Pete & Stephanie,

I am not sure if anyone offers the same service in your area, but we have a company named Brenda's Windshield Repair and she does a fantastic job of repairing windshields. She charges $40 for our members to repair chips. She is located in the Santa Rosa area and travels to your home of office and does the repair right in the parking lot.

If you don't have someone in your area, check with some of the car dealers. That's a trick that a lot of them do to repair a windshield on a trade-in. If not you may want to drive up to Sonoma County for the day, get your windshield repaired for $40 and spend the rest on a case of wine. Still cheaper than a new windshield and you don't have to worry about the seal.

Call me if you want to hear more. and NO i don't get a comission.

Cell 707-483-9948

 

Norm,

Wow, good to know - I just got dinged by a stone on 280 the other day, it made a small star on the windshield (fortunately at the bottom) of my Audi A4. Think Brenda could do that, too? Sure don't want it to extend into a bigger crack...

Melanie

 

Melanie,

You can reach Brenda at 707-538-3307. She fixes a lot of chips. She can't always repair everything, but she will let you know once she looks at it. If she can't fix it, she does not charge. I have had several done on my Lexus and Escalade and you can't see where they have been repaired. It's sooooo much cheaper & easier than replacing a windshield.

 

I don't know Brenda's service but I have had this kind of repair done twice on different cars. It is very much worth it because it is so much cheaper and it is rather amazing that you cannot see the repair at all. Check it out.

\pat

 

Nice to meet y'all! Had fun running with the quick boys up front. Would you PLEASE come out to a track day soon! Here's a plea I sent out after Big MINI Day.

Hello Big MINI Day Drivers!

In talking to you folks around the paddock at Thunderhill on Thursday, three things became apparent:
1. All of you were having fun.
2. Most of you would like to do it again.
3. A few of you would like to do it again tomorrow!

Let me address the members of Group #3:
Folks, the MINI is a superbly crafted, well engineered, nicely balanced car. As you know, it's built to exceed any posted speed limit with remarkable ease. A MINI racer told me it is one of the easiest and safest cars in the world to get into and go fast right away. Obviously, if you pursue that goal on the highways, you'll soon be deprived of your privilege to do so by CHP. The answer is to improve your driving ability, learn more about your car's capacity and rolling dynamics and satisfy your need for speed by bringing it out to a purpose built racetrack where everyone is going in the same direction and there is no CHP. I run at many Northern California track day events structured along the lines of Brian's Big MINI Day. All are well organized and well run with the emphasis on safety first and having fun second. These cars are our daily drivers for the most part, and we want to drive it home in the same shape it arrived in.

Here is a list of recommended track day clubs. An "I" next to the listing denotes clubs I instruct for. I encourage you to continue your learning process by coming out to a track day soon. See you there!

Jerry Bradbury
San Francisco Region SCCA Certified Instructor
Driver of "the flyin' MINI"


T.E.A.M. Racing I

Hooked on Driving I

SCCA High Performance Driving School I
(Street School)

Phil Wicks Driving Academy I

Trackmasters

UnlimitedLaps

N.A.S.A.
(Midweek HPDE events only recommended, these folks are very serious and skilled drivers)

Cheers,
Jerry

 

Sid, I'm with you on the track day thing. I was running 3rd all day in EVL MINI. Treating public (although backroads) like a track...I've done some track days at Laguna Seca and I would love to do another there.

I love HPDE's. And since I'm in Santa Cruz, Laguna is 40 mins away. I want to get a few people (won't mention names) out to the track as well.

If you can help get some Maverick MINI's out to Laguna, I'd be ever thankful.
Cheers,
Skottoman

 

Here's what you do:

Follow this link to the Laguna Seca Raceway schedule. Look at the track day organizations that are scheduled and check your calendar for some dates that will work for you. Send in your $$$ and start counting the days. Unfortunately because of the track improvements being made this summer, there are not a lot of events available at Laguna. I see one Porsche club in August and one CFRA event in September. The Shelby Club also welcomes MINIs.

Your MINI is one of the easiest and safest cars in the world to get into and go fast right away. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL YOU HAVE (insert mod you are planning here) DONE!! The very first mod anyone should make is to tighten the nut behind the wheel. That's you and that's best done with one-on-one in car instruction on a purpose built racetrack. Come join us. It's the most fun you can have in your MINI with your clothes on.

Cheers,
Sid

 

I also have a couple chips in my windshield, one of which is right in in front of me. I'll be driving up to Sonoma later in the summer to visit a friend, maybe I'll give Brenda a visit too!

Sid - I went to BIG MINI DAY and that might have been the most fun day of my life, and I would love to start going to other track events as well. I was in the C group and by the end of the day I felt pretty confident, but I would still like to be driving with other similarly experienced drivers on the track... Do any of the above-mentioned events also group people into levels of experience?

Thanks for the great info!

 

They all do. Instruction is mandatory for Novices, recommended for Intermediates and available for Experts. Instructor sign off required for solo. Instructor recommendation required to move up in class.

 

Oh ok, thanks!

 

I think it would be fun to get a group out to a track event. They can be like an all day picnic with 20 minutes of fast driving every hour. You learn a lot and have a great time. I was at an event at Buttonwillow last month and Jerry (Siddartha) was instructing. It was good to see a Mini out there showing how it is done. Why don't we do some checking and choose an event?

 

Hey did anyone else see the Red Bull MINI Cooper driving down 35 on their way home?!

 

Thanks for all the great info Jerry! A Mavericks track day sounds like a great/fun idea!

 

I highly recommend Thunderhill Raceway. It's a beautiful track and a very interesting one. After over a thousand laps there, I'm still finding new and better ways around. It's a hike from the Bay Area, but it is far and away the best track to learn on because of the good sight lines and because it's out in the middle of a big cow pasture and there is lots and lots of room to make a mistake without paying a big price, which cannot be said of Sears Point and Laguna Seca.

I drive up the night before, overnight at the Golden Pheasant Best Western or the Amerihost, wash the car, put on Sad Arthur's track shoes, have a nice meal, a good rest and am at the gates at 6:30 the next morning so I can park under the shade structure next to pre-grid. I am usually the only MINI there. Man, would I like some company!

Thunderhill has more track days to choose from than any other nukie* venue.

*norcal for those who are tired of saying norcal.

Cheers,
Sid

"Ever since I was born
I been tootin' my horn
And passin' ever'thing in sight."
-Ramsey Midwood

 

Regarding the Maverick MINI Run, here are some photos from my co-pilot:


My wife and I, preparing to disembark. Startling how alabaster my legs are, despite the cycling miles I've put in this year. I blame cold SF microclimate and the need for legwarmers. Gah.



Gathering before the start.





Nikki lays it down for the people.















I like that grill!



Third Rail Design Lab branding!



Nikki and the gang, right before we peeled away and aborted the remainder of the run, due to co-pilot and navigator unbecoming plumbing issues. It's hard out here for the motion sick!

Sorry we couldn't stay for the whole thing. Next time I will bring a skeleton crew...

 

Great pic's & what a good looking group of people (it goes without saying cars too) I've just got to get my lazy A** out of bed to make a Nikki run, man am I missing out or what

 

Here's a hint: not what

 

Okay, I'll bite explain please

 

hint: "man am I missing out"

PS - if it's not Scottish, it's CRAP!

 

Aye, Eric you have that right, " If it's nay Scottish it's crap" I'm BIG,BAD, & in PLAID........

 

Looks like a missed a good one. But I will be at the next one representing the BRG clan.

Here’s a quick update from Deutschland. I have seen many MINIs here but 90% have been coops, only a few S’s and even some MINI ones. All have looked completely stock with the exception of some cool stickers like some of us sport, like the actual size ones. One said “Could it be love?” another said “Baby on board with a picture of a screaming kid”. Another in German so I don't know what it said.

I got a POS Fiat that maxes out at 190 km about 120 mph. Have gotten blown away by other cars including MINI’s on the autobahn. Filled up today 60 euros (75 dollars) for 44 liters (11 gallons) this was for the regular grade not super, think about this the next time you fill up.

The world cup is going on so I’ve spent most of my free time in the bier gardens drinking, eating and watching the games. Next stop Amsterdam.

 

Will every time I see pictures of your car it looks less and less like the MISFIT mobile. It’s like Mr. Hyde has reverted to Dr. Jekyll. Ugg you even have the front plate attached.

I was so hoping you would keep it and twin charge and AWD it then it would really be a MISFIT mobile.

 

Steve, sounds like you are having a tough time in Europe Don't worry it will get better.........much better once you get to Amsterdam

 

I kno man but im rly mad at her right now...she is throwin all these codes and not running strong anymore...its upsetting...

here are my pics

 

That last pic explains why I saw you shoot over into the slow lane for what I thought was for no reason.

Nice photos