Yeah - on the sunroof cars, I think the sunroof plays an important structural part of the roof, which is probably why the filler panels all crack over time. Too much stress without proper structural engineering. If I was going to go through the trouble of getting a filler panel made, I'd just convert the car to a non-sunroof top. If I keep this car long-term, it may just be something I do.
Chris (cct1) knows the whole process of re skinning the roof to a non sunroof car. He would be the guy to ask about an approximate cost.
Well, I know all the glass needs to be removed. So, I'd have to budget for new glass, because the odds of getting the glass out intact is very slim-to-none. Otherwise seems pretty straightforward once you drop the headliner and trim and remove the glass. Drill out the welds, remove the top, weld the new metal on, paint, then reinstall everything. If I did that, I'd get the whole car re-painted, too.
It's easier just to reskin it. The sunroof itself doesn't add any structural support. I can't remember if I added a brace or not when it was replaced; probably not as I had a 4 point in. Hardest part is getting the headliner back in.
Alrighty! After some time away and some crazy shenanigans... Like, selling my Ranger and buying a 2010 Frontier Pro-4X... So, that truck was a complete basketcase, it turns out. After one month and a few days of frustration, I decided to trade it in on a 2016 Crew Cab Pro-4x with 0 farts. Keeping this truck long-term. Anyways, it's time to get back to MINI things. The R53 needs to be up and motorable by 4/10 so I have a month to shake it down for MotD. It's game time. First focus: Brakes. - Pads: Carbotech 1521s. Streetable, good quality pads, can take a little abuse on the backroads, too. - Calipers: R56S front calipers, stock rears. - Rotors: Centric high-carbon blanks. 294mm Cooper S front, 259mm stock rear. - Lines: Stoptech stainless on all 4 corners - Fluid: Need to figure that one out... OE maybe, just to get things started. Any recommendations? Next will be suspension. Thinking Bilstein + springs + H&R rear sway bar. Toying with the idea of some kind of coilover, too, but I'm not sure yet. I don't want a big drop - I want this car to be streetable. I know Swift springs come highly regarded, what other options are out there?
First congrats on the pickup... Second, we know you go straight for Colin's coilovers... I cant get into my netbook from my last department or I would have you get a different spring rate, but the ones they come with are firm but great. Dont get an H&R rear bar... Get the H-sport Competition bar. Get that by the Dragon, with a good alignment to my spec's and I'll diail it in for you.
Nothing against Colin, but I'm still wary of those coilovers and I'm not sure why (probably the fact that they're BC coilovers and the price seems a tad high for that), despite reading a ton of great reviews. Also - the camber plates in the front use a spherical ball mount that in my experience, will just rattle over time. I've been there, done that on coilover setups in the past, and suspension NVH drives me up a damn wall.
Call Colin about his custom coilovers and just so you know are not BC's so do not let the housings fool you. They are custom built and valved, come with Adjustable Camber Plates and Swift Springs. For brake fluid I use Motul 600 Dot 4
Ill sell you AST's for more money if it makes you feel better. Savvy has put over 50k on his set i think and had 0 problems thus far.
Suspension: Going H&R street performance for coilovers - I don't want a rattletrap. Bilstein makes the dampers for H&R, and the H&R springs are quite good. I'm prepared to hear the peanut gallery get all fired up over this decision. Brakes: Rotors: Pagid high carbon coated rotors all around Calipers: R56S front calipers, stock R53 rear calipers (for now, may upgrade to R56 rear arms and brakes down the line) Lines: Stoptech stainless lines on all 4 corners Pads: Stoptech street performance pads Fluid: Motul RBF600 While this is not my daily driver, it's not a track rat either, and I'm working with a budget as well. So, certain concessions needed to be made moreso towards pricing, and I wanted to maintain a slight modicum of comfort. The GP2 was pretty much perfect as far as ride quality goes, and I feel the H&R street coilovers will be a good match for that. Brakes are getting ordered now, I'll tackle the suspension soon. Dave, how many liters of brake fluid are needed for a full bleed on the R53?
Why would we rip you a new one for that parts list? It's got a lot of solid parts on it, and really nothing I would consider junk. H&R makes good parts, and I am even going back to stock brakes because they are better than a lot of the "upgrades" and a lot lower cost. Only thing I would add is the H-sport Competition rear swaybar.
Holy crap, 3 half liters? Are you guys swigging it? There is very little fluid outside the reservoir. If you do it right one is enough, although many times I get into the second bottle because I'm ocd. 2 is waay more than enough, there should be plenty left over. Three is like a third tit. Nice to have, but not absolutely necessary.