SQ5
Well I thought it's probably best I started a project thread with a lot of work to now be going into the car. Not that a lot hasn't already!
Bought the car back in March 2008, in a very much standard guise with 40mm lowering spring, K&N induction kit, Magnex catback and strut braces front and rear. 80k on the clock and mint!
Within 3 weeks I'd done my first trackday in the Clio. It was awesome and got me properly hooked.I had some spare Williams wheels laying around so got these on the car for the trackday and a little while after until I got mine done black.
After the trackday, I noticed how light the back end was so got the battery over the rear axle, got me Dad to make a battery box up and bolted it to the floor, nothing pretty but it does the job!
Also got the brakes upgraded to Brembo HC's and Greenstuff's after the trackday ready for my next in october. Before this trackday I had the cambelt done as the car has no history of it being done and also had the matched inlets fitted at Angelworks whilst it was being done.
Also had an exhaust laying around from the 172/Mk1 conversion I was doing so got powerflow to match it up and get rid of the crappy Magnex one.
I then had gearbox failure
I was kind of expecting it as it is a Renault. After a lot of f**king around with dodgy 2nd hand gearboxes I went for a rebuild and it's still under warranty which is always nice. This cost silly amount of money, but touch wood, it'll be good for a few years!
So December came around and I done another day at Snetterton and new I wanted to do as many as possible next year, and to get the car completely track ready.
First up, coilovers! Bought some brand spanking FK Konigsports and got the car sitting that little bit lower and it was a lot stiffer
Also the rear brakes were done as they failed the MOT on them so standard rears with Greenstuff pads were on! Front brakes were now starting to show some wear after a few trackdays so some Ferodo DS2500's got put on.
I was still using the car a fair bit so when coming to seats I wanted some that were still reclinable and comfy so I managed to pick these up for a bargain £220 and cost me nothing in postage as Dad was picking a quad up 20 minutes down the road a weekend after. Also decided to strip it properly, not just rear bench out!
Well I now had a car starting to look a bit more track like. So I done and oil and plug change and took it to a Rolling Road to see what power it was putting out. 164bhp & 142 lbs/ft
I didn't think was too bad on a car with an Open air filter, matched inlets and a cat back!
After this I didn't really do too much modifying wise up until August time. I did however do plenty of trackdays. This year so far Jan 09 - September 09 I have done 10 trackdays, albeit all at Snetterton and some only evening sessions but its still over 1200 track miles in a year!
Hassling a Porsche
I got all my induction set up with an original Ph1 box and ITG filter on a 45 deg bend, OMP tow eye and the 307 splitter, giving it a much more meaner look from the front! The car was also rolling roaded again at 157bhp
In June I organised a big CS trackday and we had 20+ people come out and go on track (Will be organising another next year) I had some R888's on and OMG, they transformed the car. Having been timed I was told I was getting 1.30's which in a 160 odd brake car weighing a ton isn't too shabby!
Last month I got hold of a fixed back bucket seat cheap so got rid of the reclinables to Greeny 172. Mostly over the last few months I've has stupidly niggly problems. So all ball joints and track rod ends were changed, new driveshafts both sides. Had a few electrical faults, which were a PITA!
SO basically at the moment the car stands like this
Stripped with a Cobra Imola Bucket seat
Battery in the back
FK Konigsports set half a turn back from firm all around, camber at -1.5
Brembo HC Discs and Ferodo DS2500's
Standard rears with Greenstuff Pads
Strut brace up front
Matched Inlets
Ph1 Airbox with ITG filter straight to Throttle body
Decat and mish mash of exhausts
To Come in the Future
In a couple of weeks it will be going up to Paul at RStuning for the Supercharger conversion. I've never had a car over a year and I've owned this 18 months, and over the last year I've got to the limits of the car. It now just needs that push of power to make it that little bit better. After a lot of thinking and weighing up pros and cons I decided for the rarer option, I only know of 2 others with this conversion. 1 by Paul and 1 by GDI. Hopefully it will be done before the next EA Rolling road day.
I will make sure to keep this thread updated!
Thanks for reading the above essay
Bought the car back in March 2008, in a very much standard guise with 40mm lowering spring, K&N induction kit, Magnex catback and strut braces front and rear. 80k on the clock and mint!
Within 3 weeks I'd done my first trackday in the Clio. It was awesome and got me properly hooked.I had some spare Williams wheels laying around so got these on the car for the trackday and a little while after until I got mine done black.
After the trackday, I noticed how light the back end was so got the battery over the rear axle, got me Dad to make a battery box up and bolted it to the floor, nothing pretty but it does the job!
Also got the brakes upgraded to Brembo HC's and Greenstuff's after the trackday ready for my next in october. Before this trackday I had the cambelt done as the car has no history of it being done and also had the matched inlets fitted at Angelworks whilst it was being done.
Also had an exhaust laying around from the 172/Mk1 conversion I was doing so got powerflow to match it up and get rid of the crappy Magnex one.
I then had gearbox failure
I was kind of expecting it as it is a Renault. After a lot of f**king around with dodgy 2nd hand gearboxes I went for a rebuild and it's still under warranty which is always nice. This cost silly amount of money, but touch wood, it'll be good for a few years!So December came around and I done another day at Snetterton and new I wanted to do as many as possible next year, and to get the car completely track ready.
First up, coilovers! Bought some brand spanking FK Konigsports and got the car sitting that little bit lower and it was a lot stiffer
Also the rear brakes were done as they failed the MOT on them so standard rears with Greenstuff pads were on! Front brakes were now starting to show some wear after a few trackdays so some Ferodo DS2500's got put on.
I was still using the car a fair bit so when coming to seats I wanted some that were still reclinable and comfy so I managed to pick these up for a bargain £220 and cost me nothing in postage as Dad was picking a quad up 20 minutes down the road a weekend after. Also decided to strip it properly, not just rear bench out!
Well I now had a car starting to look a bit more track like. So I done and oil and plug change and took it to a Rolling Road to see what power it was putting out. 164bhp & 142 lbs/ft
I didn't think was too bad on a car with an Open air filter, matched inlets and a cat back!
After this I didn't really do too much modifying wise up until August time. I did however do plenty of trackdays. This year so far Jan 09 - September 09 I have done 10 trackdays, albeit all at Snetterton and some only evening sessions but its still over 1200 track miles in a year!
Hassling a Porsche
I got all my induction set up with an original Ph1 box and ITG filter on a 45 deg bend, OMP tow eye and the 307 splitter, giving it a much more meaner look from the front! The car was also rolling roaded again at 157bhp
In June I organised a big CS trackday and we had 20+ people come out and go on track (Will be organising another next year
) I had some R888's on and OMG, they transformed the car. Having been timed I was told I was getting 1.30's which in a 160 odd brake car weighing a ton isn't too shabby!Last month I got hold of a fixed back bucket seat cheap so got rid of the reclinables to Greeny 172. Mostly over the last few months I've has stupidly niggly problems. So all ball joints and track rod ends were changed, new driveshafts both sides. Had a few electrical faults, which were a PITA!
SO basically at the moment the car stands like this
Stripped with a Cobra Imola Bucket seat
Battery in the back
FK Konigsports set half a turn back from firm all around, camber at -1.5
Brembo HC Discs and Ferodo DS2500's
Standard rears with Greenstuff Pads
Strut brace up front
Matched Inlets
Ph1 Airbox with ITG filter straight to Throttle body
Decat and mish mash of exhausts
To Come in the Future
In a couple of weeks it will be going up to Paul at RStuning for the Supercharger conversion. I've never had a car over a year and I've owned this 18 months, and over the last year I've got to the limits of the car. It now just needs that push of power to make it that little bit better. After a lot of thinking and weighing up pros and cons I decided for the rarer option, I only know of 2 others with this conversion. 1 by Paul and 1 by GDI. Hopefully it will be done before the next EA Rolling road day.
I will make sure to keep this thread updated!
Thanks for reading the above essay
