had my Enkei EDR 9 matte black wheels for around 2 weeks and today put a scrape in them parallel parking......ugh. Concrete curb did a number on them. Have contacted both tirerack.com and Enkei about how to fix. While I wait for responses, anyone have any ideas? Would really appreciate any suggestions...erg...

 

Yea, don't hit curbs.
I've got some Enkei WMD's. Love 'em.
Don't know what I'd do if I did scrap 'em. Probably find some
gun metal grey paint and have at it.
Good luck on a fix. Should be fixable with a little effort.

 

Someone in my MINI club had real bad curb rash on two wheels. He fixed it with JB Weld, silver spray paint and clear spray paint. They looked real good.

Dave

 

Thanks, Dave, that sounds good and very helpful. Just need to figure out color of paint

 

added over the last couple weeks



PIAA Driving lights



swapped out the orange side scuttles for white



a new graphic for the rear side windows



Love the new Garmin 1390LMT




with the Ecoroute HD

 

Installed front mudflaps - hope they help keep a little of the dirt off of the sides of the car!

 

This qualifies as something I did to my Mini as well, only my wheels are silver BBS's and matching the silver paint was an exercise!

The aluminum is actually pretty soft compared to ,say, sandpaper, so you can CAREFULLY sand down (or Dremel-sanding-drum) the area if it's "bumpy" so that it's smooth again - don't worry about the finish getting all silvery on the black background, it's rashed anyway.

Once it's reasonably smooth, you can do 2 things:
1) It's black, so just paint it and from 2' away nobody will notice (see below for painting technique), or
2) get a little JB Weld (2-part epoxy) and, wearing nitrile gloves, mix it together with a toothpick or nail, then apply and mold to the shape desired - this is what wheel-fix shops do for rash. Once it's "close", allow to dry (be PATIENT!) and sand to perfectly match the texture or shape of the wheel lip or spoke or whatever's rashed up.

Now... the color: On a matte black wheel the challenge isn't so much matching the black, it's matching the "matte". I've had really good luck with acrylic "bumper paint", available at most automotive stores. Alternatively, check Rust-Oleum's "satin" black, or automotive store "black trim paint".

Hopefully you saved a little JB Weld, using that (or something similar in color to the silver background on the wheel), do a "test spray" to determine if you've got a good color/matte match.

Then... mask everything (including the tire, it's awfully ugly to get paint on a tire!) except the repaired area of the wheel, and spray a VERY LIGHT first coat. VERY light, as in "barely and incompletely covers the base color". Now - this is IMPORTANT: Go have a beer (or Mimosa, or go hug your chihuahua) for 10 minutes. Come back and do another VERY LIGHT coat. Go repeat your 10-minute activity of choice. Heck, for any activity lasting longer than 10 minutes, go see your doctor... umm... no, don't wait longer than say 1/2 hour so the paint bonds well to itself. Give it one last coat (repeat as necessary). THIN coats and a LOT of patience is PARAMOUNT to avoid drippage and having to do the wholedamthing again!

You can also use automotive touch-up paint (the brush-on kind), as it also has some scratch-filling properties (which is nice) but matching the matte may be a challenge.

Hope that helps!

 

DixonL2, thanks so much for the detailed info! Husband convinced me to order another wheel from tire rack. He was worried the rim might be compromised(I am pretty sure it's not) Not much was scraped off, but he scared me. So mad at myself!!!

Appreciate you taking the time!

 

Fantastic looking car! I have a question about what is showing on your Garmin: How did you accomplish this? I'm not familiar at all with integrating a Garmin with the ODB port on the car. This looks so awesome!

 

Yep, that's my set up, only I have a Garmin Friction Mount on my dash, it's only there when needed though, the mount actually fits quite nicely between the seat rail and gear shift hump!!

 

The Ecoroute HD is a bluetooth device that plugs into OBDII port and pairs with the GPS -- I think there are 8 gauges, you just touch one of the gauges and you can select a different one. It will also give you any codes that have been thrown and the ability to clear them. The GPS is one of the easiest that I have used. I didn't take a picture of the screen, but I have a liquid yellow mini, white top with sunroof as my vehicle. The phone option paired to my cell is great, good volume ,driver, passenger or both can talk and listen.

 

fyi the mount is cravenspeeds -- good postion and no vibrations at all.

 

Got my Helix FMIC today cant wait to do the install tomorrow

 

Installed new boot hinges, (Which by the way was a nightmare!) and re-routed cables while the panels were off. If you ever have to replace your hinges, research it first, and plan on spending some time on it! I researched, and it was still a nightmare! I did get it done, didn't break anything and didnt have any trouble putting the car back together, so it was a success!

 

.

 

Got my stuff from Detroit Tuned Thursday:
15% Pulley kit w/NGK Iridium Plugs, new Belt and Tensioner stop
DDM CAI
Belt Line Black Out Kit
Stubby Antenna

also got a paint touch-up kit from the dealer.

Installed the DDM Cold Air Intake in anticipation of the Pulley install next week. Don't notice any change in performance, but when the throttle is opened up there is now a sound like there's a banshee stuffed into that little box and she wants out badly.

Gotta love the Craven Speed install instructions with the pulley. 4 steps:
1. Lift the engine with one hand
2. Take the old pulley off with the other
3. Install the new pulley and belt and tensioner stop
4. Drive the car

Kellen (Craven Speed) told me Chad Miller (Detroit Tuned) can do this blindfolded. In the rain. Naked. In under an hour.

Might be worth flying him out for an afternoon just to see him do it. But it doesn't rain much here.

What I don't understand is why Craven Speed doesn't included a DECAL with the pulley. Major oversight.

Oh! forgot to mention I did install the Stubby. Very cute and the radio still works.

 

Over the past weeks I have done a good deal to my new to me MINI, WMW Ignition kit, side marker tint, belt line black out kit, stubby antenna, Ian Cull circuit and just yesterday, tint.

Looking good for 109k on the clock
http://www.flickr.com/photos/grmncrsnbr/6314017546/http://www.flickr.com/photos/grmncrsnbr/6314017546/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/grmncrsnbr/, on Flickr

 

Turned over 800 miles today.

Got my homemade bracket installed on the back of the tach, and got my ScanGauge installed on the bracket.

 

Pictures!

Dave

 

Did my first oil change on Saturday and at the same time installed the NM torque strut bushing. The hardest part of the whole thing was figuring out how to reset the damn maint reminder! Drove the car with the new bushings in for the last day or two and there is a real difference!

 

I really like the red beltline and the "Self Preservation Society" decal

 

Sorry, been a lazy *ss about that. I traced out something shaped mostly like the letter 'P', located the screw holes on the back of the tach, and then cut the part out of ABS plastic that I got at my local "fantastic plastic place". The ABS is thin so it bends to conform to the curve on the back of the gauge, which I didn't realize was there. I drilled the mounting holes slightly oversize to give a little room for adjustment (AKA "me not being completely precise with the hole placement") and then screwed it in using oversize screws in the back of the tach.

I found out I didn't leave enough room for the wire connector coming out the side, so I took it out again and cut a square hole through the leg of the "P" for the connector to go through into the rear port on the gauge.

I had to cut one of the oversize screws to go into the right-side hole in the tach. It was just too much hassle running the longer screw down the whole way, even with my nifty ratcheting offset screwdriver.

I will probably dig out a permanent marker and make the screw-heads black to they don't stand out as much.

I had to partly unscrew the left side screw as the leg of the 'P' that was holding the gauge was tilted toward me too much, potentially interfering with the turn signal stalk.

Pics later.

 

Got the Mr. Beanmobile inspected and it passed then came home and tinted the windows

 

Got new tires to replace the fronts. Switched up from Yokohama S-Drive to Continental Extreme Content DW. The remaining Yokos are now up front, and the back end got the Contis.

So far, after the first 20 miles, it seems that the Contis hook up a lot better in the back than the Yokos ever did. I'll probably replace the remaining two Yokos with Contis when they wear out....

C ya,
Dutch

 

OK, Dave, here you go!

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-ii-mount.html