Between the downtubes …

Posted on by Ian C.

Recently, from a thread on MINI2, I bought a toggle switch panel with properly chromed rings. Today, encouraged by a visit from Jared, I got round to removing my old toggle switch panel (which I installed in Jareds MINI in place of his which was missing the rear fog toggle) and installing the chromed one. At the same time I did some other long-pending changes to the “between downtubes” area of GBMINI, including installing the latest official storage solution:

Minolta DSC
Minolta DSC
Minolta DSC

This newest storage option also comes with a piece that fits in front of the hand brake which fits tight against the seats; I am not yet sure how practical it is …
Previously I had put in the storage which comes with ’05 MINIs, but I did not find it very useful for storing stuff. Of course it is better than the nothing you get with pre-’05 MINIs!

Also today, I removed the useless Kenwood / Sirius satellite radio tuner; I had it installed last summer but it always dropped out if I drove near trees which I do a lot on my way to/from work – trying a different antenna, different mounting position, etc, all made no improvement. There are just too many trees in Essex county!

When Jared arrived, we replaced his brake light mod with a soldered diode mod, so that he can have the rear fog lights activated – then we installed my old toggle switch panel so that he has the needed rear fog toggle switch.

GBMINI is in pieces!

Posted on by Ian C.

For Christmas, Margaret bought me a custom jigsaw puzzle, of GBMINI & other MINIs during the Coopers For Caregivers run last year. Trying to piece it together is challenging because of the scale – GBMINI is close to the camera and a single piece does not represent much of the car – the license plate is six pieces! But further back, the MINIs are smaller and one piece is almost a whole car …

I am not good at jigsaws, and did only a few pieces, but Margaret is very good and has successfully rebuilt all the MINIs:

Minolta DSC
Minolta DSC
Minolta DSC
Minolta DSC
Minolta DSC
Minolta DSC
Minolta DSC

A great gift, although I noticed that the colors have been slightly offset during printing, so there is a red “ghosting” around the more distance parts of the picture.

Another comparison ’05 MINI to pre’05

Posted on by Ian C.

Some time ago I test drove an ’05 convertible and wrote up a report; one of the most noticeable differences was that the ’05 stock engine pulled as well as my JCW equipped ’03!
I have since read a number of similar comments from other people, and just found this excellent NAM post stating the same thing in a comparison between a stock ’05 and a very (afermarket) modded ’03:
The first thing I noticed was that even though Andy’s car has a GIAC chip, Helix 15% reduction pulley, HAI, and one ball my bone stock 05 felt much better off the line. I’d say up until about 4k-4500 RPM’s the 05 actually pulls harder then the modded car does. But that all goes out the window once you cross the torque peak. By that time the car with the go fast bits is screaming towards the redline whereas my 05 sort of plateau’s
Interesting also to read the comparison from the ’03 owner:
The gearing on your [’05] car is incredible. I’m confident that in same-gear roll-ons, our cars would be just about even despite the power advantage for my car. I imagine yours pulling ahead then mine reeling you in when you have to shift. I like some of the new touches too
More reasons to consider trading up to the newest MINI 😉