The High Mileage Track car

[tartaruga]

Was down spectating at the trackday during the week. Car looked like it was going great out there. From my vantage point, you certainly seemed to be able to commit alot more than others in the corners, especially notable in the second to last corner. Maybe it’s the diff or perhaps you’ve just got bigger liathróidí

Great to see so many Clios out too. Hoping to put one more on the track soon myself

 

[Dowling93]

Was down spectating at the trackday during the week. Car looked like it was going great out there. From my vantage point, you certainly seemed to be able to commit alot more than others in the corners, especially notable in the second to last corner. Maybe it’s the diff or perhaps you’ve just got bigger liathróidí

Great to see so many Clios out too. Hoping to put one more on the track soon myself

The fact I've a trailer gives me great confidence if I bin it There's definitely more in that second last corner, it just pops out of gear on me sometimes if I take too much kerb so I leave it alone now I'm always open to taking passengers so don't be afraid to ask anytime I'm up there!
We always need more clios, good to hear you'll hopefully get one!

 

[Dowling93]

Another trackday done over the last week with no issues which is great. Beforehand I had adjusted the gear linkages which is simple enough after removing all the battery bits and intake, I really should just relocate it inside the car! A quick bolt check and mounted some new r888r and it was ready to go. The 200 is my friends who recently got it refreshed underneath with some solid mounts and rose joints and properly corner weighted etc. It's a mega car to go!

The trackday itself was busy enough! The weather was nice and clear though which is always a good thing! There was also a good mix of 172/182 197/200 there also. Managed to get myself a couple of decent clean laps. 2.05.06 was the quickest I could get, albeit a small bit messy in places so there's more in it yet.

Since changing the gearbox to the one I collected in England it's so much nicer than it was before, no issues or slight crunches, just nice and smooth and I've definitely gained more confidence in the gear changes leading to me pushing a bit harder. Looks very naked without a spoiler too

Few small items for the next day out such as front pads, rear pads, rear calipers as one is sticking and an oil change and it'll be ready again. I have all the parts already which is nice and handy! Seeing a lot of ye running MRF in the UK so I'm thinking a set of those might be worth a shot to try next if delivery and customs to Ireland aren't the worst
One of our friends is the photographer so he'll always take a bunch of us.

 

[burrellbloke]

I used MRFs a few years ago but found that after a lot of heat cycles they just went hard and lost their grip even though there was a lot of tread left. But, the MRFs I used were secondhand and could be have been through way too many heat cycles before they went on my car.

 

[Dowling93]

I used MRFs a few years ago but found that after a lot of heat cycles they just went hard and lost their grip even though there was a lot of tread left. But, the MRFs I used were secondhand and could be have been through way too many heat cycles before they went on my car.

What do ye use on them now? My friend ran ar1 but they were dead and delaminated after 2 trackdays, a fair bit quicker but not worth it to me. I get about 6 days out of the r888r, but they lose best grip after 3-4 days the last two are more just for fun.

 

[burrellbloke]

Direzzas, expensive but good.

 

[Dowling93]

Went out to the shed today and tackled the rear calipers and pads. The drivers side was sticking a little bit, the passenger was fine but looked a bit tired so I got parts to replace them both and some cheap pads.
Not the worst job to do but by Jesus do I hate handbrake cables now, first time doing them and it took some patience to sort it

The sliders weren't in bad condition either, just greased them up and they were good to go. Didn't loose much fluid while changing over calipers which is always a bonus.
The old calipers will be saved and rebuilt to be kept as spares, I'll have to get rid of that awful paint job on them too

I left the old brackets in place just gave them a quick clean and wire brush. These calipers had handbrake springs, my old ones did not and I learned pretty quickly while trying to re connect the handbrake cable as to why that may be as it's a pain in the arse!

Bled the brakes, gave it a quick test up and down the avenue and all seemed fine, maybe a little spongy so I have them all a quick bleed then afterwards with the sealey brake bleeder. That tool makes it so handy! Some tube and an old water bottle then and away you go.

I also gave the bushings a check over along with a nut and bold check and switched around the wheels. It just needs a quick oiled change now before the next trackday and it's good to go again!

 

[Dowling93]

Trackday abroad, eventually went and did a trackday somewhere other than mondello. Myself and another Clio and a bunch of other Irish people went over to knockhill for a trackday recently. It was mostly high end cars, gt3rs, mclarens, some radical variations and we'll equiped BMWs.

3 hour drive to belfast, 3 hour ferry and 2+ hour drive the far side the day before the trackday to get there so not exactly close but nothing is to us really
It's a ridiculously fun track, after about 5 laps we were both pushing on to try see what times we could do. Best I did all day was a 1.03.4, Peter on his Clio managed a 1.0.9 and he was on slicks on the front. I felt like a roller coaster the whole time and you definitely have to be brave and trust the car!

Not too many photos or videos from the day as there was no photography just ourselves.
Even though it was only a half day, I felt sorry for the car it took an absolute pounding from all the curbs and elevation changes, I never once have got this car properly setup and could feel it limiting me here. I did also hit the bump stops at a few times. I'll have to give the car a good check over next weekend, the bushings definitely took a fair beating.
Would highly recommend the track to anybody if they get an opportunity to drive it!

 

[burrellbloke]

I want to do Knockhill on day. It is the other end of the UK to me.

 

[Dowling93]

I want to do Knockhill on day. It is the other end of the UK to me.

Great track but they do so few trackdays and it's not cheap! We stayed in a premier inn in Falkirk, plenty of space for trailers if you need it.

 

[Dowling93]

Did some work recently to the Clio after knockhill. Just an oil service, bolt check over and changed the front pads. I got my money's worth from the EBC RP-X pads I think

New pads put in and gave the pins a quick clean down to make it easy for the next time. The only thing I noticed worn was the wishbone bush towards the rear of the car is a bit buggered, took very little pressure to move it. I have a spare bush so I'll get that whipped out and pressed into place. I do also have a full spare wishbone so I might just chuck that in instead.

While I was at the shed I took apart the old rear calipers and gave them a quick clean down. They are now ready to have the rebuild kit put in and be used as spares. Never done anything like it before so starting with the rears was a handy step to become familiar with the process for when I need to do the fronts which aren't as cheap to just buy new ones of
Ordered a roof scoop and spoiler but God knows when they'll arrive as the scoop is made to order so hopefully it'll be here in time to help with the warmer trackdays inside the car!

 

[Dowling93]

I've bought another Clio

Went over and picked up this the other day. It's a cup 200. Well as far as I'm aware it's a cup, it's got a normal key and barrel ignition. Spec is as follows:
58k Miles, Full weld in cage and sprayed, bc coilovers, ebc RPX front pads, PBS rears, 3d printed brake cooling ducts in fog lights and ones to sit at the discs, ZPO gear shifter, corbeau bucket seats, trs harnesses, battery relocated to passenger footwell, extinguisher just needs to be plumbed in, ktec induction, I'm told it has cams, remap, race spec gripper diff, paddle clutch, aero catch bonnet, boot pins, all useless wiring removed. Two sets of wheels ones with a fresh set of MRF and a used set of Dunlop direzzas.

Fired it up on the ramp and took a look around it and a check over. Few small things but nothing major it seems. Mainly just rusty things from salty roads. I also removed the spacers that were on it, I just don't like spacers.
I'll definitely need a caliper rebuild kit, I do not fancy bleeding those brakes anytime soon! Other than that it seemed fine. It needs the mounting points for the crotch belts put in as they are only 4 point harnesses(why I have no idea) so I'll swap them out from my blue Clio and maybe the seats along with the wheels.
I'll give it a trackday to test out the shifter and see if I'm bothered switching over the PMS one I have too.

Over the next while I'll swap out the few bits and throw mine up for sale. In the mean time it's not the worst having two of them