Toby
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Registered: 29th Nov 05
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So getting bored of the workhorse but still requiring a diesel for the mileage that I cover I had to find a suitable middle ground in order to get my ‘fix’ which in turn sparked an impulsive purchase of this Megane for track days and occasional weekend blat. Dave of the ‘Red one on Slicks’ variety found it on Instagram in the morning, a deal was done and drive to Manchester ensued, all checked out and I made the leap. My brothers own Renaultsport's (r26 & r27) so I was aware of what i was letting myself in for. The car as it turned out happened to be previously owned by a couple of people on here.
One from Instagram of the advert -
One of the things that grabbed me the most was its modifications which would save me a few pennies in the long run:
ITG Panel Filter
Forge Re-circulation Valve
Forge Front Mount Inter-cooler
Forge Enlarged/Alloy Pipe Work
Forge Silicone Hose Kit
Sieman 630cc Injectors
Brembo HC disc’s
RS Tuning ‘Stage 2’ Remap
Cooksport springs
Vibratechnic Gearbox mount
Lightweight (and super rare) 18” Technomagnesio wheels.
Turbo Back Milltek Exhaust
The car was mapped to just under 280bhp (I’m led to believe) but the clutch was slipping so it was backed off to around 265/270bhp.
Plans at this stage include:
Coilovers (likely to be BC) and some corner weighting
Swap out the standard seats for some light weight fixed back buckets (likely to be Sabelt)
Upgrade the brakes to a 330mm set up, braided line and some performance friction pads
Track rubber (likely to be Federal 595 RSR’s to start)
An uprated clutch to handle the power and torque
Get the map tweaked to suit the power its capable of.
Plus some few other bits and pieces on its way (i.e. some ducting and cooling for the brakes) and some cosmetic bits (to get it more recognisable as an r26)
Potential future plans could include:
Fit a used nexus 7 tablet into the car (currently no CD player) for media and to be able to run a variety of apps inc Harry's laptimer and Torque OBD app
Cage
More stripping of interior
Possibly some 17inch wheels with a set of slicks
Forged engine build (rods, pistons, cams, valves & springs)
Hybrid Turbo.
First job was to give it a quick wash (read: Take it to Dave’s for him to wash it) and solve a few issues with the car. The car had a Renaultsport gear knob that wouldn't fit, had an abs issue, exhaust rattled a bit and there was a bit of a rattle from the front and the handbrake was a little dodgy.
Gearnob done & Handbrake done -
The ABS sensor just needed removing and cleaning up which cleared that fault.
The exhaust was adjusted on the rear hangers to stop it making so much noise.
The rattle from the front turned out to be from the Vibratechnic gearbox mount which stiffen things up so wasn't concerned about that.
At this point I removed the rear seats -
Then I removed some more bits from the boot.
But this did make things loud and it looked un tidy. I had some materials lying around so i built a false floor, its added 7g but I reckon I have removed almost 50kg from the car so I maybe able to live with it and ultimately its functional.
With a net in place -
At this point I bagged a harness from Dave, its only a single mount but will do the job until new seats arrive and I have some more money.
Next up was to try and return it to a standard looking r26 so I sprayed the mirrors with some paint I had lying around (they just need flatting back and polishing up) that were a similar colour to the originals, as I didn’t like the black. I also fitted some genuine side decals
The latest job was to bleed the brakes as the car had been stood a while and they were spongy. Just whacked in some Motul RBF 600 I had lying around which will do until I sort the brake upgrade.
And this is how it stands, and will probably do so for the next few months until I’m back from holiday in the summer as the barge needs some bits (service/stone chips bumper respraying etc)
I'm dying to get it out on track!
[Edited on 03-04-2015 by Toby]
[Edited on 03-04-2015 by Toby]
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Toby
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Registered: 29th Nov 05
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So this weekend it was a case that i wanted to investigate ducting options for the brakes. Fog's out and route through the arches seemed like the most obvious route. Well not as far as Renault are concerned.....
First step was to remove the bumper and out came the standard washer bottle as there is literlally no room for any pipework... Quite an easy task....
Now it was at this stage i considered binning of the washer jets, the car is a track car and i couldn't think how much use they would get. I quickly changed my mind and decided about relocating the washer bottle, being 3pm on a bank holiday there's not a lot of places open to obtain parts for a relocation and there aren't many obvious places so i decided to get creative....
The washer bottle....
And mounted....
Plumbed in....
So far its pretty water tight. Its not the most ideal fix but it will do for now until i come up with a more permanent solution. The end reuslt.... A 90mm gap between the washer bottle and cannister and a working pump!
Im just deciding which trumpets to buy for the fogs and which ducting to go for and then the washer bottle maybe tweaked and modded a bit more.
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VrsTurbo
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Registered: 8th Jun 10
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R26r washer bottle and 90mm ducts but will need 2" dia piping and it's a push to get it routed but it's not needed. Neither are the 330's
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Toby
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Registered: 29th Nov 05
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I had seen that the r26 washer bottles were smaller but no doubt they are a dealer only item and cost a small fortune?
You don't think the breaks are worth while? Both my brothers are running the cazan racing upgrade, one with cheaper ferrodos and one with PFC 01 track compound and even the crapoy ferrodos bite a lot more and have a lot better pedal feel over standard.
The main reason for messing with the brakes is longevity when out on track. It was far more noticabke at blyton when we were in a car with road tyres and oem discs with CL RC5 pads compared to a car with semi slicks and the brake upgrade
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VrsTurbo
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Registered: 8th Jun 10
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I have used the 330 kit and have gone to hc brembos now £70 a set and no difference on the track with decent pads.
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Toby
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Registered: 29th Nov 05
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Hmmmm food for thought. My intentions are to use some PFC 01 compound pads with the dics until I could get my hands on the 330 kit. Did you swap due to the cost of replacement rotors?
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VrsTurbo
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Registered: 8th Jun 10
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Cost came into it. I was getting 4-5 days out a set and have noticed zero difference using normal size discs
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Toby
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Registered: 29th Nov 05
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So having cleared some credit cards and paid off holidays etc I had finally had chance to spend few quid on her as she has been stood most of summer (less than a 1000 miles in the 5 months I have owned her).
Plan for the weekend was to get the brakes and ducting sorted (since I had started it), refurb the Brembo’s, fit braided lines, new pads and high temp fluid, fit my splitter and carryout the air box mod amongst other bits before I look at the general reliability and replacement of worn parts.
First up was fixing the universal gearnob and make it fit and done. Again.
Then I fitted some quick release clips for the bumper which means i can now remove the bumper by removing just six clips on the bumper (following some modification to the bottom of the bumper)
Then the cooling. Using some ducting and trumpets I routed through the old fog light’s in through the arches behind the wheel. Bumper off and fit r26 washer bottle which is considerably smaller due to the fact that it doesn't hold a second pump for the head light wash. This is something that may be considered not overly worth while, but i like it, it adds a motorsport look and is functional, it was tested at with a 'air blaster' at 100 & 150mph and the airflow was very noticable so it should do a job when at speed.
Now the trumpets, painted part of them up black and attached to the bumper through the existing fog light mount. Attached half a metre of silicon hose to feed through.
Then I cut out a section in each of the arch lining to feed the hose and ducting through.
You can see the ducting through each side. It was a little tight so needed some trial and error to get it right, but now both vent into the wheel arch and don’t obstruct the wheel.
Next off to whip the bumper back off again and fit the splitter, purely for cosmetic looks but I think it looks a lot more better. This may take more of an ‘aero’ route in the future but will see how things pan out.
Once the splitter was fitted it was time to turn my attention to the brakes. Off came the front callipers to clean up, paint and refurb seals etc.
Before -
During –
Cleaned -
Seals replaced –
Painted and fitted.
Now I turned to the lines, just some regular HEL clear stainless steel lines
Before –
After –
Now it was time to refit the new pads – On the front Ferodo DS1.11’s and the rear are some OEM (Ferodo’s) pads. Had a chew with the rear offside calliper as it was sticking, had a fight with the calliper rewind tool and a vice and managed to free it up. Once this was sorted the heavens opened so I bailed for the day (so I thought).
Tried to capture a picture of the rain as i was now bored and hoping it would piss off. You can see we are Renaultsport fans.
Rain cleared so I headed back out at looking at carrying out the ‘airbox mod’ which is essentially opening up the front of the airbox. Some say it improves performance, others say better throttle response, some say it’s for the noise and others say its bollocks. Since I managed to grab a spare airbox off eBay for £14 I thought I would give it a go. Having driven it my verdict would be a nice induction noise and a nice flutter through from the recirc valve and throttle does seem a little more responsive (not sure if placebo or not but meh).
First up was to remove the battery, battery try and ECU to get access to the airbox.
During –
Airbox free and modified –
It was at this point that I noticed that the standard airbox does have some ducting. It looked pretty poor, so out it came. I had some of the silicon ducting left so I had a look at fitting it. Fortunately without too much adjustment I managed to feed it through the same gap as the previous pipe but down into the wheel arch which gave me options.
During –
Ducting into the wheel arch....
Routed in.
Refitted airbox, battery, battery tray and ECU and my new ITG panel filter then called it a night.
Up this morning to bleed the brakes with the Gulf oil which was recommended by Opie Oils as one of the best performing oils representing good value for money (at ‘only’ £60 for four litre’s).
Brakes bled, I took a look at the ‘cold air feed’ as it was bugging me left how it was as the hose wasn't long enough to duct anywhere useful. As i was clearing through the pile of shit I found a another length of ducting which once mated up would touch the front bumper and become a bit more useful, its not pretty but does a job.
Togetherness –
Mounted –
Now it’s not mounted where I want it so need to have a think about it and what I’m going to do with it but had enough of it so I have attached it to the front bumper for the time being and i was in a rush.
Took the car to my detailer friend for a wash (most likely a link to detailing world to follow) and it was ready to roll.
This is how she stands.
And one with the daily hack.
Car is of in for a fluid change all round and a general look/prod at before I try and catch some track days before the years out and I take the car off the road for winter.
Next up is some polycarb windows (couldn't say no for the price) and looking to replace the reclining buckets with some lighter, fixed back buckets.
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VrsTurbo
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Registered: 8th Jun 10
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You buy the ones for 160/150 from ebay/josh?
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Toby
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Registered: 29th Nov 05
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I'm not sure where they are coming from. A friend sorted them. We are paying £120 and cheapest I had seen them was £180, so assumed they were a good price. Maybe not su much of a bagim if you have seen them at that price.
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VrsTurbo
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Registered: 8th Jun 10
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quote:
Originally posted by Toby
I'm not sure where they are coming from. A friend sorted them. We are paying £120 and cheapest I had seen them was £180, so assumed they were a good price. Maybe not su much of a bagim if you have seen them at that price.
Someone on the Megane forums has started making them as he crashed his .r so had the templates from those. I have some fitted to the rears now. Even if you go full polycarb on the fronts you need to chop alot out the door to even start making a difference to the weight as the doors are well heavy!
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Toby
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Registered: 29th Nov 05
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It could be from him I'm not sure.
Yeah I had other things lined up to purchase first and get the car refreshed and reliable before I looked at weight saving so I'm aware its not going to save a lot of weight and do a great deal at this stage.
How's yours running?
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VrsTurbo
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Registered: 8th Jun 10
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Its a bit broken. Smashed the sump so its off the road atm while i build my forged unit.
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Simon_16v
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Registered: 14th Aug 06
Location: Yorkshire
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Roll on Blyton!
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Toby
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Registered: 29th Nov 05
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Yeah cant wait. In fact actually resisting temptation to get another booked before hand.
Been playing around with some camera mounts for a gopro and my phone and installed a new fag lighter to charge them etc so will update the thread soon.
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Toby
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Registered: 29th Nov 05
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Quick update... finished fettleing with the camera mounts in the car for use on track now all the gopro attachements had arrived.
So first step was to construct a mount from the gopro gooseneck and attachements which will allow me to swap between my phone and a gopro simply.
Removed the rear reading light and fitted a 3m mount.
Resulting in this...
And all back together and hidden.
Also wired in a second fag lighter to allow me to charge a gopro and phone at the same time and as the original fag lighter needed replacing it cost less than a tenner.
I've ordered some BC coilovers which should be here this week and I'm off to Nottingham to GSM / Sportseats4u next week to go and have a look at some fixed back buckets to help improve (read - lower) the driving position and some additional support.
[Edited on 28-09-2014 by Toby]
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Simon_16v
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Registered: 14th Aug 06
Location: Yorkshire
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When you go can you ask about subframes for my 182? Seem to be a right pain to get for anything other than OMP
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Toby
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Registered: 29th Nov 05
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Yeah will do mate.
Coilovers be here tomorrow. Absolute chew trying to fit the fronts, looking forward to that!
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Simon_16v
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Registered: 14th Aug 06
Location: Yorkshire
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When you thinking of fitting them?
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Toby
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Registered: 29th Nov 05
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Was contemplating weekend but dint really have the time on Sunday nor the desire. As I'm saying this I'm talking myself out of it. Might try a garage in York as not going to Get chance to take them to a guy in Bolsover that normally works on it.
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Toby
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Registered: 29th Nov 05
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So I've been a little busy over the last few weeks with a few additions here and there spurred on by a foolish mistake of selling car parts without replacements.
First up was to get the coilovers on as i had sold the 26 dampers and cooksport springs.
Hub still needed moving up 10mm or so at this stage.
So I started to play around with heights and camber etc at this stage. I mirrored another Megane's setup that's a very similar car as a benchmark until I can get all the geo setup and corner weighted and here is how she sits.
Gagging for a wash - not sure how its so dirty - only done 400 miles since its last wash 6 weeks ago!
I sold my Recaro Trendlines and the bloke came to collect them (for his Toyota Hilux!) so next up was some lighter fixed back buckets. Always been a Sabelt fan and these tick the box for me. The guys at GSM performance did a cracking deal so I got underway with getting them installed. Unfortunately no pictures during but plenty after. A pretty straight forward bit of kit to fit. The worse things to fit where the KTEC subframes which was disappointing given their price.
To finish off I then had set of the Nankang NS2R's in the 120 track compound fitted to complete ready for Blyton on Sunday.
[Edited on 20-10-2014 by Toby]
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AlexW
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Registered: 25th Oct 08
Location: Essex
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K-tec being disappointing? surely not lol.
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Toby
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Registered: 29th Nov 05
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Yeah, imagine that. For the money you pay for them and the fact all they have to do is measure the distance between the existing floor mountings you would expect even them to get it right!
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AlexW
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Registered: 25th Oct 08
Location: Essex
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Lol.
Cars looking good though, what do you think of the BC's? I really like them on a Clio.
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Simon_16v
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Registered: 14th Aug 06
Location: Yorkshire
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Roll on this weekend mate, looking forward to it!
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