Sunday the 1970 Karmann Ghia convertible successfully made a 4-hour round trip to and from Loveland, CO.  I am officially calling this car road’able.  Some of you may remember that this car met a firey end on its last trip to Loveland.  Until Sunday my wife and I were very nervous about taking it too far from Castle Rock.  So today I am officially calling it road’able.  <no it’s not a real word>

Loveland gave privy to the Ghia’s first showing at a Euroberge GTG.  My wife did not want to spend 4 hours in the sun so she drove the Mini Clubman as the chase vehicle.

I usually try and spend the holiday weekends around the house.  After all, most everyone else is out cluttering up the camping spots, local pools and amusement parks.  Don’t get me wrong sometimes I like crowds, but usually when I’m alone, not with the family.  Keeping track of everyone, and keeping everyone happy can be a pain.  Enough, enough or I won’t have anything to talk to my therapist about.

The 5280driver garage had a visitor this weekend.  Todd Pearson, from WhiteRoofRadio, spent a few nights at our place in Castle Rock.  Having Todd at our home for a few nights was a lot like having the President stay with us.  His staff makes sure the visit is not leaked.  We knew a few days in advance, but couldn’t say anything due to security concerns.  After the WRR secret service combed the garage for explosives and “tested” ALL the white Oreo’s for flavor he was allowed on the premises.

Todd was in town for the opening of the newest Mini dealership in Colorado, Mini of Loveland.  DB, the “talent” portion of the team, helped host the Grand Opening event on Friday night.  The dealership put on a bash like I have never seen before.  Understand people I spent 15 years in the car business.  I know a good dealership party when I see one, this one was great.

The morning after the event Todd made his way down to Castle Rock.  I have to tell you how dedicated I was to his visit.  Folks…I postponed the pain and birth of a fairly large kidney stone just to see that he was comfortable.  Let my dedication to visitors of this caliber not go unnoticed.  In fact I am still holding out the birth until the end of this update.

After a quaint dinner, where I might add, everyone was served promptly with an evenly cooked meal, we enjoyed some conversation.  The next morning the master began his work.  Mini after Mini was hauled into the garage…he slaved away like a shoemaker, carving his craft.  Ok, he really just stuck some sticky stuff on a few cars and drank a lot of my diet coke.  Soon after he finished he dragged my wife kicking and screaming to The Coach store where he forced me to buy her something nice.  At the liquor store that followed, he began educating my 11 year old on the finer points of whiskey…yeah he’s 11!

We finally got rid of the guy the next morning.

<removing tongue from cheek>  Todd was a wonderful guest.  It was a wonderful time with a great friend…and he confirmed we did get the smell out of the mattress we bought at the local police auction.

This poor fella has a BMW Z4, a busted iPad, and an upset wife.

“So I buy my wife a new iPad, and she’s REALLY digging it. It goes everywhere with her so she can read, take notes, show pics, etc etc etc.

We end up going out in the Z4 running errands. I’m about a foot taller than she is, so there’s obviously a huge difference in the seat adjustment between the two of us. When she drives with the seat forward, stuff falls off the ledge behind the seat, so she generally sets items behind the seat. (Yes, you see where this is going). That fateful Friday, it happened to be her purse & the iPad behind the seat.

We went out to eat, and she grabbed her purse but left the iPad. When we got out of the restaurant, she wanted me to drive since it was night and she can’t see as well. I unlocked the Z with my key and the seat made a Taco out of her nice new iPad…”

Here is a link to the forum and full size photos

The boys over at WhiteRoofRadio [iTunes Link] have been talking about this issue for a few months now.  These oil starved engines are really starting to become an issue.  I’ll do my part to spread the word.  CHECK YOUR OIL LEVEL PEOPLE!

The video and their take after this jump.

Let’s start this off by telling your it was about 25 degrees in my garage when I started this. A fresh coat of snow blanketed my driveway. So first things first.

An hour before I was ready to get started I fired up the propane heater. A nice toasty garage is a must.

After that is was really as easy as following the instructions that NM Engineering supplies for you.  I have had a wonderful experience with NM.  I now run almost everything they make for the R55.

• Suspension Coils
• Rear End Links
• Exhaust
• CAI (Cold Air Intake)
• Tie-Bar

I choose SPC Performance for my rear control arms.  My rear sway bar is the 26mm Hotchkis.  What would complete my “NM” Clubman is to sport their new Heat Shield and a Engine Torque Arm Insert.  I’m sure those items are coming some day.

As for the performance of the Tie-Bar and CAI; I’ll have to tell you in a few days when some of this snow melts.

New parts ordered today…I went with the Smurf Blue.  Should be here in a few days from Temecula, CA

The Hankook snow tires have been on for about 32oo miles and yesterday I got the chance to rotate them.  While working this process I check the tire pressure.  Turned out the “tire monkeys” at Peerless tire set the tires at 28psi.  All along I thought the loss of grip was due to the sipping that Winter tires usually have…nope, just low tire pressure.  I put them back up to 38psi.

Rotating the tires gives me the opportunity to grease up the sway bar.  An aftermarket sway bar can causes quite a bit of noise if not installed properly.  I decided to go with the advice of my buddy Jon and get the Hotchkis 22mm bar.  It comes with greaseable bushings.  However that is not the only key in keeping it quite.  I use plumbers tape on the bar.  You know the white tape you put on the threads of a plumbing joint.  I wrap the bar in the area that comes in contact with the bushing.  Using marine grease in the bushing also helps.  That grease is designed for use in boating so it takes longer to break down in water.

I swear this guy always parks next to my Mini at the grocery store.

All the hype in the Mini community right now is centered around the upcoming even in Las Vegas called AMVIV.  It’s truly going to be an epic March in Vegas.  I am so looking forward to my first AMVIV.  After that event comes The Dragon, then MITMs.

This year the Mini In The Mountains (MITMS) team is mixing things up.  The venue has been changed to Winter Park Resort.  This venue is going to be incredible.  Monday night I saw some Summer time pictures of the resort.  The drive to get there is thrill on it’s own.  It’s 20 miles of tight hairpins.

Look for more information from the promotions team.  Oh yeah, I’ve been recruited for that team so you’ll see a ton of updates here.

The 19 most complex and dangerous roads in the world

From the looks of this post,  the Clubman and I need to go Norway, and a few other places.

[via Waze]

With inspiration from a SEMA mate I am finally getting around to editing my GoPro HD videos from the drive back to Denver. Soon I’ll post the link to my ride through Glenwood Canyon.

UPDATE: Here it is  —>

You know you’re a Mini owner if…you use your kid’s bathroom to wash floormats in the Winter time

Looking for the ultimate iPhone car for the car enthusiast on your list? I found it. It comes in Black, Red and Yellow.  No need to order me one.  I just ordered one in Black for myself.  You’ll need to think a little harder for a gift for local 5280driver blogger.