Made some more progress.. I swapped out some hardware fir grade8. I had to do a little modification of the tunnel to get it to fit flush I also cut AS LITTLE as possible off the center console to get it to fit over the shifter. I also KEPT the metal brace that the cup holders screw onto so the center console will retain its rigidity because rattles DRIVE ME CRAZY and I absolutely DO NOT ACCEPT RATTLING.

 

I'm loving the shifter sofar.. it is kinda odd though that it shifts perfectly although it's set screws really didn't do anything. It still correctly recenters its self and it has no issues engaging any forward gears. I think the Reverse is a little stiffer because of the angle on the shifter cable bushing. It attached horizontal instead of vertical so I think that's what I'm feeling it does seem to be loosening up a little bit as I use it more though..
is it better than a coolerworx ??? Idk yet , I can honestly say sofar it's ATLEAST upto par with it. It DEFINITELY has a cleaner installation because the body/base isn't so large so I retained more of the center console which I very much liked.
buuuuuut because of the different dimensions the cover plate I bought didn't fit and I had to modify the heck out if it and I think it turned out very decent.lol.. ille get another center console and do my cuts PERFECTLY but for no template or anything I still think I did darn well.
I plan on installing an led under the shift pattern so it lights up at night AND I will paint the shift #s black for some contrast..
but here it is. I will get more pics of it later today to show it better.



here's more

 

Took the car on a cruise up north to my cottage and do some work fir my pops.. car lost about 4mpg woth the ported head , aluminum intake manifold and the turbosmart wastegate buuuuut idc it drove SO FRICKEN NIIIIIIIIICE. Not one rattle , squeaking or hiccup NOTHING but pleasure driving this car. I soooooooo love this new shifter too.
I put on my all season tires n rims off the clubman just encase of bad weather up here because it's still cold up here and snow on the ground in the ditches n stuff yet.
buuuuuut now I gotta decide, do i FINALLY go custom tune ???? Oooooor do i install the replacement windshield amd get the higher end coilovers???
ooooo yeaaaa i put the 23-30psi spring the in forge bov also buuuut lol the entire 4.5hr ride I didn't go into boost once so I will test it on my way home tomorrow..

 

You’ve done a lot of work on that car. Curious to hear if you notice anything with the bigger spring in the diverter valve…

 

I was actually going to message you lol , I finally tested it AND this is definitely the fastest the cars felt sofar now.
It didn't add any extra boost idk how to explain it. It helped the mid to high rpm power it feels like. It feels like it does loose any power between shifts now. Now it comes into the next gear with a nice almost like slingshot feel instead of a heavy weight feel that's the only way to describe it..
but yes lol , it did help in short answer..
Thx again brother ! Always a pleasure dealing with you.

 

Odometer rolled over 150k !!!
On the way up n back from my cottage I pulled 36.1 , not badd not badd. The car was an absolute blast to drive too.
New hood/trunk decal came , now it will match alot better. I plan on getting a 37 for the roof and a different rear Rallye sticker but with #37 in it..
i installed the rear UnionJack backup lights.. and quick question about the rear lighting ???? I know the rear passenger lights up as a reserve light but how come the driverside NEVER lights up ? I swear I tried everything. Is it just there because ?? If so I'm running that wire over to the driver's side one so then run off the same backup signal then.
I HATE non synthetic stuff...

 

The driver side light is the rear fog light. If your car is equipped with that option, you’ll have the switch on the dash if you want it to light up for reverse, you’ll have to run some jumper wires from the passenger side light.

 

ahhhhh you are correct, I forgot about that option.
this car doesn't have rear fog option , soooooo I wonder if I jump it from the other side so BOTH light up when I go in reverse. I guess if I have a bulb error , maybe that too could be turned off along with my tpms..

 

Had to replace the 2nd half of my hoodlatch cables.. my pops went to pop my hood to look at my engine and he's kinda too rough with everything so yea, it snapped. O well. I could still open it with pliers for the time being.
but i decided to replace the ALL the cables just encase the other ones got damaged or something.
I did find where the old cable split , I think it was rubbing my custom coolants reservoir mount I made , I just rerouted the cable a little differently and it won't interfere any longer with anything.
I'm hoping temperature will get atleast in the high 50s so i can remove and put on the different hood decal.
AND for a tad more power , I been looking at the cravenspeed lightweight crank pulley amd the crankbolt locker along with it..
I know its won't really add any power but I'm HOPING it will have kinda the same effect as a lightweight flywheel does. I like how better and easier the engine revs and i also like tvat it drops down in rpms quicker too.. lol so when you Rev the engine or give it a throttle blip , it sounds soooooo much nicer amd snappier..

 

Decal went on well.
aaaaaaand I scored a set of seat brackets, for the price dude offered them to me for I couldn't say no.
though I can't buy seats yet because I'm going to be tuning woth Lou very soon.
I had some more work pop up so I gotta jet up north again for another few days but soon as I get back I will start the tuning process.
I am going to be going with Louis stage 3x tune because of my modifications and goals with the car..
By chance can anyone link where to purchase resistors for the airbag/occupancy delete please ?? Or do you have any you'd wanna sell ??
I guess I might as well throw my nm module up for sale too. I won't put it on my clubman because my daughter takes her drivers test in like 2x weeks , then it's hers. I already registered it in HER name too as to give her a true feeling of ownership. Holding a 4.0+ GPA throughout high-school sofar , she's absolutely earned it. I couldn't be more proud of the kid.

 

Well if anyones looking to buy an nm module, hmu..
I completely forgot I had a magnetic engine oil drain plug so I used my shop shopvac to hold in the oil while I removed the old plug. Little trick I was taught back in the day.
I got started on cars on a humbug when I was 16x and needed a replacement part. I went to buy it and the mechanic/shop owner said " it's on that engine over there , feel free to use my tools if you want or I can get it removed shortly " so I said " suuuuure , ille turn a wrech " and I literally was lost.
so when he got done he came over and assisted me by telling me what to use and do. Then we got chatting and he ended up asking me if I'd be willing to work for him and he'd train me and allow me to use all his tool. And ontop of it all , this was 24yr ago now he STILL paid me 10$ an hour.
I ended up working for him until he unfortunately passed away of a heartattack. I was really big into mn12's ( thunderbird and cougars ) then and he had numerous thunderbirds and he wanted me to start fixing the engine and a sweeeeeeeet LOW MILE 94' Supercoupe and wanted to give me the car once I finished it too but when his wife offered it to me , unfortunately I wasn't in a position when I was 17x to take in a project car even IF it was literally my dream car at that time.
anyway just a little story , ilke always remember Jim and respect that man for what he did. He turned me into the monster I am !
it was him who impressed this mentality on me. Never cut corners, never accepted " good enough " and treat everyone with the same respect as their your parent or child.
doing that vacuum trick last night really brought back some good memories for me...
rip Jim ! You were a good man and I will forever be thankful.

 

Soooooooo what's your guys thoughts on these seats for my car ? I'd OF COURSE iron on some jcw logos or Recaro logos , idk which but probably the jcw ones..
but imo I think these would look sweeeeeeeeet.
Buy I gotta worry about tuning 1st so ima change my oil and put the order in with lou...
just got back from another trip up north and dumb Trump ! The 15% ethanol over priced gas ( actually under priced believe it or not ) I got tad over 4mpg less(33mpg) on the freeway with 93oct 15% ethanol but on the way back with 91oct ethanol free I got 37.3mpg..

 

Seats and emblems are ordered I also ordered airbag deletes encase I can't code the errors out from deleting them.
Tune is paid for and all the hardware purchased.
Lou has been working with me already, teaching me how to do stuff because I'm clueless. Yall talk about how great of a tuner is he BUT what should be talked about is how kind and awesome of a teacher he is. im really glad i decided to trust you guys again.
I changed my oil too before we started and lolol of course. All my mods now has only complicated the removal of the oil dilter,geez..I broke my oil filter housing too ofcoyrse so I had to run and grab one from the salvage yard real quick. i switched back to Rotella t6 and I used my k&n oil filter I had laying around because I figured why not use it already. I dont remember if I mentioned or not but I do have a magnetic drain plug and there was nothing on it ,I emptied the catchcan after about 3500miles atleast of it being on and WOOOOOOW ,there's like noooooothing in it , I can't believe it ! Just some moisture from coldstarts n **** but that's really it. Do these n18 really have that little blow by ? Or is it a good sign my engine IS as healthy as it should be ?
I sold the nm module too , Ole trusty. I gotta admit though, that thing definitely is am awesome upgrade. I mean for 200$ , how much it added and how easy install was , it's a no brainer. I mean obviously a custom tune is toptier but if you don't need a full on tune and satisfied with the power it makes , the NM module is for you..
i had amazon make a custom decal too , lol ricer in me. Itle always be 2002 to me...
As always, here's pics !!!!!!

 

O yea lolol I asked Lou too if he has any windshield banners for him and his tuning , ille let EVERYONE know what the cars running tunewise and IF THEYRE anybit of a real miniac, they'll immediately know my car means business when they see prototype tuning..

 

I am so glad you're happy with Lou. He and I still have random chat sessions about anything - cars, life, etc.

To swap out the oil filter, you really should pull the intake pipe and remove the coolant tank, not just pull it aside. Make access so much easier. That's actually why it has a quick release fitting on the bottom. Get yourself a cheap syphon pump, drain it, remove it, replace it, then fill it back up.

Also, I was only changing the oil filter every other oil change. Go with a high quality 15-20k mile filter, and change it every 10k miles - Oil every 5k. With the tune getting started, pull an oil sample at your next oil change, and send it into Blackstone for an analysis. I ran my Clubman on 5,000 mile oil changes, and Blackstone said I could have gone 7500 between changes. Blackstone can give you an overall health check on the engine and let you know how its operating.

 

good info. Thx you.