I disagree. Looks like it's work in progress to look something like this.

 

Nope they look like BF Goodrich Mud Terrains... Its a great tire just not on a lifted R53.
Scooter's Countryman could pull it off pretty good, or like Evasive said... If they are cloning the DSquared OFF ROAD MINI. Love it or hate it, it's happening.

With MINI now in the WRC and RALLY RAID, I forsee some cool rally clones in the future... OFF ROAD tires and all.



On a side note to EVASIVE and all the other SOCOM members in the springs: Hope you all are doing OK and staying out of the smoke.

 

Today, after having the MINI for a month, she got her first taste of being a grocery getter... I only had about 6 or 7 bags, and had to flip down the back seats. Not too bad, though, only getting used for groceries once in 3700 miles. I just wish I lived near more twisty roads.

 

But the rims look like plain black steelies like you'd use for mounting winter tires.

 

Installed the Alta BOV Spring Upgrade and impressed at what a spring really did to the R56. Amazing!

 

Went to Dairy Queen and had a Plasti Dipped cone ...

 

Passed this MINI going the other way on University near 44th St. on my way home from work.

C ya,
Dutch

 

I'm lucky to live on the eastern edge of Colorado springs, far far away from the fire. So at I have not heard of any SOCOM members directly impacted but we're all watching closely.

 

Good to hear.

 

Installed Oxspeed BOV spring - https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post3540305

 

Got pulled over on the way home from Applebee's for tail/brake lights not being red.

Upon closer inspection, the nice officer agreed that they were still a bit pinkish from fading. I told him about the original fogged stock units, and that these were aftermarket replacements I'd picked up used last year, and that I hadn't noticed that they'd faded, since I'm usually in the driver's seat.... He laughed, and didn't even write a repair order, he just suggested I fix it.

So, off to find a can of VHT Nightshades Red to make the tail/brake shine red again. Anyone know if they sell that at O'Reilly or similar parts stores?

C ya,
Dutch

 

That's awesome.

Dutch, I think you can even get nightshades red from Summit www.summitracing.com if you can't find it locally. Pretty common stuff, that. OR... go with red LED's for bulbage.

 

Good deal!
Sometimes LEO's want a closer look at an interesting car.
That happened to me once.
Could I spray my tail lights to make the orange go away?
TIA!

 

You guys could buy these overlays to a. get your lenses back to their original red and b. to get your lenses fully red. I bought them like a month ago for my 02 MC and it's held up through several storms and whatnot. I had to trim a tiny bit when i first put them on but that's about it. And the vinyl is thicker than I expected too so you can just tell off the bat its high-quality. And no i dont work for Lamin-X

http://www.lamin-x.com/Mini-Cooper-0...rs-p/mn205.htm

pics of my car:



looks oem. Also note the hairdryer in the first picture - the heat helps stretch the vinyl smoothly.

 

I think LEDs will be the short-term solution (unless I can find the Nightshades locally), because the local parts places have the cheap LED bulbs in stock. I want to get *something* done today, even if it's only a stop-gap. The nice ossifer didn't have to be cool about it, and who knows what mood the next one might be in.... I was looking at LED bulbs online, and at $15 to $35 apiece, it sure would be nice to be able to find 'em locally instead so I could decide if I like 'em before laying out that kind of ca$h....

Thanks!

C ya,
Dutch

 

Got curb rash on one of my black rims Gotta find my black Sharpie....again..

 

Took advice from other threads after feeling disgusted with the honeycomb insert in hood scoop and just took it out. Was really easy and looks great. Not to mention actually letting air get to engine compartment. Free mod!

 

Did you need to pop the hood scoop off?

 

Yes. there ie a fastener under the hood that holds the scoop on, then from the outside, you need to gently pry the scoop up, use something so you don't scratch the paint, remove the scoop, and remove the four screws holding the insert. Voilà.

 

Yes - its actually pretty easy to do. I think it looks good without the honeycomb, but am a little worried about leaves,etc getting into the engine compartment.
Check out here for more instructions...
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ood-scoop.html

 

I've got an R53 with a "working" hood scoop, and there was never a grill or anything in the scoop. I wouldn't worry about leaves or debris getting in there. Never had any problems. Occasionally a bug or 2 will collect on the intercooler, but a soft rinsing off when the engine is cool remedys the situation.
I think all S's look good with nothing in the scoop!

 

I got Tackleberry (2009 Astro Black MCS) and MIN MIN (HzBl 2010 MCS) cleaned up and we took them out for a little photo shoot.

 

Very nice MinMin2010!

 

Removed the aftermarket Altezza-styled tails and threw 'em in the dishwasher to clean them up.

Next step: Let 'em dry, then spray Red Nightshade tint inside the tail/brake and rear fog lenses to make them red again. After that, I will likely also lightly tint the whole thing to pull the plasticky-chrome look back a bit.

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I'm also considering spraying my rims with the Black Nightshade to get the transparent "smoked" thing going on over the silver. That should also serve to make brake dust a little less apparent than it is currently.... Any thoughts?

C ya,
Dutch

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What I ended up doing:
I looked at them after they were clean, and thought about it a bit, and just shot the whole outside lens and left the inner lenses alone. I have to say, I like the all-red look. I feel a *little* silly with amber bulbs in the turn signals, but I don't have clear ones to put in, and you really have to look *hard* to see that the turn signals are just a hair less red than the brake/tail and rear fogs.

 

Affixed my new WHEE!!! sticker to the rear boot window, passing side.