Last trackday of the year

[Paul86S2]

We took the Golf to Abingdon yesterday (Friday 19/11) for its last outing of the year. Its stayed dry all day which I think is the first time this year.
Car went well all day. The only real change to the car was fitting some solid front top mounts which didn't really get a good trial last time due to the biblical rain.
There was a considerable difference in the handling with the solid top mounts, the car turns in quicker and feels so much more stable through the corners. We can now chuck the car into the corners much faster than before with less under-steer, and the back seems to be tighter as well. The oem mounts were a bit worn earlier in the year and the w@nk poly ones I replaced them with weren't very good either but I can seriously recommend the solid ones (not if your car is a daily driver though).
We've done 10 track days this year and only had a few niggly problems, loose rear heatshield, knocking exhaust, crap top mounts, and one set of glazed brake pads. The car has now done 154k miles and 3 1/2 years of track days and where I was considering replacing it with something else it is now definitely staying because it was like a different car on Friday.

Got a few bits to do over the next few months - fit fibreglass wings and tailgate which are sat in the shed, fit rear plastic windows, and fit the oil cooler which I haven't got round to yet.

Roll on next years track days.

Paul

[jeremybarker]

Sounds like a great day, any pics?

I'm hoping I might look to get a VR6 to do some track days next year, did you bother stripping any of the interior out and fitting harnesses, also I know there's lots of people saying VR6's don't make god trackday cars due to the weight of the engine is this a bit of an urban myth if you sort the suspension out properly?

[snifferdog]

From what I understand, which isnt a great deal, the VR6 is so nose heavy that even with the suspension sorted it will never handle as well as the 16v. Also, the 16v can be tuned to near enough the same power as the VR6 but without the heavy front end?! Correct me if Im wrong. 

[jeremybarker]

Ah but a 16v will always be missing those two important cylinders 

[Paul86S2]

Sounds like a great day, any pics?

I'm hoping I might look to get a VR6 to do some track days next year, did you bother stripping any of the interior out and fitting harnesses, also I know there's lots of people saying VR6's don't make god trackday cars due to the weight of the engine is this a bit of an urban myth if you sort the suspension out properly?

No pics from the day but might have some vids when i sort them out.

Interior all stripped out except the dash, bucket seats and harnesses. Thread here

http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=138331.0

I've never driven a VR6 on the track, but the engine is heavy and most of the weight is high up and ahead of the front wheels which is far from ideal. I would think it would understeer badly and you would need to spend a lot trying to sort that out, and you'll never be able to get the weight lower and further back. But each to there own and there seems to be a fair few VR6 track cars out there.

Whatever you choose you will have fun and learn to drive round the cars quirks. If you wanted the best track car you probably wouldn't start with a Golf anyway. If one thing I've learnt its not all about outright power but more about getting your car set up properly, some good tyres, and plenty of practice. A lesson from a good instructor at a trackday is fairly cheap and well worth the money.

Paul

[jeremybarker]

Thanks for the info, i thought your car was a VR6 hence the question, I'll have a good look through your thread though. I've done quite a few trackdays and tbh as you say if i wanted to go round as quickly as possible I wouldn't choose a Golf, but it's just a bit of fun hence the idea of enjoying the soundtrack of the VR6.

A very good friend of mine is a professional racing driver so I'll pin him down to give me some pointers once i get it all together, a few laps in a car with him is usually enough to make me realise what it feels to go stupidly fast. 

[leeroy20vt]

we also done our last track day for the year yesterday due to track/air temps we decided not run the avons as there hard compound and didnt think they would get hot enough to benefit so we ran some toyo proxies first thoughts scary lol but into my second session i got more confidence in them and they handled pretty well but by the time we had done 6 sessions they are foobarded 

there was also a mk3 vr6 out there bloke was a total nutter but i couldnt keep with him on the bends but up the straights there wasnt a lot init were running a abf in a mk2 , on the bends tho u could see he was fighting every step of the way to get it round them mayby he just had bigger b@lls than me lol

all in all tho best track session off the year car didnt miss a beat all day 

[snifferdog]

Do you drive the car there that you are using or trailer it? Just wondering cos I really wanna start gettin into some track days next year and there is alot to think about.

[Paul86S2]

we also done our last track day for the year yesterday due to track/air temps we decided not run the avons as there hard compound and didnt think they would get hot enough to benefit so we ran some toyo proxies first thoughts scary lol but into my second session i got more confidence in them and they handled pretty well but by the time we had done 6 sessions they are foobarded 

I've always foud the Toyo Proxies pretty good except in flood situations.

there was also a mk3 vr6 out there bloke was a total nutter but i couldnt keep with him on the bends but up the straights there wasnt a lot init were running a abf in a mk2 , on the bends tho u could see he was fighting every step of the way to get it round them mayby he just had bigger b@lls than me lol

He probably couldn't get the car stopped in time for the corners   

Do you drive the car there that you are using or trailer it? Just wondering cos I really wanna start gettin into some track days next year and there is alot to think about.

We've always driven there and back, but its a bit of a worry if something goes wrong.

Paul

[snifferdog]

Yeah I can imagine that there is a bit of worry and that maybe you hold back a little bit extra when you are there. For me though, Id have to take another test to be able to trailer and thats another cost to think about.

So buying another golf that is road legal would be the better option?!