Dutch LY RS200 track&fun

[Nero]

Bought a 2011 RS200 two weeks ago to replace my '99 Impreza gt2000.

Did a lot of laps on the Ring with the Impreza but wanted something newer and safer. No abs, no airbags and 1150kg and 320bhp were a lot of fun but my daughter also wants to ride shotgun on the Ring.

As I started tracking the Ring with a mk2 Golf with an 175bhp 2.0-16v abf engine years ago, I wanted to go back to a fwd. I had an e36 3.2 M3 years ago but that was also crazy on the Ring.

So a Clio RS200 looked like a good choice. And man, I do like the car.

It is a liquid yellow car with Cup package, 124.000km. Gearbox freshly rebuild, rod bearings replaced and tightened with ARP bolts, new timing belt, rad, tires, brake pads and brake rotors just before I bought it. Never been tracked before.

Tires are not good enough, thinking of Michelin Cup2. Yokohama arent widely available here. The car has 17 inch wheels with an +/- 45 offset on them when I bought it. A bit heavy but nice looks. Original wheels have new winter tires on them.
Any tire recommendations? Good for the Ring but not totally unsafe in the Rain?

Brake pads aren't good either. Looking for a decent pad. Used Hawk hp+ on the Impreza and destroyed some new Mtec rotors with them. My wife likes to do some laps also and uses the Clio off track also. She hated the squeeling of the Hawks on the street. Is there an allround pad available: quiet on the road with an cold bite and also good on track for single laps TF?
I brake hard and late. Not a Schumacher: I did 8:30/8:45s BTG but am heavy on the brakes.

Hope the Cup suspension will be enough. I didn't want a full build trackcar anymore and like the step up in luxury that the RS200 gives me (aircon/decent music/etc).

So I told myself: good brakes and tires. That's it!

And today I saw a 50km old Supersprint Race exhaust for half the price locally and couldn't help myself... Bought it. The car currently has a mid silencer removed and didn't sound really good or bad. Raspy is the word.

So the modding has started. Again.

 

[bedoef]

It starts with the exhaust...

If you like to brake heavy, make sure you get good brake fluid in the Clio, and figure out a cooling solution for the brakes. I found on a warm day you can cook the brakes on the car if the track does not have enough straight sections between braking zones for airflow. I liked the Ferodo DS2500 when I had them on the car, they had minimal squeal at very low speeds, but still had solid bite when cold and good track performance.

I think you will find the suspension a weak point on track days. Might want to look into something like the B14s with stiffer springs, or something like adjustable KWs so you can soften the car back up after track days (I did that).

 

[Nero]

It starts with the exhaust...

If you like to brake heavy, make sure you get good brake fluid in the Clio, and figure out a cooling solution for the brakes. I found on a warm day you can cook the brakes on the car if the track does not have enough straight sections between braking zones for airflow. I liked the Ferodo DS2500 when I had them on the car, they had minimal squeal at very low speeds, but still had solid bite when cold and good track performance.

Thanks for the reply.

It started with the exhaust but I know you can't go wrong with a Supersprint.

Tires and brakes always need more research.

Maybe I can ease on the brakes with the Clio. The Impreza was very fast, easily ran out of gears (5speeder) and with the understeering caracter I needed to brake a lot.
Is there something I can do with the foglights to place some ducting to the brakes? Some of the shelf ducts that fit there?

I was thinking maybe start with a Michelin Pilot Sport 4. An easier tire to help me to get to know the Clio a bit better instead of a tire like the Cup2 with higher limits and less warnings.
Any thought on that?

 

[bedoef]

You can message this guy and see if he is still selling brake ducts:

Clio 197 brake cooling ducts

Hi guys! For some time I've been developing custom parts and have recently created a set of Clio 197 brake cooling ducts. The kit is designed to be quick and easy to install and has more of a stealth look. The kit includes two tapered ducts to speed up air flow and utilises the original fog...

clio197.net

I have the PS4s on my car and I found they are great for the street, but can only take 2 hot laps before they overheat and lose grip. They also have very soft sidewalls, so turn in isnt crisp.

Best thing to do is just go with decent brakes and tires for how you plan to use the car, and build up from there. I ran the car almost bone stock for a few years and many track days before I started playing with suspension, tires, mounts, etc. Only thing I did was get better pads and fluid in the car.

 

[suj]

Lovely car mate, reading your car history we've got some similarities lol.
I had a MK2 Seat Ibiza GTI (ABF engine) when I was at university, it was so much fun as no one knew what it was.

I had a E36 328i track car (wanted an M3, but I didn't want the costs of a replacement S50 if it went bang on track in UK or Nürburgring), you could pick up M52 engines for £200 at the time vs £1500 for S50 haha.

That's a great time in the Impreza, my fastest lap was 8:56 in my 200sx I hadn't done too many laps so wasn't going full Maldonado as I did not want to even look at the costs of damage haha.

Car looks great, plans sound good, it'll be good to see how you said you don't want to do too much...we all say that and end up with all these mods haha.

 

[Nero]

You can message this guy and see if he is still selling brake ducts:

Clio 197 brake cooling ducts

Hi guys! For some time I've been developing custom parts and have recently created a set of Clio 197 brake cooling ducts. The kit is designed to be quick and easy to install and has more of a stealth look. The kit includes two tapered ducts to speed up air flow and utilises the original fog...

clio197.net

I have the PS4s on my car and I found they are great for the street, but can only take 2 hot laps before they overheat and lose grip. They also have very soft sidewalls, so turn in isnt crisp.

Best thing to do is just go with decent brakes and tires for how you plan to use the car, and build up from there. I ran the car almost bone stock for a few years and many track days before I started playing with suspension, tires, mounts, etc. Only thing I did was get better pads and fluid in the car.

Will have a look at those vents, thank you.

About the PS4s, you can do 2 laps on which track?

 

[Nero]

Lovely car mate, reading your car history we've got some similarities lol.
I had a MK2 Seat Ibiza GTI (ABF engine) when I was at university, it was so much fun as no one knew what it was.

I had a E36 328i track car (wanted an M3, but I didn't want the costs of a replacement S50 if it went bang on track in UK or Nürburgring), you could pick up M52 engines for £200 at the time vs £1500 for S50 haha.

That's a great time in the Impreza, my fastest lap was 8:56 in my 200sx I hadn't done too many laps so wasn't going full Maldonado as I did not want to even look at the costs of damage haha.

Car looks great, plans sound good, it'll be good to see how you said you don't want to do too much...we all say that and end up with all these mods haha.

Going full Maldonado...

Loved the ABF engine mate. Actually, I still own the car. It has so many hours of building in it. Big brakes, half cage, semi slicks etc.

Will have a look at brake pads for now. Haven't made a decision on tires yet.

 

[bedoef]

Will have a look at those vents, thank you.

About the PS4s, you can do 2 laps on which track?

Dubai Autodrome . Not sure you have experienced it yet.

 

[Nero]

Dubai Autodrome . Not sure you have experienced it yet.

I don't. But if you can do two laps there with that track temperature, I can probably do 4 laps on Zandvoort or 1 on the Ring before they over heat.

 

[suj]

Going full Maldonado...

Loved the ABF engine mate. Actually, I still own the car. ☺ It has so many hours of building in it. Big brakes, half cage, semi slicks etc.

Will have a look at brake pads for now. Haven't made a decision on tires yet.

That MK2 sounds great, got any links to build please?
I very nearly ITB'd my ABF, but I finished uni and needed a work horse diesel to get to work.
I grew up around VWs especially MK1 and MK2 Golfs, so have a soft spot for them still.

There are a few people running PBS and DS1.11. I still think the best pads I used on my track cars were Pagid RS29, they're aren't cheap but they last forever and are just phenomenal (I had tried a few at the time, many Carbone Lorraine pads etc).

 

[Nero]

I think I will go for DS1.11 fronts and ds2500 rear pads. Want a proven setup.

What brake fluid do you guys use?

And what engine oil is recommended?

 

[Nero]

That MK2 sounds great, got any links to build please?
I very nearly ITB'd my ABF, but I finished uni and needed a work horse diesel to get to work.
I grew up around VWs especially MK1 and MK2 Golfs, so have a soft spot for them still.

There are a few people running PBS and DS1.11. I still think the best pads I used on my track cars were Pagid RS29, they're aren't cheap but they last forever and are just phenomenal (I had tried a few at the time, many Carbone Lorraine pads etc).

Don't have any project links, sorry. Just did it on my own and wasn't on any forums or Facebook pages.

I will try the DS1.11 for now. They should give me some time tracking. If not perfect, I will have to adjust my driving style for the upcoming Ring trip.

 

[bedoef]

I think I will go for DS1.11 fronts and ds2500 rear pads. Want a proven setup.

What brake fluid do you guys use?

And what engine oil is recommended?

RBF 660, never had any issues.

I have been trying a few oils, from Castrol 5-30 to the most recent which is motul 5w-30 300QE i think? Seems a bit thin - im down to half capacity after 2 track days and only 5k kms driving. The Motul enging oil was recommended by a garage here that runs a few in a 2L race series. They use it in the cup cars.

 

[Nero]

Used a discount code from Ktec to order ds1.11 fronts and ds2500 rears with some braided lines. Took the RCF brake fluid from them too to take full advantage of the discount.

Got the Supersprint mounted which was loud af.

Added a mid silencer to it.