Apu Posted 12, April 2019 Report Share Posted 12, April 2019 A quick hello! Just picked up a Clio 197 supposedly for my son, but I suspect I'll be having more fun in it. I've had a range of cars including a couple of Alfas. In recent years though, an NB MX5 which I turbocharged and a few Hondas which I still have. The DC2 Type R is a stripped out, track only car and the FN2 Type R is road registered weekend toy with a K-frank in it. Very torquey, very easy to drive but oriented toward smooth roads and track days. And that brings us to the Clio. Picked it up in Singleton, and had a run through the back roads on the way back to Sydney. It's ultimately not as quick as the Civic, but I had so much fun it! A couple of things need attending to (engine mount, shocks wearing out, and steering rack bush) but MAN it was fun and so easy to drive. The car is at Renotech now getting the engine mount and drive shaft seal attended to. I'll slowly get to the suspension and steering rack...can't wait to get it back! I have to say though...much fewer 197s around than I expected. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dn2blue Posted 12, April 2019 Report Share Posted 12, April 2019 Welcome! And great choice of car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apu Posted 12, April 2019 Author Report Share Posted 12, April 2019 Thanks dn2blue! Loving it so far...but really wish there were more cars available for parts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Safetyman Posted 13, April 2019 Report Share Posted 13, April 2019 I picked one up for my daughter/son last year and totally agree. A hell of a lot of fun 😊 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosey Posted 14, April 2019 Report Share Posted 14, April 2019 Welcome to ozRS! 197’s are very underrated, even amongst the RS community. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apu Posted 14, April 2019 Author Report Share Posted 14, April 2019 Thanks Moosey! Disappointed not to see more around. Keen to start modding the car - thinking of lightened flywheel, LSD and lithium battery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosey Posted 14, April 2019 Report Share Posted 14, April 2019 Yeah 197’s sold in pretty small volumes, so you definitely have something that you won’t see every day 👍 Check out out this old Wheels Handling Olympics article.. https://www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/wheels-handling-olympics-2008-pt2-13219/ Nothing too shabby with that performance 💪 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woot woot Posted 15, April 2019 Report Share Posted 15, April 2019 With the steering rack you can replace the bush and not the whole steering rack.Sent from my EVA-L09 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apu Posted 17, June 2019 Author Report Share Posted 17, June 2019 So something in the fuel line gave way recently...I've been traveling so haven't had the time to go under to have a look. In any case, the car is going to Renotech on Wednesday to have coilovers fitted...will have to get it onto the trailer. As I have to get it onto the trailer, I also decided to upgrade my hand-o-matic winch and get an electric one fitted. That will of course require a battery, so I'm thinking of using the one from the 197 and fitting a lithium battery into the car. Has anyone used one on a daily? I have an SSB one on my track-only Integra and it's pretty good, but keen to see what others have done. Good way of losing some weight and clearing some space in the engine bay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woot woot Posted 17, June 2019 Report Share Posted 17, June 2019 What coilovers did you choose to go with?Sent from my EVA-L09 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dn2blue Posted 17, June 2019 Report Share Posted 17, June 2019 I know of a member using a lithium battery on his daily 197 with no issues. Tiny compared to the stock one! That car also has the V6 airbox upgrade though to give space to mount the battery where the stock airbox is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apu Posted 18, June 2019 Author Report Share Posted 18, June 2019 On 17/06/2019 at 1:16 PM, woot woot said: What coilovers did you choose to go with? Sent from my EVA-L09 using Tapatalk I went with Bilstein B14s. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apu Posted 18, June 2019 Author Report Share Posted 18, June 2019 On 17/06/2019 at 3:39 PM, dn2blue said: I know of a member using a lithium battery on his daily 197 with no issues. Tiny compared to the stock one! That car also has the V6 airbox upgrade though to give space to mount the battery where the stock airbox is. Thanks! I’ll look into the cost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosey Posted 18, June 2019 Report Share Posted 18, June 2019 Are you sure that this car was bought for your son? 😝 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark200 Posted 18, June 2019 Report Share Posted 18, June 2019 9 hours ago, Apu said: I went with Bilstein B14s. Interested to see your set up with these. I’ve also picked these up recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apu Posted 18, June 2019 Author Report Share Posted 18, June 2019 2 hours ago, Moosey said: Are you sure that this car was bought for your son? 😝 ...uhyyyeeeeesss... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apu Posted 22, June 2019 Author Report Share Posted 22, June 2019 On 19/06/2019 at 7:49 AM, mark200 said: Interested to see your set up with these. I’ve also picked these up recently. Had a short drive yesterday and the car is a lot flatter, stiffer than stock...as would be expected. I’ll be at the Renotech track day so it will be interesting but haven’t tracked the car on stock suspension so I have no comparison. I’ll go for a longer drive either to Singleton or Wiseman’s and have a better idea then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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