Suspension Tuning

It’s tough finding the right suspension for autocross, track, and daily driving, but I think I have a good mix right now. To recap: Texas Speedwerks springs (stiffer, linear, lower about 20mm); Ireland Engineering Camber Plates (increase front end negative camber); H-Sport rear lower control arms (correct camber in the rear due to lowering); Alta …

Ice Driving School

This time last week, I was outside in my t-shirt and shorts starting to get ready for the first CCA driver’s school of the year at Summit Point. This year, the first school was to be on the main circuit, usually everyone’s favorite event. In February as the snow was blowing, we were all a …

Lower & Faster

Part two of the suspension upgrade brought new springs and adjustable camber plates in the front.  This proved too much of a challenge for me to attempt at home so I went to Frederick Motorsports.  I hadn’t visited Scott since I had my Alfa four years ago.  It was a challenge to wrestle the plates …

Weather Control Experiment #2

Original Post: January 16, 2007. In what’s becoming an annual act of meteorological defiance, I’ve washed and waxed my MINI. In January. What price will I pay? Check back on Groundhog day. For those of you keeping track, yes that’s the fifth set of wheels you’ve seen on my car. Mark your scorecards: R85 “S-Lites”, …

Pulley Cupholder

Got a stock supercharger pulley laying around as a paperweight? Tired of having your iPod flop around in search of a good resting place? For about $10, you too can make one of these. The pulley phone holder fits perfectly in the cup-holder. All you need to do is buy one of those cheap phone …

BMW Convertible Interior

The carpet replacement project proved a bit more complicated than I had anticipated. Once I got the seats out and pulled out the various console pieces, I pulled up the old carpet and found that the rear passenger-side footwell had started to rust. Thank goodness for POR and fiberglass repair kits. I was also amazed …

BMW Convertible Headliner

It has been a while since I’ve posted about progress being made to the BMW. I finally managed to repaint the right rear bumper cover that I repaired some weeks ago. (I still think the guy who did my MD state inspection scraped the right side of the car against a wall…) I managed to …

Summit Point Main HPDE

I spent the weekend of September 23-24 on the Main Circuit at Summit Point, WV. This was the third class I’ve done with the National Capital Chapter BMW CCA and I highly recommend attending one if you have never been on the track before. This was also my first session on my new shaved competition …