'Seibon OEM style carbon fiber hood: 672.00 I have one. Know though that its a glass matt construction with a carbon top layer. I think I would skin the stock hood first, and I mean SKIN IT... "

I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED ONE OF THESE CF BONNET AND HATCH, NOW THAT DREAM JUST GOT SHATTERED- I THOUGHT THEY WERE 100% CARBON FIBER NOT A GIANT STICKER OVER YOUR HOOD. I WONDER IF THE ONES MADE BY VIS RACING ARE REAL CF? I WONDER WHAT THE WEIGHT IS COMPARED TO STOCK ON A CF HOOD AND A HATCH?

YOU MIGHT WANT TO START ASKING JAN AND FOLKS AT HELIX ABOUT WHAT THE DIRECTION TO TAKE CAR, YOUR BUDGET AND ASK THEM TO MAKE YOUR CAR A PROJECT. YA GET A BETTER DEALS ON LABOR/INSTALLS IF THEY FEEL SOME "OWNERSHIP" TO THE CAR, THE ONLY DOWNSIDE IS YA GOTTA ARGUE CERTAIN PART INSTALLS THEY DON'T AGREE WITH OR SAY ARE WAIST OF MONEY, IE: CRANK PULLEY, FRONT SWAY, DTBPV VS. HIM ADJUSTING STOCKER, SCREMIN DEMON, THROTTLE BODY,ETC. I KNOW THEY PROBABLY RIGHT.

SPEAKING IF THESE ITEMS HOW BOUT A BRAILE CF BATTERY 11.4LBS AND LIGHTER WHEELS LIKE SSR COMP. OR THEIR NEW ONES COMP-R OR MOTEGI TRACKLITE2.0
HEY DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR GONNA BE FOR BASIC AND TRAINING OR WHERE YOU'LL BE STATIONED. TRY FOR CA ALOT OF AF BASES OUT HERE.

 

My Man UKSUV is 100% correct about PJ school. If you washout or injure yourself and cannot complete training you will not get to keep your bonus and may be involuntary cross-trained into something you don't want to do (cop or cook ). Be patient and get your mods done after you earn your beret.

 

Good points about spending a bonus before it's in the bank. But to the mods:
1. If I could trade half my mods for the equivalent in hours on the track, I would. I am money rich and time poor, hence I spend bunches on my car and drive it very little. Hey, that's life. Might be like yours.
2. The TSW X Brace is a very impressive piece. I have yet to install mine, as I am busy paying for it...but it sure *looks* like it's going to work.
3. The real advantage of M7 COs is that the dampers are adjustable at the bottom of the shocks. The problem is that the rears are not independently height adjustable. Keep this in mind.
4. The TCE BBK is amazing.
5. Engine mods should be integrated using a systems approach. Talk with Jan about this--he's the man.
6. Beware the bling. I've yet to see any evidence the APD does anything, for example. And Todd at TCE wouldn't recommend brake ducts, I don't think.
7. More, perhaps, I just ran out of gas...

Consider that in the end you'll have a very modified Mini Cooper S, that's all. What about a BMW 135i instead?

And I hope you have time in the AF to drive your car!
Good luck, in everything.

 

Yikes, stop yellin!
The VIS is the same hood as far as I know. So I would check it out yourself before you take what I say as total fact.
No matter, the hoods are quite a bit lighter then stock, and can be made lighter. The rear hatch is also quite a bit lighter then stock.

I've had the Braille battery, not CF though. The weight saved with the CF is really nill. I would never buy one of these batteries again, lucky the first one was given to me by the local tune shop.
I stand behind what I use now and thats the Odyssey. More power and much longer lasting. Note the Braille is the exact same as the Deka, but a whole lot more $$.

 

Dingdingding!

To the OP - congrats and enjoy your car when all's said and done. Sounds like you're going to have a beast on your hands.

mb

 

MSF: I noticed you mentioned a few of our products in your OP. I consider it flattering when ANYONE decides to spend their hard earned dough on my parts! So for that thank you! (Especially in your case!)

You also mentioned that you might not try the ALTA Short Shifter since oyu haven't dealt with us before. I truly welcome you to check us out. We have been in the MINI game since even before the cars got here. Our products have been "mirrored" by MANY companies so you know we must be doing something right when you get that kind of flattery. But seriously, give me and my staff a shot to impress you with our level of customer service, etc.

Happy to help in anyway I can (tech support, prepurchase questions etc. Even if it is on a part we don't make. I hate to see people mis spend their hard earned money, or buy something they really DON'T need, but another vendor pushed to sell it just to make the sale.) We have a very laid back attitude and no hard sell.

Thanks again for considering ALTA and have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

MSF - it is true the guys at ALTA are very interested in helping you achieve your goals if you are going to use their parts.
What I like about them is their customer service. Good example to many vendors.

 

I noticed the mention of the 05-06 tranny. What is gained by using the earlier transmission? And S Fun, I hope the Air Force does not you send you far away from your modified Mini. Having such a radically prepared car and not being able to drive it would be tough!

Cheers,
Joe


Cheers,

Joe Stephenson

 

Well...the stock hood is very heavy and awkward. I almost dropped a nugget when I picked mine up. I could pick the ViS hood up with my pinky so I would say its just a smidge lighter. I think it was like 20lbs lighter or more. Seibon has a molded hood scoop as the ViS is not. I LOVE my ViS hood. As far as the batteries go....I swear by the Deka but I drained it when I wasnt using it and had to get an Odyssey. The PC680 O-battery only lasted a month before it died... . So at the moment I am running a heavy Duralast until I can run the Deka again.:impatient. But turbo be thy goal and its gonna have to go into the trunk anyways when I do the motor swap....

 

Thanks maaaaan... . LOL...cop or cook is it in today's AF if you are a forced cross-trainee.

 

Hey thanks!


graphicjoe: Most schools of thought prefer the later transmission as it has closer ratios and is more fun to drive. But if you are a drag racer the early cars, stay in one gear longer and thus less shifting. (The old powerglide vs. TH400 or TH350 if you are into the Chevy scene.) My preference has been with the later trans. Just my two cents though!

 

come on...I spent 4 years as a cop (Offutt AFB, Al Jaber Kuwait, Thule Greenland) as long as your not sitting on an entry gate its not that bad. I can attest to the odds of being "washed" out of PJ's or Combat Controler...very very difficult!

 

Well I have done more looking and got rid of some stuff and added other things.

Exterior

Way brake ducts
Joey Mod
Moss tow hook
Craft square mirrors
PU wing extension
Jcw rear hatch handle
M7 ram air scoop

Interior

Jcw e-brake handle
Racaro Integra type r seats
Race steering wheel ( not sure which one)
Passenger scroth harness

Suspension

Cross coilovers
Front and rear sway bar endlinks
Work emotion wheels 17x7
Work Lugs
Stoptech BBK

Power

RMW head
RMW cam
RMW header
RMW 440's
upgraded clutch
quiefe lsd
b&m short throw


Muahhaha

 

I'd add the Cabrio diagonal strut braces: it's the best price-performance suspension tweak out there - nearly as big an improvement as the OMP lower strut brace.

 

Funny you should say that, I have those on order through my local dealer

 

I am interested in picking up the cabrio braces and can not find the part numbers for them, even on the RealOEM.com site. Would you post the part numbers?

Thanks.

 

I see you have talked with Jan then. GREAT choice! With these and his tune I believe 240-250HP is possible

Just so you know, if you do opt for an aftermarket lightened flywheel, you have to take the bad with the good. Everyone I know (myself included) have this rattle sound at every stop unless you have the clutch depressed. But, I will say that the motor seems to REV like crazy with the less rotating mass.

 

You just need to talk with Peter (M7), that's all.