Doing it on the cheap, recommendations?

[TheLoraxxZeus]

MRichards99 said:

Unless there's extra power than stock (i.e. forced induction or ITBs), a new OE radiator with fresh coolant is all that's needed on an MX5. I did 20 trackdays in my old Mk1 1.8 (and 5 in my current one) and the temperature gauge stayed in the middle, only once at Blyton Park did it start to rise but it was a very hot day, pushing hard and I managed to rip the entire outer edge of a Pilot Sport 3 on the same day! For reference, I do 180-200 miles each trackday, typically doing sessions of 20-30 minutes, with the odd 40-50 minute session at the end of the day when it gets quiet.

I shall maybe just refresh the coolant and rad then. Not sure if it's more cost effective to go aftermarket on the rad. Will have a look!

[brillomaster]

i suspect you are right... you'll have the basic (and some advanced!) track modifications for chassis and safety done, you should be just down to running consumables - which hopefully, for a light car such as an MX5, should last quite a long time.

i've tracked somewhat heavier cars to you, but when i was up and running, i generally found that a full set of tyres was £400 and lasted 8 days, so £50 a day on tyres, and brake pads were £200 a set and lasted 4 days, so again, £50 on day also.

i suspect mx5 consumables will be even cheaper!

[TheLoraxxZeus]

Well well well, I don't know who is still watching this thread but things have taken a bit of a turn. I think my title is somewhat inaccurate depending on what your perspective is on "cheap".

I may move this to a new thread, not sure if in this section or another section.

So slightly adjust the numbers.

I ditched a few things and sold on others:

• x4 part worn gti semi slicks - £150 (£33 each + postage) Sold these, bought x4 Nangkang AR-1 - £500 (including £25 shipping)
• MeisterR Sport-Z Coilovers - £760 Sold these, bought MeisterR ZetaRace - £1150
• MeisterR damper extensions - £30

Grand Total: £4890 £5660

Why? I done some reading, the AR-1s should last me a season, even if they don't £500-1000 in tires per year isn't something im precious about. The ZetaSport coilovers are probably not good enough for the number of days I am going to track the car. My plan is to use the ZetaRace for the remainder of this year and into next season, but these will be getting sold and replaced with Xidas (hopefully).

I'm going to update the OP with the cost breakdown so people can get an idea of the real cost, I'll also make a spreadsheet that is publicly viewable so the real year on year costs can be tracked. I'm still in the mindset that the running costs for this is cheap, the upfront costs to do the major parts kind of suck but whatever.

[Cambs_Stuart]

I'm still following!
Interesting write up, always good to hear more.

[TheLoraxxZeus]

Cambs_Stuart said:

I'm still following!
Interesting write up, always good to hear more.

Thanks for tuning in haha.

I'll prob move majority of this to a generic track mx5 build thread, but it's a bit dull as it's been done to death. The title no longer reflects the discussion.

[brillomaster]

It has somewhat moved away from doing it on the cheap... but still nice to read all the same.

I remember when I actually did things on the cheap...
Car - bmw 328i, £410 off ebay
Stripped everything out the interior, free
Jom coilovers £180
Second set of 17" wheels £150
Part worn tyres £80
Cheap 4 point harnesses, £40
Backbox delete, £40
Ebc yellowstuff brake pads, about £170
Total cost £1070. Split 3 ways.

That car managed 12 full thrash trackdays before one of the co-owners of the car put it in the wall at Rockingham, and we got rid. Great fun. Too old for any traction control, combined with cheap tyres meant it was sideways, a lot. Most trackdays saw at least one black flag for drifting, but if it was raining it was really hard to keep the rear from stepping out!

[TheLoraxxZeus]

brillomaster said:

It has somewhat moved away from doing it on the cheap... but still nice to read all the same.

I remember when I actually did things on the cheap...
Car - bmw 328i, £410 off ebay
Stripped everything out the interior, free
Jom coilovers £180
Second set of 17" wheels £150
Part worn tyres £80
Cheap 4 point harnesses, £40
Backbox delete, £40
Ebc yellowstuff brake pads, about £170
Total cost £1070. Split 3 ways.

That car managed 12 full thrash trackdays before one of the co-owners of the car put it in the wall at Rockingham, and we got rid. Great fun. Too old for any traction control, combined with cheap tyres meant it was sideways, a lot. Most trackdays saw at least one black flag for drifting, but if it was raining it was really hard to keep the rear from stepping out!

Brilliant! I have tried to convince one of my friends to do this but unfortunately it's not the car that's the problem on their end, it's paying for the trackday + getting the time off. There is a large disparity in our take home as well which doesn't help.

I have been trying to keep the cost down as much as possible for run of the mill stuff. For instance, the droplinks are just Blueprint and cost a whopping £12 each. Clutch slave is an aftermarket unit at £20. I can see this being a trend for non critical maintenance, for anything engine related (like a gasket) I would sprint for OEM.

However on suspension/tires I believe that's money well spent. I'm hoping I can get the majority of a year out of the tires, I do mostly track nights or half days, so 2-4 hours. Maybe I am just trying to justify my spend, convince myself that I don't have buyers remorse, who knows. I'm sure next month all that doubt will go away when it goes out for the first time since the upgrades haha.

I do have my eyes on BMW 325i down the road that is £750 with a short MOT and is pretty beat up, always fancied drifting

[TheLoraxxZeus]

The MX-5 goes in for an MOT tomorrow (I still have to drive it to the track and back), I've patched up the holes in the bodywork by cutting the metal back a bit, using a mesh backing and filled it with fiberglass + bodyfiller. Looks OK exept the red paint is clearly not a match despite halfrauds telling me otherwise. Looks like the orange you get on the 2005 MazdaSpeed.

I'll post some pictures of the coilover install at the weekend, I've also been warned by the shop that is going to do the alignment that I better check all the bolts move because they will charge an hourly rate for every stuck bolt!

[TheLoraxxZeus]

Well, MOT failed so that's a thing. Sooner I get a trailer the better really, not that the particular failure is track worthy but I wouldn't be in a time crunch to fix it around the MOT availability locally!

Lower pipe on the power steering is pissing out when you go full lock. So ordered a new set of fittings.


Also discovered some severe bubbling in the undernearth of the chassis legs but can't go through it with a hammer and punch so prob fine as it is.

In the meantime I fit a new clutch slave + braided line



So while I wait for my power steering bits, I'm just sitting staring at these .




I've got a day booked on the 14th, can't see me getting a refund now so I've got 3 weeks to sort everything, which is tight because I've also got 3 weeks to go on an outstanding work contract. Poor decision making strikes again.

[Hoofy]

Fun thread.

Where do you go for your half day trackdays?

[TheLoraxxZeus]

Hoofy said:

Fun thread.

Where do you go for your half day trackdays?

Cheers.

All at Knockhill. Only track I can get to that doesn't require an over night stay or hours of driving. I'm 15 minutes from it, so it's kinda great tbh.

I do intend to do a trip down south not next year, but the following year .

[Hoofy]

TheLoraxxZeus said:

Hoofy said:

Fun thread.

Where do you go for your half day trackdays?

Cheers.

All at Knockhill. Only track I can get to that doesn't require an over night stay or hours of driving. I'm 15 minutes from it, so it's kinda great tbh.

I do intend to do a trip down south not next year, but the following year .

Handy! Colour me envious (I think it's a shade of green).

My nearest track is over an hour away and when it says 8.45am sign in, I'm thinking I probably need a hotel nearby!

Am looking at halfday afternoon/evening events. I used to do a lot of airfield days and would turn up late, anyway, so they became halfday events for me.

[TheLoraxxZeus]

Hoofy said:

My nearest track is over an hour away and when it says 8.45am sign in, I'm thinking I probably need a hotel nearby!

I could probably stomach an hours drive for a half day at the track, but I don't think I would like to drive an hour+ there, do a whole day then drive an hour+ back. Maybe if I was trailering the car? I certainly wouldn't drive that far in it's current state!

Hoofy said:

Am looking at halfday afternoon/evening events. I used to do a lot of airfield days and would turn up late, anyway, so they became halfday events for me.

I've been tempted to head out to Crail Raceway which is about 40 minutes from me, but I'm not sure how I feel about the lack of run off, the track is essentially closed in by tire walls. I've considered also buying a beater BMW and taking it to drift land but they have strict rules regarding cages .

[Cambs_Stuart]

I've done a full day at cadwell, which is 2.5hrs+ away for me. So up at 5am, drive for miles, all day on track and 2 hours+ home. By the end of the drive home i wanted to set the car on fire. Poly engine mounts, loud exhaust and no AC does not make a good long distance cruiser.
So next time I'll break it up and get a cheap hotel nearby.

[TheLoraxxZeus]

Cambs_Stuart said:

I've done a full day at cadwell, which is 2.5hrs+ away for me. So up at 5am, drive for miles, all day on track and 2 hours+ home. By the end of the drive home i wanted to set the car on fire. Poly engine mounts, loud exhaust and no AC does not make a good long distance cruiser.
So next time I'll break it up and get a cheap hotel nearby.

Yeah I suspect mine is also going to be st. It's not polybushed except engine mounts, but I ripped out all the sound/heat insulation and everything rattles like fk.

[Hoofy]

Cambs_Stuart said:

I've done a full day at cadwell, which is 2.5hrs+ away for me. So up at 5am, drive for miles, all day on track and 2 hours+ home. By the end of the drive home i wanted to set the car on fire. Poly engine mounts, loud exhaust and no AC does not make a good long distance cruiser.
So next time I'll break it up and get a cheap hotel nearby.

I can imagine. Bet you slept well that night.