Finally got the Roll Cage


Install only took all day LOL. Damn i was going to take it out to paint it later on, but i think it will be painted it right in the car. Installed the eye bolts for the Harness. Also installed the remote damper adjusters for the rear. Tried to install the seats, but the bar that goes to the front is really close. It like 2 inch away from your head and with a helmet on it like 1/8"-1/4". If i remove the planted mounts then i get little more room. Even if i use some kind of protection for the tubes i will be rubbing on them at that point. I don't know if to just leave it like this or make me custom mounting (side mounts and bracket), So the seat sit lower and get more room. It almost feels like i will be driving with my head off to the side lol. I don't even know if i can return all this which is like $400 worth or more of stuff.







Installed the fuse box cover. It plastic dipped to make sure nothing sparks and causes a fire.

 

Do you have any pictures with the seats in the car?

 

Yah just did that today. Last thing to do is clean lol. Yull will see what i mean.

 

So i just drilled the seat brackets and that how i was able to install it. Here is some picture of the bars and the seat installed.





























By the way i have other 6 point roll cage for a mini with no sunroof if anyone is interested in it PM me. It painted black

 

Wow, that is quite a mess you have going there!

The roll cage looks good in the car. It seems from the picture with the stock seat, and judging by the location of the head rest (where your head would be, supposedly), that there should be room for the helmet. Am I not seeing it right? Or is there something different with the race seats that brings your head closer to that bar?

At any rate, what you have done is pretty impressive.

 

So the first cage was for the MINI without the sunroof and that is why it didn't fit? Sorry if I missed that if you said it before. But you don't think you can return it?

 

Heading out to the track today

Yesterday i put padding on the roll cage in the front and fixed up the belts. getting an evap code but i think that is from installed the belts will take a look at it when i get to my destination. Forgot to take a look a photo of the belts neatly zipped up.

 

THe first one is for a mini with out a sunroof. They sent me other because it was there mistake and they told me to keep the one i already had. Guess is not worth as much as they charge you for it. So I was trying to sell the one i have it complete. helps me recover some of this build. I have other parts which i will be putting up for sale after everything is set and done. Almost there. Just need to find out where this leak is coming from and i have an idea already just need to get in there. Looks like when i was installing the Passenger belts maybe i moved the return line to the canister a little too much.

 

The nice thing about this shot is that it provides a clear view of the sunroof drain and how it connects to the steel pipe that runs down the A-Pillar, for those who run into that issue several times per year on this forum.

 

Cause Alta Makes **** - dont buy anything for them.

 

Tank - have a great time!

and let us know how it goes.

You will love that track.

And, wow, your car is actually looking really good. Nice job putting it all together. I went back through the whole thread and realized that you have only taken 4 months to do all of this. Quite the DIY.

 

Let not forget the $$$$ pit it has been too LOL.

I try to do everything myself and as much things as i can manage to make myself. I could only imagine the $G's it would have taken in installation and all the shortcuts someone else would have taken.

The one mod i keep putting off is getting a spare key. Any idea where i can get one or how much the stealership would charge to order or make one? had a close call the other day.

Still need to make the radiator diverter that hopefully will be next. After i find out what is loose on the fuel purge tank Have a small leak maybe while i was installing roll cage since i left it hanging during the process.

The only thing i haven't been able to find is someone to do a tune. I'm not a fan of canned tunes or remote tunes. Best tunes are road tunes, but it hard to find someone to do that now a days. I'm really not looking to make crazy power since i want a reliable car and don't want to deal with tuning problem and the tuners like always trying to blame something else since all there tunes are perfect (sarcasm). I just want to get to JCW tune level like 200 to the wheels or something. i dont think that much to ask lol. I was thinking of biting the bullet and just dyno it and see where i currently sit. I have the set of 550cc injectors just sitting waiting for this tune and don't want to use the WMI because i don't have a tune yet. The WMI will be ready for it. will more then likely run water and see how that effects the AFR. I called helix like 2 or 3 month ago, they said soon, then they said there dyno room was getting rebuild, then i stopped asking lol.

The only thing i dislike and like all in once is that, I DD a R56 and man what a difference a turbo makes. It like the power is there no matter what gear/RPM you are on vs NA/Supercharger. it not like back in the days where the turbos kicked in at like 5-6k rpm. If you are not in the right RPM range you get nothing in an NA/SC car, but i find NA/SC easier to race since you don't have to deal with the boost coming in the middle of the corner, which is what use to happen with my GC.

This Audi guy are official. Never been to a track day where they provide you with number and all. Also got a free umbrella and a yarn for my name take and track map/schedule. Guess no need for my painters tape LOL.

 

Made it back from the track, but with a failed Flex pipe on the exhaust manifold. it was a LOUD!!!!!!!! ride back. Will up date tomorrow.

 

Ok so i had so much fun at this event. The event is run super professional. I would run with the Audi guys any time. Got the car detailed before going to the track but too bad on my way up it was raining crazy.



So my flex pipe on my header is leaking i was looking at this headers what do you guys think. I like the first one because it has a more standard flex pipe. This is the second one with a leaking flex. The one that came with the car head a leak in the same place. There was other mini at the track and he just txt me like 2hr ago and told me he also has a leak now. It seems like this will be part of maintenance and the stock version isn't any better. If i can avoid having to buy one very so offent that would be cool. The second one doesn't seem to have a flex pipe at all, but it requires welding and around me, people charge an arm and a leg to weld like they are using Unobtainium to weld the pipes together.

What can i get to brace the engine, so it doesn't rock as much (even if this is a dedicated track car i wouldn't like solid mount that will just lead to something else breaking). I think this is what cause the flex to give up and the amount of heat right after the runners. Just incase you guys done remember the headers just go to the first page of this thread.

 

i would check all of the engine mounts. Does this engine have a torque arm? I know that the Gen IIs have one. If not is there an aftermarket one? I know S-driver ran the snot out of his MINI and didn't have this problem.

I'll repeat what I asked in the other thread - do you think you might be running rich with the cams and whatnot? This would cook that pipe and weaken that flex pipe. You also said you were in 2nd going up T7 and were flat out. Not knowing anything else, just from that it seems you are low on power. Understand, I am just guessing here, but you might want to think about causes for the flex pipe failure other than the obvious. Let us know how it goes.

 

Yah we have a Torque arm (lower engine mount) and i have an aftermarket one installed already. My top mount is cut, but i can barely move that thing. I mean now i will be getting a new one anyway. I already have the Powerflex inserts, just never got around to installing it. No one seems to make anything for the Transmission side besides inserts

If anything i would be running lean not rich, since i was concentrated on driving, but when i took a glance at the AFR gauge while at WOT I was seeing 11-12. I personally feel like the design is not really good for track use. it will eventually fail. I order that one that has the flex farther away from the runners. If this one works out ill just be getting an extra one and if it ever happens again ill just swap it out. I was going to get a Stock exhaust mani, but started to read and the stock one seems to fail in the same place most of the time. The other mini that was at the track with me txt me yesterday to let me know his is gone too.

T7 seemed to be a problem for people with slow cars. My instructor drives a Miata and when he took me on the ride alone he had the same problem. He just told me to turn in later and that actually helped. he said try to make it as straight as possible. Also LSD would be great too, but that wont happen until i need a new clutch.

Need to figure out where is the small leak in the Evap system. I really hope i didn't drill into the charcoal canister while installing the roll cage and it just that i pulled the fuel evap line alittle too much. The header should come in Monday, but will be working more then likely. I'll install it as soon as i get a chance and cross my fingers nothing else is wrong down there.

 

WGI is known for being a horsepower track. Any kind of momentum car (Miata, MINI, etc) is doomed to struggle on every lap. Some areas are worse than others and T7 is the worst of the worst. Your instructor was right. A thing to work on is trailbraking as far as you up and into the turn. And, yes the LSD helps, but in the MINI it isn't a cure for this turn

 

Amazing build bro. Im in NY and would love to see your car sometime. Im thinking to my self "What didn't this guy do" lol. I hope i run into you one day.

 

Sound good to me. Where in the City do you live. We are going to Etown again Oct 2. If you want to tag along.

 

Here are the videos

Session 2 which i only got to drive a lap since we started late and my instructor took the car out for a spin first.



Session 1 of 08-23



Session 2 of 08-23 After watching the video you can hear the exhaust already starting to leak.



Session 3 of 08-23



Session 4 of 08-23



Here when the car started to smoke from the liner getting to hot and starting to melt. Seems like the leak was point to one location on the firewall.

 

No problem with the roll cage/helmet clearance? I recall that was a concern.

Drive Hard. Drive Safe. Keep Grinning.

 

Occasional rub, but not at all. Getting in and out with helmet alittle bit, but not really to. Need to practice the egress. Since i totally forgot to take tge wheel off in that little scared i had. The instructor got me more nervous then anything else.

 

Nice video.
Your run around the toe seemed perfectly normal for a MINI.

And a great day too!

Looks like you had a good time. Your line is pretty good. I noticed differences in the rules. With BMW, if you are a slower car being passed you stay on line and the overtaking car goes to the inside. I assume that they require a point by for all passes.

Nice, very nice!

 

There rules is with turn signal. You indicate where you are going to be and slow down. They also want you to keep your line and the passing car has to come off line to make the pass. I personally like this. If you car doesn't have turn signal they default to the old way of point bys.

Yah after watching other videos, I didn't do that bad and was able to carry good speed. I guess it was the fact that my foot was flat going up the T7 aka the toe.

This is why the interior started to smoke. Seems like the liner started to melt. Still haven't received the replacement EM, but as soon as i do, i will see if there is any additional damage. Crossing fingers that nothing else is wrong.

 

PM sent, looking to meet up and get some ideas from you. Steering wheel is a great idea for a next mod also.