Most liked posts in thread: Kara :: 2005 MINI Cooper S JCW

I promise to add more pics once the 15" wheels arrive

 

Haha Thanks :lol: It took a bit of searching, weeks on ebay/autotrader etc but I wanted a BRG with low miles and happened to luck out with a good deal on a JCW!

 

In that case I ask to to stumble across a set of custom coilovers, giken LSD/clutch, fixed back seats, header, cam, head, custom tune.... what have i left out hahahaha :crazy:

 

Yeah I am looking forward to giving them a proper workout once the snow is gone. The sheer volume of great reviews, yours included, are what steered me that way to start with and the fact they have usable stroke in their catalog is great.

 

Another winter is over and the mini continues to evolve... a Stoptech Trophy Race BBK replaced the Wilwood setup and I am now using 17x8 Team Dynamics with 215/40 Z2* and 225/40 R7. Installing the old Wilwoods on a buddy's mini that is sticking with street tires and DEs so should be perfect for his use.

Looks like it will be warm enough to wash this car this weekend so I can get some updated pictures.

Still left to do is: change oil and filter, install new hood scoop (old one took a rock to the face), plus a new belt/tensioner/idler pulley combo. Shouldn't be too bad but the daily driver developed an oil leak and my motorcycle needs a service too so it will be a crowded garage!

Parts that I want to order:
RMW Expansion Tank
Powergrind Endlinks

But if those 2 don't get sorted before April 18th (first event I plan on doing with the mini) no big deal.

 

15" wheel pics are up!

 

Updated the lists to reflect a fun yet pricey winter, updated and accurate pics should be soon!

ATI Super Damper - Techinally last fall when my oem one exploded lol
RMW Oil Pan Baffle
Helix SSK
Vibra-Technics Race Upper Motor Mount
Castrol SRF Fluid
Replaced rotors with another set of 11.75x1" from Todd

First trackday of the year is this weekend, fingers crossed the high of 46F tomorrow gets rid of the snow lolololol

 

Thanks for the kind words fridayxiii, Firebro17, and debscooper! I am definitely pleased with the color choice myself I had an indi blue r50 before which I liked a lot too but the BRG seems to fit so well with my idea of how minis look in my head

Weather forecasts for the track event is slowly getting better
sunny on both days with a high for 53 for Sat and 59 for Sun woot woot

Will still be chilly with the windows down but heated seats will help <- one the reason i haven't changed to fixed back ones hahaha

 

Forget to update with the new suspension i got a few weeks back!

~1" lower and corner weighted at ~2824lbs with 5/8 tank + a 180lb driver

 

Pics are now quite out of date! Car is at the shop getting a new corner balance with the winter upgrades which are:
Swift 80/70 N/mm spring on the same Ohlins RT dampers
NMEng sway bar endlinks
Helix Rear Control arms (looking forward to getting the rear camber under -2.7!!)
Jongbloed 305-Aero wheels (with nt-01 for dry and r1r for wet/cold) should be much less breaky
Along with the standard fluid work etc

Getting closer to that dream list i posted almost 2 years ago!... next up will be replacing the seats and getting a proper harness/rollbar setup as I slide around A LOT on the stockers. It is 20 degrees and there is still snow on the ground so not sure when i will get it to the track but i will toss up some new pics once the tires are mounted (last 2 arriving today) and the car is back from the balance

At the very end of last year I was fighting a misfire so went one step colder on the plugs and popped on new oem coil pack. The other new 'issue' was as I was going faster I started to get so much weight transfer forward under hard breaking the rears would lock and abs would flip out and turn off (quite exciting coming down from 127 for a 2nd gear 180 degree turn with the rears locked and getting hella swideways if only i was a drifter hahaha...) I hope the 33% stiffer springs help with that and worst case I can look for less grippy rear pads that can still take the heat (currently using pfc97 which are more of an endurance compound than the poly a i use on the front but I still seem to have too much rear bias when running r-comps – it was fine on street tires)

 

Ugh, sounded like the supercharger was coming apart when i turned it over last weekend
That will put a delay on the season...

 

After the countless delays I finally got the mini back out on track (been doing chump car races and karting to keep the skills up).

I took the car to Shenandoah this weekend with SCCA and it was really fast, I was running in the 1:43s almost 2 seconds faster than before and would have been second in time trials if they had let me run (I don’t have all the required safety equipment yet). While there weren’t that many cars there were some good drivers, a world challenge TCB (Brian Price) was doing some testing after finishing crash repairs and Sam Strano had a foxbody that was quite a monster. Both of which were in the same run group as me (fastest non-TT group).

The suspension changes (stiffer swift springs) must have really helped because it actually was leaking boost. I used to get almost 15psi but now tops out at 13psi at ~5krpm then actually drops to 10psi at the redline. I can hear a noise that sounds like boost escaping but it is slight and only when I am really hammering it. I have no idea where it is coming from but maybe a boost leak test could help find it and get it back on full power… Can’t wait to see what I will be able to do with full power and these springs It hard to know how much came from upping the rates and how much from the “swift”-ness of the springs. I do feel the need for some kind of limited slip now though as I do get more wheel spin than I remember… I should probably get a rollbar/harness/seat first though.

I am happy to share AiM data with anyone that wants to check it out. I will post back here when I have the video up, I will trim it to just highlights and fast laps so it isn’t boring. Strano had a fun save after passing me into the loop haha.

Fun fact, the new wheels did actually result in cooler brake temps, which I was not expecting despite the manufacturer claims. They are much more “closed” then the delicate Enkei ones which couldn’t take the track abuse so, stronger wheels + cooler brakes is awesome, but they are $$$ so I guess it evens out.

 

I forgot to mention the best part of the stiffer springs, the rears wheels aren't as keen to lock under braking anymore, super handy for braking deep haha!