Getting ready for the track

[TooQuicksilver]

I have a 1995 Clio RSI, 8valve mk1 phase2 which is due to go round Haynes in June, but it is 100% standard. Any advice is welcome...

Current plans are to lower by one notch, put 15/16" alloys on, front strut brace, tint windows, new exhaust, air filter.

Is there anything else I should be doing before going on the track?

Also - Anyone know where I can get these parts cheap/second hand etc?

As I said - All advice welcome.

Many thanks.

 

[Pat_986]

Strip it.............plus tint ent going to make you go quicker!!!!

Get the wheels with some good tyres and scrap the exhaust+filter and get some decent suspention+ a good service on the car. IMO this will get you a better time on the track than the zort+filter.

First off pay £5 for membership here and check out 'parts for sale' section, think RSIdave is selling some stuff

 

[Nafoff]

as pat said mate.....

when you doing haynes mate? i am local i pay pop down and have a look..

 

[TooQuicksilver]

Nah, tint won't make it quicker, I just listed some of the mods planned, not all of them are for the track.

The track is a rather twisty, tight track (Haynes Sprint Track, Sparkford) if that makes any difference!?

Unfortunately I need the car for the road as well, so no chance to strip it 100%.

 

[TooQuicksilver]

as pat said mate.....

when you doing haynes mate? i am local i pay pop down and have a look..

Doing Haynes Sat 17 June with South West Performance Car (SWPC) - That's when the car needs to be ready by, hence the fact that not everything will be able to be done by then!

 

[Scott]

dont put 16's on it

 

[TooQuicksilver]

dont put 16's on it

How come? Too big? Or just handling?

 

[CHRIS172CUP]

Get someone in the know to setup your tracking/alignment and camber/toe in properly. Can make a nice difference for track use.

 

[TooQuicksilver]

Get someone in the know to setup your tracking/alignment and camber/toe in properly. Can make a nice difference for track use.

Sounds good.

Anyone know of anywhere I could get this (and/or lowering) done in Bridgwater/Taunton/Exeter/Weston-S-M Area?

 

[Englebert]

Are there any tracks near by? Most motorsport outfits are based in industrial estates around them.

Otherwise, why not try the cliocup site and see where some of the teams are based? There is obviously k-tecracing too, not sure if they have all the equipment though.

 

[Swervin_Mervin]

When you think you're close to the limits, push yourself more. That's my advice.

Remove ABS fuse if you have one. Don't strip it too much, just lose your rear bench on the day. Maybe the spare as well.

 

[Pat_986]

Nah, tint won't make it quicker, I just listed some of the mods planned, not all of them are for the track.

No I know mate, Only winding you up!!!:clown:

I think for cost/improvements, go for 15's....you can get some ph1/2 valver wheels pretty cheap now, but just get some really good tyre's on them.
This and a good suspention setup will give the most improvement 'time wise' on the track.

I also think a good service on the car will work well. Plugs, leads, rotor arm, dizzy cap, air filter(get a pannel filter for improvement, NOT A IK), oil filter and decent oil.
You could also use a low temp rad switch+thermostat if you gunna be caining it around the track.

After you spent all your money on the above parts, Why not get some more new suspention components...........bottom ball joint's, track-rod ends, wishbones, anti-roll bar bushes!!!

Oh and 'Swervin_Mervin' said just strip the rear bench and spare wheel, I know It ent practicall to strip the whole car....Good luck

 

[stevie_b]

Is there anything else I should be doing before going on the track?

Check the car is ready days before you go there. Is the oil topped up, do you have enough material left on your brake pads, etc? If you have to drop out half way through the day for mechanical problems you don't get any money back.

Add a few PSI to the tyres before you go out.

Take a few jerry cans of fuel with you, or make sure that you put enough in the tank that you will last out the day.

Take it easy to start with and build your speed once you know where the track goes. Throwing it off after the first few laps is a waste of a good day!

Remove all stuff from the door pockets, glovebox, etc. You don't want it banging around in there, or worse still, coming out and getting stuck under a pedal. Since you can easily remove the spare wheel, jack and rear seats this would be worth doing too - it can all go back in again just as easily at the end of the day.

As for the mods, if it is a faster lap time you want consider investing the cash in some proper circuit tuition as this will generally shave time off significantly. I managed to do the same circuit five seconds a lap quicker in the same car, over a period of a few years - about one second of that was due to all the mods on the car and I reckon the other four were due to what I had learnt about driving properly! Especially in something like an RSI you will need to be able to maintain good corner speed to get the best out of your lap time.

Have fun.

 

[Swervin_Mervin]

Why put air in your tyres? I never do. Just make sure they're at my 30/28 split when cold and off you go.

 

[fmp_]

suspension and Brakes should be your priority!

 

[edde]

A few more pounds pressure in the tyre it does dependsome people don't like it but depending on your driving style it will preseve the side walls.
A stock cars fine on track I take my car which is standard on track all the time and its no problem ok its down on power but there not much I can do there.

 

[stevie_b]

Why put air in your tyres? I never do. Just make sure they're at my 30/28 split when cold and off you go.

And your sidewalls aren't completely gone when you come in?

 

[Swervin_Mervin]

Nope. Well, they were at Elvington but I was a bit OTT tbh. Do remember that the tyre gets very hot so the pressure increases anyway. Plus if you over inflate then you're only reducing the contact patch and thusly your grip anyway.

 

[stevie_b]

Very true. They should only be a few PSI above normal, so if they get very hot they will then go up even further and you can let some air out again. I was basing my advice perhaps too much on sprints - five laps (from standing start, hence cold tyres each time) and I had worn all the writing off the sidewalls of a pretty much brand new set of tyres when using std pressures. Whilst I still had plenty of tread in the centre someone said that since the writing on the side had gone you couldn't read whether they were E-rated, or whatever it is that they needed to be for the road, and so they were illegal after all of about 7 minutes of track action

 

[stevie_b]

Just remembered. Even worse, the scrutineers said that they couldn't tell whether they were list 1A or 1B tyres without the 'branding' on them so I had to take the rears off to show them the insides before I could even use them on track again!

 

[Swervin_Mervin]

:rofl:

Quality. You couldn't tell what mine were after Elvy. And I caught my thumb on the steel belts

Fair enough for sprints. Depends on the time between them though. When we did Haynes last year there wasn't really enough time for them to drop too much.

 

[stevie_b]

:rofl:
Fair enough for sprints. Depends on the time between them though.

Most sprints you get there for about 7am, start around 9am and finish around 4 or 5pm. In that time you've done 5 laps (at Goodwood, Silverstone Stowe, etc. maybe double that at a shorter circuit like Lydden), so over an hour off between each lap! Not exactly a great use of time which is why I've given up the competitive lark now I've got 2 kids and will go for the odd track day where you get dozens and dozens of laps for your day out

 

[TooQuicksilver]

Take a few jerry cans of fuel with you, or make sure that you put enough in the tank that you will last out the day.

Take it easy to start with and build your speed once you know where the track goes. Throwing it off after the first few laps is a waste of a good day!

As for the mods, if it is a faster lap time you want consider investing the cash in some proper circuit tuition as this will generally shave time off significantly. I managed to do the same circuit five seconds a lap quicker in the same car, over a period of a few years - about one second of that was due to all the mods on the car and I reckon the other four were due to what I had learnt about driving properly! Especially in something like an RSI you will need to be able to maintain good corner speed to get the best out of your lap time.

Have fun.

Luckily the petrol station is just around the corner from the track, so shouldn't be a problem.

Have done Haynes before, so know what to look out for on the track. Although this will be the first time in the RSi.

Have phoned K-Tec today to get prices and they seem to be very good, which is a bonus. They have advised me as to what I need and will be getting everything ordered in the next few days.

First things to be sorted will be exhaust, strut brace, brakes and suspension aswell as a good service.

Have also found a garage to fit parts, although I will be doing a lot of it myself.

Just need to get some track wheels and tyres now.

 

[Swervin_Mervin]

My std sprung valver beat a lowered one at Haynes. Tbh there's not enought track for it to give any advantage.

 

[George k]

Alignment etc - Protyre at Exeter have been recommended. Also Tipton Garage, Tipton st jJhn, near Ottery St Mary. Sounds like the back of beyond, but has a good RR and can set up specialist ECU's, as well as doing chassis and engine work.

 

[TooQuicksilver]

Thanks for the replies chaps

Will let you know how it goes