Did my first run against some competitive STX car builds this weekend with SFR SCCA. Given my car is setup like a DS car I was pretty happy with the car and its performance. I was in the hunt and within a second of well setup STX cars (National winning BMW) and even beat a nicely setup BRZ.

So here are my observations. I need more wheel and tire. BMW runs 255 and BRZ guys run 235. Im on 205's and and feel lack of tire slowing my down on faster big sweepers. Can I fit a 16x8 with a 225/45/16 under my stock fenders? Does somone have light weight wheel and offset they can reccomend? I really dont want to cut anything etc. RPF1 16x8 38 with 225/45/16? Im just looking for some help from you guys who have been around these cars.

Secondly Im sort of have a love hate with H Sport rear bar. If Im really smooth it rewards me with beautiful crips turn in and ability to get power down most of the times. The bad second I get sloppy it bites with cool rear oversteer that I can usually hold. Really feels like a rear wheel drive car as it will drift entire corner if I come in too hot and accidently kick it out. Cool but slow. Im debating on whether I keep it or go with slightly smaller bar. Whats funny is on street with traction control it feels fine but in competition I drive very hard and it really makes me think about how I go into features in AX now. also the ability to get through slaloms is incredible as I can use throttle to counteract rear coming out. Its wicked fun. Slow bit comes with sweepers if I enter too fast. Usually I can scrub speed off with controlled drift but with big rear bar rear end swings a little more aggressively. It may just be my learning curve as Im seeing less and less oversteer.

This paticular course screamed I need an LSD. Couple of sweepers and bends where I was really struggling to get power down.

I did have some 1st to 2nd shifting issues. I do have upgraded lower engine mount bushing but still had hard time shifting from 1st to 2nd while turning. I made mistake in one run trying to start in 2nd gear. The clutch didnt like that!

 

I have the H-Sport comp bar in my 2012 Coupe and have the same love-hate relationship. I think this body with all the frame reinforcement built in may make the this bar too much for the car on street tires.

What engine mount bushing did you use? I thought the purple from NM was too soft. Had good success with the PowerFlex Black series insert.

 

I have NM bushing. Arghh. Intersting hadnt thought about stouter rear end reinforcements making car too stiff with big bar. That would mean other cars are flexing and not allowing bar to be as effective. Hmmm.

 

225/45-16 will fit, that's what I was running yesterday (on 16x7).

It was a fun course yesterday, you almost beat me (on PAX), but it wasn't raining for you. You would have with a DS PAX.

 

The car as it stands right now is pretty much a slow D Street car. Tsw springs are pretty close to JCW springs , no LSD , Koni sports, no camber adjustments beyond stock, 205/50/16 tires, stock front bar with h sport rear, no engine mods on an S platform,.

Were you running blue HS mini? I was watching Blue HS running on mostly dry course in run group 5. Maybe another car? Think I saw a root beer colored JCW too.

 

I can't find any results on the SFR SCCA page. I did find a link after some digging around in the 2014 results thread. I don't see Blaine or Mike show up in the 2013 Solo Nats results but Charlie Davis was there and he was around 6.5 seconds out of first over two days although in his defense his one day was dirty so he was 4.5 seconds out of first without that cone. You're .5 seconds back on a 33 second course so 1 second back on a nationals course. Not bad for an underprepped car. Although a 33 second course is pretty small so I'm guessing you'd be farther back on a larger lot where the BMW can really stretch its legs. The 325 doesn't do well in small lots where it is low in the power band. Of course all of this is just bench racing till you get out there and go to a national level event and see how you really stack up

You need 225s so start saving your pennies. Unfortunately I can't tell which size wheels you need since we have to run 17s because of the JCW brakes. A 16x8 et40 sounds about right though with maybe a small spacer up front. The wider/stickier tires will mask the need for a diff for at least a little bit.

I won't go into detail but basically I'm not a huge fan of big rear swaybars. I know they're loved and adored here on NAM but I was never convinced. I'd bet money on you disliking that rear bar even more once you finally get some camber on that car (which you desperately need!).

The mini is never going to be as fast through the sweepers as the competition (FRS/BRZ/RX8/325) so set the car up to transition really well and put power down. You should be able to out-accelerate (or come close to it) all of the competitive cars with the exception of the WRX.

If you're looking to get faster I think the two biggest things for you (since you don't want to do coilovers) is going to be 225s and some camber plates for the front.

 

Interesting, and thanks for the observations.

What setting is ur RSB at?
Also, if you can fit the tire, 245s will fit on 8" wide wheels easily.

Be sure to cross-post your results in this thread: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...all-minis.html

I'd love to get a good solo results compilation thread going, could be good for the community

 

Keep your eyes on this years STX results from national events. Craig Wilcox is prepping a MCS for STX and if anyone can make a Mini competitive in a class it's him.

 

also, according to the sig you're running an mcs roadster correct? it's a bit of a weight/chassis stiffness disadvantage, to say the least. car should have the elsd which brakes the inside wheel, but I guess it's not enough for the mcs's torque

 

I'm looking for the quote, but the coupe and roadster were stated as actually having a stiffer chassis than a standard hard top due to various reinforcements especially the rear bulkhead brace. Heavier too by about 50-80lbs. But given the fitness level of the driver thats about a wash IMHOP

 

ahhhh lol gotcha.

 

That was us, part two of our tire testing.

Unfortunatly there are issues with the SFR Solo website this year (webmaster retired and no one has the right access to make it work.) You can find the results via links posted on the BAAutox.com forum. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...0E&usp=sharing

 

Thanks Man! I really appreciate your input. It is most spot on I have seen on these forums. Im working on it. I have camber plates now. Just need to get them installed. ...Yeah not having much negative camber up front isnt the greatest. My 225/45/16 ZII's arrived couple days ago. I may shove them on 16x7.5's I have and use money saved from new wheels on LSD. I ran against faster guys on a course that really highlighted need for LSD yesterday. I just couldn't keep inside front tire from spinning on almost every exit. I have tuned out badness in H sport bar and adapted my driving so no real issues with rear bar now. Was about 2 seconds off guys that are on more of national level on 48 to 50 second course yesterday. Car was pretty much still in D Street trim. I could see gaining a second or so with more tire and LSD.

Im headed to El Toro in April so will see how badly I get spanked. I suspect I will be slower entry based on what I see now but Im still having a blast. My problem is Im tied up between two cars and the mini isnt getting my attention unfortunately.

 

The Z2s on a 7.5 shouldn't be the end of the world. We run a 235/40 on a 7.5. Not the most ideal but they seem to work pretty well. I'd love to run the 235 Toyo but they would NOT like being pinched on a 7.5" rim. Saving money on the wheels won't cover you for a LSD unless you're going to do the install yourself. It's a fair chunk of labor to put the diff in. But with a proper diff the car just gets soooo much better.

Good luck at El Toro!

 

Thanks! Yeah I know about how much labor that is but have ways to minimise that expense. I will run at AAS event this Sunday which is pretty much a National level traning series. More regulation type setups with good drivers showing up. While my car isnt setup it gives me a good benchmark. I suspect Im about 2 to 3 seconds off top guys.

 

I'm confused and would appreciate any thoughts. The 2019 Solo Rules, page 190 shows that my 09 Clubman JCW is in D Street. I ran in STX in 2018. My mods: 42mm turbo & tune & K&N Typhoon intake, front upper & lower strut braces, rear upper strut brace, rear anti-roll bar, Bilstein shocks, and Ireland fixed camber plates.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

 

I have the Way Motor Works TSW X Brace on the lower front. It is stout. It reduces clearance a little...I hear it on most speed bumps, but I'm lowered a little - on NM Alpha springs.
https://www.waymotorworks.com/tsw-xb...6-r55-r57.html


I bought the rear upper strut brace on ebay from Donald-the-Bonald. We collaborated on the design...it isn't listed on ebay at the moment, but I'd bet he would be willing to fabricate one. Mine is the prototype, so it isn't as "pretty" as it could be. I believe that he sells just the upper cross brace alone, or with the lower cross pieces as well. We worked to ensure that it doesn't have to be removed if you want to use the back seats. Last but not least, I am not a good enough/experienced enough driver to say that I could tell much of a difference after I installed it. Pictures-

 

Welcome to STU.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

If the turbo isn't stock, wouldn't that push him out of STU?

 

Yep - missed that.

2019 SCCA Solo Rules - 14.10.C

 

Yep. That MINI won't be competitive in that class worth sh*t. Unless it's at small local events and it's the only car competing in SMF.

 

Craig ran his mini in SMF at 2018 nats with (IIRC) just a clutch upgrade and 275s up front compared to his STX setup. He did just fine. I think a well developed mini could do fairly well in SMF.

 

I agree. And that's Craig at the wheel of a better class-prepped SMF MINI, which is apples to oranges compared to a MINI with just a larger turbo slapped on driven by a newcomer to autocross.

 

Sorry I guess I misread your earlier statement. I thought you were implying a mini couldn't be competitive in SMF. You were implying THAT mini won't be competitive in SMF.