Well, uh, actually...

Oh, nevermind.

 

You can sure tell when the Mystic MINIs get together. Things go uh, shall we say mystical or other worldly. Though a heavily armored and armed camo MINI would be cool. The question is, who would get it? The Amy or the Marines. Of course the Navy would have thier own carrier based version in Pepper White. That would be fun, cutting up the deck of the USS Enterprise with a JWC MINI Cooper S. The Air Force could use the military version of the MINI to patrol the air fields.
We need to give our military personel some good equipment. May I introduce the MMFMR56MB. That's short for Military Multi Function MINI R56 Moral Builder. Abuvazi, you're in charge of the program. Make it so.

 

Do the panties have stripes? Hey, JJ — is that Morale Booster or Moral Booster? Me thinks the Mystics may have a difficult time with the latter, but my morale has already been super boosted just reading this thread!

BTW, Minx and I drive to Pleasanton to East Bay Mini to have her OEM iPod adaptor surgically removed at 10:30 tomorrow. (They've agreed to refund it — now what shall I do?...) Then I'll hang out for the big MINI '07 coming out party! I'll take pictures.

 

I suppose it would be a morale booster if we were driving it while "going commando" but it would be a moral booster if we wore panties with viper stripes.

And if the USAF buys them, well, then you can expect the cost to go up significantly. And no two branches of the service can be alike, or can even be allowed to agree -- we bicker over everything. So, I'm calling dibs on the hard top / sunroof combination for the Army; we'll need that for the turret. I'll bet that the Marines and USAF will argue over the cabrio - the Marines saying that they need the open top for beach assaults, and the USAF needing it, well, for the pilots huge egos and enormous heads.

 

Hmmmmmmm. Did I misplace moral where it should have been morale . I also forgot the Coast Guard but, they will probably wait for the release of the Clubman (they need the space for gurneys, rescue equipment and prisoners). Of course those vehicles would be orange with a white roof. Any troops assigned to UN duty would ride in powder blue MINI,s non S with UN letters in white tape on the bonnet and boot.
As Abuvasi has already pointed out, the Air Force will need special $10,000 sterring wheels that look, feel and operate like OEM equipment.
Now about those law enforcement MINIs..........................

 

You'd think that the USAF would be all about the aero kit....

 

And ejection seats...
Can you see a MINI in NASAs future?

 

Oh come now, haven't you ever heard of the JSM? (Joint Strike MINI)

 

So, to take a little pause from USAF bashing, I have an Auxiliary Gauge Kit for our Minis that are sans / without NAV. Yes, seems ironic that someone with NAV would end up with this, but let's jsut chalk it up to stupidity on my part.


Part number "82 94 0 393 994" and online it goes for around $250 plus shipping. But, for my good friends and fellow W3606'ers, PM me and we'll work something out. No, not free, and no, Paul, it doesn't have a Union Jack on it, though I bet you could replace the faces with little ones.

 

Alas, I have the Cockpit Chrono Pack - so they won't work for me, either... otherwise I'd be interested...

 

Chrono Pack here as well. Wish the Chrono Pack had included a voltmeter.

 

My daughter and I made a run today with Tess Turbo. Up a mountain, down to the city and then out along the river, before heading up the other side, through a valley, over the ridge, and on out the other side.



Did I mention that it was awesome? Did I mention that my daughter sang along with me and Johnny Cash as we belted out Ring of Fire?

For kicks, I slapped on my Garmin Forerunner 305, and recorded the trip.

I converted it over for viewing in Google Earth -- the file is here. I love Google Earth. So awesome. And this drive-with-my-305 worked well -- I will need to find more good drives, record them, and share the runs via Google Earth with others in the area. What better way to show, in detail, where to go for a great drive?

Oh, and apparently, long runs in the Mini are tiring.



(and no, I did not make this drive at 130 mph)

 

Like I said in the other thread - that is SO kewl...

I wish my Nuvi would record... but nope. At some point I'll get a different unit that records and support manual routings on the PC...

This drive is, for me, what's so awesome about the MINI. I have great drives with my kids, too. Whole family of four is going to the Dragon for the weekend in May. I don't know of another car that's so much fun to drive, that's even moderately practical for a family of four...

I'll always remember my Dad's love of hauling the family down twisty mountain roads (albeit in our 1968 Ford Galaxy 500). I hope my sons remember that part of our trips, 30+ years from now...

 

They will Blimey, they will. Here's to the wee ones in our wee cars.

 

Installed my M7 Under Strut System tonight in my garage on jack stands. About an hour start to finish.

This thing truly is incredible. I have a stock S sport suspension - no other suspension mods. I took the car out to my closest nasty off camber rough pavement S curve. And it was like I was ON RAILS compared to before. Now I really understand what the whole "go kart" handling thing is all about - I was blown away. You can feel the suspension doing what it's supposed to, instead of fighting off the gyrations of the chassis... car stays flatter through the curves, rotates around the turn much better, and doesn't "skitter" across the rough pavement - like a different (and MUCH BETTER) car. I'm blown away.

I was highly skeptical. How can 10 lbs of aluminum make the kind of difference everyone has described (even if it does cost $350)???

Well, I'm here to tell you, IT DOES. WOW.

 

So you're recommend it?

 

No, not really. I just felt like raving about something.

Yeah. In fact, I'd sell them if I could. Guys in the local club that have them on their hardtops also swear by them.

Most folks with these have already done lots of stuff to their suspension attempting to get some of the characteristics that I think you net with this one easy mod... It's not dirt cheap - but way cheaper than springs plus shocks plus links plus....

I still think the USS plus the swaybar will give me a setup I can live with for my purposes - which is fun everyday driver that goes crazy on the twisties now and then...

 

I started in on the other thread, but didn't finish it all and didn't see the answer to my one question -- what did it do to your clearance?

 

Good question - I hadn't actually looked hard at this - so I just went out and looked.

The rear two pieces don't seem to be any lower than the side skirts - if they are, it's a tiny bit. Possible these might drag, but probably better that than what would have drug otherwise...

The front brace is interesting. Depends on what clearance ends up being critical. The "angle iron" looking stock piece under the engine sticks down significantly more than the USS - so if we're talking "possum clearance" - the USS doesn't reduce this at all - there's still a lower stock piece that will clip the possum.

The rear section of the front brace DOES get about 1/2" lower than the jack blocks just behind the front wheels. So I think it's conceivable that a really nasty speed bump (not a "hump") MIGHT scrape this... and if you're into jumping curbs in your MINI, you will most definitely scrape this unless you go fast enough to catch air...

 

I'm going to have to do it.

Went up into the wald today, up into the forest. Perfect driving day -- 57 degrees, blue, blue sky, some puffy clouds, and the fields were bright green grass from all of the recent rain. And the roads? 36-24-36, without a doubt.

Just awesome.

But with the USS? Well, I guess that's the stuff that dreams are made of....

 

I'm happy for you. Really, I am.
Had some good motoring here this weekend, too.

Just wait til that USS is on there. 7 lbs of aluminum will ROCK your world... it's freaky. I keep driving my nasty s-curve hard and keep shaking my head - cause before I would have been slower AND less planted....

 

The Mystic MINIs are pretty quiet these days...

OK, I know it's not officially spring yet... but it's been spring-like here most of the week...

And spring in a MINI with a CAI ROCKS!!!!!! x infinity...

I've been driving a lot for business, and always find the long way home, get some great countryside driving down twisty roads through farmland and forrests for an hour or two. And that mahvelous SC whine... and I'm getting PAID to drive my MINI....

Did I mention I have a Valentine 1?

Oh, the joy...

 

Mystic MINIs enter into a quite period just before the Spring Equinox. It has something to do with waiting for the Tax refund checks that are ear marked for modifications.

 

It's looking to be a nice day, and I don't have to work (at all).

I might even (gasp!) get out and wash the car today.

 

Don't use to hot of water or you may shrink poor Tess.
The Sun is shinning and we are basking in the marvel of Springtime in the Rockies but after our last winter anything seems warm. I got a twitchin for some twisties myself. It must be MINI season.