Rally Mini Cooper

haha you know how it is here Don..

I posted in racing Mini's my intentions for the rally Mini. The Mini and I are not getting any younger so while both of us are healthy I thought I'd try to do a years rallying in one event! The event being Rally Mexico 2017. We have had a few folks asking us to go do the event but the estimated cost is way off my budget. Therefore I got some help to start a go fundme account to start the ball(Mini) rolling. Basically I'm trying to raise the cost of the shipping, entry fee and all the little stuff that will pop up. Meanwhile I'm going to be busy taking the Mini apart, checking everything and putting it back together.

I pretty sure the clutch plate is warped so I'm going to swap that and change out the straight cut gear set because at a top speed of 90mph at 6500rpm I think this will be too short for the Mexico stages. I did think to put bigger tyres but that does not improve the top speed enough to make a difference.

Anyway as the months roll by I'll let you know how the progress is coming along.

 

Thanks Chaps! I'm back in the US looking at clutches. I had the plate custom made because finding a heavy duty clutch for a Midlands was not easy back in 2012. Searching around I found a stage 3 paddle clutch kit for Midlands from SPEC.

Another issue is the final drive. I have a 4.9 and just found last weekend that Gripper make custom final drives which is a bummer because they never told me that. Now I'll have get another made, most likely a 3.6 or taller.

 

Thanks Dave, I'm going to be busy keeping you chaps happy over the next few months!

 

Well the campaign got off to a good start thanks to MA members. I've sent the link to a lot of companies too but nothing so far.....maybe I should offer some special services as an incentive? LOL

 

thanks so much Don, I've doing some kicking too in a nice way. haha That's why I started early I know reaching the target is not going to be easy.

 

We had a good start to the funding but its a little slow but I'm on it chaps. Emailing folks and companies so I hope over the never few months we will be closer to the target.

Meanwhile I'm waiting to go back to CR and start the cage up grades and drop the gearbox. Most likely I'll have to run the stock gear set with the 5:1 final drive as the straight cut set is to short and a new final drive would cost nearly $1000.....unless the UK pound devalues..LOL

As Mexico as a night a stage I'll have to get some lights and a trip computer.

 

Having WRC+ helps me see all the stages for Mexico. So I'll stick with the low final drive because 90% of the stages are tight and twisty. I ordered the FIA spec roll cage padding today because the heater pipe foam insulation I have now won't cut it with the FIA..LOL

 

Not much going on regarding the funds or the Mini. I was in Panama last weekend for work purposes and this weekend I was hoping to get the roll cage sorted but the welding guy is swamped with work so he says next month. That's the Costa Rica way so I have to be patient. I got some gearbox parts but I need to get the cage done and certified before taking the Mini off the road for a few months. The gear change is not good. I'm reduced to switching the engine off to select either 1st or reverse then switch on the engine to proceed. Gear changing requires some skill to avoid the crunch. I'm using lunch time to email UK/USA companies based in Mexico but nothing so far from any email....

 

I've decided to swap out the fuel tank as my hot weld repair to the gash after the roll might not survive a big rock hit on the stages. I found 'S' tank in CR for $260, I've brought back from CR my 8" lightforce spot lamps to sell cover the cost. Meanwhile I've just bought another used Midlands in CT as a casing back up. Oh BTW the Mini passed the CR state type test last month! The only rally car in CR with a legal ticket! LOL

The issue is all the rally cars don't have the manual hand brake. So for this year they are supposed to have it but as always money talks...My Mini has both the hydraulic and stock hand brake.

Also I've been emailing Way to reload the ECU tune since January but he never returns my emails or calls so figure I'll move on. Shame really because that tune seemed to work well with my engine mods and the crappy fuel. Business must be good there. I've been looking at the LO3 tune from Lohen seeing as they reply to my eamils and the pound/dollar rate is good.

 

Thanks Don, I did think to tap them up for a discount in exchange for some decals I did contact Jan once or maybe twice but didn't really get any quick replies or a price I could afford. He did introduce me to the Vipec ECU but at $1500 I'd have to sell my body on the streets of CR!

 

Ah I'm back down here again but arrived with a sinus infection which sometimes I get due to traveling. Tuesday was a day off so I took use of the time to go get another fuel tank. Always buying used stuff here is interesting. My Co-driver called the shop to see if they had one, they said only for the S, Eminiparts confirmed both the MCS and MC are the same. The cost was 110,000c about $220 . So I went down there and they said sorry we don't have a tank for the MC. I said the tank is the same, after some polite conversation and I pointed out the sticker on the tank said R50/R53 they agreed, Then the fun part....paying. The price went up! Gringo tax strikes again! after some heated Spanish on the phone with the shop boss and my co-driver the tank was mine. They even left all the pipes and filter housing which is great because remember mine does not filter for some reason.

Now I have to go get the cage welded and start to pull off the gearbox once my sinus infection has calmed down