Most liked posts in thread: GP0173 :: 2013 MINI R56 JCW GP

Warmer temperatures have finally arrived, although whether they're here to stay for good is still yet to be determined.

Even though the roads are still in sorry shape, I decided it was time to throw on the summer shoes before my winter treads melted into a puddle of rubbery goo.

Timing couldn't be better, the first autocross event is next weekend, and MOTD is at the end of the month!

Time for the photo overload:

 

JB+, drop in filter, and intercooler eventually, but that's about it.

I picked it up like this, actually - but I would've removed them anyway.

I can't stand excessive stickers and stripes.

 

Breaking down the winter blues: Team Dynamics x GP2

Some say, there’s nothing quite like the feeling you get from waking up to endless mounds of fresh white powder that stretch as far as the eye can see. No, not that powder. I’m talking about the other white powder: Snow.

So, with that said, I suppose that I can understand why some people seem to love winter unconditionally. A virgin snowfall is a rather breathtaking sight to behold. Plus, think about all the winter activities! You can ski, snowboard, sled, then come in, and sit in front of the fire with your lover, naked, sipping hot cocoa on a bearskin rug. Sounds pretty awesome, right? Right. Get real. Let’s get one thing straight: Winter sucks. Especially this one in particular. In the northeast, we’ve had frigid temperatures. We’ve dealt with gaping potholes. And we’ve had winter storms roll in nearly every weekend. Whatever happened to having a nice day off?

With winter hanging around my neck like an albatross, I decided that it was time for an emotional tune-up. I needed to boost my optimism and bolster my poor morale. So, I started thinking about what warmer temperatures would bring. Cones. Hot asphalt. Summer tires. Grip. Murica!



Wait. Summer tires you said? Yep. I’m one of those crazy people who have dedicated sets of wheels and tires for different seasons. You should too, if you live somewhere the temperature drops below 35 degrees in the winter on a regular basis.

That being said, my summer tires, which happen to be a full set of Advan Neova AD08Rs, have been lonely this winter, neatly stacked off in a corner of the garage. Now, because I dedicated the OEM 4-spoke GP wheels as my winter wheels, I needed to find a set of wheels for my summer tires to call home. And… since the GP has a 4x100 bolt pattern, which is fairly common, I figured that it should be easy to find a set of wheels, right? That brings us to problem number one: The massive 6-piston front Brembo calipers on the GP.



Problem number two: With the stock wheels measuring in at 7.5” wide, I wanted the summer set to be 7.5” wide or more. And since I autocross, the additional width would come in handy. After all, wider is better. Unfortunately, most 17” 4x100 wheels are only 7” wide, and since narrow wheels should only be reserved for Prius drivers and ice rally racers, 7” simply wasn’t going to cut it for me. I needed some beef.

So, keeping my limitations in mind, the first addition to my summer wheel wishlist was the Neuspeed/NM Engineering RSe05. 17x7.5. +45. 16 lbs. The RSe05 is one of few 7.5" wide or wider options that fits around the massive 6-pot front Brembroz. These wheels are stupid light and reasonably priced, and also available in a decent array of color choices.

However, since everyone that installs aftermarket wheels on a GP seems to install these, I had to change up my game plan. Not that I want to be a trendsetter, but I simply wanted to do something a little different. After all... every R56 GP is the same color, why should they all have the same wheels? So, I did a little digging, and rediscovered an old favorite that I had always wanted to try: The Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2. I also thought it would be great to go with a set of wheels manufactured in England by a company with some actual racing heritage.



A little backstory first. Once upon a time, several cars ago ( :lol: ), I had contemplated purchasing a set of Team Dynamics wheels, and in my search for a reputable vendor, I had discovered a company called Perfect Circle Autosport. Now, there are several US distributors of Team Dynamics Wheels, however, in my experience, nobody knows Team Dynamics quite like these guys do. They are truly on top of their game when it comes to knowing Team Dynamics wheels. They managed to answer any and all questions I could throw at them, and responded in record time, even at 11PM on a Sunday, as I found out.

Amidst my questioning, I was pleased to find out that my timing couldn’t have been any better: There was exactly one set of Pro Race 1.2s in the spec I wanted. No more. No less. 17x8. +38. Anthracite. Needless to say, I couldn’t let this opportunity escape.



Before I spoil you all with gratuitous photos, I would like to thank the guys at Perfect Circle Autosport for their fantastic customer service and willingness to go the extra mile to satisfy an anal-retentive customer. Without further adieu… it’s time to unbox the goods and do a little test fitting.















I still need to order a set of compatible TPMS sensors and get the tires mounted, but I’d say we’re off to a good start for when autocross season starts to heat up in April. For additional photos, please click here.

 

Polished some waterspots out of the hood last night after washing it... said screw it, and polished and waxed the whole car.

This color might as well be black sometimes.

 

Wheel test fitment to come tomorrow.

In the meantime, finally got around to editing some photos of my romp in the snow last month, and I cleaned her up tonight.













Also, did a little cleaning tonight. So tired of salt.

 

Finally wrapped up my detail process on the GP today...

 

Been doing exactly that - picked the car up with 3500 miles on it in July, I've got 10250 on it now.

 

Yoko Advan AD08Rs. Came on the car, so I'm running them until they're bald, then I'll weigh my options. Not quite the best autocross tire (don't heat up fast enough), but they're a great summer tire for daily driving and competition use.

 

I'm glad I went with the anthracite - I was previously considering High Power Silver but this was the only finish available without doing a custom order. I'm very satisfied!

 

Bikes go on top.

 

Up to 11600 miles now.

Also looking to get some summer wheels ordered. Currently tossing a couple ideas around.

TD 1.2's in 17x8 +38 or RSe05s in 17x7.5 +45.

 

Wheels ordered.

 

Thanks! I was walking around the car admiring it today... I'm definitely happy with my choice.

Thanks!

No lights, just ambient - I've gotten pretty good over the years at using available light when photographing cars.