Don at DMH set up my car for street/track driving. His place is VERY impressive - amazing porsches and BMWs everywhere - even an actual Turner Motorsports racecar (sold and now privately owned). As a guy who likes cars, I walked around this place with my jaw dropped. I felt very confident knowing my car was in the right hands.

After a season with the stock suspension, I felt it was time for some tweaks to help improve me as a driver at HPDE events. So I went with the following:
- Well, nevermind, read my sig - it's all there.
- Plus a street/track alignment and other maintenance items that needed to be performed.

The car feels very solid on winter tires where it felt "tippy-toed" before. Don took great care of my car and did top-notch work in every aspect. I love how the car feels; it's better but not completely different, refined for performance, but with minimal sacrifice of streetablility (stock springs still). There's definitely more information transmitted to the cabin thanks to the camber plates. The whole setup feels tighter, and while I felt the MINI held the road well before, it feels like it's man-handling it now.

Obviously, I'll learn more as time goes on, and I'll really have some impressions after my first LRP outing 4/3. But I know that DMH Motorsports will continue to do my track-prep and performance work.

Also - specific praise for Texas Speedwerks is necessary for their excellent customer service in dealing with an Ireland Engineering mistake.

All in all, the experience confirms what really matters to me: solid work, extensive background knowledge, specific knowledge of the MINI, experience to back up opinions, and customer service to top it all off. I recommend anyone utilize Don's services.

mb

 

Matt

 

mbcoops
What did you end up with for alignment specs.?
Thanks, Steve

 

Don is top notch and I have said this a number of times. This guy goes out of his way for his customers and if I were in his area, I would definetly give him my bussiness. For now, he will have to settle for my small orders.

 

I'll be there first week of May...

 

Endlinks for stock ride height worthwhile?

 

Steve - I'll post the specs later when I have access to the printout. I don't remember all of the numbers exactly.

mb

 

I researched that and believed texas speedwerks when they explained the idea of removing the "load" from the sway bars both front and rear. Plus, the car won't stay stock height forever - just for now while I'm satisfied with it on both the street and track.

mb

 

What did you have done to the car, and what did you add as far as parts.

 

H&R 19mm rear sway
IE front adj. camber plates
H-sport comp rear arms
TSW (powergrid) front and rear adj. endlinks
Track/street suspension alignment (specs coming tonight)

He also:
changed the oil
changed the tranny oil
did a leak down
bled the brakes
did a BMW CCA tech inspection

mb

 

Did you have any issues with the springs hitting the strut tower in your?

 

hey mbcoops!

stock tranny fluid? Or Redline MTL or Motul?

 

mbcoops
I look forward to it.
Thanks, Steve

 

Newbs - if your question is referring to "mushrooming" then Don said my driver side was slightly out of shape. He fixed it before installing the plate. If it isn't referring to that, then I'm not sure what you man.

Heyduard - MTL

The Itch - I'm going to respect that fact that these specs get used by competitors and not post them at Don's request.

mb

 

Integrity is a good thing.

 

I will be visiting Don in about a week but not for suspension. He will be boring out my block for some new JE pistons and putting it all back together for me. I have heard alot of good stuff about him.

 

I'm so ignorant to all of this I didn't even realize that alignment specs would range very much from vendor to vendor when I posted that I'd share the specs. I understand there's competition and to give up something that's individual to a vendor isn't right. Close call!

mb

 

some car a lot, some not so much so. And some settings are based on the individual driver. Copy set-ups at your own risk, at best they will be a good starting point for your driving style.

Matt

 

thanks!

I think Newbs is referring to the reinforcement ridges inside the drivers side tower. They are infamous for rubbing with the beehive spring when trying achieve negative camber greater than -1, especially with lowering springs.

BFH fix for the 'shrooming? I have to do that. Gotta love 'em Jersey roads.

 

Just and FYI...one M7 product that does work for me is the strut tower plates. I've had travel related problems for quite a while on NY roads - thru the winter. Slam after slam, no noticable changes to the strut tower. My teeth are falling out - those are fake