Since the F-22 isn’t yet registered, I decided to run the MINI at the CDC autocross today. The morning started out quite wet, with a light drizzle falling most of the early morning. Since I was running in the third heat, I took a chance and switched to the R comps, which was the right …
I’m at the end of the second week of this project and have made some significant progress with only a few (unpleasant) surprises. I secured the battery in the trunk (no brick required) and patched the hole in the fender well from the inside — I still have to finish it off on the outside. …
[Click photo for link to full set of photos on Flickr.] After months of a low level search of various message boards and Craigslist, I finally found the car I’ve been looking for: a 1989 E30 325is. I finally got to the point where I’m running in the fastest run group on the track and …
My driving season is split into two parts: there’s the first half that starts once the snow melts and ends when summer swimming starts. The second half picks up after summer swimming and ends around Thanksgiving. This past weekend with the NCCBMWCCA at Summit Point marked the end of the first half. And what a …
I’ve been thinking about making my own front splitter ever since I read this article in Special Projects Motorsports. This got me thinking that a good splitter should be: a). disposable and b). cheap. I then came across this thread about building your own splitter for the MINI. So I got the template and set …
I finally saved enough to get a limited slip differential installed at Behe Performance. Here’s what it looked like the day after I dropped it off: I was able to get the Quaife LSD through a great group buy on NAM. The price was almost $700 less than I’ve seen it listed at some (unnamed) …
The car is a R56 2008 Cooper S Automatic. The color is Sparkling Silver, not my favorite, but not as bad as most of the press has made it out to be. It seems like a color that belongs on a Camry, not a MINI, but it sort of fits a theme: the Camryzation of …
The new driving season got off to a very good start this past weekend. I participated in the Spring driver’s school with the NCC Chapter BMW CCA at Summit Point, WV. It was my first time in the fastest run group (Group A) and first weekend in the instructor training program. By the end of …
It’s time to start a new year of Autocross and Driver’s Schools. Time for a little Spring maintenance. So before heading back to the track next week I thought I’d switch back to the cold air intake, replace the spark plugs, change the brake fluid, and change the oil. Since I have to get an …
I have always hated exterior bits that serve no real purpose. Faux brake vents; solid grilles — that sort of thing. The stock MCS rear bumper has two fake grilles that have always driven me nuts. With the way the bumper cover is designed, the rear valance hangs down in the airflow coming under the …