The Phoenix - The GP Roadster Project

Discussion in 'Car Builds, Projects, Idea's Experiments' started by BlimeyCabrio, Jun 24, 2014.

  1. GokartPilot

    GokartPilot Well-Known Member

    Jan 9, 2012
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    Great idea. I think I am going to have to give this a try. I always worry about the skirts getting damaged whenever mine goes up on a lift.
     
  2. cct1

    cct1 Well-Known Member
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  3. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    Soooooo true, Chris.

    And, for those with the patience to watch 100+ hours of labor, over 6 weeks, compressed into 15 minutes, I bring you the GPR build time lapse! This begins after the shell was stripped, caged, painted. I missed shooting video of a few things (like the clutch swap), and I spared you a lot of the fiddly stuff, but it's complete enough to be interesting. Many times, you will say "WTF is he doing?" or "why is he taking the suspension apart for the fourth time, now?" or something like that. But it's a pretty honest view of the process. Lots of trial and error is required.

    Enjoy.

    [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHygccp4sts"]MINI GPR Build Timelapse - YouTube[/ame]
     
  4. Goldsmithy

    Goldsmithy MINI Alliance Ambassador
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    Paul...truly amazing. I'll be in your area next week. Can we rebuild my engine and covert from auto to 6 sp. over lunch. :) :) :)
     
  5. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    Dang Paul, you sure do zip around quick!
     
  6. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    Paul very well done. You need to fly over to Jolly Olde England & give those guys with Project Binky a hand. They are so slow. :Thumbsup:
     
  7. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    Excellent! They say there is a fine line between genius and madness. After all that I would say its true!
     
  8. TheModFather

    TheModFather Well-Known Member

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    I'm still trying to decide what side of that line I'm on MCS02!
     
  9. cct1

    cct1 Well-Known Member
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    Don't spend too much time on it. We've already decided that one for you.
     
  10. TheModFather

    TheModFather Well-Known Member

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    Nut house it is!
     
  11. vetsvette

    vetsvette MINI Alliance Ambassador

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    I'm not crazy. My Momma had me tested. :drool
     
  12. Eric@Helix

    Eric@Helix New Member
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    May 4, 2009
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    BTW, love the puck idea. Our shop terminology for the those jacking points has coincidentally been 'jacking pucks'. Mediocre minds think alike.
     
  13. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    Thanks, Eric.

    Only issue with the new puck setup is I don't recommend attempting to use them with the OEM screw jack - nothing for the jack to engage, and that thing is unstable when used with the factory jack points.

    I bought a proper Torin scissor jack with a large base and flat top, $18 at Walmart. For those rare roadside emergencies. I always take a floor jack to the track, and usually to MOTD.
     
  14. 05r50

    05r50 Well-Known Member

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    Yea Walmart!!

    "The previous comment was a paid advertisement from the good people at Wally World. We now return you to previous programming"
     
  15. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    Needed at least one thing from Walmart on the car, to maintain balance in the force.
     
  16. DneprDave

    DneprDave Well-Known Member
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    I haven't ever been to a Walmart, there is one in town, but I never get to that part of town.
     
  17. Savvy

    Savvy Well-Known Member
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    Luckily, the interweb will bring the joy to you.... www.peopleofwalmart.com. Other than getting to see your local Walmartians in person, you are missing nothing.
     
  18. cct1

    cct1 Well-Known Member
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  19. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    ^^^^^^^ Now thats funny!! True and sad, But Funny!!!!^^^^^^^^^
     
  20. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    Summer sandals came! Because, January.
    Complete with idiot stickers.

    4FB344D1-CC32-4EC6-90C4-BB4DCF88C426_zpswj8zmfr1.jpg

    Kosei K4R in dark gray, 16x7.5, shod in Dunlop Direzza ZII Star Specs, 225/45R16

    I like how they look in person, even more than how they looked in pics. More aggressive than I expected. And tons of clearance for brakes and struts, when used with 10mm spacers up front. Could probably get away with 7mm.

    Ride height isn't set for them here, and I didn't settle the suspension. Just dropped the lift a bit to get an idea of how they will look.


    29A7B047-A3FB-4831-9721-E8B0BB12321E_zpszotwxp5r.jpg B589F95E-08F9-4378-BA1A-F0392C8F9088_zpsrqnmqt77.jpg

    And, light.
    5D691780-7AC1-4F17-9312-DEBE1D3E9787_zpsqjzhqroq.jpg

    So here's the full collection of wheels for the GP Roadster: GP 18" wheels w/ 225/18R40 Michelin Pilot Sports for winter, the K4R / Star Specs for Summer, and 949 Racing 6UL 15x8 with Nitto NT01 225/45R15 for the track.

    FE2678DC-5008-41A8-8FC7-8F6278F4A011_zpsbe3jzdrh.jpg

    The GP wheel / tire combo is 6 pounds per corner heavier than the summers:
    0377F9CD-1FF0-444F-935A-DAEA0BBF99CC_zpsumhehvxk.jpg

    And the track combo is 4 pounds per corner lighter!
    5B5B9D34-1F3B-4AC9-B053-112EC37320E1_zpshb6flsln.jpg

    And the rest of my Mini Fini hitch arrived. This is nice stuff. My old car had a MiniDoMore hitch. I never really paid attention to how the Mini Fini stuff attached. It's really well thought out. I cut down and re-drilled the drawbar from my old hitch, to minimize extension.

    CE60F64F-B239-4AB7-ADB7-7D272D3C63E6_zpss2cx4jwo.jpg
     

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