2nd Gen Another Rally Mini - Sgt Pepper

Discussion in 'Car Builds, Projects, Idea's Experiments' started by 406geek, Jun 5, 2016.

  1. 406geek

    406geek New Member

    Jun 17, 2015
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    Let's get a few things out of the way first. I generally lurk and don't post much because I'm still very amateur and don't have a lot to add that I would consider meaningful.

    Now Story Time:


    I jumped into this project knowing that I was way over my head. To be honest, before this car, I didn't even change my own oil. But after buying this Mini as my daily driver, the true fun of driving finally clicked in my head. It was like going back to when I was 15 and had just started driving my first car (Nissan pickup).

    Last summer I was in need of a new hobby and stumbled across rally videos on YouTube and became hooked. So I took a trip to Seattle and did a one day class at DirtFish. When I got home I started planning what I would build for my first rally car. I was going through just about every forum looking a build guides and general recommendations. But there was a nagging in the back of my head to go against almost everything I had read and use the car that helped bring me to this point.

    I started my quest to find any other rally Minis (that weren't the Countryman). While there are a couple out there, Chris's thread was the only detailed build I found. I have read all 60+ pages of that thread to get an idea of the challenges he faced. Also, I was realizing I was really going into uncharted waters because the other rally Minis seem to be R50s and I'm running an R56.

    Anyways, over the winter I began gutting it. I didn't have a ton of free time, but did what I could on my day off. March came around and I took a week off to go back to DirtFish and do a three day class. I left them with my car and keys so they could build the roll cage. I'm just now learning to weld, and I don't feel like risking my life and someone else's by trusting my newb skills.

    Last month I picked the car back up, along with some other goodies to install when I got back home. Seats, harnesses, and a beautiful set of Reiger struts.

    This is a slow going process for me because of free time and the reality of me learning as I go. I will keep updating though.


    Goals:


    Next month is a rallycross event at DirtFish, I would like to run the car to get an idea of what I'm doing right and what I need to change. A good first step.
    If all goes well and I finish the build, and I can find a co-driver, I would like to do a proper stage rally in the fall.

    As far as performance goals, I don't really have any. This is a base model R56 with 100,000 miles. I would like to stick to reliability for now and learn the driving skills I need. Plus, there's not much to do for extra power. The Reiger struts are the main performance point I wanted to hit, because I see that as necessary for me to get through an entire rally.

    Picture Time:

    What it was originally:

    CAM00710_zps5z3mct8t.jpg

    Picking it up with the new cage:

    20160517_120056_zpsjxvevgr3.jpg

    A view from the inside:

    20160519_132439_zpsqciipqh6.jpg

    The "roof" for my 800 mile drive back home.

    20160517_193047_zpskqgxld4q.jpg


    Some of you may have noticed that there are still speakers. This is because I still plan on driving this to and from rallycross events (not stage rally) to help keep them cheap. This is where I'm hiding the head unit.

    20160605_154535_zpsw0nwgnih.jpg


    Freshly painted cage

    20160605_154433_zpskohsbqii.jpg





    A small tribute to its origins
    20160605_154535_zpsw0nwgnih.jpg


    As of this evening:



    20160605_191419_zpse9bjqbof.jpg
     
  2. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    Welcome to MA! This is a very cool story, that Chris I know he would be a bad influence.:D I believe that rally car would go faster with some MA stickers on it. Your are showing your age when I was young there was no Nissan it was Datsun.:D guess I am an old fart. Good luck, I can't wait to hear how you do.
     
  3. GokartPilot

    GokartPilot Well-Known Member

    Jan 9, 2012
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    Great project. Takes a lot of testicular fortitude to gut a car. Keep us posted, that means pics and more pics. Good luck :Thumbsup:
     
  4. 00Mini

    00Mini Well-Known Member

    Feb 24, 2013
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    +1 On a very interesting project and keeping us up on your racing endeavors.
     
  5. eMINIparts

    eMINIparts Well-Known Member
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    Mar 13, 2012
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    Welcome to the coolest MINI forum on the net.............:cool:
     
  6. 406geek

    406geek New Member

    Jun 17, 2015
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    Thanks for the support. There will definitely be more pictures as I go.
     
  7. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

    Mar 12, 2012
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    Looking good so far, I have to add the gussets to the door bar X and some other mods to the cage. You're not alone. Alex is building rally Mini in Canada and Markus runs a RMW 1800cc sequential box in AZ.... Seems there is a rally Mini revolution!
     
  8. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

    Mar 12, 2012
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    ah yes Reiger's will save you from rolling!
     
  9. 406geek

    406geek New Member

    Jun 17, 2015
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    Yep, after seeing what happened to your car, I was sold on proper suspension for mine
     
  10. 406geek

    406geek New Member

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    MA stickers must be worth at least 10 hp, haha.
    I know I'm young, just means I have more time to make even more stupid mistakes. :lol:
     
  11. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

    Mar 12, 2012
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    The MA stickers helped me! not so much the speed but extra traction through the mud, the MA stickers have some magical force.
     
  12. Cone Assassin

    Cone Assassin Local Shop Owner

    Jan 7, 2012
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    Looking good! I still need to get a bender and cage my r53 :)
     
  13. 406geek

    406geek New Member

    Jun 17, 2015
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    Well I would like to give an update, but there isn't much to update. I ended up getting a new job which will be better in the long run, but through my schedule off for the short term. Had some issues with my house that put a dent in my time and money, so the car has been mostly sitting there.

    Reiger did another great job at putting 10mm bushings in the rear struts, just like with Chris's. Unfortunately they also gave the wrong mounts for the front struts. The bolts were space about a centimeter too far from each other. So that's currently being dealt with.

    The humorous issue I've had has been with tires. I purchased Dmack tires, but I do not have the ability to mount them myself. I went to a shop and they mounted them, but could not get the bead to seat. Neither could another shop I brought them to. After talking with the US distributor, I found out they seat at about 150psi!!! Since no shop would risk that I finally worked up the courage and sure enough, just a couple psi short of 150, they seated. First one scared me to death, because I had convinced myself the tire was going to blow. I will say that a tire cage and 8ft stand off are now going into my garage. After finishing all the tires I went to mount them and the realization finally hit me, the shop that mounted them put the tires on backwards. So I get to go through that mess again, haha.


    I did take the time to take her to a meet a couple weeks ago. I would say it was the car grabbing the most attention out of the 70+ cars that were there.

    13528538_10154410611959274_7041368227096187629_o_zpsiyz4kzsj.jpg

    Hope to have some real updates over the next few weeks as my schedule stabilizes.
     
  14. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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    Good to hear about the update. Sorry about life's little problems slowing down the build. Lol. Yes I feel your pain about the rally tyres. Down in CR they don't care and pump up the PSI until they mount them as I stand back. Your Mini is looking good. Keep calm and rally on
     
  15. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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    Remember to share all the good and bad
     
  16. 406geek

    406geek New Member

    Jun 17, 2015
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    Well it isn't racing, but I brought her out to the largest annual meet in Montana. Took home the "Best Race Prep'd" award. Not that there was a ton of competition there for that award. The funny thing is I still don't have a roof and it started raining as I was waiting to accept the award. I had to spend some time drying out the car that night.

    IMG_5861_zpsowmzerhs.jpg
     
  17. 00Mini

    00Mini Well-Known Member

    Feb 24, 2013
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    Congratulations on your award !! :Thumbsup:
     
  18. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    Congrats!
     
  19. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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    congrats, the first of many awards I'm sure.
     
  20. NikiMae31

    NikiMae31 New Member

    May 17, 2009
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    I'm in love with the look of this car. It looks like it will be a BLAST.

    PS I love your plate..Huffin' paint?
     

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