Ok, a question for the guys in this forum that have had some success in SM Autocross (looking at you minihune) I am slowly getting ready for the 2009 season (my second season) of AutoX, and was wondering where I should go with some additional modifications for the Mini.

Here is what I have done so far:
-2004 Mini Cooper S
-Alta CAI
-Craven 15% pulley reduction
-TSX Engine Dampener
-DT Bypass Valve
-Alta 22mm Rear Sway Bar
-Bavarian Autosport Lowering Springs
-EBC Greenstuff Pads/Slotted Rotors
-Schroth Quick Fit Harness
-16" 5-spokes with Hoosier tires
-Soon to be fitted with Alta PSRS (current bushings are shot)
-Rear Seat Delete (will be installed before season starts)

I am running somewhat consistently in the middle of the pack in our local club, and I want to know how to go that extra little bit.

Here are the items I am considering, let me know if any of these are crazy/unnecessary/lousy return on investment:
-Evo School
-BC Coil-overs
-LSD
-IE cat back
-Rear control arms

Should I go with any of those mods, or just do the Evo School and see where I stand?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

Looks like your on the right track...

School should be at the top of any list.

Move the rear control arms up on the list so you can get a proper alignment. I don't know how much you springs lowered the rear, but "any' will require a camber adjustment.

BC COs will make huge difference, because of the damper/camber adjustment.

LSD would be great, but it's costly and most would recommend clutch and/or flywheel while you've got it apart.

The exhaust would be nice, but will not have much effect on your times.

You will need to consider some fresh R-Comp tires at some point. If the Hoosiers are A6's they probably won't last.

 

I'd also look into getting something wider for wheels/tires. 225/45/15 on a 15x8 wheels works well (what I run), but if you are serious about taking full advantage of all SM allows, you can go crazy with the 275/35/15 hoosiers on something like a 15x10 wheel (some cutting required.....).

EVO school might be the best ROI of everything at this point (I personally have never attended an EVO school, but I regularly get beat by those who have :-P )



Jason

 

all of those would be great! sm is a tough class.

 

OK,
You have a lot of work to do and still will be the underdog if your competition has done mods to the limit of SM class.

Driver skill counts the most.

I usually have 12 to 18 competitors per event, SM class is one of the two top classes for participation each event in my region, the other being DSP which also has MINIs.

In the past I was able to do well because my competition was not always as good about making full use of new tires or wider tires but since then they have wised up and now I'm getting beat by cars with just as much HP or more running 275mm wide Hoosiers.

Most of the time I can get top three in my class using Kumho V710 225/50-15 on 15x8 rims (fairly fresh) but I do practice fun runs in street tires and usually can get within 1 to 1.5 seconds on a 32 second course (205/45-17 Extreme Summer tires). The street tire time would put me in top 5 or 6.
The gap between my official time and the next better might be less than 0.1 sec.

This shows the effect of tires. Similar skill level or with the benefit of practice allows for that 1-1.5 sec gap so take a look at how much you trail by. Hoosier A6 is a good tire IF- they are new and are changed every 6 to 8 events and not beat up or worn by driving to the events on the street, and if you have enough negative camber up front to make use of the tires.

Your current tires are 16". There are several approaches to make improvements to your wheel and tire setup but they are generally more costly then just staying with your current wheels and getting fresh tires- either Kumho V710 which last longer or Hoosier A6.

One option is go wide- 15x8 rims like Rotas or 6UL and keep the weight down. I have 13 lb 6UL and they are OK. You can then run 225/45-15 Hoosiers or 225/50-15 V710s. You get smaller tires with the Hoosiers which is good for gearing but they do wear out fast. This means the tires are prime for only 6 to 8 events then you start to notice they don't grip as good and your advantage is slipping away slowly but surely.

Another option is to go with a larger wheel. 17x7.5 or 17x8 and 225/45-17 Hoosier A6 which is shorter than the V710 at 24.7" tire diameter- about as big as you want to go but you do have a wide tire.

Front adjustable camber plates are the best way to make negative front camber. Max it out about -2.4 degrees or as much as you can. Rear lower control arms help you reduce rear negative camber which in your case might be excessive. Better is about -1.2 to -1.4 degrees for the rear or roughly +1 degree vs the fronts. Right now you are probably more negative in the rears due to lowering springs and no adjustable lower contorl arms.
More rear negative camber increases understeer.

Toe settings need to be optimized. You did not mention your alignment. This is crucial. Front toe can be 1/8" toe out and rear can be zero toe. Some toe out for the rear could be tried for better turn in response- maybe 1/16" toe out.

Quaife LSD is the best way to keep tire traction working for you. If the tires are spinning they are not doing their job and no matter which tire you use it isn't taking you far. If you video your runs and see tire spin this is bad. Too much torque, too little tire traction, too little contact with the ground are all working against you. Labor for LSD install is high from $600 to $1500 depending on your area. Light flywheel and racing clutch are nice to add but also increase the cost of the upgrade. Don't go excessively light on the flywheel and use a street version of the clutch if you want to keep your MINI for street use. I added Quaife but kept the stock clutch and flywheel so it sounds quiet and feels like a stock MINI but has good traction and minimal wheelspin and torque steer.

Driving school- EVO, is always good and plan to do it more than once.

That should get your started.

I am not sure that the Alta PSRS is legal for SM class, I have a question out to SCCA about that.

If you tires are older than 8 events or more than 8 months old they are no longer in their prime.

Rear seat delete- I don't think you need the kit. I just remove my rear seat altogether and leave it bare. Minus 44 pounds.

Coilovers that allow you to adjust ride height is good. You can also corner balance if you want. Don't forget the front camber plates.

I think the Jan RMW ECU tune is a good addition, get it if you can ASAP.

Make sure you cold air intake is clean. Don't worry too much about the cat back exhaust- almost anything will do. Upgrades weigh less than stock. More noise does not = more power.

Above all, have fun... you're driving a MINI. People tell me all the time they like to watch me drive the MINI. I guess it's entertaining. Perhaps more like stunt driving the way I go. I usually push hard to redline and run the whole course in first gear- often above 6800 rpm at times.

 

If I had the money to blow on an Evo school, I'd do that. As stated - seat time + experience will make the biggest dif in the long run.

I went from middle pack to top pack last season with coilovers, V710s, and another season of autox - locally. Still get spanked by the nationally competitive lot, of course.

 

OK, I checked and found out from Doug Gill at SCCA

Alta PSRS are legal for SM class.

The things that make the most difference-
Driver skill
Good soft R compound tires- as wide as you can fit
Wide wheels- as you can fit and as light weight as possible.
Good suspension- with good alignment- up to -2.4 degrees negative camber up front and -1.2 degrees in the rear or similar. Toe out in the front up to 1/8" out and zero toe or slight toe out in rear for autocross.

Note- too much toe out can wear tires faster- not as good for street use.

 

All - thanks for your help, and minihune, thanks for the legwork with SCCA on the PSRS.

Hopefully look forward to seeing some of you in Lincoln this year for the National Events.

 

Well, after a weekend of fun (3 whole days auto crossing) I think the car is setup pretty good, I just need to keep improving my driving skills (finished behind 3 national level competitors in SM)

The weather was, well, varied. Friday I did 12 T&T runs in 90 degree weather on the new National Championship surface (and only corded one of my pretty much worn out R-Comps). On Saturday it was 40-45 degrees with a 30 MPH north wind. Finally Sunday was 65 with intermittent heavy rain. Overall, it was a pretty good event, and yes, having temperature swings that big are not uncommon for Nebraska in the Spring.

With help during the test and tune from the EVO school staff, I have the car where it is pretty well balanced and handles great in the tight spots, now I just need to work on my driving skills.

Thanks to everyone who gave input on the modifications. All of them are working out great (especially the EVO school and EVO T&T parts)

Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure courtesy of GotCone.com


Me in the slalom at the start. And yes, it appears that my new "S" magnet has an up side.


Great shot of a C-Modified Car running

For more pictures of the event go here and here