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2012 R56 N18 Project car

10K views 74 replies 10 participants last post by  Rusco_9 
#1 · (Edited)
Just a little thread on my car and it's mods as I go. I bought it standard with not many intentions of doing much, ha says everyone!!
Here's me picking it up 🤪

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Mods list, which I'll edit as I add things;

Exterior:
Green mirror covers
De-chromed, door handles, belt line, rear light surrounds and front grill surrounds
Bee Sting Ariel (SMPS)
Smoked sweeping side repeater (SMPS)
Stud conversion (Orranje)
Autec Wizard 7.5 X 17 et38 Michelin PS4.
Kavs 12mm front spacers
TRS Tow straps for Track days (badboytuning)

Interior:
Rear MiniWorks strut brace
Scangauge 2
Cravenspeed phone holder
Green steering wheel mini badge

Engine Bay:
OMP strut brace with custom nuts
Samco green turbo hoses with resonator delete
Forge Motorsport intake pipe
ITG panel filter
NGK Iridium spark plugs
Heat reflective tape on rocker cover
Goodridge turbo oil line
Alta Stiffy spring
Vibra-technics lower engine mount

Brakes and Suspension:
Brembo Renault MK3 RS Megane 4pots
GP2 discs and Mintex 1144 pads
HEL Braided hoses
Miller 5.1 fluid
ST XTA coilovers
Whiteline adjustable rear roll bar + bushes
Whiteline adjustable front droplinks
hardrace rear camber control arms
Super Pro adjustable rear droplinks
 
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#10 ·
Fitting them was fairly straight forward but just a bit fiddly and awkward in places.

To do the top hoses I removed the air intake hose, air filter and box which meant I could get to the clips and hoses much easier.
I did have to cut the edge of the last hose with a Stanley blade to get it off. Then just refit
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#13 · (Edited)
So the strut brace, OMP, ordered from Lohen, same one they use on their demo car. I fitted both top plates first and checked for alignment which was fine, then attached the cross bar, which was tight on the angle front to back, something is not experienced in previous cars, but it was fine, having adjusted the length so it was equal but not fully tight, I then fitted the top mount nuts and because the plate is quite thick I was only getting half of the nut thread through.

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I contacted Lohen and they said as long as it's torqued down it'll be fine, even so, if you see the picture I wasn't keen. I have seen on the M3 that they have a nut design that goes through the plate so as to take the tension down the full available thread. so I contacted my mate with a milling machine to make up some as I couldn't find them for the Mini.
 
#15 ·
hard to accept Lohen's rather poor advice there, how can anyone expect a torque value to be reliable with only half the threads engaged,
 
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#17 ·
I put a cheapo strut brace on (already had tower defenders on) and had your same issue. I took the brace back off, would rather have the bolt and nut relationship as its meant to be than the engine bay bling.
I dont know enough about the R56 but on the 53 the strut brace doesnt stiffen it up but a lower brace does.
 
#18 ·
I can understand that, it makes sense and I'd have done the same I reckon.
I don't know fully myself if the R56 behaves differently, for me the OMP is adjustable so I did tighten out any flex that I could and to me it did feel better, but then you never know if it is a bit of a placebo effect.
I do like a good brace though so maybe a lower brace too for good measure 😁
 
#23 ·
for my set-up I slotted strut towers to match the gp2 camber
I don’t have a roof so any extra stiffness is welcome, B16 gives me a good compromise between road and track, also running bigger superpro arb bars front and rear.
 
#29 ·
Had my first little issue with the car....

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The smell of burnt oil was the first give away, it was dripping on the turbo heat shield. Thankfully an easy fix and with a new gasket set from BMW Mini I was able to swap it out.
It also gave me a good chance to check the chain and guide at the same time.

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A good clean up and re-fitted with the new parts and I'm pleased to say it has cured it.

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#30 · (Edited)
Attached the Forge in take hose at the same time as the old breather pipe had come apart too many times from the main body, I had plasti-welded it once already but it wasn't great so I didn't want air getting in passed the MAF.

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I was having a moment with this because I removed the old breather part of the house on the rocker cover and for love nor money couldn't get the new hose on...

Took me a long time..... Longer than it probably should have.....🙄 To realise that the clip wasn't part of the old hose and needed to come off and go into the new hose. Just in case someone else has a moment like me 😂😂

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#32 ·
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All ready to be fitted tomorrow, gonna be a good day.
Only a month to the track day so it is all coming together nicely. Few more bits and bobs to get in-between... mainly tyres...
I'm currently looking between....
NS-2R, 595RS or Zestino Gredge 07RS

The NS-2R might be too hard though as they only do a TW180... decisions decisions
 
#33 ·
Well what was meant to be 1 day turned into 3.... The rear NS caliper was shot and needed replacing so whilst doing that thought why not make it two... Then whilst at, why not do the discs and pads so it is all shiny 🤷🏼 glad I checked though because at the end of the day I'm taking it on track and you want it to be safe.....
Thankfully the roll bar and front brakes went on fine along with 3 of the hoses, one was stuck but thankfully again some penetrating fluid sorted it and finally studs!! It is coming together so she's up to top notch next month. I'll attach some pictures as they're always nice to look at I think...
Before..
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After...
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Thanks also to Promotive Newport for their help...
 
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