super smooth.....

 

Looking good!
Could you write up a diy thread for us? I want underbody panels for my r53 but MINI only offers them for the GP and they cost some stupid amount of money.

 

already done my friend!

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...dy-panels.html

theres a pdf in there. details all the hard parts. the pics above show one addition, which is the rear most panels. i made a template with cardboard. you end up with a fat L lookin piece. its not hard. its not included in the writeup, but after reading that, those last panels should be easy.

also, for the front most panel, under the engine: i had to re-enforce the front piece with an L bracket piece of aluminum. Get the cheapest thinnest one, bolt it to the Front of the panel (facing forwards). I then used a couple of screws, and a couple of those plastic "plugs", with the little ribs (like on interior body panels). i forget how exactly i attached it at the rear, ill check and report back later.

 

Awesome!

 

That's exactly what's thought! Which is how I got inspired to do this project. You may be able to get larger sheets of that stuff depending on where you go. Bigger sheets are cheaper btw.

 

Need to add a little color to those panels....

I painted my skidplate to match the stripes on top..

 

Any improvement in mpg?

 

hard to say. the computer calculates idle time at lights, so if i sit then avg reading goes down. overall, nothing super noticeable :( which is fairly disappointing.

the car is def quieter, thats a plus. i also feel like it is a little faster, less drag is less drag. sometimes i wonder if the computer pisses away more gas when it sees the car getting better mileage....

 

If you want factory panels do some digging with the search tool. I have read several threads that showed the panels off the '07 and up will fit but you have to trim the front edge back some. I think it was a couple of inches. I remember there was a comparison pic and they were the same as the GP ones in shape.

If you want to buy GP parts they now sell them without a vin and I just ordered the bumper inserts for the rear and got them stupid cheap from the dealer. Apparently they have crazy overstock in Germany. I was quoted the nearly the same price for the GP front bumper and trim as I paid for my aero bumper back in '06.

 

You got me interested: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-panels-2.html

 

ya, thats the thread that started MY interest!

again, its so hard to tell if im "saving gas"; as soon as i punch the throttle, any gas i saved is gone but, it is def way quieter. that stuff acts like sound insulation; it just throws back and sucks up a ton of road noise.

i will want to build a rear diffuser; but im running into issues with my JCW exhaust; it hangs just a couple of inches too low. id have to take it off, cut and bend it in strange places to tuck it up under the car more so i can get a nice big flat diffuser going. otherwise, im going to have to build around the exhaust... im already making some templates out of cardboard...

so, if anyone has some ideas, dont be shy!

 

Some more pics of my underbody, for those who are interested.

these show how to make a front panel with vent for the PS fan. I re-enforced it with some aluminum strips, as it was sagging slightly. I then got some large push-pin style fasteners from lowes and used them to attach the front, so that a service tech can remove them and let the panel swing down to allow for oil changes.

theres also some pics of my underbody brace from Donald-the-Bonald

 

Thats cool mod there Astro. What material and where did you buy that? thanks.

 

hey miles. thanks!

you can get it at Lowes / Home depot. its called, chloroplast or something... its that white "cardboard" type stuff they make signs with. i think i put a downloadable link for a DIY for each step in the thread, or its at least a link to my other thread that will have the PDF. shows step by step where to cut, how to install.

i forget which, but one of those 2 stores has larger sheets than the other; but wherever i got them, they were about perfect width, so i didnt need to cut them. its fairly easy if you follow the write up. if you do the whole underside of the car, it should be around $50 maybe? bc you have to use 6 panels; othewise you can get away with just the 4 main ones.

it has def helped with the Noise more than anything. its a great insulator, and soaks up tons of road noise. as far as MPG, not sure if ive experienced a heck of a lot of increase, but id swear the car accelerates Faster at higher speeds, from 60-90 for example.

oh, and if you do the front panel, youll def want to get some of those aluminum L strips. i used the thinnest ones, theyre like 2 bucks each or something. youll need 4, and that vent was like a buck or 2. you'll need either a rivet gun and / or some small nuts / bolts. you can get a little box for a few bucks. id then rec'd super gluing the nuts in place when its all said and done.

and, those plastic "rivets" for the front, i got at Lowes, in the "hard to find" stuff bins. they have a whole tray of diff sized push rivets. i used the biggest ones, 2 per bag, and only needed 3, which seems to be working so far. another option would be to use some bolts and wing nuts; and i may switch to that if the service guys complain about the push rivits, bc they are kinda a pita to undo, but id rather it be difficult and hold the damn thing up than have wingnuts fall off while driving!

lemme know if you need help.