Has anyone done this? Maybe relocate the battery to the boot and put a straight exhaust like on the R56 mini coopers? How easy is this and how great of a performance gain could be expected? Don't expect it would be too complicated, just wanted to see.

As part of the R53 M7 Diffuser conversion, a battery box delete and straight through exhaust is necessary. You will start the process by cutting out the battery box, this process entails you using a reciprocating saw or similar device. Make a plan and lay out the cut lines (remember that you need a lip to attach the cover plate). We will offer a plate in our kit, but you can get an aluminum plate, drill some holes around the perifery for the rivets.

Lay down the plate over the hole. counter drill for the rivets (approx 20)
get some RTV and apply around the opening, this will prevent any water to enter in to the trunk. Rivet the plate in and Voila' your done. As for a straight through exhaust You'll be looking for something custom, but with that said you will be using the better part of the system you have on the car currently. so adding the extra muffler is cake....Really

Feel free to call me if you need any additional help.

Peter
M7 tuning
562-608-8123

Making a straight exhaust would be fairly easy, magnaflow mufflers etc, has anyone relocated their batteries? PICS>>????

Jack

Straight through exhaust will be VERY loud. Trust me. Danny @ MINICORSA did this (Cut his battery box out) and his exhaust consists only of resonators, there is about 6 inches total piping on the whole thing, the rest is a series of resonators. Haha. It's still very loud.

Give him a call, I'm sure he'd be glad to help.

Kind of like how SLP does their exhaust...

I appreciate it, you may be getting a call in a few weeks.

I'm confidant that I can and will do this. I can do the battery relocate easy with tools from my dad's shop. Plus doesn't seem like the exhaust work would be more than 100$ at the muffler shop in town.

rustyboy,
Loud as in illegal loud, loud as in ricer loud?

Does anyone have pics of this job? I'd really appreciate it.

It's a LOT louder than mine, and I've been told by many people that my exhaust is obnoxiously loud. At 4k+ rpm's under load (up hill, etc) you have to yell with all the windows closed to talk in the car. Danny's car is quite a bit louder than mine.

I personally think his exhaust is too loud (And that's saying something!) but to each their own.

I can shoot some pictures on Monday, I should be down at the shop.

If this straight design is so much louder than stock, how did MINI manage to make the exhaust so quiet on the R56?

The R56 is Turbocharged. The Turbo uses the exhaust to create power, thus it muffles it quite a bit. This is why to a certain extent larger piping quiets the exhaust down on a turbo car. The stock exhaust on the R56 is also quite restrictive.

theWing don't worry, there are ways to keep that noise down with a straight through system. I tell you when you call me..

peter
M7 Tuning
562-608-8123

Ive ran completely straight exhaust with NOTHING the whole way back and drove 8 hours to Jan, so no matter what exhaust I set up next nothing will compare, I had Jan wearing ear plugs when he tuned it.

Jack

I think that answered my question!

oh u mean this??

Not your average job as this is a race car but you'll get the idea....

That exhaust looks clean. Is that the battery just turned sideways from its original position?

Here is an average removal of a battery box. I used a spot weld cutter to drop out the box and then riveted in an aluminum plate and mounted a new 11.5 pound battery on top. Works great. Not to loud using a Super Sprint center pipe with resonator and a Borla turbo muffler.

I think I got them posted now.

How is the ground clearance with the borla muffler vertical like that?
That seems like the best solution. I assume borla makes that muffler with intentions of keeping the straight turbo system quiet. Plus there is a supersprint centerpipe and resonator on ebay right now going for CHEAP that I may have to snag...

The ground clearance is not an issue. The muffler I used (40659) has an offset/center inlet and outlet. I use the offset for the inlet and the center as the exit. This is due to the need for about a 2.5 inch elevation gain needed to keep the tip level when it exits.

Damn you for that!!!!


Jack

Not-so-redandwhitecooper (Rick) did a box cut out and straight pipe. He sold his MINI, but you should be able to find some info pics and videos in his previous posts if you run a search.

Here are some pics of my recently finished straight through exhaust. Used the bottom of the battery box to patch the hole. Then used some Cool It mat form ThermoTec for insulation, with RTV to seal the seam after welding.

I demand a sound clip!!!!!!!!

And how am I supposed to do that?