1. Please tell us about your MINI when it was delivered. Option Packages along with the Year, Model and Color. It took me several months to lock down the options I wanted to buy on the MINI. (and I had to wait until my Volkswagen was paid off before I could make the order). My 2006 Astro Black on Astro Black Cooper S was conceived on Oct 4th of 2005 and was delivered on April 19th 2006 in Portland Oregon. I kept my options simple, 6speed-manual (real women drive stick), factory nav, heated seats, LSD, xenon headlights, piano black dash kit, anthracite headliner (What, I like black, and I had a plan to black it out), and Factory Aero kit with painted arches. [IMGR]http://www.motoringalliance.com/gallery/data/559/03-Scrappy2009_by_Christina_Sanchez.png[/IMGR] Once I picked him up from the Rasmussen MINI in OR., I broke him in with his first road trip back to California, and straight to San Diego for his first MINI meet/welcoming party with a bunch of friends that watched his creation, followed his factory build, followed the boat via the interweb, and put up with my “20 questions†on making the decision to go MINI. By day two of ownership, I all ready clocked over 2000-miles. You can follow his story on M|U: Melissa Waiting Diary - motoring|underground 2. Why did you choose a MINI? [IMGL]http://www.motoringalliance.com/gallery/data/559/01-Scrappy2009_by_Christina_Sanchez.png[/IMGL] I’ve been a VDubber since I was little, raised around, owned, rebuild, tuned, showed, and drove Volkswagens. My dad taught me how to work on classic Volkswagen bugs in our garage. He is the reason I’m such a car nut today. Before I got the MINI, I had a 2000 MK4 VW Golf. I loved it to death. No really, I did. It’s still sitting in my back yard to this day. I could never sell it. It died a week before the MINI was delivered to me. It was only 5 years old, but had over 250-thousand miles on it when it keeled over on the freeway one morning. I didn’t like the new MK5 Volkswagens that where coming out at the time and the MINI just caught my eye as a fun car to drive and play with. 3. Please tell us about the various phases your MINI has taken as your mods progressed. I had plans for the MINI before it was built. I had seven mods waiting in my bedroom before I got my hands on it. My MINI doesn’t really have any phases; He’s daily driven 200+ miles a day and is a constant work in progress. [IMGR]http://www.motoringalliance.com/gallery/data/559/02-Scrappy2009_by_Christina_Sanchez.png[/IMGR] I was approached by CarAudio Magazine in 2006 because they wanted to use my MINI for a budget sound upgrade that anyone can do. Well that lit the fire to get wheels, suspension, and other goodies done. I guess you can say this was Phase that started this never-ending project: Mini-Madness - OEM Upgrade 2006 Mini Cooper JL Audio, MTX audio And Konig Wheels OEM Upgrade 2006 Mini Cooper - Car Audio & Electronics Magazine ..and he just keeps on changing. 4. What has been your modification philosophy? [IMGL]http://www.motoringalliance.com/gallery/data/559/medium/10-Scrappy2009_by_Melissa_spiering.png[/IMGL] If it breaks, it’s time to upgrade!! I believe a person should mod their MINI the way they want it. Don’t ask a forum to make your decision for you. Advice never hurts, but ultimately, it’s your ride, be creative, but most of all, be proud of it. 5. What has been the most difficult mod completed to date? Why? I hate to say it, but after all the things I’ve put on, taken off, dropped, broke, replaced, fabricated, cleaned… whatever, MINIs are pretty easy to modify on your own (or with the help of a shop or a male friend with extra strength when needed). After playing on my MK4 for so many years, the MINI is just easier and has less demons than a Volkswagen. 6. Where do you research and source your modifications; materials, parts, etc? Most of all my mod ideas/inspirations where found online, most of my pass influences’ from motoringunderground.com, and a few things from co-workers. I can’t give full credit to just one site; there are a lot of creative and innovated builders and tuners across the internet and country.[IMGR]http://www.motoringalliance.com/gallery/data/559/medium/09-Scrappy2009_by_Melissa_spiering.png[/IMGR] 7. Have other Motoring Alliance members assisted you? If so, give them a shout out. First off, THANK YOU MINICorsa. Thanks to Danny for fixing all the random things I’ve manage to break on the MINI and couldn’t fix myself. I want to thank Kelli (Maleficent) and Wes (Batrugger) for letting me use their garage, Potter Cable, pool, and Wes’ know-how and strength when I needed it. I need to say thanks to Kelly (Kelly girl), for letting me wash my car in her driveway every once in a while. And thanks to all the people I’ve meet over the past four years. I’ve met so many people because of the MINI. I just have way to many people to thank. Shops/Sites that need a thank you: MINIcorsa.com, Socaleuro.com, finishlinewest.com (thanks for the help too) 8. What are you planning next? What remains to be done? What are your goals? I don’t know. Really, I don’t. There are a lot of things I need to upgrade soon due to upcoming maintenance/wear-and-tear due to my crazy daily commute, but then there’s a part of me that wants to rush out and buy carbon fiber fenders this very moment. I think the biggest thing I plan on doing for it next, is to give it a proper garage to sleep in at night. 9. Please list all current mods. Exterior: [IMGR]http://www.motoringalliance.com/gallery/data/559/medium/07-Scrappy2009_by_Melissa_spiering.png[/IMGR] - Areo Kit with painted fenders - Voltage Hood Scoop - Orciari Manufacturing Cowl Vent Scoops - VIS Carbon Fiber Rear Hatch with clear coat - Cooper fender grills with smoked lens - Cooper gas door conversion - Custom Color matched tail lights & 3rd Brake light - DIY “Joey modded†head lights - Painted head light rings - Blue 3M tint on head lights & bumper turn signals - Custom Rear Aero Kit Grills (I made them) - Rear red fog light added - CF Mirror Caps - "MINICorasa" Stubby Antenna - Custom Euro plate - Custom Cali plates - Painted Beltline - Rear Wiper Delete - Smoked side marker lens in arches - Temporary Matte black vinyl hood bra for the winter - Hot Panda hidden graphics Interior: - Craven Speed Adjustable Short Shifter Combo with Well Cover - Recaro Young Sport Child Safety Car Seat - Custom “hot rod†Shift knob - Steering Wheel inserts wrapped in heather gray and black hounds tooth fabric - Tinted windows - Spare wheel/tire Under the Hood: - Alta 15% Reduction SC Pulley - Alta Intercooler Silicone Couplers [IMGR]http://www.motoringalliance.com/gallery/data/559/06-Scrappy2009_by_Melissa_spiering.png[/IMGR] - K&N Cold Air Intake - M7 Oil Catch Can - Magnaflow 2002-2003 MINI COOPER S Exhaust System - OBX Racing Header - Rogue Minis Mini Eyes - Texas Speedwerks Engine Damper (x'2) - Screaming demon coil pack - RMW Tune – Dyno’ed 206 to the wheels Suspension: - Alta Rear and front Endlinks - H&R Sport Springs - H&R rear sway bar - Koni Yellow Adjustable Shocks (4) - Sparco Front Strut bar - Rear strut bar - PROMINI / BMP Design Inc. Billet Aluminum Rear Trailing Arms[IMGR]http://www.motoringalliance.com/gallery/data/559/15-Scrappy2009_by_Jon_Ikemura.png[/IMGR] - Front & rear PROMINI Ate Premium Rotors - Front Hawk Performance Brake Pads - Rear Mintex Redbox Street Pads - Painted calipers - Ireland Engineering Camber Plates In-Car Entertainment: - JBL Audio Evolution XR525-CSi Component Doors Speakers - Custom rear trunk box made by ME (and the BF), Wrapped in heather gray and black hounds tooth fabric. - 10" Infinity Sub - Kenwood KAC-B404 600 watt, 4 channel AMP - iPod hookup - And my JDM “Wiesel†horn (for flirting with the boys while sitting in traffic) Wheels and Tires: - Kumho Ecsta ASX 205/55R/15 -Volk Racing TE-37 Blue 15"S PS. I know I’m forgetting something.. sorry For lots more great pictures of Scrappy please visit the December MINI of the Month Gallery
UPDATE!! I've updated a few thins since all those photos where taken. Redid the interior and Panda, add a TSW motor mount and painted some engine stuff... So I decided to up date my seats again with a brighter, younder, and trendy printed fabric that i was to chicken to use before... So here it is.... My Red Buddy went missing so i had to get a new one: ANd most recently, Turn over 140k!!
HA! That's great. Funny thing, the other night I was reading the M/U journal you kept whilst waiting on production and today you update this thread. on a lot of good ideas and even better execution.