MR2 for track days

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MR2 for track days

Postby thornz » Sun Nov 02, 2008 9:28 pm

Hi guys,

Am looking at buying a MR2 to have a bit of fun at the track with. My plan at the moment is to buy a SW20 and do some basic mods to give me some fun at track days. Now, this is where I need some advice, I cant decide between the non turbo and turbo model. Obviously the turbo is going to be faster, and easier to make go faster if I choose to go down that path, BUT, I am thinking that a turbo is going to be more maintenance than a non turbo model, plus, there is the issue of keeping the thing cool after a few hard laps.

With that in mind, I am swaying more towards a non turbo, and concentrating more on learning to drive fast and how to handle that first, and also the fact that it should be less maintenance than a turbs model (correct me if I'm wrong there). What would people recommend? Am I right in thinking that for a fun track car, a non turbo model would be more suitable and more reliable? Any advice would be great, hopefully there is some others that may have been in the similar situation.

I realize that any track car is going to require maintenance and care, and ultimately isn't a cheap hobby.

Cheers :D
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Postby Lloyd » Sun Nov 02, 2008 9:52 pm

The N/A should be more reliable, but in saying that the turbo isn't going to die just because you're working it.

I'd be more thinking about the extra speed you'd be carrying is going to be a lot harder on brakes than anything
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Postby KinLoud » Sun Nov 02, 2008 10:04 pm

When I built my Carina racecar (AA63) factory 4age I thought that I would race 1 season with the 4age and then put a 3sgte into it...
At the end of the first season I decided that there was a lot that I didn't know about how to drive the car, how to race (racecraft) and how to get it to handle well.

I decided to stick with the 4age for another season - by the end of the second season I had a better idea how to drive, I had developed a bit of racecraft and with help from friends had developed the handling...
I won my class in my second season!

Work on starting with a unmodified na motor. Learn how to drive it as it is before you start doing things to the suspension. This way you will learn how to drive an average handling car and will be able to make better decisions about how to upgrade the suspension.

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Postby thornz » Mon Nov 03, 2008 9:34 am

Cheers for the sound advice, it reinforces my ideas.
What would be the must have mods to do before running it opn the circuit, obviously brakes are the number one priority, but what sort of setup would be suitable for track use? If I got race pads and fluids, would that be enough? And I guess a hardtop would be preferrable to a targa top?
Sorry for all the questions, just want to get a good idea of what to budget to do it right.
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Postby strx7 » Mon Nov 03, 2008 9:55 am

whats your budget? I.M.H.O. there is cars better suited to fanging around a track than an SW20, especially a 89-93 SW20.
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Postby Leon » Mon Nov 03, 2008 10:00 am

Funny, I'm having much the same thoughts about getting an SW20 at some stage as a clubsport car. Also thinking the non-turbo route, but partly because 2000cc with a turbo puts me in the Evo / Sti class, which is not so good.

I like the look of the Gen 3's ... but at double or triple the price from a Gen 2 ... well, that doesn't make a lot of sense for a club car anyway. As a road car yep starting with a nice one is good, but for a car that might get written off at any given event, starting out with less money tied up in the car is often a prudent plan.

There were I think four SW20's I saw Targa'ing on Saturday. Although I think all may have been turbo.

For $2-$3k for a base car, the SW seems to have come down to a fairly affordable level these days. Cheaper in fact than my AW.

Anyone in Wellywood got an SW20 I can drive? I've never so much as driven to the dairy in an SW.
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Postby thornz » Mon Nov 03, 2008 10:02 am

strx7 wrote:whats your budget? I.M.H.O. there is cars better suited to fanging around a track than an SW20, especially a 89-93 SW20.


I am lookinng at around 10k all up over teh space of six months or so. Am budgeting around 5-6k for the car, and then the left over for tyres, brakes, and then prob look at suspension work. I know there are prob better options than a MR2, but I have always fancied having a MR2 as a track car. Altough, out of interest, what else would you reccomend?
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Postby MR2SIK » Mon Nov 03, 2008 11:13 am

Its all about how you drive them.
Ive had a MR2 in one way or another since I left school so getting the most out of them comes a bit easier now, my mates with normal rwd or 4wd setups either sledge them or find the 'snap oversteer' problem. Same with me in another style car, I find they dont handle so well.
Once you learn how it handles and how to shift the weight to how you want, they become a very quick and stable car through the bends.

Great Tyres and brakes are a must. Ive found that standard suspension in good condition works wonders too, but its all down to personal preference
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Postby 1I1 » Mon Nov 03, 2008 11:20 am

thornz wrote:And I guess a hardtop would be preferrable to a targa top?


If you don't plan on putting in a roll cage get a hard top as targas aren't allowed to be used on trackdays as they don't have suffiecent roll protection
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Postby AE86less » Mon Nov 03, 2008 11:47 am

With a standard engine etc you would find good pads and fluid extremely sufficient.

Go for the hardtop, they are also meant to be lighter and stiffer.
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Postby strx7 » Mon Nov 03, 2008 2:35 pm

thornz wrote:Am budgeting around 5-6k for the car, and then the left over for tyres, brakes, and then prob look at suspension work. I know there are prob better options than a MR2, but I have always fancied having a MR2 as a track car. Altough, out of interest, what else would you reccomend?


I'm looking at it like this, what would be quicker around a track than a n/a early SW20. well...
An Integra or Civic (i know its a honda, and i dont like them but quick none the less)
A n/a jza80, keep an eye on trade me there was a 96 SZ-R 6spd with big brakes for $6500 the other day.
GT Starlet - quick we car around a track, especially with a bit of tweaking in the right areas.
early RX7's. Hard to beat on a racetrack.
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Postby rollaholic » Mon Nov 03, 2008 3:09 pm

i guess it all comes down to what kind of drive you want, would have thought the 2 would be better for parts than all those suggestions with the possible exception of the hondas.

then again, 3S's seem to be relatively fragile engines, and not exactly the cheapest either.

the cool thing about the 2 is its weight distribution and RWD configuration makes you FEEL like a total badass when you get it right, though i couldnt comment on how fast they actually are around a track compared to other cars.
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Postby Alex B » Mon Nov 03, 2008 3:38 pm

Ive had my 3s MR2 for 2.5 years now, never had an issue with it. Broken both rear handbrake cables, thats it. It gets driven like an MR2 should as well....
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Postby thornz » Mon Nov 03, 2008 4:04 pm

strx7 wrote:
thornz wrote:Am budgeting around 5-6k for the car, and then the left over for tyres, brakes, and then prob look at suspension work. I know there are prob better options than a MR2, but I have always fancied having a MR2 as a track car. Altough, out of interest, what else would you reccomend?


I'm looking at it like this, what would be quicker around a track than a n/a early SW20. well...
An Integra or Civic (i know its a honda, and i dont like them but quick none the less)
A n/a jza80, keep an eye on trade me there was a 96 SZ-R 6spd with big brakes for $6500 the other day.
GT Starlet - quick we car around a track, especially with a bit of tweaking in the right areas.
early RX7's. Hard to beat on a racetrack.


Well Honda's aren't really my thing, really want a rwd for a track car. Always liked Rx7s, but don't think I'd ever own one. A Supra is something I could consider, always liked them. I guess the MR2 just appealed due to being cheap, have Toyota reliability, readily available and RWD, and something about mid engined cars just appeals to the wannabe grand prix driver in me :). Most rwd cars these days are ridiculously priced due to drifting, such as any Nissan, or trueno/levins.
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Postby strx7 » Mon Nov 03, 2008 4:15 pm

those early SW20s love going from 9/10's to 11/10s in a nano second.
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Postby fivebob » Mon Nov 03, 2008 4:42 pm

strx7 wrote:those early SW20s love going from 9/10's to 11/10s in a nano second.

Only if they have poor suspension setup. Increase the caster and fit a series II (92+) rear cross member and linkages and the snap oversteer issue on bumpy corners is no longer a problem.
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Postby Heylin » Mon Nov 03, 2008 5:28 pm

+1 on the MR2, ive owned AW11 Supercharged and SW20 Turbo, both great cars, and once you learn how to drive them they are great for high speed cornering and straight line performance. (with the rights mods)

As for the 3S engines being fragile ?, ive never had a problem, my 3SGTE dynoed 190KW at the wheels on the weekend, ive owned the car for 6 years and its now got 218,000kms with no signs of crapping out. The 3SGTE responds well to upgrades and nets you good power.

$10,000 is a pretty good budget for a 1st time track car.

At that price Id be looking at a good condition SW20 Turbo for about $5500

With your spare $4000

$1000 on general maintainence (leads, plugs, cap n rotor, fluids)
$1400 on springs and shocks + strut braces
$500 intercooler and fan
$1000 on tyres

Anything leftover upgrade brake pads to something that works well with the stock rotors

at $5500 you might get some mods already on the car letter you get even higher quality components.
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Postby RomanV » Mon Nov 03, 2008 6:36 pm

I spent some time on an NA SW20, and it was an awesome car IMO.

So why did I give up on it in the end?
Because when you beat on a car... eventually it'll break. When ANYTHING breaks with an MR2, it's pretty much... your days over, put it on the trailer.

With a front engined RWD setup, with a lot of things that would ruin your day with MR2, you could fix it in the pits and possibly carry on going for the afternoon. I couldnt live with a car that I was definitely going to keep on building and racing etc, that was just too frustrating and hard to work on. If you can live with that... Then I reckon an NA SW20 setup could be a really good track car, if some time and effort is put into setting it up.

Heaps of fun, especially on the track.
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Postby d1 mule » Mon Nov 03, 2008 6:47 pm

im gonna say a early model MX5 (1600 not 1800). fairly nippy, excellent handling, easy for parts, weigh nothing, good g box, ok brakes etc etc.

there are even a few turbo ones kicking about on trade me in the region of 7-10k

and yeah they are a bit "nancy" but so are MR2s.

here is the 1 i was thinking of
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motor ... 898990.htm
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Postby fivebob » Mon Nov 03, 2008 7:16 pm

RomanV wrote:When ANYTHING breaks with an MR2, it's pretty much... your days over, put it on the trailer.

Why do you say that? Can you give an example of something that would be an easy "in the pits" fix on a front engined car that would stop an SW20?
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