I have access to the VMP parking lot sometimes, home of Va. Pro Solo's in the past. I will probably be doing some kind of Test and Tune some time on a week day in the spring, most likely a Friday between 3/25 and 5/6. I think it would be great if a bunch of ST MINI owners could get together for the purpose of information and expense sharing. I have 3 sets of 15x7.5 SSR's and 1 set of 16x8 ce28n's that I can mount tires on and others would be encouraged to bring along any wheel and tire combo's that are thought to be Nationally competitive and we could all swap wheels and tires around. Expenses will have to be worked out and it will depend on how many can make it and what you've got to offer. For instance, if you just wanted to show up and make a 3 runs on one of my wheel tire combo's it will probably cost you $30 but if you had a new set of the soon to be coming out Handkook Z212's to compare to one of my sets and were willing to swap it wouldn't cost you anything on a run per run basis. I wouldn't mind trying someone's R tires as well.

Maybe we could try out each others cars as well to see what different suspension setup's are like,

If you think you may be interested in this let me know.


p.s. I have my own cones!

 

As you know I'm definitely for this and can probably drag (at least) Craig down to VMP as well. Maybe by then I can bring a set of then new Azenis to try.
Just let me know when.

 

sounds great keep all of us posted perhaps we can get a group from the rivercityminis to join in for all the fun......thanks again for the offer

 

This will be my first year in STX (only my second in autoxing), and for me this would be an invaluable opportunity. Please count me in.


I will just have slapped an initial set of hardware on the car (coilovers, rear bar, camber plates) and would welcome the chnace to get guidance on set up. The car is a new 2005 with the new OEM LSD.

 

Good to hear from you guys. I kind of expected David and knew Jim was getting more and more serious about autocrossing so i was hopeing to hear from him too. I understand Craig Garfield is getting a set of KW "Competition 2 ways" like mine so I'm hopeing he wants to get involved also. How about V. Bly?

As for what tires I'd like to see tested.

Old Azenis vs New Azenis (any size)
I have the old ones in 205/50/15 & 215/45/16 but only the one set of 16" wheels and the new ones are expected to 205/40/16's so the most equal of the comparisions would have to be the 15's

Falken Azenis RT-615 225/50/15 but they won't fit on my car at it's current ride height so it would have to be on someone else's car.
edit, it looks like Falken has decided not to make this size.

Falken FK-451 215/40/16 shaved to 3-4/32 vs. all the others

Handkook z-212 in at least one of the expected sizes, 205/50/15 and 215/45/16

BFG KD 205/50/15, shaved to 3-5/32. The 225/50/15's have been tested and are not as good as the Falkens they were tested against on the MCS but were better on my Subaru in the dry (vs. 215/45/16 Falken) but much worse in the wet.

And if their out and in MINI sizes.

Yokohama Neova and Parda spec-D any size.

A ??? for you guys. If it would provide more complete testing to invite some STS Civic's, they are using the same size wheels and tires with the same bolt pattern and offsets, what would be your thoughts on having some of them there?

David, my memory (not good) is that your SSR's are 16x7.5 I know Bly's are but I'm thinking maybe your's are 15's and have no clue about Craig's wheels.

Jim, for some reason I'm thinking you have 15x7 SSR's but let me know what ever it is you have.

If people get tires to me for testing, I will get them mounted and balanced for free but you will need to provide for any to and from transportation costs other than me bringing them to the event. Maybe I'll buy them from you at the end of the day if I really like them and don't already have some and you can just order some more or maybe you can buy my wheels from me but I'd need to recover my costs on the wheels as I'd probably be getting more. My ce28n's will NOT be sold as they took 8 months to get here after ordering!

Wheel spacers. I get some lite rubbing on the rear trailing arm with my 15x7.5's if I don't use a thin spacer, 1/16". Last I checked my source was out and didn't expect any more so if people have or can get some 1mm to 3mm spacers for the test it would be a good idea to speed things along. If any wide tires (225's-235's) are tested it might be a good idea for that reason too. While my 1/16" spacer can be run without longer bolts I would reccommend longer ones for 3mm spacers.

 

My SSR comps are 16x7 - I bought them used from Chris Boling. I plan to put the new 205/40/16 RT-615 Azenis on them. I also have a set of Kosei K1's in 15x7 with a fairly new set of the 205/50/15 RT-215 Azenis.

I also want to spend a lot of the Test and tune time on suspension setups. Swaybar and rebound settings mostly.

 

This will be my setup, and objectives, FWIW. The car and hardware will be pretty new, so I am in uncharted territory. I would welcome having somebody else thrash it around a little and giving me feedback.

Cheers,

Jim

 

I have requested 3/25, Good Friday as my first choice from VMP with alternate dates of 4/1 and 3/24 if that doesn't work for them or enough of us to make it worthwhile.

This will probably be the first of two test sections. 3/25 is by far best for me as the test course will have to be reeistablished and marked so we can find it again later. I don't think most of last years marks will be visible now. I expect set up and practice to take all day for me and hopefully at least one or two others will be able to get there early and help set up. The course will be very much like an SCCA Pro Solo course that could be run at VMP. No I'm not saying a Pro is in the plans at VMP, I can only wish.

With the course semi permanently marked future set up will be a breeze and half day tests will the norm.

As not all the expected tires are likely to be avaiable by 3/25 and I'm considering other changes as well a second test is hoped for on or before 5/6.

 

Richard:

Good to hear some possible dates. I'm still in, but as I have to arrange a day off from work as much lead time as possible on the actual dates would be appreciated. I'll do my best to get Craig to come along.

My new Azenis are still showing a ship date of 3/15 - they have already slipped delivery 2 weeks - hopefully - I'll get them in time to get them mounted and bring them along.

Of these date 4/1 is best for me but 3/25 will also work. Friday is much better than thursday.

Keep me posted

David

 

Looks like we are in for 3/25.

I called TR and they do not plan to carry the Hankook's in anything other than O.E. replacement tires so that's a disappointment otherwise I was going to order a shaved set from them. If anyone else is not happy with this please call TR and ask them to carry the new Hankook RS-2 Z-212. I also asked about the Yokohama Advan Neova and it looks like any 15-16" sizes are more than a month away. The only size they have so far is a 225/45/17 at $204 so even when they get some 15's or 16's they will need to be real good and in the only (not totally fair) test they did so far they were about equal to the BFG KD's on dry grip but better than YOKO's AVS Sports. The tires were tested on different days and some time apart.

I wish one of the other supliers like, Edge Racing or Discount Tire, shaved tires as both of them will be selling the Falkens and the Hankook's. Maybe we should bug them (ER & DT) about that too.

 

Looks like I'm out for this friday 3/25. I am unable to get off of work that day. Also, Craig won't be able to make it as his car is not ready. My new azenis are still not in but "may" ship this week.

 

Sorry not to have kept up with this thread, which David's intercessions (yesterday at an event, and today in his post) reminded me of.

I, also, can't make 3/25. Later, like mid-April, I could.

On wheels and tires, I think I'm headed for a SSR Comp 16x7.5/Old Azeni setup, partly because I'm tired of wating to see if the 615s provbe to be any improvement. Right now I'm running 215/40/17 Kumho MX (unshaven)/Team Dynamics--truly a street set up.

I have made progress. The coilovers are on the car (PSS9s), with camber plates (which I'm having a hard time budging), and the Helix rear bar--all on a very green 2005 MINI S with stock LSD. The car is great in transitions but exhibits a lot of understeer still. I need another week or two to straighten it out, get past the fairly elementary stage, get the right wheel/tire combo on, and then I'm ready for more refined testing.

 

I'll miss you guys and Vince said he probably won't make it either as he's not expected to be back in the area, after a business trip, until Thursday and things have heated up for him at work.

Jim early reports say the new Azenis is about equal to the old or just a little faster and they heat slower and don't get greasy when hot. Looks like it will be better in standing water as well but probably has more to be gained in the dry than the old Azenis by shaving. If you don't already have your SSR's I'd recommend the 16x7.5's over the 7's and you may want to get them SOON as I hear SSR will be selling off it's assets and not reopening. Maybe another company will pickup their molds and licence agreements with Alumix (sp) but who knows. You do know that the 615 is available in a 215/40/17 don't you? I'm not saying that's the fastest choice, only the cheapest way for you to get fast if you've got 17's now and with your 05 the gearing hit won't be as bad.

Looks like I'll only be doing a size comparison this time. Old Azenis (215's) in 205/50/15 on 15x7.5 SSR's vs. old Azenis in 215/45/16 on 16x8 Volk ce28n's. Mounted 205's are 1/2" shorter and 3/8" narrower than the 215's mounted and the 8" wheel is apx. 2.25 lbs. heavier. Having just mounted the 215's on the 8" wheels I must say I think 8" is overkill on the 215/45/16 Azenis but I expect I'll be glad to have that extra width if and when I buy some Falken 451's. At least by doing the test this way it will give me an idea as to what size to focus on when it comes time to try Hankook's or Advan's.

4/1 is out as there is a MOPAR event at the track that day. Looks like 5/6 for T&T #2. There should be a lot of feed back from others by then on tires.

 

I misspoke on the wheels I'll be using, and I edited my post to note the 16/7.5 inch dimension. You're right about the size issue.

I can make 5/6. There is an event on 5/7 at FedEx, FWIW.

 

Looks like I will be back at VMP on 5/6, I hope some of you guys can make it this time. Jim, David, Craig G., Vince? Let me know.

 

I'm not planning on doing much on the 6th.. I may head on down again to watch. also ill see if i can make a better mount for the G-Tech so you and Courtney can test it out and compare.

 

Looks like the 5/6 T&T is now OFF due to lack of people and rain in the forcast.