Discussion
It seems quite a widespread idea doesn't it - I thought the same, but have heard that as long as they're made by a reputable company it's fine. Besides, the guys who run the race cars at my Uni swear by drilled & they really know their stuff so it's good enough for me. IIRC heat dissipation is a common misconception, holes/slots are for freeing the gas generated by pad contact and also skimming the pad surface to prevent glazing. If I'm honest though I just like the way they look 
Henry Fiddleton said:
Great car. Like the ZS 180 a lot.
Thanks. I'm still in love with mine after ~14,000 miles!OwenK said:
It seems quite a widespread idea doesn't it - I thought the same, but have heard that as long as they're made by a reputable company it's fine. Besides, the guys who run the race cars at my Uni swear by drilled & they really know their stuff so it's good enough for me. IIRC heat dissipation is a common misconception, holes/slots are for freeing the gas generated by pad contact and also skimming the pad surface to prevent glazing. If I'm honest though I just like the way they look
May as well paint your callipers while you are at it if you are going for cosmetics! My pads have loads left on them, to be honest. I may hold off on the brakes for the time being. My mind changes so often anyway!Heart is saying that it would be the switch-able exhaust first
Small update. My hot gear change problem is back, and I hope it's a simple fix like bleeding the clutch again.
Also I seem to have developed excessive tyre wear, on one tyre only. Joy.
However, to make me feel better, my friend who owns a really long drive lent me his special box and the use of his drive:
.5 of a second off of the factory time to 60mph, and nearly a second and a half quicker to 100mph? Not bad for a 7 year old car, with 17stone of me, a passenger and a boot full of tools!
Also I seem to have developed excessive tyre wear, on one tyre only. Joy.
However, to make me feel better, my friend who owns a really long drive lent me his special box and the use of his drive:
.5 of a second off of the factory time to 60mph, and nearly a second and a half quicker to 100mph? Not bad for a 7 year old car, with 17stone of me, a passenger and a boot full of tools!
Slight error today. I'm after two new front tyres after being unimpressed with Toyo Proxes lasting a total of 6,000 miles. Spotted a full set of MG alloys with tyres on eBay, for just under what two new Avon tyres would cost me.
So I now have a full set of slightly less kerbed wheels with utter ditch-finders on them. Result....
So I now have a full set of slightly less kerbed wheels with utter ditch-finders on them. Result....
neiljohnson said:
Underrated car the v6 is a nice engine but people are scared off by the repair costs of cambelts which makes them a serious bargain
Most belts will have been done now, mine cost a packet! I've ordered a full set of Mintex pads for 40 quid today to cheer myself up over the tyres!The handling is brilliant, you could make a good B-road sleeper out of an old civic/45 and some ZS bits. Mind you, 180's can be had for shed money in half-decent nick now.
YesItsARover said:
Ok, my MG is back from it's service/check up at the local head gasket shop. I need three (will be four) new tyres, a track rod end and the clutch release bearing is on the way out. Going to be an expensive month!
Not going to be an expensive month, going to have to spread it out over a few months. Financially not viable to do it all now. Vehicle off road, battery will be taken out and it's going under a cover. A sad day.Current state of the ZS:
This is set to improve at the end of the month. I've been all over the overtime for a few months, and it's all coming at once with a bit of luck. This should help move things along.
I'm looking at tyres, I've gone through a set of Toyo P1R (PR1?)'s in 6,000 miles, so I'd like something a little better on wear.
The ZS had Continental's on it when it came, and they where excellent. When they were worn, they had more grip than the Toyo's ever had.
I'm looking at Pirelli's at the moment, I think I can get them for just over £100 a corner. I've also had Avon's recommended to me, so I'm keeping an eye out. Obviously, I want the best I can afford.
While she's up on stands I'll be taking the disks off and cleaning them up, I've got a set of Mintex pads to go on in an attempt to cure the horrendous brake fade I get after just a few minutes of hard driving.
Other than that, there are a few mods in the pipeline. One of my hoon buddies has a Civic Type R EP3, and it is comical how matched we are in a straight line. I want to beat him, so I'm looking at induction and exhaust options. An oil catch tank is needed, to stop oil fouling the motors on the variable inlet manifolds.
Then it's tax and MOT time..... Expensive few months, I may be better just selling the damn thing, which is what my head says, but my heart misses it. It's been nearly three weeks since I've driven the ZS, and that hurts a lot!
This is set to improve at the end of the month. I've been all over the overtime for a few months, and it's all coming at once with a bit of luck. This should help move things along.
I'm looking at tyres, I've gone through a set of Toyo P1R (PR1?)'s in 6,000 miles, so I'd like something a little better on wear.
The ZS had Continental's on it when it came, and they where excellent. When they were worn, they had more grip than the Toyo's ever had.
I'm looking at Pirelli's at the moment, I think I can get them for just over £100 a corner. I've also had Avon's recommended to me, so I'm keeping an eye out. Obviously, I want the best I can afford.
While she's up on stands I'll be taking the disks off and cleaning them up, I've got a set of Mintex pads to go on in an attempt to cure the horrendous brake fade I get after just a few minutes of hard driving.
Other than that, there are a few mods in the pipeline. One of my hoon buddies has a Civic Type R EP3, and it is comical how matched we are in a straight line. I want to beat him, so I'm looking at induction and exhaust options. An oil catch tank is needed, to stop oil fouling the motors on the variable inlet manifolds.
Then it's tax and MOT time..... Expensive few months, I may be better just selling the damn thing, which is what my head says, but my heart misses it. It's been nearly three weeks since I've driven the ZS, and that hurts a lot!
I've bitten the bullet on my ZT and just booked it in for new clutch bits and bobs, full service, all the niggles sorted out etc. Expect it to be a bit expensive, but you've got to remember that basically these MGs are worth naff all, and will continue to be worth naff all - so you're not facing any real depreciation whatsoever. On that basis the running costs look pretty attractive. Not only that but what would you have to buy to better it - like you say a Civic Type R is the same sort of pace, but at, what, five times the cost?
Stick with it I reckon, you'll feel a sense of enormous wellbeing when it's all sorted.
Stick with it I reckon, you'll feel a sense of enormous wellbeing when it's all sorted.
Right, had some time to get stuck in today!
I'm not mechanically minded. However, I have managed to change the track rod ends on my own, with much swearing and sawing....
Brake pads were a pain on the front, enlisted some help and have got them on. Rear pads I have not touched yet, it was the fronts where I was getting fade and I might send it to a garage for them, apparently I need a wind back tool due to the handbrake?
My tracking may need attention now, I'm sure I had the turns correct but I've got it wrong somehow.
The clutch.
The clutch is worse than it's ever been. Sitting on stands for a month or so has ruined it. The bite point is now millimeters from the floor, when it's cold I can hardly change gear, lord knows what it will be like hot.
I should just bite the bullet and get the damn thing changed, but it's £170~ for the clutch, £150~ for fitting....
Still, I should be back on the road in a week or so. I hope.
Forgot how much fun it is to boot a car like this though, forgot how fast and loud it is!!
I'm not mechanically minded. However, I have managed to change the track rod ends on my own, with much swearing and sawing....
Brake pads were a pain on the front, enlisted some help and have got them on. Rear pads I have not touched yet, it was the fronts where I was getting fade and I might send it to a garage for them, apparently I need a wind back tool due to the handbrake?
My tracking may need attention now, I'm sure I had the turns correct but I've got it wrong somehow.
The clutch.
The clutch is worse than it's ever been. Sitting on stands for a month or so has ruined it. The bite point is now millimeters from the floor, when it's cold I can hardly change gear, lord knows what it will be like hot.
I should just bite the bullet and get the damn thing changed, but it's £170~ for the clutch, £150~ for fitting....
Still, I should be back on the road in a week or so. I hope.
Forgot how much fun it is to boot a car like this though, forgot how fast and loud it is!!
Stu G said:
lovely ZS, still have a soft spot for these. I bought a new ZS 180 Hatch in blue back in 2001, was a great car
What do you guys think of these as a track car, how are they on track? Are there many mods available for them, brakes, suspension etc?.
http://www.moto-build.com/ Have quite a lot of upgrades availiable for the "Zed" cars. I could spend thousands with them, if I had thousands.What do you guys think of these as a track car, how are they on track? Are there many mods available for them, brakes, suspension etc?.
Have been working on the ZS again today, tidying up a few bits (Heat shield was rubbing on brake disk) and trying to adjust the clutch bite point by bleeding the system. It didn't work, I need to save up for the new clutch.
To cheer me up, I'll post some pictures. I took these in the hope of qualifying for PistonHeads "Reader's cars" section.
I still think it's a good looking car. Maybe it would be improved with certain elements on the MK2 bodykit, namely the wheelarches and the side vents. I'll get her running before I get her tarted up.
"It's not broken, it's British"
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff