Just a small update here –

Spoke with Shaikh @ Fat Cat Motorsports last night regarding some of the suspension tuning and set up. I don’t want to give too much away here, as that is information privy to our sponsorship/technically a paid consulting service but:

• To recap, I sent Bilstein Sport (B8) dampers over to FCM to get custom valved.
• We’re looking to have the dampers valved similarly to what’s recommended in Autocross to Win – around 65-70% critically damped, and use FCM’s proprietary KBO technology for flatter high speed compression blow off.
• As I’m running in the stock (street) class, I’m limited to the stiffest stock/optional springs possible – which are JCW springs, matched to my VIN #. For each set of MINI’s springs (standard, sport, JCW), they have three different sets of rates (base/light options, w/ panoramic sunroof, w/ auto trans/panoramic sunroof – or something like that). So, it’s important that the springs are matched to the VIN (options).
• Anyway, we’re estimating that the JCW springs are around 200lbs. MINI doesn’t publish ANY of their spring rates, so it really is a rough guessing game. It’s not just a matter of compressing the spring, because the springs are progressive. I’m thinking that’s roughly what we’re working with though – ~160lb for standard springs, ~180 sport springs, ~200 jcw springs are my guess.
• I’m looking at around 1.4hz in the front, and a few tenths higher in the rear at this point. I think that’s right around the range of “Occasional autocrosser” as per A2W, but I think it’s about the best we can do with the limitation of stock springs.
• Otherwise, as mentioned in the build, I’ll be working with the 24mm JCW front sway bar, the Hotchkis Comp RS, and street tires (Probably Dunlop ZII’s)
• I’ve got a test n tune coming up early on in the season, so I’ll hopefully sort out everything there, including where I want to set the RSB and tire pressures, and a couple other special FCM things I’ll be trying out.

It will be down to the wire – I’m hoping to have the dampers back before the weekend of the 22nd, and then install everything that weekend, and then event and test n tune on the 29th-30th. Fingers crossed! The magnets in the image attached are part of my agreement with FCM – it was up to my discretion how large to make the magnets, and they turned out HUGE – 23″x9″. Looking forward to getting all the magnets/stickers test fitted on the car!