Author Topic: - Track day setup  (Read 2950 times)

Offline GT-Dub

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- Track day setup
« on: 28 April 2004, 14:30 »
Allo, I've got a mk2 Gti 8v and intend to use him as a track day beasty...

Any rough guides to the best setup with a budget of around 2k?

Forgot to mention, Its my everyday car as well, But i don't mind stripping him out blah blah.

« Last Edit: 28 April 2004, 14:33 by GT-Dub »

Offline tallchap

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Re:- Track day setup
« Reply #1 on: 28 April 2004, 19:17 »
I do loads of trackdays (check out www.trackfun.co.uk for dates), plus do endurance racing (in Clio's - www.teamthink.co.uk) and race/trackday car preparation (Golfs, Clio's, M3's, Fiestas, etc) - so happy to help.

I've just acquired a Mk2 16V that I am building into a track day car - havn't got very far yet though...

As previously suggested, get a rollcage - Safety Devices do them 'off the shelf' for most cars. They are fairly easy to fit, but you need to make sure that you reinforce the mounting points with welded-in plates as you don't want the cage parting company with the body in a shunt. Plates should be at least 20mm bigger than the 'feet' on the cage and should be 3-4 mm steel. Any engineering shop will make them for a few bucks.

It is worth fitting a proper 'race spec' electrical cut-out switch - these cut the supply at the battery which is of benefit in preventing a fire if you have stacked it!

Change the brake fluid for DOT4 (AP Racing do a race fluid called 550, I think, which is good) other wise you'll boil std stuff and get brake fade very quickly. You might be better running some brembo or similar grooved discs as std ones will cause your pads to glaze and be less effective and will probably warp. Pagid 'blue' pads work very well.

Have just got a set of Brembo 4-pot calipers with brackets, pads, etc for the Mk2 off Ebay for ?300. This is a good enough set-up (without spending silly money) and is the same calipers, etc as std on the Ibiza Cupra road car.

If you're serious, get a proper race spec suspension kit. We're getting a Bilstein coilover set-up for ours (which is quite expensive at ?800+) but you can get a decent track set-up for about ?400 to ?500.

If you get new suspension you've got to change the suspension bushes and front top mounts for either for upgraded Powerflex type or new VAG ones, as this will make the car work better.

If you can afford to change the tyres, get some Yokohama 032's (sometimes known as Yokohama ADVANS). They are a road legal semi-slick and are great for trackdays, they're so grippy! (about ?100 per corner depending on tyre/wheel size)

Let me know if you want a seat and harness or any other new bits as my racing buddy runs a race parts supply business and can get good deals.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Martin.