tweedbean's R53 MCS Orranje Mobile

[WimS]

WOW looks great man

[Blont-007]

Woehie i like , i like , i like

What an awsome Mini and purple is a very good looking color on a MINI







Sorry for the pics

[Koenv]

Love the ride, again it looks great

[Floor-is]

Wow, that's some serious investment too! Great looking car, as said so many times before

[tweedbean]

Picked this up tonight, a GTT rear strut brace, to go on this weekend. Think it should go matt/satin black to match the interior as theres no chrome on my car now.

[tweedbean]

Been busy again this weekend.

Latest performance mod, a DaveF airbox, doesnt look much but works and sounds amazing. Finally got rid of the M7 CAI as once the engine got hot, the metal surround heated up and was rubbish for heat soak.


Latest performance mod, a DaveF airbox, doesnt look much but works and sounds amazing. by tweedbean, on Flickr

Finally started stripping down the brembo's as im really missing the braking power.


Stripping down the brembo's by tweedbean, on Flickr

This nitro stuff is ace, it just peels the paint away


This nitro stuff is ace, it just peels the paint away by tweedbean, on Flickr

Paint began to just fall off


Paint just falling off by tweedbean, on Flickr

Paint free, the silver finish isnt that bad but im going for gloss black this time


Paint free, the silver finish isnt that bad but im going for gloss black this time by tweedbean, on Flickr

First coat of paint, plenty of work still to go on these as they will need plenty of layers followed by sanding and clear lacquer to get an oem finish


First coat of paint, plenty of work still to go on these as they will need plenty of layers followed by sanding and clear lacquer to get an oem finish by tweedbean, on Flickr

GTT rear strut brace in matt black fitted.


GTT rear strut brace in matt black by tweedbean, on Flickr

Had these off rich today, polybushed rear control arms, going to fit these on the top and adjustable ones on the bottom.


Had these off rich today, polybushed rear control arms, going to fit these on the top and adjustable ones on the bottom. by tweedbean, on Flickr

Decided the side of the car lacked definition so switched back to black side vents, and I have black door handles to go on tomorrow.


Decided the side of the car lacked definition so switched back to black side vents, and I have black door handles to go on tomorrow. by tweedbean, on Flickr

[Sportspack Mark]

Do love this car James

[GreyCooperS]

Nice going, James..

And wow...that Nitro stuff does do the job

[tweedbean]

Another update, after a disaster yesterday, a bolt sticking out of the unit door caught my rear driver side wheel and tyre. So we took an angle grinder to it, no more bolt

Emergency tyre fitting this morning as it destroyed a brand new toyo tyre and took a load of purple off the wheel. I will drop the wheel off Monday to be powder coated.

After this I was really down, so I pushed to get my brakes ready and on the car. After a load of hard work from myself and yaphetlives, the brakes were ready for stickers and lacquer. I had originally planned to have white brembo logo's as I dont like the JCW logo and the brakes looked to plain without them. After a suggestion from Rich I ordered some gold logos to give it a go, and bi-jingo it worked.

Stickers arrived:



Awaiting lacquer:


P1030242 by tweedbean, on Flickr

On the car:


P1030244 by tweedbean, on Flickr


P1030251 by tweedbean, on Flickr
Really please with them, the gold is a nice little bit of detail and works with the purple. And I forgot how good brembos were over stock s brakes.

It was a late finish so a big thanks to yaphets for sticking around at the unit and helping out. Then on my way home I collected my new rear lights from Mario. They are the smoked rear lights from Andy's S. Look much better as my rear light had gone funny. I like them as they are too dark and Andy did a good job with them. After a quick polish they looked like new. Here is a comparison, new lights on the right:


P1030252 by tweedbean, on Flickr

Next was a trip to London to do some filming for the National Geographic Mega Factories who are doing a piece on MINI:



Its a shame there was so much traffic and they had to call it off half way through but sounds like the got enough footage. While I was there I picked up some goodies from CSMatt:

M7 CF Air Diverter:


P1030253 by tweedbean, on Flickr

P1030256 by tweedbean, on Flickr

And something a bit special:


P1030258 by tweedbean, on Flickr

Thats right baby, thumper power. A TPR1 ported and polished performance head with ARP bolts. Looking to fit this myself on the 1st with the car booked in for another custom remap on the 3rd October. While the heads out im thinking oil change, new head gasket, sparkplugs, exhaust and plenum gaskets, rocker cover gasket and a couple of other new bits.

While I was going I thought I might aswell remove the orange stitch from all my alcantara bits such as the downtubes, handbrake and gear stick gaiter. Looks much better



Here is a quick pic of the black door handles fitted aswell.


P1030211 by tweedbean, on Flickr


P1030213 by tweedbean, on Flickr

[GreyCooperS]

Once again, nice going, James...

I really like the gold detail on the BBK...looks somewhat custom yet also OEM in a subtle way...the combo with the purple is spot on!

Bummer about the wheel though...always hurt to see one go bad after a chip or dent...good luck having it fixed!

[mushrop]

wow man, job well done dude.

this is one bad-ass MINI

[Shag]

nice modding going on here, love the carbon air plate diverter! And the details, very impressive stuff

[Berry M]

The new look is really nice! I really like the black and grey on the outside with those purple wheels!

[Berthil]

Looks nice
To be admired at the tunnel run coming Saturday if I'm right

[Daveke]

No, too badly isnt..