Issue #26

Our cover story for the June-July 2010 issue is about Minis On The Dragon (www.minisonthedragon.com), that annual gathering of the Mini Faithful at Deals Gap on the North Carolina/Tennessee border. The Dragon's Tail is the affectionate name for the part of Route 129 that snakes through the scenic mountains of these two wooded states and features 318 turns in 11 miles of roadway. It is the premier sports car and motorcycle road in the US, drawing drivers from all 50 states, Canada and as far away as Europe. MC2's correspondent, Marilyn Stemp, both a biker and a MINI owner, has driven On The Dragon's Tail and offers her insight on this annual get together of Mini enthusiasts starting on page 24.

Under Breaking News, famed automotive spy photographers at Brenda Priddy & Company have captured scoop photos of the 2011 Cooper S, and we detail them on page 17. It's a mild refreshening of the iconic design and the offering comes with new design wheels, chrome vent highlights, some minor interior changes and some tweaking to the power plant. We're not showing it here, however. You'll have to buy the issue to see what the factory has in store.

Every spring, Mini Mania (www.minimania.com) sponsors A Nevada City Adventure at their headquarters. The annual event, now in its 10th year, kicks off the season of West Coast Mini meets with live music, free food, a car show, some great driving and usually pulls in 250-300 attendees. John Burnett details all the happenings at this years spring bash starting on page 30.

While good ride and handling is important on any MINI, so is looking good. They say that a waxed car goes faster, and while that may be an exaggeration of sorts, there is no denying that a good polish and wax job can make your car fairly shimmer. In Understanding Polish and Wax, editor Peter D. DuPre takes the mystery out of the shine by delving into the history and composition of auto wax, the differences between polish and wax, what to use on new and classic Minis, and what to use on wheels and plastic body trim. There's a lot more to wax and polish than just buying anything off the shelf and you can find out the details starting on page 35.

The summer time is a great time for doing those do-it-yourself installs and this issue we have three easy DIY projects that will increase horsepower, help you find your way, and help you to keep an eye on engine functions. In the first DIY, Peter D. DuPre details how to install a NM Engineering (www.nm-eng.com) Induction Kit (page38). Just a couple of hours on a Saturday morning and under $500 in outlay can net you a 13.6 hp gain over the stock factory setup. In our second DIY article, Easy Map Holder (page40), Jeff Zurschmeide shows how installing a Craven Speed (www.cravenspeed.com) GPS mount can neaten up your MINI's interior by eliminating dangling wires from your GPS unit and free up the 12-volt socket -- all for just $85! The third DIY project involves installing a MINI Cooper S Gauge Kit to help you improve driving efficiency and keep an eye on the battery at the same time. In Easy Gauge Install (page 42), Contributing Editor, Neil Chirico, points out that the $325 kit (available at your MINI dealer) can cost up to $500 total if the unit is dealer installed. However, Neil points out that doing a proper install only takes a couple of hours, using common hand tools, saving you over $125 in labor charges!

Since the new MINI was introduced a decade ago, the factory has shown us that super- and turbocharging the MINI engine (S models) is a great way to get lots of power out of the small 1.6 liter engine, with very little penalty in fuel economy. However, the high heat that these two engine boosting systems produce generate detonation that can be damaging to the engine unless an intercooler is installed. Technical Editor, Matt Richter, explains all about Intercoolers: How they work and what to look for, starting on page 44. Matt explains exactly how the intercooler works, talks about pressure drop, performance enhancing tricks, and provides a list of aftermarket suppliers.

In our Mini Heritage section cover classic models built before 2000, we've got the story of Ellis Edwards' hot rod 1975 Austin Mini Cooper that he uses as a part of his stunt show.  According to Peter D. DuPre, this Hi Flyin' Mini (page 48) is powered by a VTEC engine that pumps out some 240 horses and it comes with serious sound. Ellis has installed a $10,000 stereo system in the car, along with custom racing seats, fuel cell, custom carbon fiber wing and Yokohama tires.

Then on page 50, our Senior European Correspondent, Graham Robson, writes about Mini's famed chassis engineer, Jack Daniels. Graham interviewed the famous engineer some years ago, and the information presented in Profile: Jack Daniels sheds light on how Gentleman Jack turned Issigonis sketches into engineering drawings that could be used to build a car.

If you've ever tried to restore a classic, then no doubt you've been following along with Rob Marshall as he details Saving A Classic (page 53). Rob's been detailing the progress that Somerford Mini has been making in rebuilding/refurbishing an early 1962 Austin Mini. In Part V, the car sees completion, and is returned to the owner, the Great Grandson of the original purchaser, to be once again used to ply the highways and byways of Great Britain.

Finishing up the issue are all our usual columns -- Mini Cindy, The Doctor Is In, Keep 'Em Running and A Little Sound Advice, a new column all about improving the sound coming from your MINI's stereo system. Plus we've got Club News & Events, a Mini Calendar, The Last Word, and a few more editorial surprises. Of course, you have to be a subscriber to enjoy it all, but luckily, you can do that here. Happy Motoring!~ Peter D. DuPre, Editor-In-Chief.