"Blue Thunder", a project car built by Promini (promini.com) got under my skin so I made an offer and flew down to Tyler Texas to purchase the car. Drove west through New Mexico & Arizona. I didn't notice NPR in Texas at all (go figure), a case for sattelite radio. Was shadowed by Texas State Patrol that tag-teamed me for 100 miles or so but the Valentine RD kept me from being pulled over. The car, with all its vinyl race stickers, does draw attention, mostly good though.

I drove highway 58 from Bakersfield to Santa Margarita because it looked most direct. What a surpise I had in the late night to find Mini Driving Heaven. Many of the curves were marked 15 mph and I wished the headlights turned with the steering. I was often looking through the side windows to see the road. Rabbits would spook and the Owls would swoop. I think the owls wait for cars for this reason.

After a great visit with my California family and awesome California drives (highways 41, 229 and 58) I decided anyone that lives in the coastal area and doesn't own a Mini or Lotus or hot motorcycle is missing something special.

By the way, the performance mods from Promini keep this car carving and level no matter what; serious G's.

Snow over Donner Summit made me decide to go home to Sun Valley, ID through Nevada. I turned off at Bakersfield and headed East through Lake Isabelle to try those twisties and was not dissapointed. The river gorge is awesome with huge boulders impeding the large stream creating great rapids and drops. The cliffside rising above you on the other side of the road is scarey looking. It appears that the overhanging boulders could easily dislodge and tumble down on you, as they don't look that well attatched.

Passing slower cars was assisted by the polite tendancy of people to use turnouts to let others by. One driver, however, was slow through the corners and would speed up agressively on the short straights. He was dispatched safely with help from the performance mods (214whp).

Then a guy on a decent motorcycle entered the highway behind me and closed on the straights. Though I drove the speed limit on the straights, I held speed on the curves to see how much lean he would need for the speed/curve and was surprised to see I pulled away dramatically at each curve, even with him leaning strongly into the turn. I'm sure a skilled rider on a better bike would have held me or passed me, but it still made me appreciate the Mini, the hot suspension and the lower center of gravity.

I couldn't stop at a gas station without questions and friendly comments from people. I was worried that the mods would affect the mileage but am happy to report 26-28 mpg when frequenting the red line, and 30 when cruising. This is the same as my wife's Mini S. I love having a true sports car without the gas guzzling.

Got into pea soup around Twin Falls, ID and was very thankful for the fog lights and got home to snowy Sun Valley without incident (or snow on the road, thankfully, as the tires are performance tires). 3000 miles of enjoyable driving because of what I was driving.

Next trip will probably be to Vegas for the gathering in March.

 

nice write-up, please post some pics of your car on here

 

I definately kicked myself for not taking pictures on the trip, but was trying to make time to get back to Sun Valley and work and was reluctant to stop. I'll take & post some photos of "Blue Thunder" and perhaps call out for a new name for my car asap, probably tommorrow. The car is shown as a project car on PROMINI.COM , but I have it now!

 

Thanks for sharing the ride home, menace! Isn't it fun to take the VERY longest way home?

 

Yah, post pix plz

 

[img]file:///I:/DCIM/100PENTX/IMGP0640.JPG[/img]Here Here are the evening pics in my driveway. I want to come up with my own name for "Blue Thunder". His or her present name is too macho for me. I want to name the car something more like what my wife (her stockmini S has the cover in the background of one of the pics) said when she first saw it next to hers; "your car is being a smarty" . So, "Smarty", "Superfly", or my forum name; "menace" or "MINace". Love to hear other ideas. Also, should I take off the cop-magnet vinyl. I have an idea for a new roof graphic that one vinyl manufacturer said they could do: Mighty-Mouse. What do you think?[img]file:///I:/DCIM/100PENTX/IMGP0660.JPG[/img][img]file:///I:/DCIM/100PENTX/IMGP0661.JPG[/img][img]file:///I:/DCIM/100PENTX/IMGP0662.JPG[/img][img]file:///I:/DCIM/100PENTX/IMGP0663.JPG[/img][img]file:///I:/DCIM/100PENTX/IMGP0665.JPG[/img][img]file:///I:/DCIM/100PENTX/IMGP0666.JPG[/img][img]file:///I:/DCIM/100PENTX/IMGP0667.JPG[/img]

 

guess I don't know how to attach pics. Any help?

 

Cool write-up! Congrats on the purchase.

It looks like the pictures are still on the camera? But maybe not...
If they are on the camera - put 'em online or in your gallery here. Then click the yellow square that has a mountain in it. In the box that pops up you can paste the URL of the pic. Click the yellow box for each picture. That should do it. (I hope!)

 

Here are the pics I tried to send previously.

"Here are the evening pics in my driveway. I want to come up with my own name for "Blue Thunder". His or her present name is too macho for me. I want to name the car something more like what my wife (her stockmini S has the cover in the background of one of the pics) said when she first saw it next to hers; "your car is being a smarty" . So, "Smarty", "Superfly", or my forum name; "menace" or "MINace". Love to hear other ideas. Also, should I take off the cop-magnet vinyl. I have an idea for a new roof graphic that one vinyl manufacturer said they could do: Mighty-Mouse (see below my crude representation). What do you think?"

 

WOW! Those stickers are asking for heat! LOL! I'd lose them all ASAP and make your own statement, menace.

Why not strip him down and drive him without graphics for a while to see what ideas come to you? Create a blank canvas to make your own design statement.

I like either "menace" or "Smarty" as names for your little blue beast!

 

Thanks for your input! did you look at the mighty mouse idea? Too over the top? I just feel like I'm driving in a (fun) cartoon.

 

LOVE the Mighty Mouse idea - I just think that's great.

 

Thanks. I was thinking to put US flag graphics additionally on the front fenders and back hatch to pull it together. Thanks Adame and Mini-Clo for all your help.:smile: