamics 1.2 Pro Race 45 Offset
• Wheel Stud Conversion Kit
• Front Towing loop
• Drivers Foot Plate
• ITG Induction Kit
• Battery Relocation to Rear Footwell
• Bilstein Full Coilover Kit - Rates: 70N/mm (400lb/in) front, 300lb/in rear)
• Adjustable Top Mounts
• Front Strut Brace
• OEM wishbone bushes
• Adjustable anti roll bar links
• Adjustable anti rotation links
• Rear Axle stiffening plates
• Rear axle bush kit
• Engine Bushes
  • Lower Engine Mount Insert
  • Upper Engine Mount Insert
  • Gearbox Mounting Bush Insert
  • Upper Engine Mount Torque Arm Bush
• Oddessey Race Battery
• Gearbox rebuild - Jan 2022
• Gripper Diff
• Cup front splitter
• 200 Steering Rack
• Fog light cold air feed
• Clio Cup Spoiler
• Carbon Canister Removed - 0.5kg
• Tar / sound proofing - 5kg
• Rear bumper support removed - 3kg
• Rear Tow Strap
• Single Exit Pure Motorsport Manifold & Exhaust - 6kg weight saving.

Here are some pics: