Poll for voting on the August 2009 Motoring Alliance MINI of the Month presented by Cooper Flags. Voting Closes on July 25, winner to be announced Aug 1. Campaigning is allowed and encouraged. Please vote early and vote often... Poll# Car Name Image 1 track-toy 2 PauHana 3 Mayumi 4 True Love 5 MINI! 6 DAMini 7 Abby 8 Peetry
Hey everyone, I am the owner of True Love, and I am happy to be on the list. I would be ecstatic if I got featured MINI. Sadly True Love is still bone stock aside from an Outmotoring sticker, apple sticker, and mini club sticker. I plan on trying to get a JCW grill and JCW aero kit for the Cooper. I also want to get a different exhaust because she doesn't wake up enough of the neighbors in the morning. I plan on taking pics today so I can show of True Love a little better. Thanks for the votes everyone.
Thank you sir! Here's my pitch: Mod List: ~17X7 ASA AR-2 Wheels ~Alta Classic Intercooler Diverter ~M7 Oil Catch Can ~M7 Strut Tower Brace ~Alta Cold Air Intake ~Mini Madness 15% Pulley ~Out Motoring R53 Badges ~Out Motoring Stubby Antenna ~Invidia Exhaust ~35% Tint ~Red Calipers ~Brembro Rotors ~Hawk Ceramic Pads ~Craven Speed Gauge FlexPod Kit ~Autometer Boost/Vacuum Gauge ~Aesthetic Creations Cooper Carrera Side Stripes ~Alta 19mm rear sway
Lots of good MINIs in the running this time. I'd just like to point out that #3 up there is mine. Edit: Thought I'd add some "campaigning." Here is my modest list. Engine: RMW Tune Borla sport cat-back exhaust Alta v1.0 CAI itg filter element Alta oil catch can Alta v2.0 15% s/c pulley Brisk racing spark plugs Ultrick intercooler boots Forge aluminum expansion tank Ireland Engineering polyurethane upper engine mounts Ireland Engineering polyurethane lower engine mounts Ireland Engineering polyurethane transmission mounts Setrab oil cooler with Aeroquip hose and 200°F Canton thermostat Suspension: Alta 22mm rear swaybar Alta rear endlinks Ireland Engineering adjustable camber plates Ireland Engineering adjustable rear control arms (4) Powerflex polyurethane control arm bushings Powerflex polyurethane trailing arm inserts (pending) H&R 5mm spacers Hawk Performance ceramic brake pads Powerslot cryo-tempered rotors (4) Goodridge stainless steel brake lines Motul RBF 600 Interior: Cyberdyne oil temp and oil pressure guages Infinity Kappa speakers all around Alpine PDX 4.100 Seat rail spacer mod (both sides) Schroth 4 point clip-in harness (used daily) Xenon interior lighting from bimmian "Mayumi" name plate Exterior: Steel rims/white hollies Blacked out grill Blacked out trunk handle Cooper side repeaters Cooper side skirt, driver's side only Mudflap, driver's side only Tow hook Xenon rear license plate lights from bimmian DSC off motoring badge
Hey everyone. I am the owner of Abby. Here is my pitch and some more pics. She is an '04 BRG R50. I got her on October 25th and started the Aggieland Mini club on October 26th. lol. Ive added the Union Jack A panels from Aesthetic Creations, a Cold Air Intake from AFE, Door hole plugs, Actual Size sticker from AC, and some more I cant think of right now. Hope I get your vote and thanks for looking! Thanks Gig'em and God Bless
And my mini is DAMmini, dam from the definition of mother. My stats are low, its pretty much a stock mini. 2007 R56 Lighting Blue/Blk Premium, Convenience, and sport packages. Power Fold Mirrors Chrome inside and out Xenon headlights rear fog lights white turn signals Alloy interior trim Mud flaps Metroplex mini grill badge self install sirius sat radio with kuda center column mount. I am not a mod guy, but i do like to do a lot of detailing. I buy all my stuff from Show car detailing and richard lin along with agranger are my detailing idols. I use Prima products along with the porter cable polisher. I will try and post some of my work. One picture was referred to by a detailer as Norman Rockwell in sheet metal.
How could I not vote by my HHN Dr. Pepper buddy?! Besides, I like True Love. She seems so familiar... :smilewinkgrin:
I like them all, I'm partial to number 5, but I also like number 2. I'll go with 5. But one quick question to 2. How did it handle in the SNOW? All great shots
Yeah, I can relate. Mine was flatbedded to the MINI O.R. and has been on a synthetic oil IV for the last month! :frown5::mad2:
TRACK TOY! Great to see Graham's Mini again. He's a HPDE instructor and key Club member for PittStop... he's also got Yoda-like mad driving skills. That Mini is almost totally custom, with some truly innovative engineered pieces (like the adapted Lotus Elise rear diffuser and the upcoming belly pan), and a lot of pieces that have been engineered to work together (suspension and brakes). It's not just a list of "which supplier did I choose for my bolt ons". He's a nice guy too. Feed him New Castles and you've got a friend... :smilewinkgrin:
Thanks Leon for the vote on my car. I think I'm going for a patent on the diffuser. From what I've seen that's out there diffuser-wise for the MINI, I have something real unique. Not just another wing-like creation. Form comes with function and having a 30 degree inclined ramp under the back of the car should create a real drop in air pressure to create downforce. I'll be able to post pictures once I have some legal protection in place. Testing begins next Friday at the track. Graham
Air Diffuser Graham showed me his invention at the PVGP. I will be his first customer. Need a business partner Graham?
tater tot: Our little cars are GREAT in the snow, provided they're on snow tires. We've got ~ 60% of our weight on the drive wheels, great handling, good traction control (with some special techniques in the R50/53 models that need to be learned, however - listed below*). The only real drawback is ground clearance, and there are numerous posts of owners successfully "plowing snow" when it got a little deep! Snow tires cost about $5-600/set mounted on dedicated wheels. That's lower than your insurance deductible, and keeps seasonal wear and tear (and salt and grit) off your "3-season" wheels. MINI Winter HPDE (High Performance Drivers Education) will probably be offered again by PittStopMINI, around the 2nd or 3rd weekend in February. Here's another shot of Track Toy at our last Wintry Driving Refresher... Sad that I also retained this shot of the Track Toy Dragon Draggin' Derby car: * Snow driving with traction control: Sometimes the Mini traction control can be a little too aggressive in limiting wheelspin from a dead stop on low traction surfaces, even on wet pavement, or on uphills in heavy snow. It aggressively cuts the power right when you want to be going, wheelspin or not. This power cut is even more severe in R50 / R53 models (2002-2006 coupes, 2005-2008 convertibles). Often, controlled, limited wheelspin is beneficial for a practiced driver, and can be "the hot ticket" to get up a hill or launched properly. The trick: Turn traction control OFF before a "launch", turn it on afterward at your discretion. PRACTICE is key.