Matts Racecar/Hillclimb/Trackday Clio!

Ok where to start?!

ha the car about 5ish years.

Ran it as a daily for 5 or so. Then things went mental lol

So here she is

Stock bar a magnex exhaust.

So ran her like this for quite a while then the lust for MORE POWER kicked in, but that wassnt enough.....i decided to go...well.. mad lol

Its a Mk1 Clio 16v With a lightly fettled 2.0 F7RA700 Williams engine producing circa 180bhp dependant on dyno...

Here is a brief spec of the car as it stands now.
Hybrid Spec

Engine
F7R 700 2.0-litre 16-valve
Kent RN2002 260 cams
Timed in By the ClioLord
Mapped by TBC!
Omex 600 V0.70D
Chadil Inlet Manifold
jenvey throttle bodies
megane Injectors
Piper Vernier pulleys
Mocal 13 row Oil Cooler
Mocal Thermostatic sandwich plate
K-Tec Racing Low Temperature Thermostat
K-Tec Racing Low Temperature Fan Switch
Custom Oil lines from a tractor
Full set of Orange Samco Hoses
Samco Vacuum Hosing in Orange
Scuttle Group A Induction with Carbon intake
Williams Manifold
Mongoose Exhaust
Straight-through de-cat
Braided fuel lines
Group A 4th gearbox/subframe mount
F0xy 5th Subframe Mount
Rotated Standard new Dogbone mount
Powder coated Top Mount in Antique Silver
Powder coated Cam cover in Antique Silver
Powder coated Battery Tray in Antique Silver
Powder coated Gear box mount and strap in Antique Silver
Powder coated Alternator brackets in Antique Silver

Transmission
Jc5 014 rebuilt williams gearbox
Saches Clutch
New Genuine Renault Clutch cable
K-Tec Racing Short Shifter
Bolt In Diff Conversion

Brakes
Wilwood Dynalite 120-6805 calipers
Poly E brake pads
Custom Designed, Alloy Brackets
S/S braided Hoses (2″ longer then std) x2 with the correct fittings
High tensile bolts
259mm Red Dot grooved discs

Suspension
brand New Williams Shocks
Unknown springs -55mm
Rear Torsion bar adjusted 2 clicks and Bias valve adjusted
Williams wide-track conversion
Powerflex Poly Bushes all round
Manual Steering
Custom Cages international 8 point cage

Wheels & Tyres
Williams Speedline 7×15-inch wheels (road)
Painted 727 red
195/50/15 Yokohama Parada Spec 2

Body
Renault D60 Lunar Grey
Fibreglass Bonnet
Smoothed Bonnet
Locking Aero catches
Smoothed tailgate
Fog lights removed
Colour-coded and smoothed bump-strips
Rear bumper Nana’d

Interior
Stripped entirely
Race Technology Dash 2 Digidash

Performance
181.1bhp @ 6600rpm @ fly

Performance (before 2.0 f7r fitment)
117.6bhp @ 6800rpm @ fly

Full blog of the build is here http://www.mattscar.co.uk/ (yeh i know but its only cost me a tenner and i can upload the updates direct from the phone!)

Where im now struggling is with the interior, the custom cages cage means the stock dash no longer fits

I already have a electronic race technology dash2 for instrumentation but would really like a dash can anybody suggest sombody that makes fiberglass or carbon dashboards?

Today we fitted my lasercut sunroof blank!

Big thanks to Steve and Ryan @ http://www.pmapowdercoating.co.uk/ they previously used my car as a dummy for shot blasting.. all the engine bay has been done by those lads! Great turn around.

Fitted my black which steve powdercoated for me and powdercoated some sealed rivits for me but unfortunatly i had 2 missing... gutted its always the way isnt it!

Also set about fitting my seats aswell! Another job by PMA was to adapt my seat runners to fit the Phase1 adaptor plates another job they have aced! Thanks Lads!

So fitted passenger seat today

 

[turbonutter69]

Hello and Welcome to TorqueCars.:bigsmile:
Hope you enjoy your time with us.

Your post got stuck in the moderation queue as you require 10 posts before you can upload pics or links. I've approved it for you this time mate.
Have a wander round an you'll soon hit 10.

 

[MattsCar]

I did wonder! Spamcontrol ftl sometimes eh!

wouldnt worry, i'll put it all together in word and get it all ready!

 

[MattsCar]

And set about marking up a newer mk2 Clio dash to try make that fit

Hopefully the vents will pop back in after but I may just fibreglass the lot lol

So got busy with grinder!We have a dash! Well a dash top! Out a Mk2 Ph2 But that’s all I need lol! Took a bit too much out but meh I’ll get another and use this as a template!

Got to keep heater vents too! A bonus! Will pipe them up to a lightweight T7 design heater.

Whoop quite happy dossnt look like it needs much more work to fit right!

So started the day early trial fitting new centre panel.
Fits OK needs more adjustment before I remake it out of fiberglass.

 

[MattsCar]

Even though the dash isn’t fitted yet the dash fit is solid with new panel in!

Then we set about fitting rear aerocatches to the bonnet a job I’ve put off for ages…so towed the car to father in laws for electrics Lil
Fitted catches only to find that it then sat waaaaay too high on the car.
So we had to fabricate and rivit on some basic “L” brackets in order for the pins to sit a lot lower as the thread pitch stops below the top of the wing

This solved the problem! Yay! Also has made it a lot stronger!

Then set about mounting the new washer bottle in the cabin.

Yes that’s right, finally I’ve removed the distrubutor cap and ht-leads.

The Omex can take care of this for me so now I need a newer “wasted spark” coil pack. The RS Clio uses one but requires Ht-leads to each spark plug. After some reading up found out the f7r in the megane uses a wasted spark setup. However unlike the RS Clio its coil pack sits directly on top of the cam cover and connects direct to the spark plugs. Meaning no ht-leads to worry about. This does however mean I must run the megane cam cover…this in my opinion looks better so wassn’t bothered.

Found both parts for sale on club within the hour…£65 later they were on their way.

New cam cover

Wasted spark coil pack.

So got busy with my spanners once again.

Removed the cam cover and old 1910 (year it was introduced to a production car by Cadilac) ignition system & cam cover.

 

[MattsCar]

Modified the coil pack with some old panel fasteners….

Found some washers in black the right size….

Old Setup

New setup!

Centre console Mould making and prototype

So basically I wassnt happy with not having a center panel in the car. So mocked up some ply panels to fit in its place. (this made the dash SOLID)

From this I turned it into a model to make a mould from

Covered this item in release wax and liquid wax…a release agent.

Then covered in gel coat.

This was left to harden over night
Then covered in resin and talc filler and then fiberglass matting

Left to harden overnight then another layer of the same

Then left to harden overnight again 3 layers later its about this thick.

Then “simply” pop the mould off the model…

Screwdriver and hammer required! Leaves you with this.

 

[MattsCar]

Run it through the band saw and trim off the rough edges….leaving excess… And then sand with 320grit and 400grit

Then add back plate and add a few layers of wax and liwuid wax (i did 4 but the more the bettrr) layer of gel coat and leave to go tacky… The layer in some material

Happened to have some carbon laying about… not enough but will do on the prototype

Layered it in as I’ve never used it in mould making… So had enough for first layer… Then used low weight fiberglass as replacement (use this normally)

I’ve done 3 layers of fiberglass on top…

Left for a day between layers.

Then simply demould….again…screwdriver required…more wax next time

Removed back plate
And trimmed fiberglass overlap with very sharp chisel

Then popped out of mould

You can see the carbon weave. But I’ve been inconsistent with my gel coat so I have some milkyness… and a few air bubbles...Will be more vigilant with mk2…

But fairly chuffed if this was flocked or painted you would never know.

an All carbon Mk2 coming soon!....
So had a few mins so thought it was a good idea to combine all my interior bits together for trial fitment.

Pics

Then thought I’d see what they were like in the car.

Passenger side

First gear selected in next set of photos for clearance checking... didnt want to be shifting into 3rd to find my hand hit the panel! (and i forgot to finish my other centre panel which is smoothed over...)

Check out the mirror finish of that panel! lol

Got the Race-Technology Dash2 fitted to the car to see if my modified panel fitted and didnt foul

 

[MattsCar]

Overall shot

V chuffed fits as it should and I now feel like I have a more complete interior! Yay!

Just got to make an all carbon mk2 now!

Waved goodbye to the stock inlet and plenum… the polished days are over!

Time for some performance

Looks so empty and bare! Individual throttle bodies will soon cure that! Yay

 

[MattsCar]

 

[MattsCar]

So today we hired a trailer and made the 320mile trip to Beaniesport.

Looking mean

Loaded and strapped down!

On route…….

Then 3 hours later….

Boom we arrive at Beaniesport greeted by moo and beanie.

These guys are going to be building me a beautiful looking and functioning bare bones loom.

Im very excited. Lol

Two track monster’s together

I really like it with out the plate lol

Pimping Beaniesport

Yes yes one in paint….one in primer lol

Primer one is clearly better lol

A huge sigh of relief when beanie said the fitment of his bonnet was as much of a #!#!#!#!#!#!#! to fit as mine was.

However

Where mine is hoping to achieve aroind 190bhp….Beaniesport’s is a crazy 220bhp.
As a passenger in.this car in tje the past when it made 170bhp it was very very fast indeed. … fibreglass doors, boot and carbon fibre roof and bonnet.

Means she weighs 760kgs….with 220bhp….. yes….thats 290bhp Per tonne! Crazy crazy power to weight.

It now has forged internals and a gripper diff….wow this thing go’s round corners like a fat man mopping up thw last of bacon juice from a bacon butty with his bread! VERY QUICK.

Ive given moo creative control. So looom should look pretty sweet lol

 

[MattsCar]

Here's pic i took before she left... ive PS'd the engine bay the same colour... Next time she comes out.. we are so doing this!

beaniesport are just putting a shopping list of parts together and clearing their backlog of cars then mine is up for wires yay!

 

[MattsCar]

So had an update from the Boys at Beaniesport.

Heres the Fuel pump connector

Heres a joint

Tail light Connector

Handbrake light

Taillight Connector and Fuel pump ground

The Completed Rear Loom

More to come soon!

 

[old-git]

Wow, one hell of a post

I know nothing about these cars, but it looks like an impressive build.

One question. In your spec you mention unknown 55mm springs. Have you changed these yet?

 

[MattsCar]

Trust me i condensed what i could.... full blog is here:- www.mattscar.co.uk

nope not yet, installed williams widetrack front end, which adds about 35mm each side. Rate that as much as the 2.0 engine tbh!

but thats going to be replaced with some tasty coilovers when funds allow!

 

[old-git]

Forget tasty, get coilovers that have been designed to work with your car's weight (front and rear) and proposed use. These won't be available off the shelf. Getting the damper/spring spec correct is the best handling/performance mod you can make pound for pound but one that is very rarely done.

If someone tries to tell you that, "these, mate, are just what you need', as he pulls a box off the shelf hasn't got a clue about anything other than trying to relieve you of hard earned cash.

 

[MattsCar]

Good friend of mine is head of development for a very well known Renault specialists.
We have been speaking to Proflex, AST and KW. looking at round £1500-£2500 for good setup.

Not driven her in a bit with the new multipoint cage, which has more than likly changed the complete characteristics of the car's handling lol

But meh, we shall run her for a few trackdays on current setup before i spend yet more and more cash on this lil project!

Still need to buy a LSD (proper gripper one) aswell lol! Waiting for the Box to let go before i spend out on that lol

 

[old-git]

It's not what you know, but who you know that matters

The price is right for a decent set of dampers and you won't regret it. The trick now will be to get them set up properly otherwise the money is wasted.

 

[MattsCar]

Yep, suspension is deffo on the next list...

but priority is get her shaken down on track cant wait!

Purposely not driven anything quick, so this thing blows my mind when done lol!


after that.... its MORE POWER from another engine!

 

[MattsCar]

Firstly Moo adorned the appropriate ear defence for dealing with throttle bodies

let the soldering begin!

Universal omex loom stripped an harvested for parts

Wires

passenger side indicator

Drivers side indicator

So ive been told, this caused moo to swear alot due to the original loom being a right mess!

headlight Loom