Mounted my snows on today. Hoping for snow NOW!

 

Nothing (aside from driving).

I *tried* to change the oil, only to find the drain plug is just not willing to let go and the head's a little frumpy. I'm glad I didn't take the oil filter apart before draining the oil in the pan!

Tomorrow I'll be buying a new drain plug and attacking this one with a bit more vigor and a 1/2" wrench tapped onto the head to get a better grip....

C ya,
Dutch

 

Got my stuff from Outmotoring! NM Torque Arm insert, new side scuttles, some tinting film for the reflectors on the fenders, and attempt two at plastidipping all the chrome on my car.

Pretty stoked! It's supposed to be upper 60's today!

 

Added revised custom air box, finished BSH OCC install

 

Took Tackleberry to its first car show today. It was a bit disappointing. I wanted to compete in "Import ALL Modified", but they did not have enough entries for the class. So, I had to compete in "Foreign All". I took a Second Place behind a 2008 BMW that I never knew was there. He was parked at the opposite end of the lot.

 

Got a new drain plug and succeeded at removing the original. Had to hammer a 1/2" 6-point socket onto it and get my long breaker bar, but it's out, and the oil and filter are changed. As it turns out, the new drain plug (an official MINI one) doesn't have a 13mm head, but a 1/2" (12.7mm) head.

Also dusted and cleaned the interior, to great effect. Thankfully, there'll be no more ranch dust to worry about, just regular day-to-day dust.

C ya,
Dutch

 

VGS mod and checked Bypass butterfly closure . it did need to be adjusted and the VGS again turns this into a different car.

 

Last night I installed my new Forge BOV, painted and installed a new valve cover and gasket.

 

put on a carbon fiber hood on the clubman and a poor mans intake on the 09

 

Love that interior

 

Yay! No more brake covers! Lookin' really great!

 

changed the oil and dialectric greased the 3rd plug wire hook up on the coil pack to stop the rust that always forms on it. The oil change was the first since i have owned it with about 1500 miles since I bought it, I had to because not knowing what was in their drove me nuts. I used 0w40 mobile 1, european blend and a fram , the oil plug was so tight I thought they used jb weld on it, then I tried the filter. I had a 1/2 inch breaker bar in it with a pipe to extend it and I was rocking the motor, when it finally cracked I figured I shattered the cap but it was fine, someone did the last one dry . Runs better now.

 

Changed the brakes

 

Changed 4 rotors and 4 sets of pads..








Sorry for the dirty wheels. Havent cleaned them yet....

 

Mastermason, how long did it take you to do the rotors and brakes yourself?

 

Just installed Indi's new 3rd brake light. Her old red one was cracked down the center, and it just looked bad. Took me about 10 minutes cuz I had to recruit the help of the husband to help remove the connector thingy from the original light

 

Nothing on mine today ... but helped a friend do his 15% pulley, tensioner stop.
He brought pizza and good beer.
Just spreading the MINI "Good Karma"

 

Swapped out the sway bar for a 19 HK, Yellows topped with NM alphas. Eibach styled LCAs and a JCW strut brace for the fun of it. Aligned and a joy to drive a little lower. Looking forward to new tires soon and thinking of new wheels with a little black in them. Drag maybe, at Discount? I worry about offset though with a latent desire for a big brake kit one day and the nightmare would be the caliper won't fit. 17s now but I think I'd get some rub with 18s. Hmmmm.

 

Traded her in on a 2013 Ford Focus ST! Love the new car, and I still have a Classic to enjoy all things good about a Mini!

 

Took me about 1.5 hrs per wheel. Most of my time was spent on cleaning the calipers to make it red again... It was almost dark red before i cleaned it due to massive break dust.

Sent from my iPad using NAMotoring

 

Reset the ECU, did absolutley nothing to change the way the car runs, oh well.

 

Drove up north to pick up a Stratmosphere CBE from a fellow member. Cant wait to install it!

 

Plasti dipped my mini roof rack, the final and last dipped addition to the mini..

 

Not today, but Saturday...swapped out the amber side marker (scuttle) lights for the white ones (on sale at Outmotoring). Looks much better on the PW.
Also picked up a GoBadge holder, but no badges, so, that'll wait for a bit.

 

^^

I did that a couple months ago. I never liked the orange. The clear looks so much better paired with my Indi Blue.