cometgirl63 - You can change your exhaust from the catalytic converter back and still stay in SCCA stock class. ... and welcome to the world of autox. Your Sundays will now belong to your MINI. :smile:


I tried to get my daughter interested in autox and she would have nothing to do with it. Now my 12-year-old stepdaughter is a car nut. There is great hope for this one.

 

The SS+ springs cost $300 from Classic MINI in Mentor and they are cheaper than my local parts counter even with shipping. Was it worth it? I would have to say yes. I bought a Cooper instead of a MCS to have a nationally competetive car (the MCS was in DStock early last year). I had to choose from what was available on the lot and make up for shortcomings with some research and an understanding wife. If I had to do it all over again, I would order the car the way I want and save the time and effort to get the car to be spot-on. Even if I had ordered the car with the SS+, I would change the front bar to the non SS+ and put Koni shocks on, so either way the amount of work required would be about equal, but it would be cheaper to order a car and I would not have 70# of sunroof.
If you are thinking of upgrading the springs, try to get the Konis at the same time. This will save you money in labor. The Konis are $600 from RSpeed and they can do the install for you. Add an RSpeed exhaust and you are in like Flynn. A word of caution, the SS+ springs are stiffer and the non SS+ shocks may not be able to handle the increased rates at the limit, especially if you have the newer shocks.
Good luck next year, hope to see you in Topeka.
Chris

 

thanks for the info Chris and traveler.

so, I thought I was going to score with the free MCS rear sway bar and springs. but I can't do the sway bar without buying the $300 springs plus I need to get the Koni shocks at $600, and while I'm at it a new exhaust, which I just checked out, another $500. so, I go from free to $1400 plus labor. crap. anything that sounds too good to be true... :smile:

amanda

 

>>>>>> IMHO the regular Cooper suspension is not at a big disadvantage in HS....
>>>>
>>>>I seem to remember that Mark Chiles is running the regular suspension (with fancy shocks, of course), if that is correct, first a nats isn't too bad.
>>
>>Not to debate his obvious talent for preparing a "Stock" vehicle but I would venture to say the SS+ is an advantage for most people in the stock class. Mark Chiles is an exception to the rule as he is one of the only drivers I know of that runs the early generation suspension......He also seems to have the ability to make his vehicle sit 1/2" lower then other comparably equipped cars is HS. I'm still trying to figure out that trick. I know just installing Koni's doesn't do it.......
>>
>>Stuart

FYI

Marks 02 MINI has the regular suspension (bought off the lot)... the 03 car (custom ordered by Mark) has SS+.... Mark Claims both cars run nearly identical times when run back to back.... as for sitting low... I would bet his Konis are De-gassed.... something I may do when I actually have the cash for a set of Konis...

 

>>Marks 02 MINI has the regular suspension (bought off the lot)... the 03 car (custom ordered by Mark) has SS+.... Mark Claims both cars run nearly identical times when run back to back.... as for sitting low... I would bet his Konis are De-gassed.... something I may do when I actually have the cash for a set of Konis...
>>

That's interesting......I was wondering why he would order a MINI without SS+. If for no other reason then to get the bigger rear bar.

I've heard about the not running any gas in your shocks to get the car to sit lower. I think the obvious advantage of having a lower car might overcome a vehicles want to push while sitting on the bumpstops. Maybe it's not that big of a deal.... Anyone know how much a set of custom valve Koni's would cost. I'm guessing I could probably get a set built for $1200.

 

>>>>Marks 02 MINI has the regular suspension (bought off the lot)... the 03 car (custom ordered by Mark) has SS+.... Mark Claims both cars run nearly identical times when run back to back.... as for sitting low... I would bet his Konis are De-gassed.... something I may do when I actually have the cash for a set of Konis...
>>>>
>>
>>That's interesting......I was wondering why he would order a MINI without SS+. If for no other reason then to get the bigger rear bar.
>>
>>I've heard about the not running any gas in your shocks to get the car to sit lower. I think the obvious advantage of having a lower car might overcome a vehicles want to push while sitting on the bumpstops. Maybe it's not that big of a deal.... Anyone know how much a set of custom valve Koni's would cost. I'm guessing I could probably get a set built for $1200.

The car he ordered does have SS+ his older 02 mini is a no option car he bought out of dealer inventory....

 

Custom valved Konis go for about $1200 a pair. I have checked into it, but my meager racing budget is better spent chasing an adjustable bar for the front.
Chris

 

I tried to have an adjustable bar made for the MINI, but it looks like it is a lost cause. They say anything is possible with enough money, but the gains for a softer bar are way too expensive. I went to All German Auto in Escondido and talked to Martin Christensen the owner and he put my car on a lift. We talked through the options. I learned more from the 15 minutes under my car talking to Martin than I have in the last 12 months of forum chatter. The problem is the unique shape of the bar and the stock endlinks.
Changing the mounting points into a slider type mounts will not allow enough movement to make a discernable change.
Heating a bar to anneal (un-heat treating) the bar will leave it very susceptible to breakage (this was my suggestion, Martin dismissed it immediately)
A custom fabricated bar made from thinner stock would be in at least $1000.
One suggestion was to sandblast the stock bar until its' diameter decreases.
Another suggestion was to change the direction of the bar ends to be perpendicular to the bumpers of the car, and making adjustable sleeves. The sleeves would have to move so far forward as to hit the drive shafts.
One suggestion that would work but are outside of the G/H stock rules was to fabricate u brackets to attach smaller endlinks that go from the control arm to the sway. (no attachment to the struts).
If anyone else is chasing this and finds a solution, I am willing to help with some development costs, for an easy to adjust softer front bar.
Chris

 

>>I tried to have an adjustable bar made for the MINI, but it looks like it is a lost cause. They say anything is possible with enough money, but the gains for a softer bar are way too expensive. I went to All German Auto in Escondido and talked to Martin Christensen the owner and he put my car on a lift. We talked through the options. I learned more from the 15 minutes under my car talking to Martin than I have in the last 12 months of forum chatter. The problem is the unique shape of the bar and the stock endlinks.
>>Changing the mounting points into a slider type mounts will not allow enough movement to make a discernable change.
>>Heating a bar to anneal (un-heat treating) the bar will leave it very susceptible to breakage (this was my suggestion, Martin dismissed it immediately)
>>A custom fabricated bar made from thinner stock would be in at least $1000.
>>One suggestion was to sandblast the stock bar until its' diameter decreases.
>>Another suggestion was to change the direction of the bar ends to be perpendicular to the bumpers of the car, and making adjustable sleeves. The sleeves would have to move so far forward as to hit the drive shafts.
>>One suggestion that would work but are outside of the G/H stock rules was to fabricate u brackets to attach smaller endlinks that go from the control arm to the sway. (no attachment to the struts).
>>If anyone else is chasing this and finds a solution, I am willing to help with some development costs, for an easy to adjust softer front bar.
>>Chris
>>

Great info Chris........Looks like going with the non SS+ bar is the best bet at this time. Not that it is really necassary to be competiive.

Stuart