Please.
I am thinking about getting the hook powdercoated by one of out NAM people and am wondering what color to go with. I have a Chili Red/W and want to do something that really stands out. Maybe yellow? Good idea, bad? What do you think?

Thanks for any input.

 

Here's mine...Electric Blue to match.

 

Where do you get/buy the tow hooks?

 

This might be an alternative to the powder coating:
http://www.minspeed.net/TH.htm

for another source try:
http://www.hmsmotorsport.com/store/t...rack/tow-hooks
http://www.tcdesignfab.com/products.html ( they will sell a front only)
also try MOSS motors or E-BAY

 

Look in your tool kit in the boot. It's free. Plastidip at home depot in black, red, and yellow cheap. Use some teflon tape to get it to stay at the right angle. Which is horizontal IMHO.

 

Hey tow hook fans,

Honestly, I'm not attempting to be a smarta$s with my post, but I don't understand why people would want to drive a street car with tow hooks inplace, much less accentuate them with bright colors. To me, it makes sense on race/track cars but for road use? Wouldn't you get daily ribbing from people asking why you need a tow hook? First laugh/question being, "Are MINI's so unreliable that you need to have the hook ready at all times?"

Again, I'm not criticising or making fun... I just don't understand drawing attention to a tow device, especially on a British car. I have my OEM hook, but it's tucked away with hope of never using it.

 

Bit of a personal question, isn't it?




(PS Mine is still where the factory left it).

 

I think the tow hook looks cool. People like them because it makes the cars more aggressive looking.

 

Maybe, but aren't we all 'family' here?

 

Very nice........

 

would they make them in royal grey?

 

Well it sounds like a"thinly disguised" critisism making behind a "light hearted" question(s).

Simple. Wheels, suspension, driving/fog lamps or some other gizmo is there to promote individuality. Same reason one buys (partly) a MINI in the first place.

After all road vehicles essentially do the same thing. Start, move (hopefully) and get you to point B. Gee, we don't need automatic A/C, cup holders, Satellite radio or nifty floor mats either.

At least the tow hook has a funtion that can come in handy. Simply if you should ever break down and Cleatus shows up and starts to place tow chains/straps on your suspension arms he may spot the hook or you can easily inform him/her that the offending yet necessay chain/strap attaches to these points. Hence the reason they are there in the first place. 2nd get a neat looking hook and it looks great. If people ask they get an answer. Most I found figure it out on their own. And yes my hook happens to be in the horizontal position right now. Sometimes I fold it. And no....it's not a MINI hook. Same threads. It's for a BMW. BUT now Moss sells a varient of it.


-C

 

To each his own

 

One of the guys in my local club has his coated red and above it on the bumper a set of stickers that say "Pull To Inflate".

I'm guessing that he's on NAM, but I'm not sure...

 

Hmm. I didn't mean this as "thinly disguised" criticism. But if it makes anyone feel better, allow me a moment of self-deprication--

I like my wheels without center caps, which has no practical road application- but for me, it's merely an aesthetic derived from track use... and I once had a guy ask me how I lost my "hubcaps".

And--CXRK, very nice looking MINI!

 

For Chili Red, I suggest go with White, Red or Black. Just IMO

 

Go to my gallery to see a pix of mine. I also have the "pull to inflate" sticker. When people see it and you can tell they are confused.....I tell them its my "SUV" option...... 2 cars in 1......when I'm done with the SUV, I just push it back in and viola, its a MINI again. Then I really get the confused look.

 

Thanks. I did look. Nice.
Looks like you are having too much fun on the track?

 

Thanks,
That was taken at Thunderhill on 11/1/07 at an all MINI Hooked on Driving event. Go to http://gotbluemilk.com/ for additional pix. Just select gallery and then, trackdays/racing, and select November 1st date for photo's of all the MINI's that were there. Some really cool photo's....the folks at gotbluemilk.com do an excellent job with their photo's.

 

 

Where are the best sources to get a towhook? Any good sites out there? I'm a fan of the Outmotoring one, but really haven't spent any time looking for others (yet).

 

http://www.tcdesignfab.com

 

I had the red anodized metal one on my Jet Black and I love it. It's the only thing on my car that's not black, white, or silver. It would look great on your CR! If you want to see what it looks like, I'm in your area all of the time. I'd be more than happy to swing by. It takes 3 seconds to put it in the tow hook slot.

 

Here's my OEM tow hook in red. Used caliper paint since it was handy. Dark silver is hard to photograph on a wet cloudy day in Ohio, but that towhook still stands out!


I couldn't resist the "pull to inflate" vinyl at MOTD 2007. I think I saw it on Misfittoy that day. I came to realize most people don't know what it is. Makes for a fun discussion when they ask "so what happens if I pull it?" The list of answers seems endless.

 

Well, finally go the powder coat kit and cooked up my tow hook ala Outmotoring. Given the tight tolerance between the ring and the mount I thought I'd be clever and tape it off. I found out that overspraying and sanding yields better results but not terrible for first time DIY powercoating. Next weekend I'll probably hit it with a second coat to darken it a bit and also clean up the silver on the edges.

-/flea

Silver aluminum hook: ~$50
Eastwood Hoat Coat powder coat gun/kit: ~$80
Toaster oven from e-bay: ~$20
Total time about an hour start to finish.


And since Comcast web hosting blows the link:
http://home.comcast.net/~fleance/tow_hook.jpg