MR-2 T-Bar track car possible ?

[ukmastiff]

LO all forgive my ignorance here but I know mark one MR2's are enjoyed as track cars. Is the T-Bar one O.K or a bit of a no go really ?

Cheers

[joe_90]

depends what you want, any car can be a track car.. What do you want to do with it, i would suggest updating bushes, suspension and some r888's, I guess you real question is about how ridged the chassis/shell is.. That i don't know.. Im sure someone else will answer that one.

[Mr LoTo]

It is generally considered that the coupe versions (with or without sun roof) are more suited to track work being both lighter and stiffer (the non sunroof model is slightly lighter than the sun roof version).

As the T-Bar versions are generally more expensive (assuming that you have not already bought the car) save your self some cash and buy the coupe version for track work.

That said, on the track, the driver makes the most difference in lap times, and any MR2 will be fun! I'm not sure if you are interested in the Mk1 or the Mk2 - I have a Mk1 supercharger with leda coil overs, caged, etc (sun roof model...)

[Herman Toothrot]

The mk1's cool, just watch for rust

The mk2's to heavy really.

[Hybrids]

The Mk1's racing are pretty much an even split between sunroof & T roof.
Sunroof cars are easier to panel the top as we can't run with glass top panels, T top cars end up looking a bit messy.
Not an issue with a track only car.

Edited by Hybrids on Tuesday 2nd February 22:05

[Goodwood]

My mate runs his MR2 MK1 T-bar on the track. It seems to cope quite well. He has two issues that im aware of. Firstly that his car is stock so he gets huge amounts of body roll and secondly he struggles to fit his helmet under the glass roof so has to run with the t-tops off.
Hope this helps?

[jon-]

Herman Toothrot said:

The mk1's cool, just watch for rust

The mk2's to heavy really.

Pff, mine is just over 1100kgs with a tank of fuel. Over 300bhp makes it quite handy on track.

[Herman Toothrot]

jon- said:

Herman Toothrot said:

The mk1's cool, just watch for rust

The mk2's to heavy really.

Pff, mine is just over 1100kgs with a tank of fuel. Over 300bhp makes it quite handy on track.

Yours isn't a T-bar or even close to stock though

1100kg is very light for a mk2 especially in turbo form. The average Tbar Turbos more like 1350kg way to lardy.

[mr2mk1chick]

I've driven both sunroof and t-bar mk1s and sc on track. you don't notice the difference.
the main things you notice will be suspension and bushes etc, so the tbar is the least worry.

Actually the Tbar models have more reinforcement than the sunroof models to stop flex etc, and hence weigh a tad more, but again - not noticeable.

go for which you prefer the look of. i love the tbars in summer when you take them off. also great for more headroom for taller people wearing helmets.

the main issue with tbars is the leaks!

buy what you fancy and enjoy thrashing it on track

our mk1 loves Spa

[Shape Shifter]

Herman Toothrot said:

jon- said:

Herman Toothrot said:

The mk1's cool, just watch for rust

The mk2's to heavy really.

Pff, mine is just over 1100kgs with a tank of fuel. Over 300bhp makes it quite handy on track.

Yours isn't a T-bar or even close to stock though

1100kg is very light for a mk2 especially in turbo form. The average Tbar Turbos more like 1350kg way to lardy.

So 30kg less than that noted lardmeister, the 996 GT3?

[Herman Toothrot]

Shape Shifter said:

So 30kg less than that noted lardmeister, the 996 GT3?

Ever talked to a GT3 owner about the cost of trackdays in terms of brakes and tyres?

[jon-]

Herman Toothrot said:

Shape Shifter said:

So 30kg less than that noted lardmeister, the 996 GT3?

Ever talked to a GT3 owner about the cost of trackdays in terms of brakes and tyres?

I was once chatting to a 996 GT3 RS owner at a silverstone trackday over lunch. He was giving it large about how he did the 'ring twice a year, raced BMWs and the 996 was a stunning car (I don't disagree, I want one, a lot)

As a joke he challenged me to "see how long I could keep up for" in my 3k ebay skip (he was a bit arrogant to say the least) with part worn tyres, so after lunch I followed him out of the pits.

Well, I kept up for 4 laps of the national circuit, and then overtook him for a couple more laps pulling a gap until a red flag stopped the session. Funnily enough he didn't speak to me again, and I didn't see him on the track again.

The moral of my story? A well setup SW20 MR2 is quite a track weapon, tbar or not. There's a perverse sense of satisfaction "giant killing" too.

[ukmastiff]

Lo, your last post interested me. Being new to track cars and just playing with ideas etc , i keep reading how mark ones are lighter and better track cars. I had discounted the mark 2.

I had to google sw20 just to find out thats the mark 2 ( thats how little I know about MR2's) and you are telling me that a well set up mark 2 is quite atrack day weapon.

So Mark one or mark 2 are there camps for both sides here , have I misunderstood the idea ?

Cheers Mas

[Herman Toothrot]

Jons right they can be made good but a tin top rev3 thats in good healthy condition is really needed as a base and then a good spend on modifications, setup and weight reduction is required. They then make a good open wide high speed circuit car, I've had my share of MR2's see my profile. I just don't find them chuckable fun like lighter weight stuff, (mk1 MR2 is included in the fun light stuff), they (mk2s) just never seemed particularly agile cars - I've not driven one with such reduced weight as Jons though, my lightest was 1240kg wet n/a and 1260kg wet turbo.

160kg extra weight is like having 2 passengers.

Edited by Herman Toothrot on Tuesday 9th February 18:05

[warped head]

Just a Though.

If you have a T-Bar, Would using the glass as a mould and making glass fibre replacements not be an option?

Lighter, Still covers your head and doesnt look as messy as welding a big sheet over the roof.

Add two bits of tubular steel between the a and B pillars and if needed make a frame to go inside the glass fibre molds then just bond everything together.

Would shirely be lighter than big panes of glass

[jon-]

warped head said:

Just a Though.

If you have a T-Bar, Would using the glass as a mould and making glass fibre replacements not be an option?

Lighter, Still covers your head and doesnt look as messy as welding a big sheet over the roof.

Add two bits of tubular steel between the a and B pillars and if needed make a frame to go inside the glass fibre molds then just bond everything together.

Would shirely be lighter than big panes of glass

There are both FG and carbon panels available already.

[jon-]

ukmastiff said:

Lo, your last post interested me. Being new to track cars and just playing with ideas etc , i keep reading how mark ones are lighter and better track cars. I had discounted the mark 2.

I had to google sw20 just to find out thats the mark 2 ( thats how little I know about MR2's) and you are telling me that a well set up mark 2 is quite atrack day weapon.

So Mark one or mark 2 are there camps for both sides here , have I misunderstood the idea ?

Cheers Mas

I'm with Herman on this one.

The SW20 (MK2) is a fast car. It can be made to be a VERY fast car but it's not that easy, or actually that fun to drive. It's extremely rewarding when you get it right, but if you get it even 1% wrong on the limit it will bite you on the ass.

Luckily I'm good friends with Tony Bones who runs Wheels in Motion so I've tried countless different geometry setups on my car and I've still not made the car feel light or chuckable.

If you can drive, and you get a perverse satisfaction out of extracting every tenth out of a car then the MK2 is a fine choice. If you want to enjoy your driving and ultimate speed isn't so much of an issue, then there are probably better cars.