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MG MGF Technical - FAO Rob Bell: Lydden Post Mortem

Rob

Hope Loton was good. Had a splendid time at Lydden save for having 2 offs out of 5 runs. The first was particularly hairy and resulted in my splitter being reduced to £250 worth of scrap carbon fibre and the offside lower panels of the car being helpfully sand (or gravel) blasted back to bare metal. I was nearly very glad I had the roll hoops fitted! Anyway, apart from driver error I have a feeling that at least one of my offs could have been avoided if I'd had the brakes and suspension upgraded to match the increased power the car's now got. This is what I'm now planning to do:

B&Gs rear compliance space bush washers, lowering knuckles, new dampers (dont know what sort - suggestions?), polyurethane bushes, new discs. As to the latter I thought grooved discs (poss 280mm). Front and back or just front?

I know you've had your car sorted but I think used MGRMS parts? Do you have any suggestions? I know you used Techspeed - any good? Any view on B&G instead?

Don't care if I end up in Road Going modified, just don't want to end up in the tyre wall!

Marc
marc hanson

Hi Marc - sounds as though you had an exciting time at Lydden - perhaps too exciting???

Hugely enjoyable day at Loton - fantastic Hill - but very slippery. Made a mistake on my final timed run, and came off in spectacular fashion (which this morning I discover the official photographer managed to catch on film! LOL)

Having spent yesterday 'looning' around Castle Combe (are you on the MG's on Track mailing list Marc?), I'm delighted with the balance of my F.

You're right, the car was fettled by Techspeed, and I can't recommend them highly enough :o)

Mods are all inside standard road-going regulations:

Brakes first:
MG Sport and Racing grooved discs coupled with Mintex 1177 pads, braded hoses, and a servo support brace (latter part purchased from Brown and Gammons).

The discs have to be MG Sport and Racing, as these are official tuning parts. Whilst EBC discs may be similar (but I think they're cross drilled as well these days?), you may get into difficulties with the scrutineer.

Chassis:
Brown and Gammons rear compliance bush spacers. Techspeed specified Bilstein dampers, lowering knuckles. As my car used the original specification 'black' rubber subframe mounting bushes, I had these 'upgraded' to the later 'green' type rubber bushes used on later MGFs (same material as original, so acceptable for class: alloy or polyurethane bushes are not acceptable, sadly :o( )

And that's pretty much it :o) Techspeed use their own tracking settings, but were similar to the ones that I'd been playing with on my car anyway :o)

The difference between the 'before' and 'after' is like the difference between chalk and cheese - well worth it :o)

Many of the above mods are discussed at http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/
Rob Bell

Marc, it's easy after the event but back in the good old days of racey Ford Anglias (Broadspeed et al) it always used to be upgrade "stopping and staying" before increasing "going". In fact many never got to the performance increase stage but went round corners as on rails and stopped on a sixpence (2 1/2 p)

<<at least one of my offs could have been avoided if I'd had the brakes and suspension upgraded to match the increased power the car's now got>>

Glad you were not hurt and car damage seems superficial only.
John Ponting

Rob

Thanks for this. I'll get on the phone to techspeed!

John, I know but a new filter and exhaust were a damn sight cheaper than doing the suspension and brakes. Anyway, learnt my lesson now....

Marc

ps Rob whats your excuse for Loton? The idea of coming off at a hillclimb is pretty scarry - all those trees and gates! No Im not on the MG on Track list - sounds like a good idea though. Do you have a web link?
marc

Marc, no excuse. Too much speed into a 90º left hander, too little track on the exit. Dropped the laden offside wheels onto the grass, and bingo, no grip.

Big slide. Fortunately on the safest area to spin off onto on the whole track!!! A big area of flat(ish) grass.

Spent half an hour removing wheel, deflating tyre and poking bit of grass and mud out of the tyre rim/ tyre side wall... D'oh!

In retrospect, could probably got away with it had I left-foot braked around that corner... but that's a technique that I am still extremely shakey on.

Anyway, MG's on Track. Website is at http://www.mgs-on-track.com/

To get on the mailing list, it is worth dropping Dave Livingstone a mail: dave at mgs-on-track.com
Rob Bell

Marc, I may get caught up like you - a new filter and exhaust seem to be talking to me in my sleep!
John Ponting

Good to hear you've been having fun - Lydden and Loton are both very enjoyable.

I expect you came off at the top of the Loton hill Rob - fairly common.

I once dived off into bracken big time before even getting to corner by the pond/gate.

Pauline Dignan once came off just after the pond and slid down the bank into a small tree on rhs before the bottom of the hill - ouch

jt
John Thomas

>> I expect you came off at the top of the Loton hill Rob - fairly common. <<

ROFL Yes - that's EXACTLY where I came off (the official photographer clearly didn't take his finger off the camera's shutter button, as I have a great sequence in miniture!!!)

http://www.hdlcc.com/map.htm

I came off after Fallow and before Museum.

Happily, no trees to hit ;o)
Rob Bell

This thread was discussed between 15/07/2003 and 18/07/2003

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