As i cannot afford or find a GP of my own , i have set the goal of meeting or exceeding the GP's performance with my 06' MCS. I'm curious as to everyone's idea on how to meet this goal, what parts are most effective/efficient/safe and also what kind of money is involved with this project. So far i have pretty standard mods: CAI, 15% pulley, Cat-back Exhaust, rear seat delete, 15x7's 14lbs without tires, VGS, Air diverter w/ sprayer, engine damper, and the car came with sport package. I'd love to hear everyones input as i'm sure there are plenty of ways to get there, thanks.

 

im no mechanic but, ill start this off with a new head/cam combo, headers, high flo cat, a good ecu program/dyno tune, new springs, rear sway and a decent brake updrade (doesnt have to be a BBK).
as long s you have a good dyno tune all should be well. it will cost a pretty penny though.
just my opinion though so, wait for the other 300 posts to follow and im sure you will figure it out.

best of luck.

 

depends how you define meeting/beating performance.. purely numbers (dyno?), feel, lap times at the track? You really have to look at the whole car - engine, suspension, brakes as there are areas to modify your mini for all those areas. I was at a track day at mt tremblant a few days ago with a GP and was a few 10ths quicker over a whole lap. I pulled on the GP the first part of the straight, but it started pulling on me on the top end (i have a 03, so think its the difference in gearbox), GP brakes were stronger than my OEM replaced with higher performance parts, GP had camber plates while im stock, but new springs and rear sway. If you want to be quicker on the track the biggest variable is driver skill, so more seat time/schools! here's what I have done to my car, I think it's fairly even to the GP overall, but need to drive both back to back to really know. I do think ive saved $ modifying a MCS and getting GP level performance (also like the sleeper look better, but thats my opinion)

Engine - 15% pulley, alta CAI, engine dampner, coil pack, wires, colder plugs, full miltek exhaust - headers back

Suspension - h-sport springs and competition rear swaybar

Brakes - powerslot rotors, ferodo 2500 pads, brass caliper bushings, ATE superblue fliud

Tires - 225/50/15 Toyo RA-1's on 15" koesi K1's - track; 215/40/17 Goodyear F1-DSG3 on 17" OZ Superleggara rims - road

Other - Schroth 4 point harness

There's a list of areas i'd like to add parts, but am focusing cashflow on tracktime/schools

phil.

 

Element, I don't recall the GP coming with camber plates.......

 

sorry.... owner had camber plates + r-compounds.. think also a rear swaybar as we were talking about adjusting to reduce the snappy oversteer the camber plates dialed in with the increased grip up front.

phil.

 

Here's stock 02S with a 19% and my tune for it. This is an autocross tune that I developed. A GP is rated at 215 crank. If you take my whp and multiply it by 1.1, drivetrain loss, you see that I beat it by 10 hp and gobs of torque.
Total cost, $1200.


Enjoy.

 

How to beat a GP?

Mini Works recipe:
A good 15% pulley
A good Intake
A good Cat back Exhaust.
I Forgot (a good tune)

You want proof, ask SayGoodBye

 

It will take more than just that I'm afraid.

 

This tune utilizes the manipulation of the Torque Limiter which is considered by most NAM experts to be Internet myth, Believe me, it's no myth.

 

Plus the GP horsepower rating is at 7100 RPM. You're making 206 WHP at 300 fewer RPM. I don't know what the torque on your test car would have been like at 7100 RPM, but even if it dropped down to 156 lbf-ft, that would have still been good for 211 WHP.

 

Sorry guys we made a mistake,

our recipe applies only to How to beat a JCW,

Sorry again

 

To reply to one of the earlier threads asking in what ways i want to meet or beat the GP would be total package. Handling, straight line, reliability, If the two cars were driven back to back, i would like to come out saying my car is as good as the GP or better. And this thread isn't only for me, I'd like to come up with a sort of guide for all of us to see just how much we've added to the performance of our cars with our mods and i see the GP as a good benchmark, and it seems we've already have the formula for besting a JCW. I feel dyno runs only tell so much, lap time comparisons would be great

 

 

Leave me alone what I smoke in my own house is none of your business ...lol

I still know it would take more than those 3 things to "turn" an S into a GP.

 

Here is my personal comparison

SUSPENSION
GP suspension good, but not better than Koni yellows with any brand of Sport lowered springs.

BRAKES
GP uses stock JCW brakes, not better than stock rotors with Ferodo DS2500 pads.

ENGINE
GP does not pull stronger than some of the prepared R53's I have driven.

So here are my 2c,

1) The GP is really cool, we all know that

2) To purchase the specific GP parts and add them to a R53 will be very costly, so the price for the GP is not too bad after all.

3) Can someone built a R53 that will perform as well or better than the GP, at a reasonnable cost, the answer I believe is yes

Victor

 

 

I believe the correct math calculation would be to take the whp figure, 205.84 in this instance, and divide it by .89 which equals to 11% drivetrain loss. Hence even a larger number of 231.28 crank HP.

 

I think LDG is trying to be a bit conservative. Now, if he could just find that puller to do the pulley swap (inside joke).

 

oh john.... not all of us are just NAM experts.. some of us have worked hand in hand with MINI USA... building the worlds fastest minis. even have degrees! and all the unpossible cars I have built and yet never running your unicorn. I must be some kinda wizard. Ofcourse my car doesn't exsist either

and yes I am talkign about cars that had NO special attachments.. not even an AFC... hmmn... crazy... no .... MAGICAL!

what I really find interesting is that if you say "it can't be done" then you don't believe it... but if you do it... then it's bonded... LOL...

 

pffft what do you know.. yer not magical...

not really... I have made 200-205 many times with just that and a tune... but that was voo doo not magic

 

But as has been stated before YOUR A GOD

 

sigh yes yes! that's facinating!

but you know I'm not the only one... and if I am a god then Hubie is an UBER god... and Brain of furballed is now a god too... lets see who else.. well we know Jan is the devil.. but none the less a god....

frankly this is the same thing that happened back in 02... Hubie made 250 WHP with a MINI... and no one believed him.. infact NAM was so harsh about it he didn't post for a long time... I am tired of noobz coming around and the community has to take 10 steps back till they catch up... the reason this boths me is cause there are people who get caught up in it while it happens... and believe the trash that is being spit... and then one day they realize... wow... I got fooled... and then it is too late.. $ is taken.. and htey are left high and dry...

this has happened more than once over the years.. and is infact the reason I started doing this stuff my self... cuase this way people had someone to go to who wasn't trying to sell them anything.. just wanted to make sure they didn't get ripped off... cuase as I have told others many times... if I didn't know how to do this stuff I don't know what I would do...

god? no... magical.. .accually ... no... driven.. yes... and not stopping....

 

After spending close to 12k on just my motor, I can KILL a GP but if you just want to beat it or even with it, then here:
15% to 19% pulley
a custom tune on a dyno, with raised Rev limiter 7300 or so
intake and exhaust
Injectors 380's

You could do all this for $2000 and you already most of it. And you wheels are crazy light. So really maybe just a good tune $500 to $800

I think that is it. The TUNE and pulley are key. I gained more off a tune than anything 30whp.

Mario

 

Mario,
What makes you think you can KILL a GP?
Have you ever raced one on a track?

Willow Springs is coming up next month.... come on out

 

OH SNAP!

please say there is going to be some money on this!?! (and video! )