I was driving through some hills a few days ago, and I had the thought that the car is almost perfect for me. Power is up there, but not crazy. I can pretty much break the wheel loose through most of first and second now if the car is in a happy spot! I have an exhaust to put on (that I have) and maybe a cam (that I don't have), tune it up and I think that's it. The suspension still needs a bit of sorting, but the changes on it have made a world of difference in grip. I'm doing some pretty radical changes to spring rates, so I may need to change a sway bar, but all the rest of the parts are already on the car, and it's just adjustment that's needed

Ack! Whatever will I spend my money on now? And how long will I enjoy this one before I take it back to stock (or pretty close) and get a new one and start all over again?

Matt

 

Hah! Great, It's very nice to hear somebody having so much fun!

 

"I'm almost done with my Mini!"

B. False

No one ever finishes...

 

Ok, so you're almost done.
Except for the exhaust, cam, engine tune, springs, sways and suspension tune.
I'm afraid to ask what the list looked like when you started!

 

Of course if you are really finished and have your perfect mini, I'm sure that '65 mustang could eat a few dollars, or even another project car "Docs Super G-Machine"

 

After you get all that on you'll start spending your money looking for "Just ten more horsepower" or "Just a bit more grip on the track" Or even "Just a bit more for looks and entertainment."
The only time you'll really be done with the car is when you sell it and move on to another project.
I found my MINI to be almost perfect off the lot and a bit more HP, and more grip, etc..... and it will be more perfect.

 

Oh boy, am I like not even done with mine.

I have couple of more power upgrades to do with an air to water/water to air progressive intercooler made in England along with replacing my BPV with a DT one and having the VGS done on it at the same time.

After that it's going to be all suspension with coil overs, camber plates, strut bar and nice wheels and tires then the bigger brakes. all in all about 8 upgrades.

I have no idea where I will get all that money from.

 

"just one more thing" approach before... It's not too satisfying.... Very expensive.... And tends not to end up with a good integrated system.

And a lot went on and off the car over time. But after doing a head in my garage, I learned that a cam is a 1-2 hour job. The header is a bit of a pain, but I've got big wrenches so I'll overcome on that one. But the world of "little bolt ons" is long behind me.... Here's what's on the car now...

Engine..
16% pulley
P/P SC
P/P intake and runners
P/P head with 0.5mm intake and 1.0 exhaust valve upgrade.
GP Intercooler
OBX/Stock Cat/One-ball (this will get replaced with one of Don's Stahl exhasuts)
JCW injectors
Plugs wires and coil.
HAI with custom baffling
Water injection
I've got an LSD waiting for when the clutch goes....

Brakes
DT BBK
TCE rear kit
Federo 2500 pads
SS lines
upgraded fluid
metal caliper bushings in rear

Suspension
Ledas
Rear Sway
Camber Plates
Lighter wheels
Better tires

Other Crap
"Actual Size" sticker
Lower Jack points
Video iPod integrated with Nav system
G-Tech
PLX Wideband
BMW car seat
Euro Parcel Shelf
Schroth Harness

Any "must haves" that I'm missing?

Matt

 

what about the cup holder and Ipod mount... that's good for some performance gains

 

and floor mats... the carpet ones are lighter than the rubber ones... thats a mod

 

I have a MiniFini cup holder(doubles as an iPod holder) and rubber floor mats! I guess I AM done!

Matt

 

Looks like you still need an Auto Up windiw circuit....

Like you, I'm very content and almost done with my MINI. I have some white mirror caps and some Union Jack mirror caps (got them before car was delivered in April '05) and I still haven't found the time to swap them out.

My car is a almost fully loaded, has the JCW kit since day one, 22mm rear sway bar, Auto Up window circuit, upgraded driving lights, and a Euro Parcel Shelf. I'm about done modding. I'm very happy with the car as it is.

Now, when the shocks wear out, I'll install Konis myself and since it'll be apart anyway, probably some upgraded springs. (Ain't paid for labor in over 20 years and I ain't about to start now...) I'm not upgrading that stuff because I'm dissatisfied, just that if I'm taking hours out of my life to work on something...I use the best parts available to me.


Rawhyde

 

Shorty antenna?

 

RWD

No, not rear wheel drive...... rear wiper delete. Oh and the Piezo buzer.

 

DR O,

From post 8.... How are you running the Ipod through the NAV screen? What is the device and cost?? I have NAV and my Ipod plyaing videos right next to it... It seems it could be so easy to "get what is happening here, put right there".

Thanks, Jasun

 

range from about $200 to well over $400. I bought one used that was made by TVANDNAVTOGO (.com, of course!). There's a thread on integrating a PS 2 or something that listed an eBay switch for the $200 price or thereabouts.

It's not just a mechanical switch, it has to change the video format, so it's a nice chip burried somewhere in the box...

Matt

 

No, you're not.

 

Another variant of the (MINI) Big Lie. "I'm going to keep it stock."

 

Really, how much more can I change?

But seriously, I really am almost done with mods on the car. Then it's just more tuning, more seat time, and replaceing things that brake....

Matt

 

"Almost done"

 

If you have, you'll all know that if you don't have a goal, it never stops, the car is never in one state long enough to sort or to really know.

This isn't the first car I've gone through all this on before. I learned the hard way then. I'm happy to have the car the way I would have wanted it delivered. I'll just drive the snot out of it until something comes along to catch my interest, either for Mini or something else (I was thinking of building a T-bucket kit car/street rod, can you say 1700 lbs and 250+ HP? About $12k project. Don't have the cash now though....)

The one exception to this is taking parts on and off for testing. So I do have an "out"

Matt

 

Matt, you know you'll NEVER be done, so why worry?

 

I can't afford to never be done, and if I were going to spend $70k on a car (I haven't on the mini yet, but if I never stop I WOULD get there), I'd get a factory five kit cobra (Wanted to make one of those for a long time), some sort of Lotus 7, and put $20k into my pocket. Who knows, maybe pick up a used MCS!

Matt

 

So why the GP intercooler instead of the M7 DFIC. Now that all the hubbub has trailed off about the DFIC, is a topmount still better?

 

check out this thread.

Matt