Then I broke down (74 mini mild refurb)

[Jims5543]

Also thanks for the links Dan I will look at them when I am on vacation this week.

As far as the odor, its just the car, and not a problem I went over everything that could leak, intake and exhaust, everything is nice and tight and shows no sign of leaking. I just got used to catted cars, it been years since I had my open exhaust RX7, its all coming back to me now.

There are no problems, also we have been seeing 40's in the morning here, when I drove to the AX this morning at 0630 I cracked the windows slightly and there was no exhaust odor, just me being a pansy. LOL

[94touring]

Haha good. I was going to feel bad if the header cracked.  We already discussed that I replaced the muffler system with a new one after the RC40 twin box began cracking at the welds on the mufflers. The new system flows a bit more but isn't noticeably louder.  Which reminds me....I have a custom exhaust to fabricate on the inno that will certainly flow more and should be quieter.  We're a bit choked down with the headers we went with for the size of the motor.

[Jims5543]

I am parking some links here for weekend shopping.

Dan / anyone else feel free to add.

I am wondering if I should replace the engine mounts with new mounts too?

https://minispares.com/product/Classic/MSSK.aspx

https://minispares.com/product/Classic/MSSK1300.aspx

I see fancy bushings being suggested, something I should grab and install?

https://minispares.com/product/Classic/Engine/Stabilisers_mounts/Stabilisers/C-STR630.aspx?100201&ReturnUrl=/product/Classic/MSSK1300.aspx|Back%20to

[94touring]

I think I have the lower LH brace installed with the purple poly bushings. The subframes already have those bushings installed too.

[MiniDave]

If you do replace the motor mounts, go with the originals - I used the "house brand" from Spares and they vibrate like crazy!

The extra engine steadies are a good idea for autocross if you're on and off the gas a lot.

[94touring]

I'm not sure which motor mounts I used. I had several sets in the shop new in the package at the time and grabbed whatever I had.  It's never been abnormal with vibrations, for a mini.

[Jims5543]

I think I have the lower LH brace installed with the purple poly bushings. The subframes already have those bushings installed too.

I am going to try to get over and look under it before I leave for vacation. This way we can figure out what I have and what I need.

Since I have KAD rear brakes, this is most likely the rear sway I will order.
https://kentautodevelopments.com/products/kad-rear-anti-roll-bar

[MiniDave]

That's the one I have on my car too....

[Jims5543]

The rims are still sitting in Kentucky, UPS can bite me.

All my orders from Friday last week (Mini Spares and KAD) are both on their way via DHL with anticipated delivery dates of Wed this week.


I am most interested in getting that rear sway in.

Then the engine braces and gear selector poly mounts.

I am hoping the rims arrive later this week so I can put them on and get the race tires mounted. Next AX is in 13 days.

[Jims5543]

KAD swaybar arrived today. The rims are still sitting in Kentucky. I called UPS yesterday to see WTF is going on, they sent a message to the warehouse to contact me, 24 hours later no contact and the rims have not moved.

Unbelievable.

[MiniDave]

I've been trying to get MiniTec to call me back, email, text .....just respond in ANY friggin manner. It's been 2 weeks so far, I've sent three emails and left two phone messages.....last time it took over a month to get a reply.

[Jims5543]

That happened to me with ECS Tuning, I ordered a rear bumper for my E30, tracking showed it arrive in Atlanta, then a day later it said package damaged and returned to sender.

I emailed ECS and I tried calling them, no reply for weeks. Pissed off, I reversed the charge on the bumper, that got their attention.

My SIL was dating a Mercedes tech at the time, he want over to their sister BMW dealership and ordered a bumper for me, it was half the price of ECS and I had it the next day.

Fast forward a few months, I am on NAM and see there is a ECS thread in their off topic, there is also a member on there who is from ECS doing damage control in the thread. I let him have it in the thread, asking why he was replying in minutes on forums but ignores paying customers.

I will never use ECS again.

[94touring]

I almost flew to California to talk to the engine builder on the bus who went MIA.  We all get busy, but come on...

[Jims5543]

I decided to email the UPS agent I was working with clearing customs, I asked him if I was missing any paperwork still due to the items sitting for weeks in a warehouse.

2 hours later he seems to have finally gotten them to clear customs and on their way.

[94touring]

It's crazy to me, as someone who imports tons of parts every year, how UPS can suck so bad at this.  While DHL always seems to get it right. 

[Jims5543]

My swaybar took 5 calendar days to arrive from the UK.

My Mini Spares order shipped today from the UK, I am not sure if it will be held up in customs because of the seat.

I am just going to toss on the sway bar Saturday and run on the streets to see how much the sway changed the car.

Dan, you mentioned a while back about an alignment kit, do you remember which one?

[MiniDave]

MiniTec has complained of being short handed since I started doing business with them in 2008 - so how about you hire some people, dammit!

Good products I guess - expensive too - but terrible customer service.

I would love to be able to just walk in their doors with the parts in my hand and say 'OK, now about this......."

[94touring]

I use these:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/joe-28201?seid=srese1&ppckw=pmax-tools&gclid=Cj0KCQiAu8W6BhC-ARIsACEQoDDapJLb6imaeP0VnUTDM5BJXram3Fpe289VjFkfJHp2JqBhqAZXY5UaAuYJEALw_wcB



https://www.summitracing.com/parts/lng-79501

[Jims5543]

Ordered, thank you!

[MiniDave]

Need a set of these too, toe plates....    https://www.summitracing.com/parts/aaf-all10119

Oops.....Dan beat me to it.....

[Jims5543]

After being blown off by UPS customer service, I emailed the UPS agent I was dealing with to pass customs and asked him if he was waiting on anything else from me since the rims were sitting in a warehouse for almost 2 weeks now. He forwarded my email to another person and suddenly the rims started moving.

They were in Orlando last night, they are out for delivery today. Finally!

I am going to make a call to a custom speed shop I drive by regularly and see if they can deal with 10" rims.  I see fancy golf carts in front of there so they might have the ability to mount 10" rims.

[MiniDave]

Places that deal with golf carts and quads are a good source for a place that can do 10's. Our tire machine at school handled them OK, but our balancer wouldn't.....I had to set it up as if it was just a bare wheel being balanced, then it worked.

My local independent tire store has been a great place to get tire work done, but they can't align our cars, the adaptors fit OK, but don't allow the wheels to move the way they need them to, so I go to a race shop around the corner from there. He has a special setup, instead of a rack he has four individual stands that he sets the car on, this gives him room to move all around under the car too.....works a treat and he doesn't charge any more than the regular tire store does.

I haven't tried the Discount Tire or Big O stores to see if they can mount and balance 10's, I know they can handle my 13's OK

[MPlayle]

I have used a Discount Tire near me for the 10" wheels on my Mini.  They are able to mount and balance them fine.

The categorize them as ATV wheels when writing up the service order and have a guy that is knowledgeable on wheels that size that does them.

[Jims5543]

Question:

Anyone have KAD rear disk brakes and KAD rear sway for them?  How does it mount up to the brakes?

No instructions, the video on KAD is for drum brakes, I am stumped.

This is the best clue I have after searching online.

[Jims5543]

Also, loving these Quickjacks, They fit perfectly under the Mini making access under it really nice.