Hi guys, I'm new to mini and I'm heading to the ring in August with a few mates. My question is are the r53 Cooper s any good around the ring in fairly standard trim just uprated pads and fluids also road/track tyres. Iv never owned one before as I'm coming from 12 years in scoobies iv been to the ring 8-9. Times
The ring peeps are all on MiniTorque. Which is probably why you haven't got any replies on here. Presume you are on it already.
I've not done the ring, but I'd say it'll be a challenge TBH with near standard brakes. You will run out of brakes pretty soon in the lap. Braided hoses will help (which I've got). Trust me, I've been hard round the Top Gear Dunsfold track and after 3 'laps' ........ oh dear.
I've just bought (new from a guy who never fitted them) a set of R56 Cooper S callipers and carriers. They are for the 294mm discs and have 54mm pistons (same disc diameter and piston as the R53 JCW brake upgrade kit). They are TRW.
Standard R53 brakes have 276mm discs and 48mm pistons. 48 to 54 doesn't sound much on the pistons but (remember pi?) they are nearly 30% bigger.
This thread on MT is a useful guide to sorting the R53 brakes: R53 front brakes to R53 JCW/R56 Cooper S specification – the definitive guide
Otherwise it should be fun.
Cheers for the reply I'll be upgrading the brakes with track pads and I'll do braided hoses and fluid and see how I go not going for lap times just wondering how they get on on the nordschleiffe
That'll certainly help. As I suggested, MiniTorque.
Here is a link to the thread about a visit to the Ring around 21-24 July 2017. Looks like some interest. The poster joshg (page 2) has done 80+ laps. Nurburgring summer 2017 guaging interest
If you look, you will see that it is an uncensored forum. Keyboard warriers, but most are good guys when you meet them.
Think the Ring can be quite dangerous. See these pics from a guy's thread on Minitorque.
Hoped you'd post back about the Ring as you are clearly an experienced 'Ringer'.
There is a really amusing twist in the tale to these pics.
Incidentally, no-one was injured in the making of that accident.
That accident didn't actually happen at the Ring. The two guys were on their way to the Ring though.
The owner managed that ON THE M20. Yes THE M20!! In Kent. Never even got to Dover!!!
Pretty benign motorway the M20, I've used it many times. How do you manage that?
He claims he "hit a catseye". Yeah right. What an idiot.
Just as well for other drivers he never got to the Ring. What a liability to other people.
Hope that brings a smile>
Lol jesus i dont want to end up like that anyway [emoji23] [emoji23] and im passing through kent on my way to dover, car is ready for the trip now i fitted mintex m1155 compound pads front and rear change the fluid to do 5.1 and did a geometry on it with a little toe in front and rear for high speed stability. And happy days my mate just bought a cooper s too so i want be overwhelmed by 7-8 scoobies on the trip.
What alignment system is that in your pic? Looks different to the Hunter I get mine done on.
You should be OK with those decent pads. I discovered that my car had ghastly Girling pads fitted, I think they were the 'Cornish Granite' option. My fixer had a set of EBC, just 'OE' equivalent pads (called Ultimax2), lying around and we chucked them on. What an improvement. So roadwise everything about the braking is much better.
So I've still got a complete brand new 'big brake' kit sat in the spare room. If I decide to stay with standard, I should be able to sell it for pretty much what I paid. I'll wait for a while before I decide.
I picked up a brand new never used 15% Alta pulley and belt today for £80 from a guy. Thought it was a bit of a bargain as I think they are £140 new?
Ye its a ravaglioli italian brand i find it great even has the Cooper works setup in the software. I havent used mintex 1155 before so hopefully they will be ok. Im contemplating making a bit brake from alfa romeo calipers brembo calipers i can get for small money ill just buy the r56 brembo discs and mounts the alfa caliper on a custom mounts block thats for over the winter, once i survive the ring in it [emoji16]
So I made it back alive and so did the car[emoji3][emoji3], I was well impressed with the handling on the ring managed low 9 minutes from looking back at footage. I wasn't timing it. Couldn't get over the amount of grip it had. So now the mods will start in prep for the next one.
This is so cool. Is that your first time on the ring? Always wanted to take my Cooper round myself, just to see how far I can push it. What's it like driving with others at speed? I mean obviously you do that in reality anyway, but you know what I mean ::wink::
Cheers, iv been over to the ring 8 times now but all previous trips were in various years of subaru wrx wagon. This was my first in the mini, I found the car excellent on track very capable little car and not at all out of its depth on track. The speed is high on the ring but wasn't intimidating at all probably if it was my first trip it would have been different. But I found it grand
Thanks so much for giving us an update on your trip Dec. Sounds like you had a great time. And you avoided "doing a Weltz"!!
And the R53 was good by the sound of it. Compared to a Scooby?
In your original post you said it was a pretty standard car. Better pads but standard 276mm size. How did the brakes hold up? Had you done anything else to it by the time you went?
I went to Brands Hatch (again) today to watch the track evening. Mine is now quite modified but I'm very nervous about doing a track evening. Never done one before. If you managed the Ring with a standard car ........ think I'm being a bit feeble.
Did you go with a group? Other Minis? Modded? Any MT people there? Other marques? How did the standard R53 compare?
Having watched the Top Gear items on the Ring, I think 9 minutes is a pretty respectable time?
Hi Nigel, compared to the impreza it was only lacking in power. The handling on track was as good if not better as the imprezas suffer understeer,
The brakes were adequate at best could definitely benefit from an upgrade. I'm looking into fitting brembo calipers and discs or even the r56 Cooper s brakes.
Dont be afraid to track your car just take it easy and build up your pace as you get comfortable with it.
Ye I went with the Irish Subaru Drivers Club. I was chairman there before I sold my wrx. I organised this trip we 19 lads on the trip 7 subarus and 2 minis including mine. The other mini was similar engine spec just a pulley and induction kit, but the chassis had bc rm coilovers and fully poly bushed with hard race upper and lower arms in the rear. He was also running Michelin pilot sport cup tyres he was lap sub 9 minutes, so that's the direction my mods will take I'll do handling and brakes.
Huge amount of minis over there lots of English cars and also European cars
The next time I go there the car will be ready for it [emoji16] [emoji106]
Thanks Dec. Really interesting, thanks for the detailed info. The Brembos are fierce money. From my research, think R56 fronts would be fine.
Funnily enough, the registration mark for my car should really be on a Scooby. I'm told by folk in that community that soeone would probably pay me up tp £1,000 for it!!! Especially if their intials were RF. But I quite like it, easy to remember.
I hunted around until I found a BRG one. Mine is reasonably modded now but I've intentionally kept it looking pretty standard. Need to get some decent wheels though. Fancy Rota RBs in gunmetal, polished lip because they are so like the classic Minilites.
Dropped the mini off today for a custom 2.5" Cat back system, ill have it back thursday then a trackday in Mondello Park with trackcarsireland on friday talking the mini and the ka [emoji16]
Wow, love the Ka. Never seen one on track. Sorted they should handle really well? Does it? Engine?
I had a 'Millenium' limited edition (2000 year) one in metallic black with AC, black leather, locking, lovely alloys. Loved it. You could really hustle the little beast along. Had the earlier 8 valve engine which was amazingly torquey. Unfortunately got it written off. Someone T boned her. Not her fault.
The ka has been an ongoing project for the last few years its developing all the time. The engine is a 1.7 puma unit with and induction kit and milltek manifold, full custom exhaust.
It runs a focus cable shift gearbox, gaz gold coilovers, front shock turrets cut and moved back 60mm and a custom plate welded in to take e46 bmw adjustable top mounts, this helps me run 6.5degrees caster. The car is fully poly bushed, has a steering column from a transit custom so I could get the steering wheel down and back towards me. It weighs 750kgs and it is running 300 front brakes from an St focus and has rear discs from an St focus. Iv done everything to it myself except wrapping I love it. It's getting a fiesta St 2.0 over the winter and gsxr 1000 throttle bodies so the power should be about 180-190 after that [emoji16]
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