I'm using this thread to keep tabs on the changes I have made, and will make to my Mini. Feel free to comment and enjoy.

When I first brought it home...



Pained "rollcage" pieces on the interior...







Blacked out front end (all vinyl) and the Home-Depot front lip...



Next came the rear-seat-delete and flat floor with hidden goodies underneath...







New wheels! Elbrus 104 (passenger), O.Z. Superturismo (driver)...









Eyelids...short-lived due to loss of night vision and gain of an unwanted red glow...I also put on my own splitter...









Splitter minus the eyelids...



Then I wrapped my headlight rings in body-colored vinyl...



Then I plasti-dipped my scoop...


And today I washed it and put the summer wheels back on...this time I swapped sides...






If you've read the posts below, you know I had to deal with the Elbrus wheels shedding their clear-coat for no reason. So I got some fresh rims.

Pre-bath, but with my new wheels...


Post-bath...



That's all for now, but I'll post here with any updates.

 

very nice indeed. thanks for sharing.

i forgive you for the immaculate car, but I admit jealousy on the clean garage...

cheers,

Charlie

 

That splitter set up is rank!!!!!!! Sorry dude but that looks horrible. Proper try hard...I think your splitter is for the Aero Kit or something as it doesn't look right at-all as it is.

 

whats wrong with it ..... post a pic of a nice looking splitter

 

I think you should rock the OZ's all around

Thats just me though, I like the car and the splitter

Oh yea and LOWER IT!

 

I'm also jealous, that's my buddy's garage . I live in an apartment, and sadly have to do all my work elsewhere.

The splitter is not "for" anything specific. I cut and installed it myself using a template I got from N2MINI. Of course, that fact isn't going to change your opinion, which is fine.

That's about 10/3 in favor of the Elbrus. I like both, but depending on the day of the week and the light I see the car in, it changes back and forth between which one I like better. And suspensions is heavily considered for one of the mods this summer, but I haven't decided if I want to go lower because of daily drivability concerns...

Thanks for the comments guys

 

Pic one is of a splitter made for the Aero Kit.

Pic two is of a splitter made for the standard S bumper.

Both look good as they are on the correct car. Put the Aero Spliiter on the S Kit it looks awful like a Halfords mistake and Vice-Versa.

 

I think it looks good

 

I hate being at work and not being able to see all these pictures!

However, I think you splitter looks just fine from what i have seen before, I can see how PRIM can say generally splitters look more normal with aero kits, but I think yours looks pretty awesome expecially for a diy sort of thing.

and, I also think those OZ's look immaculate on your car, I love the way they look, over the other ones for sure, that is.
as for your suspension, lower it!
It makes minis look so cool and I dont think it affects day to day drivablility as much as some people say it does.

I love your car, and its mouth =]

 

+1! I've always like the front o' your MINI

 

+1 on the wheels! The OZ's look much better than the winter alloys.

Stll not a fan of the Splitter but each to thier own. Lol

 

Don't be a sissy, I drive daily with my front bumper sitting on the ground

 

Put your camera on the ground and take a pic of the front of your car!

 

what does those splitters do any way?

 

Well, I drive about 40 miles on country roads every day. The only real concern is getting a variety of mutilated woodland creatures strewn along the bottom of my ride. I don't care about a "rougher ride" or anything like that.

Functional splitters act like a spoiler for the front of your car by changing the airflow that runs underneath and around you. Mine might do this a little, but mainly it is for looks.

 

Curious as to why you have different rims on each side. Sure your car can then look different as you walk around it, but I would think that any difference in weight would cause some kind of veer.

With most standard cars, the airflow over the body at speed can cause lift, making your steering go light. With splitters, some of the air that hits the front of the car goes down and impacts the splitter. Since this is attached to the car, it causes a slight downward force. With an aerofoil, it uses aircraft principles to cause lift, but the aerofoil is mounted upside down, forcing the car to the road.

 

Ebrus i04
Offset: +38mm
Backspacing: 5.74"
Bolt Pattern: 4-100
Rec. Tire Size:205/45-17
Weight: 22.2lbs.

O.Z. Superturismo
Offset: 40mm
Backspacing: 5.61"
Bolt Pattern: 4-100
Rec. Tire Size:205/45-17
Weight: 20.7lbs.

If anyone wants to do the physics, I would be happy and interested to see the results.

I can take my hands off the wheel and mash the brakes without any drift. I don't notice anything crazy under hard acceleration or coasting either. I have thought about it, but I don't think the differences will be enough to really affect anything.

 

I REALLY like the i04's, but i couldnt justify buying wheels that dont add more lightness.....

Grrrrr

 

Well, I've hit a bit of a snag. My Elbrus wheels are for some reason or another (after only 4 months of driving) losing their clear-coat in BIG chunks. I've contacted Tire Rack and hopefully that will be resolved quickly and smoothly. And today, my driver-side window quit working. It had been refusing to open, but would always open if I hit the switch enough. Then putting the window up it would jump around intermittently. It finally died, so I have to deal with that before my fun mods. Stay tuned though, I'm working on red interior lighting now...

 

I am not sure about the GTI look on the front, but I do like the washer being a different color. It works with this color combination.

 

I compliment you on all your changes and corrections so far to date, except for the rim choices. Why would you not have all 4 match? I just don't get the appeal to that? Hey, its your ride and your choice, so enjoy....

 

Try banging on the door right above the speaker while holding and flipping the switch up and down. My passenger side stops working from time to time and after I do that it works again.

As for the wheels, I would do all 4 the same. They both look great. Just not on the car at the same time.

 

I dont think many people will notice that the wrong splitter is on, and I think it looks fine.

As for the GTI / EVO look... Im not sure why people do this to their cars. It just doesn't fit the Mini's style at all. Its like lifting a porsche and putting mud tires on it. Just my opinion

 

So after lots of thought and going back and forth, I think I've decided to order two black Superturismo's to replace the chipping Elbrus wheels. I need to clear that with Tire Rack and make sure I can still get reimbursed for the Elbrus, but that's the plan for now.

I took my car to the dealer in Indy and they fixed up my windows and gave me a loaner car to drive in the meantime. I gotta say, my R53 is a lot more fun than the 2010 justacooper. It's like a future car. No key, start/stop button, magic blinkers that know if you are changing lanes or turning onto a new street. It also seems bigger and stupider.

 

Im curious what theyll say. One of mine has a rather large flake on it, but They've been on the car well over a year (no winter) with about 20K miles / waxed well / cleaned all the time...In the end, you get what you pay for I guess.


On a side note... why dont you just order 2 more of the same (silver) OZs??? I guess i dont understand the mismatched wheel fetish