Hi everyone,

this is Maciek with RedlineGoods.com, a maker of genuine leather shift boots for various cars. Our MINI product line is quite substantial, including:

The regular shift boots (http://www.redlinegoods.com/MINIshiftboot.shtm) - sample pic:


The 4-panel shift boots (http://www.redlinegoods.com/MINIproduct4.shtm) - sample pic:


Automatic and CVT shift boots (http://www.redlinegoods.com/MINIATshiftboot.shtm) - sample pic:


What we're looking for right now is people who would be willing to try our downtube covers.

They are developed completely. The first design was held with velcro strips to the back (front, actually, if you look at the whole car and how they are located in it) and that turned out to be a bad idea because it posed some installation difficulty.

The current version has elastic sewn into the cover (which is obviously located in the front part of the tube, where it's not visible since it's deep under the dash) and should be a breeze to install.

I'm sure these items can complement our shift boots, for the many of you who already have the shift boots installed.

Anybody interested? Please post here, PM me or mail to maciek@redlinegoods.com. There is a special price for those who decide to be early buyers (and we'll only accept 2-3 until they confirm the product is flawless and provide us with pictures to prove so).

Thank you!
Maciek

 

Interested, but i'm not clear on what you mean by center column. Could you clarify please?

 

+1. Are you talking about the down tubes?

 

ill do it i think it would look nice

 

Hi all,

in fact yes, I think that's what you guys call the downtubes. I have edited the post to avoid further confusion.

Maciek

 

Yes, I am interested. Please provide details.

 

Well, here's the scoop. We can take early orders for these. A pair of the downtube covers will retail at $100. Is that a reasonable price, by the way? There is a lot of material needed, obviously, so I expect them to be worth the $100 for you guys, but I'd like your feedback.

Those who buy them early will have a chance to get $50 back after they send us pictures of the downtubes installed in their cars.

We PREFER people who would want "cool" designs: two-tone, stripes, piping or quadruple stitching - we want the "showroom" pics to be really interesting.

 

i was thinking a design like this or so

 

How will these affect the factory cupholder? Will it have to go?

 

I don't think so. They will wrap around the donwtubes only. They should be able to fit between the bottom part of the tube and the socket it sits in... If there is not enough clearance, it shouldn't be a problem to just cut off the bottom part of the downtube cover so that only the visible part of the tube is covered with leather.

This has nothing to do with the cupholders, so why would they have to go?

 

The problem with that design is that the visible part of the downtube is quite narrow, if you want to put that much stuff on it, it will have to be located on the sides of the downtube and I believe that makes it hard to see.

 

Sorry, Maciek, I meant the accessory cupholder, mounted to the upper right downtube.

 

hell with it i dont need my cupholder it always moves back and forth hiting my hand when i drive

 

Could you show me a picture of such?

 

http://www.compassnet.com/mfeidler/mmc3.jpg

its under the monitor thingy

 

I don't think it'd have to go. If you just slide it on top of the tube - how does it stay there? Is the bracket that wraps around the tube adjustable so that it can grab the tube stronger?

In that case I'd say there's no reason you couldn't slide the cupholder on the tube after sliding the leather cover on it, then tighten it. The leather would just make it hold better.

 

http://hdkmold.com/images/samples/12.jpg

thats the whole assembly that i have the other newer ones just bolt right onto the side downtube

 

In the above mentioned photo, with the monitor mounted to the downtube (very clever, by the way!), it is the bracket that the monitor is mounted to. The bracket bolts to the upper part of the downtube via the 2 screws already in place.

 

This one:

 

ok i couldnt send you this pic in the reply but this is what i want

 

http://static.flickr.com/70/17479049...8d8edd.jpg?v=0

the 2 screws is what the guy is talking about above me

 

tres-cocinas: I don't see any reason you should ditch that cupholder then. There is no problem in driving screws through leather.

 

Hmmm, I might be interested. Bright blue leather (if that's possible) with a white stripe down the middle (what would be the side of the downtube facing the driver/passenger).

 

I'd be interested in testing - I'm pretty **** for detail and have done other product testing. If you need photos of my interior let me know - I'm running the black interior on a Hot Orange cabrio.

Oh, one other thing, the OEM cup holder is held on with the torx screws AS WELL AS double-sided tape. I'm not sure how the tube covers would play with the leather, that being the case (the tape might mar the surface, cause wrinkling/stretching, etc.). Just something to keep in mind - I have the same unit in my car.

Good luck!

 

I already have the JCW leather downtubes, but if you ever decide to try custom covers for silver bars in the doors I want to be first in line. I have the Redlinegoods shift and e-brake boots and I know your quality is top notch.