1st Gen JCW Refreshing Rufus - 2005 MCS JCW

Discussion in '1st Generation: 2002–06 R50, R53 & 2004–08 R52' started by agranger, Aug 21, 2017.

  1. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    Looks like I might go that way, but suspension and brakes will come after the deep engine service. I've gotta take one big project at a time and, honestly, I've done that work before so it isn't as big of a question mark for me. After seeing Rufus on the new wheels/tires, I agree that he needs to drop 1/2 to 1 inch.
     
  2. myles2go

    myles2go Active Member

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    Replacing the timing chain guides isn't that hard and can be done from the top side under the valve cover. As mentioned previously you do have to remove the sprocket from the cam to make clearance for the guides to be pulled out. I believe the cam tool would only get in the way of this because it's too rigid. I did mine a couple years ago without any special tools, but you do have to take care that the chain does not jump a tooth on a sprocket and mess up the timing, (that would end badly). There a simple ways to reduce the probability of this happening with a zip tie and bungee cord securing the chain to the sprocket and keeping tension on the chain. Also, if the guides have broken, like mine had, you'll want to pull the oil pan and remove the pieces.
     
  3. ScottinBend

    ScottinBend Space Cowboy
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    I second Dave's suggestion for Colin's reworked coilovers. Love mine and he asks a lot of questions so he can get them right for you.
     
  4. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    I spent the weekend on a quick trip with my wife and helping out at my parents home... No Rufus work this weekend! :(

    Oh well... I've been keeping my eyes on several forums for parts and I found a good deal on a set of Hayes/Bentley manuals and a coolant tank ($50 for a polished-out aluminum tank!) Unfortunately, it just goes on the shelf for now until I do the deep engine service. No point in messing with it now when I'm going to have to drain the cooling system when I do that work anyway.

    [​IMG]

    I got the little guy out of the garage for a lunch run. I've also got a call out to the detailing shop to schedule the tint work.
     
  5. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    I used a Permatex rock-chip kit on the windshield yesterday... a beautiful, sunny, 75-degree day here in Charlotte and I couldn't resist getting outside at lunch time. The chip was there when I bought the car and didn't grow any larger on the drive home, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to get some epoxy in there and seal it up... just in case.

    A new badge arrived yesterday. I did some digging around for a spare Metroplex MINI badge (my old Dallas club) and got a new TarHeels MINI badge, so I can represent old AND new. These will go on the shelf for now, but will eventually be mounted on the lower front grill.

    [​IMG]
     
  6. Red Bull

    Red Bull Active Member

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    How did the repair turn out with the Permatex kit? I'm still trying to decide between using the Permatex or 3M kit.
     
  7. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    #127 agranger, Oct 3, 2017
    Last edited: Oct 3, 2017
    It went just fine. I've used kits like that 2 or 3 times now and every chip that I sealed stayed just a chip and didn't expand into a crack, etc (requiring a windshield replacement), so I figure they do a fine job. I can't say that the chips would have gone rogue without the treatment, but for under $15, who cares! I'd say just pick whatever of the 2 kits you can find locally and do it. I stumbled across the Permatex kit at my local AutoZone, so I nabbed it.

    I'll admit that I've had better results from having the chip professionally repaired by Safelite (they used to do free repairs under an insurance company I used a few years back)... One Safelite repair became almost invisible. The chip in Rufus' windshield became less visible, but is still noticeable. As long as it doesn't grow into a crack, I'm happy!

    Body work:

    Yeouch! The bodywork estimate (one shop, but it's a good one) was more than I was expecting, but after I spent a good amount of time going over every body panel, I found more places in need of repair than I had originally estimated:

    1) Front bumper is covered in rock chips (and the bit under the lower grill, which is painted on Rufus but black plastic on most R50/53s) is probably 1/3 rock chip, 2/3rds paint. The forward most wheel arch bits (that tie into the lower air dam) need a respray as well.

    2) Bonnet has 3 good scratches/dents and the scoop is the wrong color (faded or poor color match on previous paint job). Going to have 'em remove the badge and fill the mounting holes.

    3) Drivers door has a rust perforation on lower trailing edge

    4) Rear hatch door has rust perforation (going to have 'em remove all badges and fill the 2 holes from the MINI badge, since they are painting the whole thing anyway).

    5) Rear bumper cover needs repair (some acid etching and scratches)

    6) PDR a ding on a rear quarter panel

    7) Paint the new aero kit side sills (well... slightly used, painted, but not in great shape).

    8) Rear wing is the wrong color... a shade or two too light.

    The shop double-bakes every part so they can polish out and wax every piece before it goes back on the car. A nice touch that will let me polish out the remaining bits, strip and Zaino everything to wrap up the exterior fairly quickly.

    I'm on the shop's calendar for early November and they will have the car for at least 1 week (they said 1, but I'm guessing 2).

    The owner of the shop is a MINI guy, though! Here's a shot of his personal car:

    [​IMG]

    He took me into the shop where they were doing some work on a vintage Alpha Romeo that had been completely restored a few years back and turned into a trackday toy / show car. The engine was built-out with all aluminum tanks and a stunning CF intake. the trunk floor had been custom built out for a fuel cell and the interior panels looked better than the factory floor... better made than any trunk floor need be, honestly... gorgeous work. The roll cage cuts and welds were works of art.
     
  8. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    #128 agranger, Oct 3, 2017
    Last edited: Oct 3, 2017
    Tint:
    I just got a call from my detailing guy... he had someone cancel on some work for tomorrow, so Rufus is going in for new tint tomorrow morning! Yea!


    Debadging:

    I hadn't really considered a booty wipe (debadging) until this morning, but I'm really digging it. The two lower badges are just stuck on there, so you can remove 'em whenever you want, but the MINI wings logo has 2 holes through the metal. Since they are already welding on that panel (rust repair), it's a relatively low labor change. I remember seeing Nathan's car (I think) with the front badge removed and I loved it... that's gonna happen! Here's a photoshop experiment of the back:

    Before:
    [​IMG]

    After:

    [​IMG]
     
  9. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    #129 agranger, Oct 4, 2017
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2017
    I dropped Rufus off at the tint shop this morning... Is it wrong to worry if he is lonely? :D

    The detailer has a nice Porsche w/ the same tint that's going on to Rufus today... maybe they will strike up a conversation.

    The A6:

    This is my wife's daily driver, at home today for glass replacement. We got it when I traded in the Cayman, but I'm working from home, so she gets the comfy car. I've gotta say that I'm not a huge fan of large cars, but this one is just about right... tons of power (it's the larger, supercharged V6, putting out 333 hp) and the suspension has that unique German blend of sport and comfort. The interior is a dark brown leather with black contrast. It has the advanced Nav package (big flip-up screen over the radio stack AND a turn-by-turn display between the speedo and tach), so it's got lots of toys inside.

    It's a nice car for grocery shopping and puttering about town, but it really shines as a highway cruiser. It seriously chews up miles at speed. Set the cruise and I could go all day. I haven't had the pleasure of putting the Quattro to the test, but we make several runs from Charlotte to West Virginia every year (my wife's family), so I'm sure it will be tried out soon.

    I got out the Zaino a few weeks ago and gave the car a good wash, claying and a coat of AIO with a Z2 top coat. That's my standard 'daily driver' finish.

    [​IMG]

    It's glass day in the house... the A6's windshield formed a large crack after a road trip a month or so ago and I've finally gotten around to having it replaced. New windshield for the Audi, new tint for the MINI. I get to spend tomorrow morning at the Audi dealership, having an air bag light checked out. At least they have good coffee and decent WiFi.

    I've got a 2010 Volvo XC60 (Crossover) in the driveway that's my daily driver now. It's super practical (huge flat-floor rear storage area), is built on a car platform (so it drives decently) and it only has 38k miles on it. That, combined with a strong maintenance record and the fact that it is paid off, made it really hard to let go of (one of the reasons I'm not driving a new MINI and have the R53 in the garage now).

    More parts on order:

    I'm getting to know the UPS guy pretty well, now. :D As I'm working my way over the body, finding all of the paint flaws, I'm also finding bits on the exterior that need repair/replacement. I've got 2 new front turn signal housing/lenses on the shelf right now and I just ordered some silver turn signal bulbs, some LED bulbs for the side scuttle lights and a new rear driver's side arch reflector/light unit that had a crack. The rest of the reflectors need to be removed, cleaned and polished, but they look to be in good shape.

    I'm also a detailing guy and I love a deep, wet shine on a car. On Jango, I tried a carnuba wax top coat over my layers of Zaino, but I never felt like it was worth the time and effort. I also tried it on a metallic tan Nissan once... again, it was too sterile of a paint color to really matter. On a white or silver car, a wax topper just never does much. In anticipation of all of the freshly painted bits to come, I decided to try something new.

    [​IMG]

    This is Pete's 53 (53% Carnuba) Black Pearl, a paste wax from the Chemical Brothers, formulated for black / red cars. This is my first new detailing product in years! I'm planning on putting on several layers of Zaino for the characteristic sealant shine, but I'm hoping that a Carnuba topper will be worth the effort on a red car, giving that extra bit of 'wet paint' effect. I'll let you know in a few months! :D
     
  10. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    Forget the Zaino and use a ceramic coating like Gyeon Prime. Then you can cover it with wax if you want to. Ceramic coatings last years not weeks like wax no matter how much "pure carnuba" they say they are putting in the car.

    The Gyeon Prime will out shine and provide the wet look you want, last for a long time and sheet water off your car better then any wax or sealer.
     
  11. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    I've seen / touched the ceramic coatings done by good professionals before. The might last a bit longer than Zaino and might shine a bit more (possibly... but it's negligible), but not enough to warrant my time and expense in learning the new system and replacing all of my older products. Zaino, on an purely garage-stored car will last for years. On my Volvo (7+ year old daily driver - parked outside always), I get a good 12 months. The ceramics have a tremendous sheeting action and shine, just like Zaino, and look just as sterile because of it. They are both gorgeous, IMHO, and are within 1% of each other, to my eyes and touch.

    A well polished/prepared car with a coating or sealant is great... Carnuba adds just a bit more depth and wet look, imho, when layered on top. You are right... carnuba doesn't last (It's an organic, oil layer) and I'd never use it on its own... there are technologies out since the 80's that kick it's ass in terms of durability and shine, but the polymer sealant vs ceramic coating thing is splitting hairs at this point (IMHO). I just think that, on darker cars, there is something that the oil layer does optically that anything attaching to the surface cant replicate.
     
  12. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    #132 agranger, Oct 5, 2017
    Last edited: Oct 6, 2017
    Tint:

    I've got to say that it was startling getting into the car after the tint was done. It was like when I went on our last beach vacation. I wore the same sunglasses out to the beach for 4-5 days in a row without cleaning them. When I got into the car to drive home, I put on my sunglasses that I keep in the car and thought "OMG... I didn't realize how dirty my other sunglasses were!" The old tint was showing ripples everywhere and had gone a bit purple/hazy in spots and had lots of dings/scratches.

    I'm liking the Lumar ceramic tint. It's a good level of tint without going crazy (40%... 35% is legal in NC, so I'm well on the safe side) and it really shows black, as opposed to a silver/grey (and some metalized tints, like what I had on Jango, showed a touch of green hue in there too). That black is important to me as I think that the front-to-rear glass taper is an important design characteristic for the R53 and a black tone (rather than silver) really emphasizes that line without adding another color, blending in with the pillars and the beltline molding (even better once I get the black-out vinyl applied, after the paint is done).

    [​IMG]

    Woo! Not only is the tint done, but I can now declare the interior to be complete!

    Now I'm focusing on some exterior bits before the paintwork begins in early November:

    1. Finish vinyl on passenger side mirror
    2. Wrap chrome rings around headlights
    3. Wrap door handle covers
    4. Sand / polish (and maybe clear coat) the headlights to remove yellowing on lens
    5. Joey mod the headlights (crack open the housings and paint the interior of light housings)
    6. Install new front turn-signal housings + silver bulbs and rear right side light (red reflector on the arch + bulb)

    If I can get the car back by mid-November, I should be able to polish out and get the exterior done by the end of the month, leaving me 5 months to do the mechanicals before MOTD (deep engine service, suspension and brakes... but that's a discussion for another day).

    Woo! I just discovered that I get next Monday off (I work for a bank... Columbus Day), so Monday has now been named "Rufus Day" in Charlotte (well... the part of Charlotte immediately around my house). I'll be out in the garage all day! :D
     
  13. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    Turn Signals:

    I ordered some new turn signal housings a while back as the old ones were cracked. While I was in there, I decided to switch over to the non-orange bulbs (they light up orange, but show as sliver when not lit). It cleans up the front... especially on a red car where the orange clashes a bit.

    [​IMG]

    Headlights

    I decided to tackle a big-ish job that has been rolling around in my head... the headlights.

    When taking the lenses off, it's pretty simple to do with a heat gun. Apply heat to the circumference of side of the lens for 30 seconds and then use a plastic body-panel tool to pry the lens away from the housing. Just wedge the tool in there and twist. The lens is only held on with a messy black silicone glue (hence the heat) and 3 clips. The clips are pretty easy to find and you just push the end in (where the screwdriver is pointing) and do the pry/twist next to it to separate. Just go slowly and eventually the lens will peel away from the housing.

    [​IMG]

    A blank stare... So sad.

    [​IMG]

    Here's a sneak preview of the end result!

    [​IMG]
     
  14. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    #134 agranger, Oct 9, 2017
    Last edited: Oct 11, 2017
    Headlight lenses

    OK. I am thrilled at how the lenses came out!

    I started with a kit from Mothers called "NuLens". I paid $25 for the kit that came with a drill attachment, a foam ball for polishing, several grades of sandpaper disks and some plastic polish. I used the 800 grit disks from the kit with a cordless drill, plus several passes by hand with some 800 grit paper from Lowes. Then the 1500 grit disks and several passes with 1500 grit by hand. Then a 3000 grit disk from the kit and 4 passes with the foam ball and the mother's plastic polish. For good measure, I got out some thicker plastic polish from Meguires, an orange pad and the PCDA. I added a coat of Zaino for UV protection, but several more will be coming when the rest of the car is through the paintshop and ready for sealant.

    I broke out all of the steps a bit better over on this thread: https://www.motoringalliance.com/forums/397136-post33.html

    I got the headlights removed, one of the trim rings covered in vinyl, both lenses polished out and both internal housings painted. As soon as I can get that last trim ring wrapped, I can get some finish shots!

    Here's a before and after shot, with the freshly covered trim ring as well:
    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]
     
  15. Redbeard

    Redbeard JCW: because fast is fun!
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    Black and red is such a nice combo. Those backout lights are gonna look stellar when they get installed.
     
  16. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    Man... those trim rings are a PITA to wrap! If you get a bit too much material in one spot, especially in the first few minutes of laying the vinyl down, you are screwed! Given it's a giant 3-dimensional circle, that's an easy thing to do.

    I think I'm getting better, but vinyl is an artform rooted in patience.

    Hopefully I'll get the lights reassembled and reinstalled today!

    [​IMG]
     
  17. 00Mini

    00Mini Well-Known Member

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    The headlights / trim rings really turned out exceptionally nice.
     
  18. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    Navigation:

    A while back I got a Kuda USA dash mount for Rufus. I had one for Jango, but let it go to the new owner when I sold him. It is super sturdy, looks great and puts the nav right at your fingertips. It is also very easily removable, in case you don't want it sitting out on your dash.

    The older Garmin unit that I had for that space was a bit beat up and age was getting to it. The battery only lasted for 20-30 seconds. I like to have a portable Nav unit for travel (nothing like having a nav you are familiar with when you are in a rental car in a strange city), so I decided it was time to upgrade.

    I've had several Garmin units and really like their interface, so I decided to go with their latest and greatest model, the Garmin DriveSmart 61 NA LMT-S.

    It is larger than I anticipated, but looks pretty sharp! The new integration w/ smart phones makes is super easy to pass named waypoints to the unit, so it took me all of 10 minutes to program in a drive that previously took 2+ hours.

    Note: I HATE dangling cords... a solution for that is here now that I've got the new nav hardware. That will probably happen after the rest of the vinyl work is finished.

    [​IMG]


    Headlights: The final photos

    I got the headlights reassembled and reinstalled! I'm very happy and check out the reflectivity in the close-up shot!

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Vinyl:

    Grrrr... I spent an hour or so wrapping the passenger side mirror cap last night and had a hell of a time on the underside. I had done too many heat/cool cycles and the vinyl finally ripped. I was getting too frustrated with it, so I just set it down and walked away, leaving it for another day.
     
  19. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    The Dragon!

    Oh yeah... I know that I've mentioned that my deadline for the car is driven by attendance at MOTD 2018. I got in touch w/ Barry last week and I am once again leading my Sunrise In The Smokys run!

    Way back at MOTD 2006, I organized a huge group drive (100+ MINIs) in the middle of the day. The previous day I drove the route by myself to make sure that the route/roads were OK, leaving before dawn. I had the single best driving experience of my life, stopping to see the sun rise in the Smokys and charging down Little River Road with nobody else out there. The next year I recreated at sunrise and shared it with all of the early-risers who would join me. The drive returns on Thursday morning, bright and early. We head out of Fontana at 6am, crossing the Dragon and heading up the Foothills Parkway. We head to the north entrance of Smoky Mountain park, stopping briefly for bathrooms, gas and a working-man's southern breakfast (coffee and sausage biscuits at a little grocery store) before heading down Little River road and crossing the gap on our way to Cherokee. We head back to Fontana via Hellbender and usually make it back by 10:30 or so (no promises... sometimes crap happens). There will be a couple of stops for pictures.

    Please join me! If you want to do this drive on Wednesday morning (for you Early Dragon participants), I think that someone else is running the same route (I'll be traveling to Fontana that day).

    http://www.minisonthedragon.com/2018-sunrise.php
     
  20. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

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    Just two weeks ago I bought a Garmin 68 LM refurb. I just got the friction base for it and it stays in place as long as I don't drive on Wisconsin roads. Since I rarely use a GPS, that solution is fine with me. Previously, I mounted an older Garmin with a suction cup RAM mount right to the speedo (which I replace with the GPS speed indicator anyway). Also a decent setup, except it fell down a few times.

    I don't find it too difficult to use the Garmin software to create routes. Not as easy as Google maps, but once you get the hang of it, it takes only minutes to program routes and load them on the GPS.

    Dragon - I was going to drive over it after the Petit Le Mans last week, but the freaking rain was so heavy, it washed me almost off the Interstate. So I bailed on that plan and headed up I75 to Chattanooga instead.
     

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