MGTF, any good for track days

[brrapp]

Please bear with me, I've never been on a track day but quite fancy it. I've been toying with the idea of trying one in my mk1 MX5, but really don't want to risk damaging it, it means a lot to me.
Then along comes a mate with an MGTF thats been sitting in his drive for a couple of years, he doesn't want it any more but didn't want to scrap it. Would I like it as a project?
It was running fine till he parked it up two winters ago (he'd just had the head redone), the hood had a split so the carpets and seats are now green with mould and knackered, the brakes are seized on but otherwise it seems rust free and mechanically sound. I'm thinking of renewing the brakes, giving it a service, stripping out the interior, taking the hood off and trailering it to Knockhill (my nearest track) to give it a go.
I'm looking for advice on whether they are any good on the track and will it be worthwhile spending some time (and a little bit of money)on it, and any mods/additions you'd recommend.

[MrC986]

brrapp said:

Please bear with me, I've never been on a track day but quite fancy it. I've been toying with the idea of trying one in my mk1 MX5, but really don't want to risk damaging it, it means a lot to me.
Then along comes a mate with an MGTF thats been sitting in his drive for a couple of years, he doesn't want it any more but didn't want to scrap it. Would I like it as a project?
It was running fine till he parked it up two winters ago (he'd just had the head redone), the hood had a split so the carpets and seats are now green with mould and knackered, the brakes are seized on but otherwise it seems rust free and mechanically sound. I'm thinking of renewing the brakes, giving it a service, stripping out the interior, taking the hood off and trailering it to Knockhill (my nearest track) to give it a go.
I'm looking for advice on whether they are any good on the track and will it be worthwhile spending some time (and a little bit of money)on it, and any mods/additions you'd recommend.

I see where your are coming from I.e. cheap and mid engined, however I'm sure I won't be the only one to respond. The MGTF has moved on from the original hydro gas suspension but you should double check the car specifically in case there was a cross-over on this - the hydro gas set up wouldn't suit track action. You should also check the head gasket has been replaced as the K-series engines are known for issues. If you get out off by the prospect of modifying the TF,mothers are plenty of MR2 drop tops that are considered a good little car & which should have a greater hope for reliability. I'd also say, that if you're starting on track, firstly replace the brakes and tyres before stripping the interior and then develop the car as you get more experience etc

[upsidedownmark]

I wouldn't say it was the best starting point but if it's cheap (free) I'd do the minimum work to make it viable, take it along and try. You can have fun in pretty much anything really..

[Elderly]

Get in touch with these people: http://www.mgs-on-track.com/

[rallycross]

You'd be better off spending some money on the Mx5 and using that (spare set of wheels / tyres harness etc).

[Merry]

I have an MGF. It's been out on track at Donnington, and quite a few times at Three Sisters.



Mine is in hydragas, all Fs are. TFs are conventionally sprung, and I believe are stiffer. Suspension would be my main complaint on mine. It's broken/worn and while it is pretty enjoyable in the dry, it's downright hair raising in the wet. I suspect a non broken example wouldn't have this issue.

Power wise, mine is a 1.6, so the slowest. It revs nicely, but again I suspect a 1.8 vvc would be much better.

Brakes are fine, again I think TF 160s have better. Easily suitable for track work with suitable pads.

Reliability, no issue on mine. Head gasket issue does exist on K series but it's nowhere near as bad as is made out. People make it sound like you'll be changing them every 6 months. This isn't the case.

So yeah, decent makings of a track car and they are very cheap. However, I also part own a mk1 Mx5. This is better for the track, so I mainly use that, with the MG as my everyday/weekend excursion car. It's a much more refined road car than the Mazda.

[gweaver]

Elderly said:

Get in touch with these people: http://www.mgs-on-track.com/

+1. I did an evening session with them at Donington back in 2005 - recommended. They are generally a very courteous and friendly bunch, and the cars are all towards the lower end of the track day performance scale.

[brrapp]

Thanks all for your advice. I am really wary of taking the MX5 out on a track at least until I know what I'm doing, it was an anniversary present from my wife and it's worth more to me than the actual financial value. If I have a few goes and decide to be a bit more serious about it, I might buy another MX5 just for track days.
The idea behind using the MGTF is that it's my favourite price, free, and therefore it wouldn't bother me if I stuffed it into some Armco. I'll have to take off the hood and strip the interior before I do anything as the hood is torn and the interior is green and slimy (do I need a bucket seat or will something from the local scrappy do?). I'll have to renew the brakes as they are seized on and I'd imagine that good brakes are pretty necessary for a track day. The car is a 2003 MGTF with non hydrogas suspension and the 1.8 variable valve engine which had a new uprated head gasket just before it was put off the road so I shouldn't have any worries with that (I'll give the cooling system a good flush through before I run it). Just wondering if there's any thing else I need to do (eg do I need a roll bar? is it OK if I don't have a hood? or if I should be fitting track specific tyres etc?)

[james_gt3rs]

Just sort the brakes and get instruction if it's your first track day. I did over a year of track days before I made any mods to my cars - driver more important to start with IMO.

[davepoth]

brrapp said:

I'll have to take off the hood and strip the interior before I do anything as the hood is torn and the interior is green and slimy (do I need a bucket seat or will something from the local scrappy do?). I'll have to renew the brakes as they are seized on and I'd imagine that good brakes are pretty necessary for a track day. The car is a 2003 MGTF with non hydrogas suspension and the 1.8 variable valve engine which had a new uprated head gasket just before it was put off the road so I shouldn't have any worries with that (I'll give the cooling system a good flush through before I run it). Just wondering if there's any thing else I need to do (eg do I need a roll bar? is it OK if I don't have a hood? or if I should be fitting track specific tyres etc?)

Stripping the interior makes it quicker anyway, so that's a good start. I'd go with a replacement MGF/TF seat to start with as a bucket will cost more money and you don't want to spend much on this just yet.

In terms of the engine, the biggest issue with the MGF was that the coolant run from front to back was very long. That leads to some odd thermal oscillations, especially under heavy use. Consider the mods on this page:

http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/group2/common_proble...

For tyres, go for normal ones. The grippier the rubber you use, the harder everything else in the car has to work to keep up with it. I'd consider replacing the ones that are on the car though as they're likely to be a bit rubbish after a few years of standing around.

If you are going to invest any money, I'd go for a roll bar.

[radical78]

used to track my tf 135 engine was fine handling ok brakes were rubbish but the ones with abs had bigger front brakes and were much better