Category: Maxxd News

BAGGED VW GOLF MK4: MUM’S THE WORD

When life dealt Harley Kitt a cruel blow he sought therapy through the dark times in creating this ground-breaking bagged VW Golf Mk4 in loving memory of his late mother.

From Performance VW. Words: Graham Leigh Photos: Mark Rodway

VWs have always been a big part of 29-year old Harley’s life: “Growing up all I’ve ever known is Volkswagens; my parents had a fleet of T4 transporters for their business, which were replaced with T5s. We also had a Mk3 Golf and a VW Crafter”.

It’s, therefore, no surprise that the Paignton-based Telecommunications Engineer ended up with a T4 as his first vehicle. The practicality they offer was welcome to Harvey who, in addition to his VW addiction, is a keen surfer and angler. The plucky T4 went all over Europe taking in the best surfing hotspots which only strengthened the love affair with the brand. Harvey has predominantly stuck to Wolfsburg’s finest since with a couple of dalliances with Bavaria. Currently, a T5, that has been in Harley’s family from new, takes care of daily duties as the Mk4 Golf now resides firmly in show car territory. Both vans were fitted with coilovers and aftermarket wheels but it was with the resulting bagged VW Golf MK4 that the modifying bug really took hold.

Harley takes us back five years where the love affair with the Golf began: “I sold my previous car, which was the BMW 320CD, as I started a new job and they gave me a company vehicle which I could use for personal use but after a few months I missed having my own car and with the BMW money burning a hole in my pocket the hunt began for a 1.8T. I searched everywhere and then my one came up for sale in a garage in Middlesborough. This car had covered just 80k miles and had only two previous owners”.

A sigh of relief was taken when the garage door was opened to a cherished example, making the seven-hour train journey to Middlesborough feel more than worthwhile. The car was already modified with a genuine R32 bumper, side skirts, aftermarket exhaust system, Recaro heated leather and 18” Porsche Cayenne alloys. With the stress of a job that saw Harley regularly working away from home, the initial plans for the car were quite simple. New wheels, lows and a remap giving him a car to attend shows with friends on well deserved weekends off.

A couple of years down the line in 2017 Harley decided that the car could do with repainting. Having seen the Porsche Olive black hue in the flesh, his mind was made. The car was stripped and prepared for its makeover. Tragically during this process, Harley lost his mother to breast cancer. The hurt and anger surrounding her untimely death was excruciating and Harvey believes that his Mk4 was a positive focus.

Harley poured all his spare time and energy into the build. On receipt of the freshly painted car expertly laid down by Autospray, Lifton, next up was the reassembly process where two years of hoarding rare parts paid dividends. Air Lift V2 suspension, carbon roll cage, reupholstered Mk6 tartan front bucket seats and door cards, rear seat delete with twin Kicker 12” subs and kicker amp, black Alcantara false floor, and a set of elusive Porsche ETA BETA wheels were all fitted. The rims were split down, polished and rebuilt and the results speak for themselves. This incarnation of the car was taken to most shows in the UK and even travelled to Europe three times. Over 10,000 miles were completed in 2018 alone.

Enthused by what he had seen on his considerable travels, Harley wanted to take the VW Golf Mk4 to the next level. The engine was duly removed and Harley worked tirelessly to smooth and tuck the bay. Plans for the 1.8T AUQ drew inspiration from across the pond: “Custom pie-cut pipework was something I had wanted for years after first seeing it on American cars. This style of routing was something I wanted as it was different and looked amazing”. The creation of the FMIC system took around nine months and 150 individual pie-cuts. Richard at RB Metal Works is what you might call a perfectionist. He also fabricated a custom power steering bottle which is in the place of the deleted A/C pump. Harley plumped for ECS engine mounts which contrast nicely with the gloss black engine block. A brake reservoir sock was made from matching Mk6 tartan, ABS has been fully deleted in favour of a brake compensator system with a cockpit based valve adjuster to control front and rear bias, battery and screen wash have been relocated to the boot and the heater matrix has been fully removed and welded up. A 12V race heater now takes care of demisting duties. All these ingredients add to the hot rod level of attention to detail under the bonnet.

Exterior styling is a mixture of OEM touches and high-end period styling enhancements. The R32 bumper with a Cupra R splitter, R32 side skirts with extensions and Euro rear bumper are joined by an Oettinger grille and ABT rear spoiler. The perfect stance is achieved with Air Lift V2 Suspension system with their Slam series struts. A Chassis notch and arch liner delete allows the Mk4 to get even closer to terra firma with the gorgeous ETA BETA splits sitting pretty wrapped in Nankang NS-2.

Inside the evolution continued with the bucket seats being swapped out for a Mk4 Anniversary interior including rear bench. Mk6 tartan was sourced and upholstery wizards Darren and Jean at Wedgies Workshop worked their magic.

Overall, the process has been a steep learning curve for Harley taking in fabrication skills as he went: “I’ve learnt a lot along the way, from fitting air suspension, shaving the engine bay or even doing the wiring loom for the engine myself”.

So what lies ahead for this bagged VW Golf Mk4? Well, the Coronavirus situation has stopped attendance at the majority of shows for 2020 so Harvey is hoping to get out and enjoy the car in 2021.

Harley explained that there were times with this build where he just wanted to throw in the towel. His pals jokingly remind him that at certain points his catchphrase became “I’m quitting, I’m breaking it, I’m done”. However, he was keen to point out that his friends have stepped up and helped him at his time of need and for that, he will remain eternally grateful.

Back at the 2018 stage of the build, Harley wrote a message on his socials that read “Mum, I made it” alongside a photo of his car. He was overwhelmed by the response and reassured that his mother would have been proud of what he had achieved through hard work. Fast forward to 2020 with an Ultimate Dubs Top 20 Trophy and a PVW feature, the car is a credit to Harley and a fitting tribute to his mother, Sarah.

Tech Spec: Bagged VW Golf Mk4

Engine:

1.8T AUQ, 6-speed manual, fully tucked and smoothed engine bay, Ram Air induction kit, Toyosport intercooler, REVO stage 2 map (240BHP), custom FMIC system in alloy pie cut and welded including rubber elbow joint deletion and metal joints with internal ‘o’ rings and custom nipples for N75 valve, custom power steering bottle in the former A/C pump location, ECS mounts, tartan brake reservoir sock, battery and screenwash bottle re-located to boot, heater matrix delete, 12v race heater.

Chassis:

Porsche ETA BETA 18” 8J et34 front, 9.5J et42 rear, Nankang NS-2 tyres, 312mm brakes, ABS delete, brake compensator system with interior-mounted brake bias adjustment valve control, Airlift V2 suspension with Slam bags, chassis notch to clear driveshaft, arch liner delete.

Exterior:

Resprayed in Porsche Olive Black, genuine R32 Front bumper with Cupra R Splitter, R32 sideskirts with extensions, custom Built Headlights, Oettinger Grill, Shark fin aerial, ABT rear spoiler, Euro-spec rear bumper, R32 Side skirts.

Interior:

Mk4 Anniversary interior retrimmed in Mk6 tartan with matching gear gaiter.

Source

July 13, 2021
TURBOCHARGED Z3 M COUPÉ: A PACE ODYSSEY

Producing a huge 620whp from its built S52 straight-six, this full-on turbocharged Z3 M Coupé is a project that has never stopped evolving and almost a decade of development has created an awesome performance machine.

From Performance BMW. Words: Elizabeth de Latour. Photos: Cris Guamanzara

The Z3 M Coupé always has been something of an oddity but that’s exactly what makes it so appealing and some people, like Ken Meisch (@z3speed4me), really like them. And Ken really likes M Coupés and Z cars in general… “Before my current turbocharged Z3 M Coupé, I had a 2001 Estoril blue S54 M Coupé. Before that another Estoril blue 1999 turbo M Coupé, and before that a black 2006 Z4 M Roadster.” And what about his first car? “That was a silver 1998 Z3 1.9,” he grins so it’s clear that he’s got the Z bug in a big way. “Cars are meant to be driven, and BMW has always called itself the creator of the Ultimate Driving Machine… that statement has to have some weight to it right?” says Ken as he explains his long-standing passion for the Bavarian brand. “Its vehicles are part luxury, part sport, until recently not outrageously priced, and definitely built well and there has always been a focus on the driver. The simplistic and raw approach to something like the M Coupé doesn’t happen much – if at all – any more,” he says and it’s easy to understand the appeal and appreciate his passion.

The Z3 1.9 Roadster seemed like the perfect cool first car for a teenage Ken (“It was way cooler to me than many other options at the time that friends were picking up, plus teenage girls love convertibles, right?” he grins) but there was something else on his mind… “Each morning going into high school I would pass a local CVS pharmacy, and someone there owned a brand new blue Z3 M Coupé. I could not take my eyes off it… I had to have one someday. Eventually, that time came a few years later,” he says with a smile.

Ken’s first Z3 M Coupé started out as a stock NA car before undergoing the turbo treatment and Ken got it to over 600whp before an unfortunate accident put an end to things and he parted everything out and moved on. “I needed an M Coupé again, and very quickly I found and purchased a local S54 model and enjoyed it for a few years, but the lingering desire for boost kept creeping into my mind,” he says. “I had an agreement with my wife that I wouldn’t do it again for a long time as I grew older, and eventually we decided that it would be okay to go down that road again. In comes M Coupé number three and this one is a keeper to me, there is nothing else like her,” he grins.

“It was originally purchased new and owned by Ben at Rogue Engineering before later being bought by one of my best friends, Rukman, back in 2004 which was when the turbo journey of this vehicle began that I have since taken over,” explains Ken. “As I’d driven it a few times before, it was literally everything I focused on mimicking on my last build, so I knew what I was getting into already. We had a gentleman’s agreement that if he were ever to sell it, I had the first – and probably the only opportunity – at taking it off his hands. And so, with some eventual convincing, I purchased it from my buddy and here we are today on turbo coupé number two, another beautiful Estoril blue example. Basically, this car is exactly everything my last one was built to be, with just some minor hardware differences. Even the base tune from the prior car is based on this build as the setups are so strikingly similar,” he says.

“The mindset for the build was to create an ultimate BMW street car with amazing reliability and drivability,” Ken tells us. “Tonnes of guys were going down the turbo route in the early 2000s but almost all of them were using standalone systems, which were also not even close to the capabilities of the options available on the market today. I wanted to be able to drive around town, go to the store, idle in traffic with no worries, never overheat, drive it to a track and home again with no problems. It had to be civilized, but also have speed when summoned upon. Jekyll and Hyde in one car that didn’t feel like it had over 600hp until you really stepped on it,” he says and he’s absolutely achieved his goal.

The project began in 2005 when the car was driven down to Florida and left in the capable hands of Nick Glantzis and his company, Technique Tuning, with Ken initially planning on getting the Stage 2+ turbo setup but the temptation for more power proved impossible to resist… “With the car out of my hands I had too much time to think… The little devil on my shoulder could not be denied and I decided to step it up and go all-out. The Technique Tuning Stage 3 ‘kit’ was born: a built motor with lower compression, bigger 60lb injectors, full exhaust etc. Nothing like this was being done at the time on a stock DME, it was truly a monumental step forward in the BMW FI community. The car started with an output of 515rwhp/500lb ft wtq at 20 psi using the original cast manifold, almost unprecedented power at the time from the S52 powerplant. The car was simply incredible,” he grins. “The mod bug as always would strike, though, and eventually a few years later the next change was a tubular manifold and upgraded V-band turbo housing, in 2007. 536whp and 478lb ft wtq was the net, not as impressive as expected and the midrange was softened up a bit from the cast manifold change where the tubular woke the car up top.

“The next update came a few years later in 2009 when the turbo was swapped to an FP GT3586R HTA one and with Nick again performing some tune upgrades in person at ICS Performance in Connecticut we were at a respectable 537whp/496lb ft wtq. The torque hit had returned with a good shift of the curve to the left, but something was still holding back the car, it was still not gaining what was expected of these changes,” says Ken. “Then, in 2010, the ‘Ah-ha!’ moment happened when we realised that I had been chasing power without upgrading the obvious – the intercooler! The original Technique Tuning intercooler was holding us back as it was too small for this application. Gerhard at Bell Intercooler was contacted to get his thoughts and come up with something specific for the car. The intercooler was what was needed to take the car to the next level and with the custom item on board, the car definitely felt faster but I wouldn’t have numbers until 2011.

“Nick was coming back to Maximum PSI for a custom tuning session and it was time to see some results but not on a Dynojet yet, a SuperFlow unit would be telling us the story this time. Now, these read lower than Dynojets, but the car still made more power than before, we were up to 550whp on 93 pump gas at 20 psi,” he grins. “One minor change at this point lingered, and that was on the intake side. The 3” was updated to a 3.5” with an ITG Foam filter, and we relocated the reference for WG to after the intercooler rather than from the compressor housing so there was less boost taper. The next runs were 560whp! Now we needed comparable Dynojet numbers. The final result: 603whp and 539lb ft wtq at a peak boost reading of 20.5 psi. Most recently with a 2.93 differential change and a little of Boostane added for octane safety, on 93 pump gas the car made a best of 620.64whp and 554.37lb ft wtq at 21 psi,” he smiles triumphantly and those are some serious numbers, around 700hp at the engine, and that means this Z3 is an absolute monster. The gearbox, meanwhile, has been upgraded to help it cope with these massive numbers and the stock ZF five-speeder is mated to a Spec six-puck Stage 5 clutch and sends power to the wheels via a RacingDiffs 2.93 ratio four-clutch LSD.

With this much turbocharged power on tap, Ken has not forgotten about the chassis and while things started with aesthetics in mind, the upgrades evolved to comprehensively enhance the car’s handling capabilities. “It started with suspension for the car to sit perfectly how I wanted; modified PSS9s are fitted all-round,” says Ken. “The car also has a custom subframe reinforcement by Don Fields at Mr. M Car; it was the first vehicle he completed the modification on and was a bit more beefed up than any other he carried out afterwards as well. This was done in advance of the turbo setup, prepping for the inevitable knowing a significant power bump was coming in due time,” he says and pre-emptive upgrades are a very sensible move on a build of this scale. “Porsche 996 calipers powder coated Stryker Orange have been fitted using RallyRoad conversion brackets along with E46 M3 discs and ceramic pads. A front strut bar by Mason Engineering has also been added, also powder coated wrinkle black like all of the other piping and visible pieces in the engine bay,” says Ken and that rounds off a comprehensive selection of chassis upgrades that ensure this Z3 can handle all of its 620whp with ease.

A large part of the Z3’s appeal without a doubt lies in its unconventional looks and so when it came to styling, Ken’s approach was very much one of less is more. “I did not want to take anything away from the aesthetic of this car but only slightly enhance it,” he says. “There are not many options for the M Coupé out there as far as body design is concerned, but the few items were simply to improve the look at a very minimal level. A Never Done Design House rear diffuser is out back along with a deleted rear wiper, it also has some LeatherZ stone guards, an ACS rear wing with custom carbon fibre centre section and custom-built bi-xenon headlights by Skylar Graham. The simple and subtle additions essentially completed the exterior in my eyes,” he says and we have to agree as they only serve to enhance the M Coupé’s muscular and iconic styling and that’s just perfect.

The drop served up by the Bilstein PSS9s further assists on the aesthetic front as do the wheels, and Ken’s choice suits the car perfectly. “I was never one for flashy wheels, even the whole car isn’t meant to be flashy but rather subtle and generally stock-looking. An M Coupé gets enough attention as it is,” he grins. “When the stock Roadstars simply weren’t enough, basically in regards to width in the rear, I started looking around. Apex Race Parts makes an extremely lightweight and high-performing, track-tested and certified wheel for a great price point; they also have great big brake clearance in only a 17, which is a size I wanted to retain at the time,” he says and the ARC-8s he’s chosen look fantastic. They measure 8”-wide up front and 10.5” at the rear and Ken has added a set of 18mm spacers to make sure those fat rear arches are properly filled out.

In terms of interior, the turbocharged Z3 M Coupé was blessed with a vibrant two-tone cabin from the factory and, as with the exterior, Ken has kept things largely standard but there are a few additions that make all the difference. “One item I did focus on was the steering wheel; the stock wheel leaves much to be desired, it’s far too thin and just doesn’t feel right. I originally wanted a Raid wheel, but they are now NLA and impossible to find. I then went through the idea of swapping in a Z4 M wheel like others have done as I loved that wheel on my prior M Roadster. I was about to do the swap when I found a company called AZA Auto doing some quality work and saw results on a few cars on social media platforms. So I had a wheel created that wasn’t like another done by them on this style at the time, with carbon fibre and two different leather styles. This started what will be my orange secondary colour theme going forward,” he says and the custom wheel looks awesome with its sculpted grips, carbon elements and orange stitching plus orange centre stripe. There’s also an extremely sexy custom-engraved Doug Whalen gear knob and a dual gauge pod housing an AEM wideband and AutoMeter electronic boost gauge, plus some upgraded audio to finish off the interior mods.

Ken has been working on his turbocharged Z3 M Coupé for around eight years so it’s not surprising that it’s such an awesome and impressive machine and he has created a truly epic M car that impresses on every level. While it has been in modding hibernation for around six or seven years Ken is far from finished; “It’s always evolving, I don’t think you are ever truly finished with a build – a better ‘something’ always comes out that you can upgrade or change to. Over the winter a bump to 80lb injectors, some Schrick cams and hopefully a 100+ octane tune will let us see how close to 700whp – or even beyond – we can get! Furthermore, an E46 Getrag 420G six-speed gearbox and custom single-piece propshaft are going in the car to handle the power much better than the current drivetrain. Very recently I also stumbled upon and almost purchased my dream wheels that I have been looking for years, a properly fitting rare set of BBS LMs, which have now been completely refinished and will be on the car in the spring. A full restitched interior with a custom half-cage and some type of Recaro or similar seats are also planned to happen soon for safety purposes,” says Ken and it sounds like he’s going to have his hands full with this Z3 M for quite some time to come and there’s really no rush because this car is going nowhere. “I really don’t think anything will replace the M Coupé for me, it’s just too special,” he says with a smile and, standing back and taking in everything about this epic machine, we totally get that.

Tech Spec: Turbocharged Z3 M Coupé

Engine & Transmission:

3.2-litre straight-six S52B32, fully rebuilt with all-new bearings, gaskets, bolts etc., CP 8.5:1 pistons, Arrow rods, ARP bearing, main and head studs, CES cut ring head gasket, M50 intake manifold, 3.5” intake with ITG JC60 filter, Forced Performance HTA3586 ATP 0.82 T4 turbo, ceramic-coated 3” V-band housing, tubular exhaust manifold with 3” downpipe, centre Magnaflow silencer, dual 2.5” Vibrant exhaust system, Ferrea valve spring set, DrVanos full kit, mild head porting and polishing, custom Bell intercooler, Driven Innovations fuel rail, Aeromotive FPR and gauge, modified push/pull Spal fan, S54 oil housing and Setrab oil cooler, S54 radiator, E36 power steering Loop, Tial V44 wastegate, Forge BOV, Aquamist HFS-3 water/methanol injection. ZF Type C five-speed manual gearbox, Spec six-puck Stage 5 clutch, Racing Diffs 2.93 four-clutch diff, Garagistic diff studs

Power & Torque:

620whp and 554lb ft wtq

Chassis:

8×17” ET20 (front) and 10.5×17” ET27 (rear) Apex ARC-8 wheels with 245/45 (front) and 275/40 (rear) Toyo R888R tyres, 18mm Rogue Engineering spacers (rear), Apex stud kit, Bilstein PSS9 suspension, RallyRoad engine mounts, Mason Engineering Race strut brace, Racelogic traction control, Porsche 996 calipers custom-painted Stryker Orange with E46 M3 discs and ceramic pads (front and rear), RallyRoad conversion brackets and stainless brake lines, custom converted E46 handbrake setup

Exterior:

Custom-modified bi-xenon headlights by Skylar Graham, Estoril blue-painted kidney grilles and side vents, LeatherZ magnetic stone guards, AC Schnitzer rear spoiler painted Estoril blue with custom carbon fibre centre section, Never Done Design House rear diffuser, rear wiper delete, mini antenna

Interior:

AZA Auto custom flat-bottom steering wheel with perforated and smooth leather sections, carbon fibre top section, orange centre stripe and stitching, HMS harness bar, dual gauge pod with AEM wideband and AutoMeter electronic boost gauge, Aquamist meth gauge, AMS-500 boost controller, custom-engraved Doug Whalen gear knob, Joying head unit, custom Mister X subwoofer box with Kicker CVR 10”, Alpine PDX amps, Focal polykevlar front & rear components

Source

July 12, 2021
MINI COOPER S R53 RACER: LAP DANCER

Built to tear up the tracks of the UK’s competitive Hot Hatch and Mini Challenge championships, Charlie Collins’s stripped and caged MINI Cooper S R53 racer went from non-running wreck to raucous home-built racer.

First appeared in Performance MINI. Words & photos: Dan Sherwood

When it comes to racing, having a powerful engine is only part of the equation. To really see those lap times diminish, you need to take a leaf out of Colin Chapman’s book and ‘add lightness’. The legendary Lotus founder was obsessive about cars’ weight, and designed chassis that would make an anorexic jealous. This endowed his lithe machines with a power-to-weight ratio that gave them a distinct advantage. Not only were the cars faster in a straight line, their cornering and braking was also radically heightened and the silverware soon followed.

It was this very principle that led MINI-mad race fanatic Charlie Collins to take a slightly different route to track-taming nirvana when he swapped his previous R50 race car for a supercharged R53 equivalent.

“In the R50 I was struggling just to keep up with the lighter cars, let alone overtake them or challenge for the lead,” explains 22-year-old Charlie. “The MINI was a capable car but weighed considerably more than most of the other competitors (such as Honda Civic Type Rs and Renault Clios) that run in the 750 Motor Club’s Hot Hatch Championship. In the end, I’d squeezed about as much power as I could from the engine, but I just couldn’t make it 200kg lighter, so I decided it was time for a change.”

Being a true MINI nut, that change was never going to be to convert to the dark side and try a Type R on for size, but was instead to move up a class and contest the championship in an R53, where the regulations on power-to-weight ratios prove perfectly suited to a supercharged Cooper S.

Charlie says, “I knew it was the best way to remain behind the wheel of a MINI, yet finally be able to run at the front of the pack. It would also allow me to eventually move into the dedicated MINI CHALLENGE series.”

With many capable MINI specialists offering ready-built race cars, he could’ve easily bought a MINI Cooper S R53 that was fully race-ready off the shelf, but he liked the idea of building one himself.

“Not only would self-building provide less of a strain on my bank balance, it would also give me an excellent understanding of how it all worked together and a first-hand insight into race car-specific engineering,” reasons Charlie, who works as an engineer.

His quest to find a suitable S to transform into his new racing steed began in summer 2018. “As the car was always going to be completely stripped, with most of the parts replaced or renewed, I didn’t need a minter,” he chuckles. “This led me to looking at cars at the cheapest end of the market in a bid to save some cash. In the end I took a punt on a £275 eBay special.”

Having seen grainy mobile phone pictures of the car before picking it up, Charlie knew it was well past its best and the previous owner had already informed him it was a non-runner with a destroyed engine. But he was still shocked when he finally saw the condition of the car in the metal.

Charlie explains, “The timing belt had slipped, dropping a couple of valves and cracking the head. After that, the previous owner simply parked it up and left it.”

A flat battery and even flatter tyres were the most obvious issues, but they turned out to be just the tip of the iceberg, as further inspection revealed the neglect had allowed an extensive case of the red rot to take hold.

“Everything was either rusted beyond serviceable or pretty damn near to it,” remembers Charlie. “So in the end it’s been a pretty thorough rebuild with a lot of money spent on genuine MINI bolts and parts because you simply can’t get them anywhere else. So much for saving cash, eh?”

The bodywork was pretty beaten up too, but luckily there were plenty of cheap replacement items readily available through various breakers and parts websites.

“Even though I was keen for the car to look good, it wasn’t worth putting pristine new body panels on, so as long as they were straight and not cracked or corroded, they would be fine – this is a race car, after all. As the saying goes, rubbin’s racing,” he laughs.

The build began with the car being stripped to a rolling chassis, while the blown engine was removed and binned in favour of a low-mileage, working, donor engine.

“When it came to selecting the various tuning parts for the car, I was massively inspired by the Tom and Scott at 1320 Mini,” Charlie reveals. “I was also lucky to have them on the end of the phone to give me loads of advice on what works and what doesn’t and, crucially, where I can gain power without making the engine any more fragile than it already is, as I simply don’t have the time or budget to keep rebuilding blown engines after every race meeting.”

To ensure the motor was meaty enough to be competitive, yet strong enough to take the regular abuse lap after lap, Charlie equipped the 1.6-litre W11B16 with a modified airbox with a drop-in K&N 3190 filter, an Airtec top-mount intercooler and a Janspeed manifold mated to an R56 Scorpion cat-back stainless steel exhaust.

A facelift Teflon supercharger with 15 per cent Kavs pulley was selected to supply the increased level of boost, while Bosch 550cc injectors add the requisite amount of high-octane super unleaded.

Charlie grins, “I recently added a Cat Cams 1302469 cam to the standard head and had the ECU remapped with a Bytetronik tune by 1320 MINI. The power delivery is simply savage now and the car is so much more responsive. I can’t wait to try it on track.”

But extra power is useless unless your transmission can cope, so Charlie took the opportunity to beef up the MINI’s driveline with a Clutchmasters FX400 uprated clutch and lightweight flywheel, as well as install a Quaife limited-slip differential, which is an essential modification for any car being used hard on track, as it greatly increases the amount of traction when exiting corners.

While he was at it, Charlie also swapped the heavy lead acid battery for an Odyssey lightweight racing item and relocated it in the spare wheel well. This has altered the car’s weight distribution by shifting some mass away from the front and towards the stripped-out rear, improving the MINI’s already-majestic handling.

“With the car finally running, I shifted my attention towards improving the suspension and braking,” recalls Charlie. “I started off by changing the rear trailing arms for lighter R56 alternatives, refurbishing the front and rear subframes and replacing all the bushes with Powerflex polyurethane items.”

A full set of more powerful R56 John Cooper Works Brembo brakes were then purchased, refurbished and installed along with Hel braided brake lines, while the stock suspension made way for a quartet of KW Clubsport coilovers, a Whiteline rear anti-roll bar and Hardrace adjustable control arms.

He winces, “The KWs were easily the most expensive single item I’ve shelled out for on this car. In fact, when combined with the cost of the brakes, these two items alone have cost me over £1500 per corner. But the way the car handles now is incredible, so I’m not complaining – they’re worth every penny.”

Allowing Charlie to make the most of his marvellous MINI’s super suspension is a set of 7x17in Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2 wheels wrapped in sticky 205/40×17 Toyo Proxes R888R semi-slick tyres.

Adding more lightness, Charlie removed the factory sound-deadening before diligently paring back the wiring loom to lose any redundant wiring, such as for the electric windows and headlights. The latter is not only a cunning way to lose a few extra kilos, but also makes tracing electrical faults far easier, especially when you are in the time- and resource-sparse confines of a pit lane.

“With the wiring complete, I had the whole interior resprayed to neaten it up before a JP Cages bolt-in roll cage was fitted,” says Charlie. Joining the race-spec cage is a single OMP RS bucket seat with a six-point harness, an Alcantara-trimmed steering wheel and a fire suppression system plumbed-in to the cockpit and engine bay.

The final piece of the puzzle was to focus on the exterior, in terms of additional weight savings and to give it a look that would stand out in the paddock and on track.

“I’d already replaced the heavy headlights with lightweight ETS blanks, so continued the theme with the fog lights, utilising the apertures to fit ETS racing brake ducts. This shed a surprising amount of weight from the front, but was nothing compared to the reduction that came from swapping the glass side and rear windows to Lexan.”

Being a race car, there was no point in going for a fancy paint job, so Charlie engaged WrapIT to apply the livery, the bright teal accent contrasting well against the dark gunmetal grey body and gloss black wheels, and is even complemented by the Luke tow straps in a matching hue.

“I’m really pleased with how the car has turned out,” beams Charlie. “But as yet, I’ve not had the chance to take it to the track for any testing, so I’m just hoping everything works come race day.” It’s going to be a real trial by fire when he hits the grid in anger.

“It will be a steep learning curve to get the setup dialled in to perfection, but that’s part of the fun of racing,’ shrugs Charlie. “Hopefully, we’ll finally give those Type Rs a run for their money!”

And judging by the quality of his car and his skills behind the wheel, we’re sure Charlie and his MINI will do just that.

Tech Spec: MINI Cooper S R53 racer

Engine:

1.6-litre four-cylinder 16v W11B16 engine, standard head with Cat Cams 1302469 cam, Bosch 550cc injectors, Bytetronik ECU remap, Airtec top-mount intercooler, 15 per cent Kavs pulley, Janspeed manifold mated to standard cat and R56 Scorpion cat back exhaust system, modified standard airbox with K&N 3190 filter, facelift Teflon supercharger, Pro hoses, Fletcher radiator, standard water pump, Odyssey race battery and ETA battery isolator

Power:

“The car is tuned to keep me within the class regulations for my current race series of 200bhp per ton at the flywheel. Car produces 197bhp at the wheels with 166lb.ft of wheel torque on the dyno”

Transmission:

Clutch Masters FX400 clutch and FX400 flywheel, Quaife limited-slip differential, facelift gearbox running standard ratios, polybushed gearbox mounts

Suspension:

Fully refurbished and powder-coated front and rear subframes, Powerflex bushes, KW Clubsport coilovers, Whiteline rear anti-roll bar, Hardrace adjustable control arms, R56 trailing arms, SuperPro adjustable drop-links, replacement wheel bearings, power steering delete

Brakes:

Front: Brembo 316mm drilled and vented discs with R56 JCW Brembo four-pot callipers and Carbotech pads, ETS Racing brake cooling ducts; rear: Nitrac drilled and vented discs with JCW R56 callipers and Carbotech pads; HEL braided lines

Wheels & Tyres:

7x17in Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2 alloy wheels fitted with 205/40×17 Toyo Proxes R888R tyres

Interior:

Fully stripped interior with all sound-deadening removed, JP Cages bolt-in roll cage, OMP RS bucket seat, Lifeline plumbed-in mechanical fire extinguisher, OMP steering wheel, OMP six-point harness, Ultra gauge, lightweight door cards

Exterior:

Standard three-door MINI retained as per regulations, front lights removed and ETS Racing headlight blanks fitted, front fog lights removed and fitted with ETS Racing brake ducts, Lexan windows fitted to doors, rear quarters and boot, drilled and modified front bumper and crash bar, battery box delete to allow R56 cat-back exhaust to be fitted, WrapiT vinyl wrap

Source

July 9, 2021