Fireballed! STREET TUNER CHALLENGE HotThread
6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,054
Likes: 10
I didn't hear any mention of the ****, but I'd bet that it was wicked cool, given who asked that question!
I just watched the final episode last night and was disappointed in the final result. I was wondering how they were going to pull off the engine tune so quickly on a motor that hadn't had much time for the tuning community to experiment with and dial in the approach. With the increase in sensor count and computing power in modern cars, I'm amazed every time someone can figure out how to wring massive HP gains from a stock engine. I think that the Focus guys experienced some of the same problems with a newly redesigned motor, but the opinion that I got from watching the show made it seem that they were more tied in with Ford corporate than FBR was with MINI to get help with the systems.
As someone who kicked in on the 'community involvement' aspect of the FBR car (1"x1" square photos sold), I was disappointed that it didn't come out on air... it sounded like a great idea that just wasn't followed through on (or just didn't take).
The FBR design took a while for me to 'get', but it grew on me. I'll give 'em "props" for stepping up and pushing the envelope in terms of styling and design.
I just watched the final episode last night and was disappointed in the final result. I was wondering how they were going to pull off the engine tune so quickly on a motor that hadn't had much time for the tuning community to experiment with and dial in the approach. With the increase in sensor count and computing power in modern cars, I'm amazed every time someone can figure out how to wring massive HP gains from a stock engine. I think that the Focus guys experienced some of the same problems with a newly redesigned motor, but the opinion that I got from watching the show made it seem that they were more tied in with Ford corporate than FBR was with MINI to get help with the systems.
As someone who kicked in on the 'community involvement' aspect of the FBR car (1"x1" square photos sold), I was disappointed that it didn't come out on air... it sounded like a great idea that just wasn't followed through on (or just didn't take).
The FBR design took a while for me to 'get', but it grew on me. I'll give 'em "props" for stepping up and pushing the envelope in terms of styling and design.
Last edited by agranger; Jan 31, 2008 at 08:51 AM.
2nd Gear
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
From: Cincinnati OH
I haven't watched much the show. (I don't have cable tv.) Even hearing the disappointment I still want to watch (anyone have a link to the show somewhere on the net? pm me)
I did catch a part of a episode where the focus wouldn't start. They called Ford. Why did team mini call MINIUSA. I sure they would have helped with the software.
With the numbers that Alta is getting from their level 1 type mods I am sure the R56 could be a beast.
I did catch a part of a episode where the focus wouldn't start. They called Ford. Why did team mini call MINIUSA. I sure they would have helped with the software.
With the numbers that Alta is getting from their level 1 type mods I am sure the R56 could be a beast.
5th Gear
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 880
Likes: 0
From: florida
Good Morning !
For those of you who either know the story or know how hard it really is to do something like that I thank you for your support. For those with nothing but negative to say I also thank you for your opinion weather you know the story or are right or not doesn't matter but your perception of how things are/were is clear and in the real world all we have is perception and results..
For the disappointed, I am also disappointed but it is what it is and if you know what we had to work with and work through to even get where we did you might be impressed instead of disappointed. I wont go into details because its not the right thing to do but I will say Hubie and I , Andy and a couple others really busted *** on that car even though it didn't get finished the way we hoped.
As for the choice of car that was mini's choice to use an r56 not ours.
With all that said I am definitely no longer a part of FIREBALED I just couldn't take it any more...no details but I am done! But don't expect me to disappear any time soon though! I was actually done by week 8 or so but because we committed to the show and the build we stayed and finished best we could with what we had.
Everyone has sucesses and well...less than successes ROFLMAO! Just for the record the dyno numbers were ah well not exact....LOL ( for the mini )
Thanks again for the support!
For those of you who either know the story or know how hard it really is to do something like that I thank you for your support. For those with nothing but negative to say I also thank you for your opinion weather you know the story or are right or not doesn't matter but your perception of how things are/were is clear and in the real world all we have is perception and results..
For the disappointed, I am also disappointed but it is what it is and if you know what we had to work with and work through to even get where we did you might be impressed instead of disappointed. I wont go into details because its not the right thing to do but I will say Hubie and I , Andy and a couple others really busted *** on that car even though it didn't get finished the way we hoped.
As for the choice of car that was mini's choice to use an r56 not ours.
With all that said I am definitely no longer a part of FIREBALED I just couldn't take it any more...no details but I am done! But don't expect me to disappear any time soon though! I was actually done by week 8 or so but because we committed to the show and the build we stayed and finished best we could with what we had.
Everyone has sucesses and well...less than successes ROFLMAO! Just for the record the dyno numbers were ah well not exact....LOL ( for the mini )
Thanks again for the support!
I didn't hear any mention of the ****, but I'd bet that it was wicked cool, given who asked that question!
I just watched the final episode last night and was disappointed in the final result. I was wondering how they were going to pull off the engine tune so quickly on a motor that hadn't had much time for the tuning community to experiment with and dial in the approach. With the increase in sensor count and computing power in modern cars, I'm amazed every time someone can figure out how to wring massive HP gains from a stock engine. I think that the Focus guys experienced some of the same problems with a newly redesigned motor, but the opinion that I got from watching the show made it seem that they were more tied in with Ford corporate than FBR was with MINI to get help with the systems.
As someone who kicked in on the 'community involvement' aspect of the FBR car (1"x1" square photos sold), I was disappointed that it didn't come out on air... it sounded like a great idea that just wasn't followed through on (or just didn't take).
The FBR design took a while for me to 'get', but it grew on me. I'll give 'em "props" for stepping up and pushing the envelope in terms of styling and design.
I just watched the final episode last night and was disappointed in the final result. I was wondering how they were going to pull off the engine tune so quickly on a motor that hadn't had much time for the tuning community to experiment with and dial in the approach. With the increase in sensor count and computing power in modern cars, I'm amazed every time someone can figure out how to wring massive HP gains from a stock engine. I think that the Focus guys experienced some of the same problems with a newly redesigned motor, but the opinion that I got from watching the show made it seem that they were more tied in with Ford corporate than FBR was with MINI to get help with the systems.
As someone who kicked in on the 'community involvement' aspect of the FBR car (1"x1" square photos sold), I was disappointed that it didn't come out on air... it sounded like a great idea that just wasn't followed through on (or just didn't take).
The FBR design took a while for me to 'get', but it grew on me. I'll give 'em "props" for stepping up and pushing the envelope in terms of styling and design.
I caught a couple quickie shots of it on two different episodes; but that wasn't quite what we had agreed to (or what I paid for).
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,398
Likes: 0
From: Orange County, NY
I fell bad for Doug at Whalen. He makes awesome stuff and gets stiffed by some show boating clown,...cough cough Firebal Tim. Perhaps this is a chance for Fireball Tim to take up something else and leave the MINI
community in his past. You have made a fool out of you business and yourself. You have also succeeded in making the MINI community look silly. Thank you for the high hopes and the **** poor results.
community in his past. You have made a fool out of you business and yourself. You have also succeeded in making the MINI community look silly. Thank you for the high hopes and the **** poor results.
6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,054
Likes: 10
You know... No matter what you think of FBT or FBR, Tim doesn't get to decide what footage goes in the show. It's very possible that he plugged Waylan's custom shift **** but it got left on the editing room floor.
Last edited by agranger; Jan 31, 2008 at 12:15 PM.
With all the experience FBT has building insane R53's, why on earth would they want to start with a brand new R56? Screw the free "donor car" from MINI USA; he should've started with one of his tried-and-true custom R53 cars. Cars he can make 400 HP with in his sleep!
The MINI aftermarket took years to crack the code of the R53 ECU. What made them think they could fool the new one on the R56 in 10 weeks???
Arrogance and overconfidence...
The engine truly had some sick power mods, but if the ECU isn't cooperating, what's the use???
This loss is really damaging to the MINI tuners, and the MINI community in general. They had a chance to prove our cars to the world out there, and somebody at FBT and/or MINI USA dropped the ball.
Too much clowning around on set, too much building remote-control rovers. Build a fast MINI!!!
And lastly, where the heck was the picture I paid to have painted on the side of that car? I want my money back, Tim!
The MINI aftermarket took years to crack the code of the R53 ECU. What made them think they could fool the new one on the R56 in 10 weeks???
Arrogance and overconfidence...
The engine truly had some sick power mods, but if the ECU isn't cooperating, what's the use???
This loss is really damaging to the MINI tuners, and the MINI community in general. They had a chance to prove our cars to the world out there, and somebody at FBT and/or MINI USA dropped the ball.
Too much clowning around on set, too much building remote-control rovers. Build a fast MINI!!!
And lastly, where the heck was the picture I paid to have painted on the side of that car? I want my money back, Tim!
The thing is, when an agreement has been reached and money (even if it's "payment in kind") has been exchanged, the agreement should be honored.
I've already said too much; I'm going away now...
6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,054
Likes: 10
The photos were included in the build. There is a firewall just behind the front seat. Our photos were put on the passenger side... I'll see if I can find a link to the photo that I saw a few weeks ago.
Turbius Maximus
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,416
Likes: 0
From: Infinity and beyond
you keep saying HE.... well HE as in tim has NOTHING to do with power mods... tuning.. or anything other than making (as a mom said after seeing allot of his designs) clown cars
6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,054
Likes: 10
No worries. I kinda feel forgotten about on this as well. It wouuld have been real easy to send a link to this photo to the people who contributed via email with a short thank-you note... Tim comes on to my local MINI board every now and then and he directed me to the photo when I asked a very similar question.
