Rally Mini Cooper

Discussion in 'Car Builds, Projects, Idea's Experiments' started by RallyMini370, Mar 27, 2012.

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  1. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

    Mar 12, 2012
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    As previously mentioned I found out the 2008 STI suspension was too soft for the Impreza so Subaru stiffened up the damper and spring rates by around 60% and dropped the ride height by about 8mm. The last rally showed up the soft springs so I bought some 2013 rear struts off Ebay to compare against the 2008’s I have fitted now. The spring is a little shorter and about 1mm thicker in the coil and the damper is much stiffer. Once fitted the ride height is still the same but the feeling is much stiffer on the rear. Next job is to look for some 2013 front struts to balance up the handling. The good thing is the old 2008 struts will become my spares to get me home.
    Here’s a photo of the STi/Mini top mount.
    [​IMG]
    2013 STi is on the left.
    [​IMG]
    Meanwhile UPS lost my radiator in their depot 3.1 miles from my house. It’s amazing with a tracking number they can’t find a large package like this. I’m still fighting with UPS to find the package, their customer service is terrible. Now I know why so many folks didn’t get their Christmas packages.
     
  2. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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    The good thing about using Subaru suspension is the quantity of stuff available. Look at these caster/camber top mounts.

    [ame=http://www.ebay.com/itm/KCA409-Whiteline-Offset-Strut-Mount-Assembly-2008-2013-Impreza-WRX-STI-/261296165167?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cd677112f&vxp=mtr#ht_1772wt_898]KCA409 Whiteline Offset Strut Mount Assembly 2008 2013 Impreza WRX STI | eBay[/ame]
     
  3. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    Nice Chris, but don't you think you'd want adjust-ability?
     
  4. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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    I'm not allowed adjustable tops so this would get around the problem. hahaha
     
  5. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    Nice rules interpretation. What if the plates add more negative camber than you want? Is there a work around you can squeak by with? How often is your car run through a legality check?
     
  6. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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    We do a tech check at the beginning of the season then not much after that but for sure all the other competitors will be looking for any changes. I was thinking I can slot the bolt holes, get the camber where I want it then fit a new strut brace top to hide the holes..hahaha
     
  7. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    I found at rallies no one seemed to protest each other. In racing it was nuts, they protest for anything & everything. If someone protested your engine they had to post a tear down bond equal to the cost of buttoning it back up. My engine was legal, but I told lots of folks about all the demon tweaks that were done to the internals. My hope was I'd get protested, torn down found legal & get that bond to rebuild my tired engine. Never happened, but it was a good plan. :D
     
  8. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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    Here the competitors are really picky because the rally times are so close per car on the stages. example: I had a shop vac pipe running from the left side hole on the front bumper to the power steering pump to get some cooling in there. No one bothered with it until we started setting good stage times. Then a fellow competitor mentioned that the pipe would get me excluded if the folks I beat see it! It passed tech like that but if anyone wants to get picky they will find something for sure.
     
  9. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    A pox of flat tires to those who protest such things. :incazzato:
     
  10. eMINIparts

    eMINIparts Well-Known Member
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    Mar 13, 2012
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    "If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin"

    Junior Johnson
     
  11. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    The thing about a hose to bring some air to a PS pump, it isn't really a performance advantage. Pointing out this n that on a car at an event is justa a head game. Know your competition, that way you can come back with, but gee whiz your car has ___ . :ihih:
     
  12. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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    I said that with the skid plate the PSP could catch fire but I was told rules are rules yet I see other crimes far worst than the hose.
     
  13. UKCoopeR

    UKCoopeR Active Member

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    I know my PSP used to overheat on hot days on twisty tracks after i added the skid plate till i later adding cooling (i run a run a skid plate even though i am on tracks not rally and am glad i do as it saved me more than once) so it isn't an unreasonable concern to have, failed power steering can be quite dangerous!
     
  14. TheModFather

    TheModFather Well-Known Member

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    Once my PS fails, I will be converting over to a manual Lotus rack with a quicker ratio. :D PS problems solved.
     
  15. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    I run a skid plate too. The reason being I was afraid of straddling a curb & cracking that fine cast aluminium oil pan open. Never thought much about the heat, but that would explain why I've had 3 PS cooling fans on my MINI.
     
  16. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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    I do like the PS on the Mini as it fights the LSD kicks but a manual rack would be better. Hey Modfather, want Lotus rack will you use?
     
  17. TheModFather

    TheModFather Well-Known Member

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    You would need to talk to Colin at RMW for the adapters, but its a Lotus Elise/Exige S2 rack. Sector 111 (Lotus aftermarket company) has a quicker ratio box that is even lighter than the Lotus OE...
     
  18. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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    I just read that any new mods needed to the car must be submitted by Feb 1st so I'll submit the cooling to the PSP to see what happens. So it looks like 2014 is a go for the rallying in CR!
     
  19. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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    I've just won a nice set of 800miles 2013 STI front and rear struts for $300. This should hopefully sort out the soft spring issues and give me a spare set of struts. Then I can sell the 08 STI struts I have to get some cash back. The rallies will most likely start in May.
     
  20. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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