No light batteries in H Stock...

"Alternate components which are normally expendable and considered replacement parts (e.g., engine and wheel bearings, seals, gaskets,
filters, belts, bolts, bulbs, batteries, brake rotors, clutch discs, pressure
plates, suspension bushings, drivetrain mounts, fenders, trim pieces,
etc.) may be used provided they are essentially identical to the standard
parts (e.g. have the same type, size, hardness, weight, material etc.),
are used in the same location, and provide no performance benefit. "

I can however remove the spare tire from beneath the boot. Now that was a surprise - a SPARE on a Mini!

I shall get a few photographs posted here. I've a GoPro HERO3 in hand to gather feedback next season, and I'm seriously considering the data acquisition options and appreciate the suggestion for an iPhone based solution.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

I can fill you in on Harry's lap timer when you start looking. Also, look at his web page and blog, it is really pretty good for "just an App" support: http://www.gps-laptimer.de/Home.html

I also started a Harry's Lap Timer thread here on NAM. I need to update it though.

 

I use the iPhone for data acquisition. I've got an OBD dongle so it can read engine parameters (speed, revs, throttle position) as well. Harry's would work, but it annoyingly slows down the acquisition to the speed of the GPS (1 sample/s). I use Rev, it reads about 3 samples/s, but doesn't do the fancy graphic overlay on the video. The next thing I want is some brake indicator, a repeater light which shows up on the video is my next theory, but I've not found one of those.

 

Y'all are opening my eyes here which I appreciate. Do these approaches capture accelerometer data?

My previous modest forays into this area were just the G-Tech, which isn't bad for g forces and revs but of course doesn't know where it is.

How fancy do I have to be to have my cake (g force) and eat it too (position and even OBD sampling).

Thanks for teaching me, and happy Thanksgiving by the way.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

The iPhone has accelerometers and you can capture the data. Both Rev and Harry's will both record the accelerometer data. They take different approaches to calibration, Harry's tries to do an automatic calibration and do it for 3 axes, it'll correct for the yaw of the iPhone mount as well as pitch and rotation. Rev on the otherhand relies on the iPhone being perpendicular to the direction of travel and just corrects for the pitch of the mount. I've had Harry's be out of calibration several times and mess up the data, because its very finicky about its calibration. I've only ever messed up rev data due to operator error.


By the way, this is what I mean about Harry's fancy data overlays, here's a sample video (from the track, I've never used Harry's at Autocross): http://btwyx.com/Movies/LagunaApr12BGoodi.mov

Here's an example of the data I get from Rev (autocross this time): http://btwyx.com/Movies/AXOct12MaB4.mov I've written my own tool to get the data on the video, so its not quite so fancy.

 

Not real fancy...just a box mix, simply add oil, water and a few eggs....

The app is about $30 and gives GPS position and g's, graphs, plots, zooms. Basically what you see from Trackmate. But the iPhone is only 1 hz and about a 30ft accuracy.

Add the external antenna - the Dual XGPS 150 is the best, ~$100 - and you get 5 hz recording (5 times a second) and the accuracy improves to 4 - 6 ft.

You can add an OBDII sensor, but you don't get much with it and the one I got didn't work well as it dropped out at times. The MINI computer doesn't read braking so you miss that important feature. It will give you throttle, rpms and gear.

The app will also over the data on video taken on the iPhone (I haven't done that).

There are some 3rd party software packages that you can import the data into and some packages that will add the data to video.

If you are handy with Excel you can import the data into a spreadsheet and graph it from from there.

 

Here's the poor unsuspecting victim of this endeavor...

 

Sweet!

 

Well the 1st tank is history. 437 miles on 11.74 gallons for 37.22 mpg. Having no power certainly has some beneficial side effects.

Of course the break in period does not apply to lateral acceleration so I have to observe that the car is quite flat in my test area, and even with the wee bitty winter tires it corners very nicely before one hears any whining at all from the tires.

With an alignment, a bar, some proper shocks and about twice the traction, this should be good fun... but if I look too hard for Spring it will just make the winter longer.

But the Borla won't wait that long I think, as I really cannot even hear the car at present.

That oughta be cuter than a pailful of kittens.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

The sports suspension is very under-appreciated. Glad you are liking it.
As for things to do during the winter, around here the really addicted go ice racing:
http://www.icerace.com

Others of us go skiing.

Have fun doing the Borla. Let us know how it sounds. I may need one for our Cooper.

 

Yeah, they are way too quiet stock. Looks good, but needs a Tire Rack banner and some cone scuffs.

edit: that tends to be the upper limit on my mileage unless its an all highway tank. Also, any auto-x runs completely ruin the calc'd average.

 

Well Gollum has now burned three tanks of gas, and I'll use the data as a baseline indicator of overall health going forwards.

The mileage obtained from each was 37.22, then 38.8, and finally 40.2.

Enough feather-footing for now - time to push a little harder on the loud pedal. Break-in is definitely completed in my view.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

And the 4th tank, during which I admit to a bit of full throttle and one or two trips to 6,000 RPM, returns 34.5.

The 5th tank takes me up the winding coast road from Hampton to Portsmouth at o'dark-thirty with a lunar high tide reinforced by the remnants of a strong low out to sea.

The breakwaters and barriers are doing their jobs this morning - although on the way out of Hampton the road is coated with sand, and areas of salt water are refreshed by breakers that leap straight up and are driven on shore by the easterly breeze.

Be smooth and think ahead - the mantra - can be effectively practiced on such a road in a civilized way. As I've been driving it for four decades each corner in the ten miles or so is a familiar sight, and the challenges are two:

1. don't use the brakes (and don't rev the engine over 4k on downshifts)
2. don't unwind at all until the apex - get the whole line correct every time.

To do that I have to pay attention to my points of timing and points of reference, attend to a smooth throttle and look ahead.

To put the tires within an inch or two of the center or edge lines on the road without dropping my eyes reinforces the Evolution School lesson where the instructors tape the bottom of the windshield.

The moderate pace that this exercise requires leaves plenty of time to be polite to any early walker or jogger out on the coast before dawn, so I don't leave anyone irritated with my semi-regular trips around sunrise.

And then with the turn-around at the creek south of the hotel timed to the grey light that marks a winter dawn, I retrace my tracks southwards and put the drivers side window fully down to hear the surf.

I do like starting a day in this way - regardless of the season.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

What a nice way to start your day.
And Happy Holidays to you.

 

And the very same to you also, thank you!

Cheers,

Charlie

 

This morning left the test area in perfect condition for me to learn how Gollum behaves when there is very little traction.

After pushing the Traction button, the answer is - very nicely.

• The little bitty M&S tires and 15" Holies actually do pretty well on a scraped frozen surface with little or no surface snow to enhance grip.
• If you turn a lot, the front end signals the loss of traction nicely, so feeling where grip disappears is easy.
• If you turn a little the car turns too, and in steady state 2nd gear cornering there is no tendency to spin, even lifting the throttle a bit.
• The anti-lock system works well.
• The car spins both front tires when asked.

Very encouraging!

Cheers,

Charlie

PS: You may feel differently, but I've no use for the Sport button - it seems to reduce the feel in the steering a bit, and of course it doesn't add power. Since I am now used to the throttle response curve changing it is a mixed blessing.

PPS: I forgot to mention that the handbrake turns are quite good - an amusing technique but not one that I use in competition.

 

For whatever reason I don't feel like the dry handling translates well into the snow. Both of my Minis were way more understeery in the snow than they are in the dry/wet.

It will annoying spin the fronts even with all 100 hp on corner exits. Mini, why couldn't you make a diff an option?

I like the sport button. I feel the opposite of your comment on the steering; I think its way sharper and better weighted. The more aggressive on/off throttle is useful in competition but mildly annoying in traffic.

Did you just press the traction button once, or hold it? The DTC is alright on the track it seems but intervenes way too hard in auto-x. Again, I don't know how well that translates in the snow.

 

Ah... I'll go and read the owner's manual again. I pressed it, I did not press and hold it. Perhaps there's a mystery that I missed...

I'll try a week with Sport on and see if I was being hasty.

Thanks for your remarks,

Charlie

 

I find that is really easy to make the MINI push in the snow. Even with a light throttle. I am not surprised that your "100 hp" can over power the tires. BTY what tires do you have? AS tires really have little traction in light snow. Personally, I think the sport button should not be used in the snow. The throttle needs a very light touch and the sport button takes that away; too much of a hair trigger and it is too easy to over power the tires. Just my opinion.

As for the car's reaction to the throttle and brake, it is going to be the same whether it is in snow, rain or dry. Maybe the level at which it occurs will be drastically different, but when it does happen, the "reaction" will be the same. Too much throttle and the car is going to push; let off the throttle in the middle of a turn and it will oversteer.

Charlie,
Here is a thread that reviews the DTC:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...control-2.html

To a large extent you found what I did. Snow is a great way to learn how to control the car at the limits. One difference, I had no trouble getting the back to come around on me in mid-turn. It is really nice to know how well the DTC does at controlling that.

As for the DTC button, basically, press the button and release puts you in "traction" mode. This just raises the threshhold at which the control kicks in. I really like it for the track; IMHO it is too high for driving in the snow (good for getting out of a parking lot, though).

Press the button and hold turns it all off except the eLSD.

Personally, I really like the initial-on setting for the snow. Just did a drive up the Taconic State Parkway in NY with 2-3 inches of new snow. It seemed that they salted just before the snow came down and everything turned into greased goose dung. At times the DTC would kick in while going up hill, but it seemed to be the right amount. I would not have wanted any more wheel spin. With new snow tires, I was "kicking butt" and the car felt very secure running in that stuff.

 

I need more practice in greased goose dung, and thank you for your observations!

Happy New Year,

Charlie

 

And I know mine, so in the planning phase of this build I called Chang.

Chang runs a business called FunHondas in Maynard MA and is one of the perennially fastest autocross drivers up in New England. He also runs Rally Cross and I bet he'll go ice racing if the weather holds.

So that call took care of sourcing the Hoosiers and rims, but although Chang is past master of all things Honda he referred my inquiries on shocks, exhaust, and rear bar to of all people Sam Strano!

What surprised me even more is that Sam has decided to take an interest in this project, and lend his considerable expertise to the remaining choices.

My surprise is that although I've had the pleasure of watching Sam drive up here at the National Tour and Divisional, I never thought he'd spend time helping to set up a car with slightly more than 100 horsepower. Who knew?

This should be a learning experience.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

Sammy's a really good guy, as is Chang. But at the end of the day, Sammy is Stranoparts.com and this is another business call. Just NEVER, EVER mention street tires in Stock to Sammy.

 

Thank you for that tip.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

Well nothing helps January like speed parts.

On Sam's recommendation I am going to try the Koni 8741 series struts, and out back an Alta bar.

The current bar is 18mm, and at 22mm the Alta should be plenty. It's a three hole so we shall see what's what when some testing becomes possible.

By the end of January the suspension work including the alignment should be completed. That should be just the thing for February snow!

No luck on a competition exhaust though - no one seems to bother, which makes me wonder what the B Spec folks are doing.

I am not dedicated enough to do as Eddie Savage was doing back when I started with NER - which is to say swapping the whole exhaust to a straight pipe plus SuperTrapp while changing rims and tires at the event. Call me lazy I guess.

I've not given up though, as there's plenty of time yet...

Cheers,

Charlie

 

Hmmm.... Btwyx you wouldn't happen to have a lead on an exhaust that I might appreciate would you? Something better than a straight pipe, perhaps a little lighter than stock, but loud enough so I can hear the darned engine?

Kind regards,

Charlie