Does it keep the back of the car clean? I've wondered if a diffuser would help.

 

Not really. The pro diffuser is the panel around the exhaust and under the back fender. The JCW one is honeycombed and difficult to clean after gravel roads (like my 800 ft driveway), especially when use products like "Back to Black".

 

Gave the interior a good cleaning. Vacuuming tomorrow.

 

Gave her some new shoes (wheels only) and then bought her dinner from the premium menu at the Exxon station

 

Taking mine to have the tires rotated. Oil change tomorrow.

 

I got my Forge Intercooler installed ............ the stock one is TINY. No wonder Mini's overheat

 

Got the resonator deleted on my R56 S and it sounds fantastic! The exhaust isn't that much louder, but it sounds more "growly" and the pops, cracks, and burbles are way more prominent!

 

My spouse got me some fun mirror cap covers for Christmas. It finally warmed up enough to put them on. Not quite as shiny as the factory options, but they also don’t cost $300 either



Inexpensive Chinese mirror caps. Not bad!

 

Those caps look really good. If you want them to shine, spray em with a smooth clear coat.

 

I took Mini to see his mate Paul Bunyan early Sunday morning. I slept badly so after a cup of home roast we were on our way when most of the town was still in their slumbering bliss.

mini and Paul Bunyon


It is a difficult location to shoot but this morning was perfect. It was overcast and little traffic. This is a photo that I've been wanting for a while now.
Paul is 59 years old now but Mini is just 14.

 

Nice shot and as always, great looking Mini! But that poor Pine tree behind Paul looks a little worried.

 

Put on the black headlight trim yesterday. About to head out and switch out the tail light trim shortly!

 

 

Well, finishing up the to do list. At the shop now for main oil seal, new water pump, pipe, and thermostat, rear stabilizer bushings, brake fluid flush and oil change.

Timing chain done last year, so she should be in near good shape.

Could have done the simple stuff, but time is the enemy lately.

 

New steering clock spring for a dreaded steering wheel ABS fault, new door seals, new sunroof seals and she is now quiet. The car is starting to feel like new again which is not bad for a 07 justa.

 

Mini Roadster has been in hibernation since around mid December when our Winter weather came and the Roadster season ended. Roads have been salt/sand mucky ever since and trying to find a few miles of dry, non salted road strip has been impossible. Rain storms (7 each so far since the first of January, over double the rain storms I've seen during the same Winter period here the past 23 years) which have turned mostly to ice, plus several snow storms kept our roads salt slathered and sanded, so the Mini has stayed under cover in the garage.

Yesterday afternoon, after a few mild days that reached around 40 degrees F and after a rain strong enough (number 7) to wash off the road muck Saturday, it finally dried enough to try an exercise trip. Top down, 36 to 38 degrees F, a little sunshine and we did 49 dry road miles. Got a bunch of waves and smiles from non Mini drivers and one wave and thumb's up from a Pepper White R56 with black bonnet stripes. That was the only Mini we saw on the short drive. One thing for sure though... it has definitely been the longest period our Roadster has spent not leaving the driveway since we've owned it.

That's not to say we haven't had quite a bit of mild weather, but on those days there was so much melt and road wetness, it would have required a wash. Too cool to have to do that. Yesterday the Mini went out clean and came back clean. Ran great and felt really good on the road. Especially since Winter came back today and the road salt is already spread thickly.

So no maintenance done on the car other than to cycle everything electrical and mechanical, and enjoy the brief ride in the sunshine. Spring can't come soon enough.

 

Not today. But recently...

I have been missing the foam that seals the top of the radiator since I got the car. Finally found some self adhesive foam and got to sorting it. I did the sides of the radiator too since we have had the first ever heatwave of state wide maximums over 40C for more than one day. I was working out in a coal mine in 42C ish and it was proper ****!



Temp control is much better now. I was getting creep up to 100 water temp in the drive through even with the aircon flat out. Nothing sucks worse than having to open the windows and blast the heater on full to try and control the water temp on a 40C day!

James

 

Went back to my oem air box from k&N typhoon, still have the K&N drop in filter.
Ben

 

Hit this milestone just as I pulled in the garage!

 

I stored Desire away safely into the garage and vowed not to drive him until spring arrives.



Actually Mini is being punished for trashing another set of shoes. He wants to sport some slicks so badly.

Mini's home made slick

 

new shoes on!! plasti dipped R95 wheels + dunlop 205 40 18 sport maxx run flat tires.

 

Plasti dipped the chrome grille trim, which turned out surprisingly well

 

I replaced all the light bulbs inside the mini with blue LEDs from autolumination. The dome light required a bit of a modification from a saw but turned out well.

 

Took both MINIs to the local touchless car wash to get the salt off and switched both spare fobs over to the Shapeways lower profile fob surround.

 

over the weekend:
replaced o-rings/gaskets in the oil cooler , replaced the cracked oil filter housing adapter (it was over torqued a few weeks ago when I replaced the gasket, oops)
replaced passenger side CV axle, emptied and refilled the coolant along with a bottle or Redline Water Wetter.