What did you do to your MINI today?

Activated AM radio and changed the warning chimes to Rolls Royce (suits the refined little Mini that thinks it can do anything).

 

I like that. Where did you get it? Found a Yet-E-Boot for 85.00 but out of stock till the 9th of dec.

 

I like my Eco-Dome cover from Eco-Solaris.

 

All the cool stuff comes out of Québec. I think FLO is building a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, MI so that would be nice for public charging (L2 & 50kW DCFC).

 

25% RARB stiffness increase. $0.00
1. I was a little dubious that I want a stiffer RARB for the street, so didn't want to spend $$$muchodinero on a new one, then have hours of fun of getting it in.
2. I might want a stiffer RARB for autocross.

Solution, add more holes to the stock one, and see how I like that.
Moving the holes inwards 16mm makes it 25% stiffer. It won't be quite that high as the linkage geometry is messed up a little, maybe 24%

I made a little drilling jig from an 8020 joiner.
The RARB is tough, hard stuff. You are not doing this with Horror Fright drill bits. I used some nice cobalt ones. The 13/32 I resharpened multiple times.

Squishing it flatter. One tool was an M10 bolt and washers. I wanted to minimise how much I squished, I don't want this cracking. The other tool was a hydraulic terminal crimper. I think it is rated for 10,000lb. That worked better than the M10 bolt. Best result was the side that I first squished with the bolt and washers, then crimped. One of my holes drifted downwards a little. But once the RARB is bolted back up, nobody will ever know.




I took it for test drive to some big box stores. I wasn't able to ahem, 'properly test' the cornering, but it feels pretty good at about 80% fun level. I really don't think I want a stiffer one for the street. The ultimate test of this will be the colour of my underpants after my next 80mph interstate moose manoeuvre.
So far, I really like the feel of it. Steering is much more direct, car feels a lot more neutral. It feels like it has more grip at the front.
Those who have have a pathological aversion to modifying parts, may like to know that the NM engineering solid 22mm is going to be very similar stiffness, on its softest setting.
If I decide this is a good stiffness for the street, but AX needs more, I'll get a solid 22.

 

Update. I took it to another autocross today. It was not much above freezing, so I ran my Nokian WRG4s. What's the worst that could happen? Oh, the toilet block, or the fire hydrant?
Times weren't great, my driving had a lot to do with that. I was more cautious this time, starting slow.
The car felt much better to drive. Very controllable. Get a little fast, I could just hold it a little sideways until I wasn't. No ploughing straight on today. Enough rotation that I'm going to leave the rear bar at its new 25% setting, for now. I had tyre pressures at 38F, 42R. So I may be able to go larger on the rear bar down the line. I only did 5 timed runs today, so didn't get to really hone my piloting like last time.
My R53 is also very , very chuckable with skinny WRG4s and a stiffer rear bar.
I don't think the Nokians have the outright grip of the stock 'Kooks, but they handle great in the dry. Perfect for an autocross noob.
Up first will be -0.5° front hub carriers and some proper 200TW autocross tyres.
Running some numbers, there is something strange going on with the stiffness values I found for stock and NM 22mm rear bars.

 

New personal record, made it back to the house w/1% left.

 

Even at 0% you should still be able to squeak in 3 miles on limp mode - probably more if the battery cells are balanced enough to maintain minimum voltages.

 

Bolted on the winters. Goodyear Eagle F1 and cold is interesting. Broke out the charger it came with and plugged it in.

Car is 62% SOC after 110kms of driving I mean giving test drives to family members which were lined up eager with anticipation. My father in law hasn’t smiled that much in a long time. He was blown away with the acceleration and one pedal driving. He did some pulls to 100kph and was giggling, as was I in the passenger seat.

Topping up on 110v to repeat it tomorrow at our friends Xmas party. They have F56s as well, S and Non S

 

She’ll go 1000 hectares on a single tank of electrons Put it in EH

 

The colour works well!

 

Good to know, don't plan on testing it lol