I just came back from Japan after spending two months over there(unintentional but that's another story....) I wanted to pick some parts for my Mini while I was back home specially some stuff that is overlooked here in the US market. I know some of the stuff here might not belong to this forum but they are all 'handling' enhancing parts so bear with me. I just came back from my usual canyon run and I am really pleased with all of them. Check them out....




1) Engine Damper


This is nothing new in the JDM tuning world but here is one designed for the MINI. Great engineering as you can see. Very easy to install (Much easier than putting in new bushings), Engine doesn't knock around as much now. Slight increase in vibration at idle but everything feels more "direct" now.



2) Under Car "Wing"


Installed


This is fairly new stuff even in the JDM market but they now have one for the MINI. I was quite skeptical about this one but....
just amazing! These pieces of metal create so much down-force you can not believe! Car will just stick to the road even at fairly low speed. They are adjustable so you can control how much and how soon you want it to kick in. You have to try them to believe it. If you want more down-force but not too keen on the "GT" wings.. highly recommended.



3) Rear upper polyurethane bushings


Stock ones in your car


Installed


I actually had these for a while now. Became almost a "must" item for all MINI owners over there. As you can see, stock rear bushings are made of this squashy rubber. Even if you change your shocks to something else, most aftermarket shocks still use the stock bushings. I have Konis and after I got these in... night and day. Now my rear shocks are actually doing the work. I thought the ride will get stiffer but quite the opposite. It is much more comfortable now. In fact lots of people in Japan with bone stock MINIs are switching out only the bushings to better the ride.



Now, since you can not get these things here in the US, you might be asking WHY? Well, while I was there, I spoke to all the companies making these parts and asked them if they are willing to sell them to the US market. All of them seem to be interested. As of now, only way to get these things are to ask your friend in Japan, or call/email them in Japanese and wire the money. (they don't take credit cards..) If there is enough interest in these parts in the US market, since I am Japanese living in the US, I thought maybe I can help to bring them here. I am not associated with any of the companies in any way.

As far as the prices go, It is difficult to say but as a reference, dumper is sold for about $120,wings for $190, and bushings for $80 in Japan.

Please post your thoughts......

 

Thanks for the information :smile:
Are the companies based in Tokyo?

I'll pick up some items when I go back this xmas. I am half japanese/English btw

Thanks for sharing,

Henry

 

These "downforce" wings seem interesting. Can anyone enlighten me on the physics of how these work? It just isn't intuitive to me from these photos.

Also, very interesting to hear that you say ride is improved with the Poly bushings. I'm still just a performance n3wb, but this seems to contradict what I've read elsewhere.

 

I'm wondering if the theory here is to create "negative pressure" under the back 2/3rds of the MINI, thus creating a pressure differential that, ostensibly, "sucks" the rear half of the MINI to the road. This is a proven theory in race car aerodynamics.

It looks like the major assumption behind the design that a significant amount of positive pressure is generated from the air pressure created from and around the front wheels. These "diverters" appear to be designed to evacuate this pressure out toward the rocker panels.

The problem is that with the design of these devices, I'm not sure that the initial assumption is correct and that, due to the design of the rubber diverters, there is enough channeling of air from under the car and out by the rocker panels to create the level of negative pressure needed to produce downforce.

As with all performance designs, it would be good to understand the testing behind the claims and to see data produced from both the stock and modified environments.

Interesting concept, though!

Theo

 

Pfunk,

I for one would love to see some of these and many more items make it across the pond. Check the thread on LED lighting. I have also seen some nice machined swivel tow eyes and some sharp appearance items from websites over there. I think as MINI owners we are all looking for things to set our cars apart and w/in the last year some things have seemed to get stale here in the US. Bring it and they will buy it!

If not, I'll wait til my company get somemore work over there and I'll buy my own.

 

OK, if you are actually in Japan, you can buy the wings and the bushings from here. They will not take CC but Sagawa (like Fed Ex) will take cards when you receive the item. Extra charge though. Cash is always better in Japan! Henry, funny you mention that you are half Japanese/English. My wife is English from the Midlands!

As far as the theory behind the bushings, I am no expert but my understanding is that as you can see from the pictures, stock bushings are very soft and specially when you change your shocks to something much stiffer than stock, shocks will not be able to function fully because of it. You know how bouncy the rear end in on a Mini. By having a firmer bushings between the rear shocks and the body, now the shocks are doing the job. I was amazed at the beginning too. I certainly wasn't expecting the ride to get better. I guess lot of the "rough" ride was from the mushy bushings. I am running Konis on pretty stiff setting and even my wife thinks the ride is far better than when it was stock/h-sport with stock bushings.

Yes I think the US market has gotten a little stale lately. There were lots of interesting development over there. I did post that LED side marker pic! Some of the exterior stuff might not be everybody's cup of tea, but if you want your car to look "different", Look into Japanese domestic market for the Mini.

 

Just wondering about those under wings - it seems pretty easy enough to make a set yourself considering they're just made of sheet metal. A DIY homebrew doesn't seem that hard to do. Thats a good project to try. Also the rear suspension bushing are a good thought but most likely someone will release those here too for alot less.

Just my 2 cents...

 

Does the MINI engine move that much? Is this item mainly for drag racing?

The MINI is the first front drive car I've owned and I'm ignorant about import tuning, is this a popular mod for other front drive cars?

 

I'll take a set of those down-force wings please

Seriously, if anyone sells them in the US, let me know

Phil

 

I would love to try the down force wings......Is there any documetation as to performance etc.? I would be afraid of DIY without similar materials and geometry. I would hope there was wind tunnel testing for the design.

 

This might sound kinda stupid....but those look rather easy to construct. I havent learned to weld with aluminum....but i could easily make steel ones once i measure it all. If i can do it surely someone like Helix or Webb could do it.

Anyone else find it odd that we are so far behind in terms of MINI tuning? Germany and japan are both far ahead of us. Even italy is ahead of us. We dont have a single bodykit (unless you count M7 splitter) whereas each country has atleast 4 of their own kits. Their mods often consistof much more than just the standard pulley, intake, coilovers. They have things like the ones shown above, and many other mods. I just find it curious

 

whats to weld? i could make those with a brake.....

 

Are you kidding me??? Wind Tunnel test a set of aluminum rubber wings?
Give me a break. A majority of body kits don't even have wind tunnel test done on them. In fact - probably not even one for the Mini. The only bodykit that I've ever heard of being Wind Tunnel tested is the Mugen body kit for the RSX. That runs in the upwards of 5K alone - not installed or painted. It's proven to work but you pay top dollar for it...

 

I am concerned with what the "down force" component is......I am also concerned that the materials may flex at speed changing the shape of the "wing" to who knows what force. Stuff like this IMO can be dangerous if unknown forces cause "lift" or worse asymetrical lift at some weird speed. If I remember right the rotation speed for a Cessna 172 is about 62 mph. I am really interested but I want some facts.......(I sound more like Andy everyday.)

 

Well I hope your factory aero kit, roof rack, and M7 scoop won't cause you to fly off the freeway. I'm sure those are really wind tunnel tested too.

 

Not THAT was funny

 

You almost make a good point. Take a look at any small airplane with speed brakes and when you are in the plane and deploy them those relatively small surfaces make a hell of a lot of difference.....STOL kits on planes make a hell of a lot of difference. The shape of a down tube on a bicycle makes a lot off difference. The parts that you mention on my car, the world has some experience with but putting airfoils under a car without some idea as to what the forces are going to do is (at least from my view) "iffy" at best. Another example is the shape of the helmets used in time trials make a big difference.

Admittedly my aero kit is for cosmetics........I have had bike racks on my cars for years. I drive my Mini pretty fast and sometimes it gets feeling light....I don't want this to make it lighter especially if it is asymetric. So, flame if you will and realize that if it works I want them....I just want to know WHAT I'm doing to the aerodynamics of my car by putting them on.

 

The bushings and Dampener look like they would be great sellers... Definately interested! Thanks for posting your finds!

 

Say pfunk do thsoe underbody wings help that much at low speeds? Will they help keep the nose down on take offs and lesson torque steer or am I just dreaming?

 

Is that a damper (like a shock absorber)? It looks like it attaches to the frame rail and the top of the pass side motor mount. Is it able to go in and out as the engine moves?

 

he calles it an enging dumper think he means damper
looks good
probably a good addition for those that have the twincharge kit

 

Sorry my bad. It is "damper". Yes it is just like a shock absorber.

 

Hey pfunk,

Thanks for the pics and comments. A good friend got me one of the dampers, and I hope to install it this weekend. The bushings and air foil thingy look like quality products, even though others have commented that the latter looks flimsy or easy to duplicate. How do you think the bushings would work with the PSS9's that I have on my car? Have you had a chance to change the angle of the foil to see the different effects? Inquiring minds want to know.... BTW, what other neat products did you find in Japan that are not available here?

Be careful on those canyon runs in Southern California. The word on the street is that the CHP guys are out in force and they are nabbing a lot of Mini drivers.



Cheers,

 

Could you measure the wings and post the dimensions of them (rubber strip, and angle of the bend too?) I'm an ex aviation sheetmetal worker, and would be interested in seeing if I could fab up a set. Also, do you have more pix of them mounted, from different angles? Very cool also on the mini damper and urethane bushings. I also have H sport springs, and sounds as if this is a good addition.

Also, were there any instructions that told you what to expect from adjusting them at various angles (e.g. more down force in one setting versus another?)
Thanks a bunch,
MinMax

 

Hey guys,

Thanks for the feedback so far. However, I just want to make one thing clear here though. I will not give any hand in making any kind of knock offs. I am a musician myself and I don't support any kind of rip off. These guys must have put a lot of time/effort developing these parts and it certainly shows in the quality of the parts. I am willing to set something up if you guys are interested in getting some QUALITY stuff from Japan. If you think you can make some cheap knock offs, go ahead. Just leave me out of it please.