cmcveay

Ali, Don't forget, you can't compare MPG between 1st and 2nd Gen cars. It's apples and strawberries so see what other 1st Gen cars are getting and see how you compare with them. Of course it's true, the "speed modulator device" or "Gas Pedal" has a big part to play and that's why you've never heard me mention my "city mileage"... It's not great, 20 or so for the most part. I accept it because it's how I drive. My good MPG come from road trips when I can set the cruise control at 70-75, turn off the A/C and just have the vent going for cool air.

Went through the Exxon station on Little River Turnpike near the Beltway this morning. As I was getting out of the car, another MINI pulled up at the pumps across from me. Nice looking Astro Black MCS and the driver stepped out and I thought I'd lost my mind! WHAT! I MISSED HALLOWEEN? She was wearing a little red suit and had horns on her head... She pitched some trash into the can and drove away. As I pulled out, she was sitting in the parking lot across the street with a couple of other cars. Really though, who drives around in a devil suit with horns on, in a MINI Cooper at 6 a.m. on a Saturday morning in June?????

Don't you just pour the old oil in the neighbors flower planter????:banghead: Ali, check with our local parts places, they usually have a recycling program.

Should I not mention my 30.3mpg during my commute? Ahhhh, I might as well....

Well, there is the option of a profile, something like HRMINI has on their hats and stuff... Can anyone think of any copyright issues with that?

They would be external so there shouldn't be any issue. Lots of folks have them on their cars. Hmmm, now, how do we meet up... Give me a shout this evening - I'll be around the rest of the day and I'm off work until next Friday.

Flipping the camera isn't a problem, iMovie will let you flip the video over. Putting the camera on facing backwards shouldn't be too hard, just suction cup it to the hood or at the top of the windscreen and have it look in. Some of the in car video on the GoPro website actually shows 2-3 cameras inside the car, pointing different directions. I think I'll give that a try during the autocross on Saturday. It'd be cool to have multiple cameras on the car for a run so you can put it all together to show driver, course, cones and all!

This past weekend, I was a little bored and I created a custom mount for the GoPro. I made a mount for the front tow hook and the camera mounts using the tripod mount. It puts the camera about 16" above the road surface so I'll keep working to get it a little closer (6-8 inches) for a very unique perspective of the road! If anyone wants the details, I'll be happy to share.

I'm cool with A-Team and IM2. Is there anyone willing to be a standby pilot for the return trip? I'm driving to Summit Point Saturday morning for the Autocross event and then driving back home (2 miles from PMOA) for a quick nap and then motoring 3/4'

:top: Amazing what these internal combustion engines will do when they can inhale and exhale properly!

Brian, Same here. iMove which comes on the Mac and I'm experimenting with Final Cut Express. So far, iMovie does everything I need though!

Gart, Welcome back! Seafoam is an additive/cleanser made for all gasoline engines - I think there's also a version for diesel engines. Basically, the MINI's are seeing problems with carbon build up on the back side of the valves because the direct injection fuel system doesn't wash the intake tract and/or valves with gasoline and the detergents that are in them. Running the seafoam through the PCV valve atomizes the additive in the intake tract after it has passed through the turbo/intercooler or supercharger/intercooler and flows it over the valves to soften and reduce/eliminate the carbon build up. I'm not willing to give it any credit for improving my MPG but I am giving it full credit for giving me a very smooth idle, dropping my idle speed about 200 rpm and doing a great job at smoothing out the application of power. My MPG? I average 30 in/around town. During our drive to/from the Dragon, I averaged just over 37mpg - running 10-15 over with cruise control in 6th gear. If you decide to do the seafoam treatment, Don't try it when everyone around you is home as you are 99% sure to send up huge billowing clouds of smoke.....

Just got the photo's back from Doug Whalen at at https://www.whalenshiftmachine.com/ and here's my new shift knob. The engraving is the collar device worn by a Navy Master Chief Petty Officer (of which I am the retired variety). I found through a few emails that Doug is a craftsman of amazing talent. From first email to work completion/shipping it was 8 days and that included my email waiting for him to get back home from his daughter's wedding. The responses, timely completion and the quality of the work makes this a great investment in personalizing your car! I can't wait to put this thing in my car now!

I had nothing else to do for a little while this morning so I ran seafoam through it. I did a video of the resulting smoke.... As I drove out, there was a Fairfax County patrol car that kept a pretty close eye on me as I belched smoke... It runs waaayyyyyy smoother afterward but it took a little while to get rid of the smoke. Jay, take a look at the passenger side of the valve cover and you'll find the PCV valve. You can slip the rubber hose off of the PCV valve and add the seafoam there. Glove up, start the car, pop off the PCV valve hose and then pour a thin stream of seafoam into the hose that came off. I've been running about 2/3's of a can through the vacuum line and then shutting it off and letting it sit for a little while - 30 minutes or so. Then, when I start it up, I run off all of the "skeeters" in our "hood".

I agree with all of the above, I can't buy into the fact that ANY oil will be good for 12 months or the mileage accrued in that time span. I take my one freebie per year from MINI and I pay for two out of my own pocket. It's a small price to pay and it will ensure your car continues to run well.

:congrats: Now, let's motor on in our small rolling deathtraps of fun!:motor:

Route sheet for Monday in a PDF. I'm bringing 4 copies and I'll have a navigator to ensure I make the right turns! Right Ali? The only real change I plan on making from today's route is to take 66 from Haymarket to Front Royal to cut down on some of

Oh, something to keep in mind. If you still have your window flag from the Beltway run, it would be awesome to put them on the car for the run.

For those who need a coffee fix and only Starbucks will do, rumor has it, you'll find two of them on Hwy 29, just south of 66 (at Exit 43). You won't be sorry for giving up your morning, the roads were great, traffic was very lite and the scenery was e

Brian, I agree, 9:30 will give us enough social time and enough time for folks to make it out. I'll PM/email my phone number to the Maybes that I haven't heard from. Tks, Craig

Ryan - yeah, we all use the FRS/GMRS radios. The DCMM channels are 7/21. I've got a spare if anyone needs it. For the "can't make it Sunday, Monday is good" crowd, I have nothing on my schedule and Lona is out of town for a few weeks so I'm willing t

I personally am not willing to be the tester for the seafoam in the crankcase. If I were using traditional oil, I'd be all over it - putting a 1/2 can in the crankcase a day or a few miles before changing the oil. A friend used to pour a 1/2 gallon of kerosene in the crankcase and drive around for an hour or so before changing the oil. He did that in all of his cars and I helped him tear one down for a rebuild. The inside of the engine was totally free of the usual "crap" and it had been on the road for over 100k miles. I'll settle for running it through the intake tract to keep the build up off the back of the valves and all.

I think we'd have to come up with something else to generate a wider interest. Something easy to associate to MINI/Mini ownership. Something fun? I have no drawing skills so I can't offer up any ideas but if anyone has something in mind, please share. Yes, keeping 7 characters is an absolute must! Looking at the various plates that are out there, maybe we could go with a silhouette of a classic and new mini behind the numbers and "Mini/MINI" below. We can't put anything to either side as that will reduce the number of characters.

I thought that was California? Okay, this will require some legwork on the part of all of us Viriginia MINI owners. To do this, you must have 350 paid applications and a design to submit for consideration. The attached document provides the information on what is required and the process for for getting it done. I would think we'd also want to get Passport and Sterling involved so they could tell new owners about it. One great aspect is that you don't have to give up your personalized plate you have now as you can simply transfer it over to the new plate design. For that reason, we'd want to keep the maximum number of characters. Not that we have that many but classic's would not count for the 350 to get this going as they are all running (or could be running) antique plates. If they are running regular registration, they would be eligible. Anyone else out there like this idea? Craig

Dan, I hope you and all of the guys there at Mach V have a great weekend with your families, friends and loved ones! Craig