The Hawaii wheel discussion thread

 

Very good tires for autocross and driving school with ability to be street driven (so you can drive to the track from home and not have to install race wheels at the track).

Lightweight rims- the lightest of the stock rims 15x5.5".

If you drive in SCCA solo 2 this setup is excellent for H-stock and legal.
It is not legal for MCS in G-stock because the 15" wheel is not an option for the MCS.

In Street mod class these wheels are legal.

So Erik808 what are you going to replace these with??? Kumhos on Kosei T1 rims 15x7"?

 

Did I miss something at this weekend's autocross?
That CVT was ripping through that course with some slight oversteer, but those tires held up well ( at least when Francis was driving)
What happened, did you cord the tires?
I'm interested, but I don't think the wife will let me get another set of wheels/tires (already have three sets)

 

I too thought the tires did very well this week.
Nope, no cords showing.
The Azenis are good to go.
Kohu, if you get any more wheelsets you might want to start your own wheel shop and get a wall mounted tire rack installed.

One set for each day of the week!
Kinda hard to hide four sets of wheels.
I guess an army issue tarp would work.
If not you can always sleep with the tires when you get exiled to the garage.

 

Erik - Don't limit your options as those rims will also fit a Miata. Check with the Miata guys to see if any are interested.

 

minihune -- are you sure that they can't be used in g-stock? i thought they were okay b/c they're still stock-sized wheels for the MINI.

erik808 -- heheh, i guess you're finally taking the plunge. should've listened to baronious from the beginning! erik is gonna tear it up even more very soon!!!!!!!!

 

15" stock MINI wheels are good only for the MC (in H-stock) and not for the MCS (in G-stock) which get 16" stock wheels and 17" optional upgraded wheels.

I don't think it is all that bad an idea to start with a basic set of wheels and gain some feel for them before moving on to another set of wheels that might offer additional performance. If Erik does sell now the tires and rims are good for another driver this season.

 

minihune - i think that 15" holeys are fine for g-stock b/c it's still a "standard" part that could've been ordered from the factory for a mcs.

the scca rules are as follows for wheels in stock class:
13.4 Wheels

Any type wheel may be used provided it complies with the following: it is the same width and diameter as standard, and as installed (including wheel spacers if applicable) it does not have an offset more than +/- 0.25 inch from a standard wheel for the car. The resultant change in track dimensions is allowed. Vehicles originally equipped only with 12 inch diameter wheels, may use 13 inch diameter wheels of the same width as standard and offset within +/- 0.25 inch of standard.

and their definition of standard part is:

12.4 Standard Part

An item of standard or optional equipment that could have been ordered with the car, installed on the factory production line, and delivered through a dealer in the United States. Dealer-installed options or deletions, except as required by factory directives, no matter how common or what their origin, are not included in this definition. This definition does not allow the updating or backdating of parts.


anyhow, i'll ask the tech and registration chiefs for the final verdict.

nobody said it was a bad idea, blah, blah. the azenis are great for street/race use and whoever picks these up will love them. my point is that i'm happy that erik is moving to race rubber -- he'll only get better with them.

didnt you only run one autox before changing to v700s?

 

For the MC I think of it coming standard with 15" wheels or with the sport package 5 spoke 16" wheels. However it is true that the full range of OEM MINI wheels from 15" to 18" JCW wheels are available to order with the car new. If that is the case then you are correct.

I did read somewhere else that 15" wheels were not legal in G-stock with the MCS because it came with 16" wheels standard and 17" wheels with sport package. Let us know what you find out from the tech and registration chiefs about this.
Read from SCCA Solo II G-stock FAQ by BGarfield:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=20754
Quote:
"The allowable sizes for the MCS are 16x6.5 offset 48mm and 17x7 offset 48mm."
I have a PM to him to ask for an opinion.

Then in SCCA Solo II Stock class FAQs by FWD-MX5:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=20464
MCS 16x6.5 and 17x7 are the G-stock wheel sizes and-
Quote:
"Can I put MCS factory items on a Cooper and vice versa?
No, unless they fall into the C&C. This means no S-Lites on the Cooper and no 15" rims on a MCS."

I autocrossed in March and April with my street wheels. May and June with the victoracers.

 

Wait a minute. Mini-t, weren't you telling me I couldn't run the 17's on my wagon in a stock class for Solo 2? What you are saying in your post is that if it was offered by the factory, it is legal. Well, the E35 5 series offered a 17" wheel on the M5. Technically, if I ordered through BMW Individual I could have had 17's installed from the factory. So based on your interpretation, I would now be able to run a stock class. (Not that I'd race in an underpowered wagon).

 

I got a reply from FWD-MX5:
"Re: Got a question about G-stock legal wheels
------------------------------------------------------------------------
On MINIUSA, when you built your own car, there was an option to put 15" wheels on an MCS. There was never an option code to order it from the factory. If someone wanted 15s, I am sure the dealer would do it, but the wheels would be a dealer accessory. Much like the JCW kit and therefore illegal (for G-stock). Hope this helps.
Chris"

I guess the factor here is the factory option code. You can order alot of things to add to your MINI at the time of purchase but some will be dealer accessories and not qualify for stock classes.

I'll post if BGarfield has any more helpful info for us. Thanks for the lively discussion.

 

Hey, gang! Thanks a lot for all of your replies. I really appreciate your advice and backing. My first thought was to sell them because I was thinking that they were going to just sit and collect dust. Also, I don't like keeping things around that won't get much use. It then came to me that I could use them at Test & Tunes, Track Days, and BMW CCH driving schools. Sweet! Plus, the R81s are quite the rarity to me and the Azenis feel sound when my butt cheeks are squeezed ever so tightly . Thanks again, Brad, Randy, Bryan, and Teresa!

 

Yes, a great idea.

 

first off, why don't you just show up and run? we've *never* seen you race...only hear stories of you racing! bahahahahaha.

 

Okay, this is the deal. I come out and run Solo 2 and you have to run in Aloha 500 or Spring Fling. If you come out to those events, you may get to see me strut my stuff on the big track on a Friday.

 

It's pretty simple gang, it MUST be a FACTORY installed (not dealer) option. If it can be ordered from the FACTORY before it's shipped, it's legal. Don't be confused by DEALER installed options (many different wheels).

No, you cannot run a wheel from another option package UNLESS you change everything on the car to that option package.
NO, you cannot run a wheel from another MODEL, period. If an M5 wheel is offered from the factory, then it must not be an M5 wheel. It would simply be a factory optional wheel that looks like an M5 wheel...get the point?

The MINI has a distinct advantage because the wheels are offered as "stand-alone options". The wheels can be ordered alone from the factory, as opposed to having to get an entire package for a certain wheel. Because of this, if your car came with a "Sport Package" including 17" wheels, you could legally run the 16" since you could order them by themselves. For that matter, you could say, "I didn't get a Sport Package, I simply ordered each option individually to add up to a Sport Package".

Brian

 

Thanks to Chris and Brian for their comments. :smile:

 

so the question is whether or not one can get whatever specified wheels from the factory. i'll find out when i order my 05 convertible mcs

at the end of the day (here in hawaii), one can probably run either size on their car and it will be okay in the stock class so long as no one protests the driver....and if that happens, driver needs to provide supporting evidence. unless one knows the specific car very well (no matter what car make/model it is), most of us will probably never know what is truly stock and from the factory.

 

sure...but you pay for my entry into aloha 500 or spring fling and i'll pay for your entry for solo 2.

 

Hey, do I look like I'm made of money? You should have taken me up on my offer for SF.

 

you're not made of $ but i saw the good ol' american green tree next to the mountain apple tree.

 

That's the lychee tree.

 

A well taken care of Lychee tree is like money in the bank.

People are willing to pay $$$ for Lychee fruit.
If you have a big tree then you might get it to produce fruit.
During the Lychee season this could mean extra $$$.

Just don't fall out of the tree trying to pick them.
Or take those rubber slippers off before climbing up.
Why do you think they are called "slippers"?
Good thing you were wearing your nice M2000 rated helmet!

On second thought just plant Koa trees and wait 50 to 75 years. Plant a whole bunch on your estate. Don't let them get diseased. Nothing worse than spoiled crops after waiting 50 years.

 

t, what? you're getting a cabrio mini? damn, you beat me to the convertible...

at least, now that it's a few years down the line, your new mini will hopefully be trouble-free.

money tree? is it like caumoflaged or something? i bet those neighborhood cats are watching it closely. that's why you feed 'em, and they watch your tree in return.

 

The neighborhood cats fertilize the trees and other areas.