One is missing, the other has been sawn in half (I can see the kerf marks) and left dangling. Definitely not for looks . However, just got my ECS box with new ones so it'll be good as new soon
Ok, thanks for the order, i have seen people shave the plastic, so just wanted to know.
I always wondered what everyone was talking about with the flap on the JCW intake. Glad you reversed the seemingly pointless hot air intake? The guy before you had in the works.
I guess that makes my intake the poor man JCW intake.
TBH it's probably an insignificant performance difference vs just the front intake. But OHHHHH MY that sound is amazing. Like Hermes himself is giving her an extra kick.
Took off that cracked, yellowed decal on the rear bumper. I'll never understand why that crummy bit of vinyl was chosen for the high-dollar aero kit. Anywho, for those interested, a hair dryer works wonders for peeling it off. Goo-gone easily takes case of the adhesive. Now for some Plasti-dip!
I'm slowly getting ideas for how I want the red/black scheme to eventually look. Rear bumper will be similar to the Nightwing R53 but I'll add a honeycomb mesh.
Wow it's been a while. Been having fun in between being extremely busy. After the latest maintenance she's running like a top though.
What I thought was speed sensor out (trifecta, etc) turned out to be the ABS computer blown out so I took it to Madness to get it swapped and get some PS hoses replaced. George and crew did a great job, though he vocally disparages all the CravenSpeed additions to the car. It's just a dipstick, lighten up
I'm going to be on a polyurethane kick here soon after I replaced and put inserts in the lower mount. No more clunking and surging! I can still feel a little rocking on pulsing the throttle though, so I think I'll slowly go through the engine mounts and poly-up until I notice increased NVH. Lower mount didn't affect NVH at all so I'm hopeful the unbreakable lump can be cinched down even tighter and that road feel can get even better.
P.S. Loving the WMW black side markers. Much cleaner than stand-out orange.
Blacked out the beltline and headlight rings. Little tint on the headlight lenses to hide the yellowing left lens (older than the other lens) and as the kid said, "needs another red thing" so I obliged. Quite like it.
Installed the Craven tow hook, I really like the look. I may have to start a gen1 version of the "meanest cooper" gen2 thread to get some ideas on the final look I want for this car. You can also see where the aero brackets were supposed to be, the chimpanzee who installed the aero bumper cut them off.
Looks like I'm JCW lucky number 13k
I know it's been two years but.. your tire is on backwards.
I know it's been two years but.. your tire is on backwards.
:p
Haha, yes I noticed that when I went to rotate the tires shortly after that photo. It's the right way around in the next pic. Just one more thing I wonder how the previous owner missed...
Blacked out the beltline and headlight rings. Little tint on the headlight lenses to hide the yellowing left lens (older than the other lens) and as the kid said, "needs another red thing" so I obliged. Quite like it.
Where did you get the red scoop liner? I'm going for a black / red theme too. I left the beltline alone but I have dipped the headlight rings.
Where did you get the red scoop liner? I'm going for a black / red theme too. I left the beltline alone but I have dipped the headlight rings.
Nothing more than 1/4" vinyl and a steady hand . I believe I'll put on some hood pinstripes as well in that color, I'm really happy how sturdy the vinyl has been.
Went out to a couple of late summer track days at PIR and met a some fellow Cooper owners. Turns out three of us were running RE-71R tires at the CSCC event so we got to share notes which was nice. The tires ran great with no gumming up despite the 9X deg heat and being pushed hard. Very happy with these + RPF1 combo.
That last track day definitely highlighted how shot my suspension is - I was rolling all over the place with no damping. The struts are pretty scored, they're probably done. Time for a suspension overhaul! Since I'm quite happy with the ride height (I scrape on some driveways at stock height, I have no idea how some people get away with -1.25" springs!) I'm looking at Koni FSDs. I'll add to that a 19mm sway bar and IE fixed camber plates, I like the idea of a set-and-forget setup like this. Any opinions on this setup for a DD with several tracks days a year and maybe some future autox?
Also Mini Mania was having a great sale on this so I couldn't say no to an engine mount refresh as well. Got a new trans mount with poly bushings as well, that should clear up the rest of the rocking and surging.
That last track day definitely highlighted how shot my suspension is - I was rolling all over the place with no damping. The struts are pretty scored, they're probably done. Time for a suspension overhaul! Since I'm quite happy with the ride height (I scrape on some driveways at stock height, I have no idea how some people get away with -1.25" springs!) I'm looking at Koni FSDs. I'll add to that a 19mm sway bar and IE fixed camber plates, I like the idea of a set-and-forget setup like this. Any opinions on this setup for a DD with several tracks days a year and maybe some future autox?
Also Mini Mania was having a great sale on this so I couldn't say no to an engine mount refresh as well. Got a new trans mount with poly bushings as well, that should clear up the rest of the rocking and surging.
Let me preface this reply by saying I don't know #$%*#@ compared to some of the guys here but I have a very similar goal (daily driver with a few days at the track).
I have a 19mm rear sway bar that was on the car for 1 track day. I was holding onto until I was sure about the 22mm. After 2 track days with the 22mm I'm sure I'm not going back so if you are interested let me know.
BUT
I have Koni FSDs, stock springs, stock front sway bar and 22mm rear sway bar. I was at PIR last week and this set up felt pretty good. I'm on the minimum setting for the rear sway bar. My tires are crap and new tires are for sure the next thing on the list. I feel like when I get better tires and some camber & an alignment I will be able to go up to the middle setting on the sway bar. My point is, I don't think I would recommend the 19mm sway bar.
Let me preface this reply by saying I don't know #$%*#@ compared to some of the guys here but I have a very similar goal (daily driver with a few days at the track).
I have a 19mm rear sway bar that was on the car for 1 track day. I was holding onto until I was sure about the 22mm. After 2 track days with the 22mm I'm sure I'm not going back so if you are interested let me know.
BUT
I have Koni FSDs, stock springs, stock front sway bar and 22mm rear sway bar. I was at PIR last week and this set up felt pretty good. I'm on the minimum setting for the rear sway bar. My tires are crap and new tires are for sure the next thing on the list. I feel like when I get better tires and some camber & an alignment I will be able to go up to the middle setting on the sway bar. My point is, I don't think I would recommend the 19mm sway bar.
I would concur with everything here and the consensus from nearly everybody is that 22mm (or equivalently 25.5mm hollow) is the way to go if that's all you're doing. I would say the opposite, though, about more camber allowing you to increase the bar stiffness. More negative camber will reduce understeer by squaring up the contact patches at the front, which means you need less sway bar stiffness (which also decreases understeer by shifting weight to the inside front wheel) to maintain the same oversteer/understeer tendencies. I've heard of a few folks having to dial down the sway bar after they added camber because the car starts to oversteer. Discussion here and here. I figured I'd start safe, since the 19mm on full stiff is about the same as 22mm on soft
I would concur with everything here and the consensus from nearly everybody is that 22mm (or equivalently 25.5mm hollow) is the way to go if that's all you're doing. I would say the opposite, though, about more camber allowing you to increase the bar stiffness. More negative camber will reduce understeer by squaring up the contact patches at the front, which means you need less sway bar stiffness (which also decreases understeer by shifting weight to the inside front wheel) to maintain the same oversteer/understeer tendencies. I've heard of a few folks having to dial down the sway bar after they added camber because the car starts to oversteer. Discussion here and here. I figured I'd start safe, since the 19mm on full stiff is about the same as 22mm on soft
Last track day, my tires were the main problem. I probably need some neg camber and better tires for sure. How much that will affect the rear sway bar settings??? Out of my league and I have a long way to go. Keep posting on your findings. And after reading the two post you put links to, I may hold on to my 19mm until I have camber plates.
Well that was quite an interesting few days of wrenching. Got a bunch of goodies put on and learned a lot about how the engine mounts and suspension work. By far the most important thing on this bench would be the baby wipes - best degreaser ever.
IE fixed plates
HSport 19mm bar
FSDs all around
Vibra-technics mount
PF trans bushings
Regreasing LCAs with Aqua Shield since the PF grease dried up completely.
Speaking of Aqua Shield, this stuff is freaking amazing. I'm using it on all poly bushings now and it is the clingiest, tackiest stuff you'll ever use. If it can survive repeated attempts to wash it off my hands with every soap available, it should do fine under the car. Highly recommended.
. However, just got my ECS box with new ones so it'll be good as new soon 
Blame it on bloody Miata.
Keep posting on your findings. And after reading the two post you put links to, I may hold on to my 19mm until I have camber plates. 
