Helix Motorsports will be closed from Monday, April 29th through Friday, May 3 so we can attend the 11th annual MINIs on the Dragon. We will have very limited email and mobile connectivity while we are in the Smokey Mountains. Please be patient during this week: we will respond to all inquiries!
"He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire." -- Winston Churchill
"A modest little person, with much to be modest about." -- Winston Churchill
"I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure." -- Clarence Darrow
"He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary." -- William Faulkner (about Ernest Hemingway)
"Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words?" -- Ernest Hemingway (about William Faulkner)
"Thank you for sending me a copy of your book; I'll waste no time reading it." -- Moses Hadas
"He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know." -- Abraham Lincoln
"I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn't it." -- Groucho Marx
"I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." -- Mark Twain
"He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends." -- Oscar Wilde
"I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend...if you have one." -- George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill
"Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second..if there is one." -- Winston Churchill, in response
"I feel so miserable without you; it's almost like having you here." -- Stephen Bishop
"He is a self-made man and worships his creator." -- John Bright
"I've just learned about his illness. Let's hope it's nothing trivial." -- Irvin S. Cobb
"He is not only dull himself, he is the cause of dullness in others." -- Samuel Johnson
"He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up." -- Paul Keating
"He had delusions of adequacy." -- Walter Kerr
"There's nothing wrong with you that reincarnation won't cure." -- Jack E. Leonard
"He has the attention span of a lightning bolt." -- Robert Redford
"They never open their mouths without subtracting from the sum of human knowledge." -- Thomas Brackett Reed
"He inherited some good instincts from his Quaker forebearers, but by diligent hard work, he overcame them." -- James Reston (about Richard Nixon)
"In order to avoid being called a flirt, she always yielded easily." -- Charles, Count Talleyrand
"He loves nature in spite of what it did to him." -- Forrest Tucker
"Why do you sit there looking like an envelope without any address on it?" -- Mark Twain
"His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork." -- Mae West
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." -- Oscar Wilde
"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts...for support rather than illumination." -- Andrew Lang (1844-1912)
"He has Van Gogh's ear for music." >-- Billy Wilder
Walnut shell blasting refers to the act of cleaning the intake valves and tracts of a vehicle's engine with fine walnut shell particles and a blasting tool.
This type of cleaning for vehicles became popular after engines began evolving from conventional fuel injection to direct fuel injection. Cleaning of the intake valves and tracts wasn't needed with conventional injection because the fuel acted as a natural cleaner. The fuel was injected into the intake before it reached the engine's cylinders and, as it traveled to the cylinders for combustion, kept the intake's lining clean.
Now, with direct injection, fuel is injected directly into the cylinders and never comes in contact with the tracts and valves of the intake. Because of this modern injection style and lack of clean fuel in the intake, blow-by gasses that travel through the intake create deposits. Although blow-by gases consist primarily of air, small amounts of oil and exhaust particles do exist and contribute to dirty intake tracts and valves. This buildup is referred to as carbonization.
Walnut shell blasting is a safe way to clean the lining of the intake because walnut shells, when broken down into fine granules and blasted at high speeds, effectively remove deposits and maintain the integrity of the intake's lining. The high speed blasting doesn't create unwanted grooves in the intake even though shell granules make contact with a backed pressure of around 90 psi. Unlike sand and other abrasives, walnut shell granules don't wear metal - they only remove loose deposits that aren't part of the intakes original design. In essence, walnut shell blasting only removes what is necessary, which is why it has become the most viable solution for cleaning intakes.
When carbonization occurs in the valves and tracts of the intake, engine efficiency and performance is affected. Although a small amount of carbonization in the intake isn't severe, over time, as the carbonization effect accelerates, the valves will close improperly. Symptoms of this include rough idle, delayed throttle response and an increase in oil consumption.
The consensus of many vehicle maintenance and repair experts is that valves of engines with direct fuel injection should be cleaned using walnut shell blasting every 40,000 to 50,000 miles. This special cleaning may be done through an automotive shop or at home with the proper tools and knowledge. Mechanical skills are necessary because, in order to access the intake, you have to remove the engine cover, intake manifold and disconnect various tubes. You also have to carefully cover exposed areas of the engine so that the tract you are cleaning is isolated. If shell particles enter open intake valves and reach the combustion chambers, serious problems may occur.
There are three other forms of intake cleaning besides walnut shell blasting. The first involves removing the cylinder head completely and soaking the intake valve in a special cleaning solution for about two days. The second method doesn't require you to take off the cylinder head, but requires manual cleaning with an aggressive solution and brush. Considering the amount of brushing, this way is the most labor intensive. You also have to make sure not to get solution in the open valves you are not cleaning. The third method consists of adding a solution directly into the charge pipe, turning the engine on and letting the solution mix with the intake air. This method is popular, but ineffective if you don't do it every 3,000 miles or so.
After a proper walnut shell blasting, your throttle response will improve and your idle will become smoother. Engine power output and efficiency will also benefit from the cleaning.
Helix is now offering walnut shell blasting at its shop in Philadelphia for BMW & MINI owners.
Special Pricing! Second Gen MINIs: $349 // BMWs: $399
Jalopnik waxes poetic about a future classic. Get one now, while you still can...
There are a couple of broken links, but it's worth the read.
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The first-generation BMW M Coupe is a raw, angry sort of beast, the kind of asylum-think car we cannot help but love. It's a machine devoted solely to the art of being bonkers. Let's take a look at its credentials.
More so than just a Fantasy Garage entrant, the original BMW M Coupe may very well be the Official Car of Jalopnik. Before we get to the myriad reasons why that is, let me relate a little anecdote. Like most car enthusiasts nerds, I read about the M Coupe well before I ever saw one. And of course, I knew all about it. Best handling BMW ever, Ferrari-like acceleration, re-donk-ulous rear tires provide gecko-ish grip, sounds like a jet-engined rollercoaster, etc. I knew about the increased stiffness over the M Roadster, that they crammed the E46 M3's straight-six under the long snout and that Adolf Prommesberger, managing director of the M Division, went on record stating that the M Coupe is the car he drives home most nights. But you know how it goes. Every six months the buff books perform a collective circle jerk over the hot piece of German-ass de jour. Right now it's the R8. Come summer it will be the new M3. Hell, I'm guilty of giving the RS4 a no-look handjob or two. But the first time I saw the M Coupe, well friends, it stopped me cold. For while a 911's design may be more resolved/cleaner, and a Ferrari sexier, no car since Shelby's Cobra has looked as muscular and purpose built as the M Coupe.
See, unlike the majority of cars, and especially those from Germany, the M Coupe is not the work of brand managers. No, the M Coupe is purely the work of pistonhead engineers that built the car in secret and then somehow convinced upper management to sell the thing. Don't get me wrong. In general, German rides are (duh) the Bruciest. However the extreme anal-retentiveness that goes into each company matching each other car by car is old and dull. 3-Series/C-Class/A4 begatting 5-Series/E-Class/A6 begatting 7-Series/S-Class/A8 begatting X5/ML/Q7 is fantastic if, as a nation, you suffer from OCD. Sure, the Mercedes CLS was a welcome departure from the rigid norm, but almost immediately, BMW and Audi both set out to copy the Benz. But the original M Coupe, a South Carolina built, British-style shooting-brake putting out (nearly) 100 hp per liter is unique as modern cars get. Engineers who really, really, really love driving created this car to kick butt round the Ring and haul a dog. And that's it. And the result is so far beyond the pale that no manufacturer even bothered, let alone imagined, producing any competition. The M Coupe was free to live its short life unbenchmarked and unmolested by market expectations.
This car belongs to Carlos Segura. The lucky bastard
Arguably the best part of the M Coupe's story is that it shouldn't have happened at all. A renegade group of five BMW engineers, led by Burkhard Göschel, got a hold of a soon-to debut Z3 and decided to help it. They were displeased with its saggy bottom and the way its open top wreaked havoc with the trailing arms in the rear, causing the car to wobble. Cause wobble ain't precise. For the next few months, after work and on the weekends, the heroic five performed rhinoplasty on the diminutive retro drop top and out came the Z3 Coupe. Only these guys didn't spend all their free time just to make an odd looking wagon. They were thinking ultimate driving machine from the get go, rationalizing that they could convince BMW to build the M Coupe if there was a cheaper, lesser model. Which is why while Z3 roadsters have narrow hips and M Roadsters have broad ones, all Z3 Coupes never had anything but child-bearers. This new body made the Coupes 2.7-times stiffer than then their roadster siblings and at the time, the most rigid BMW yet built. The Z3 Coupe, unlike some 1.9-liter Z3s we know of, was never offered with anything less than a six. And thankfully, for the purposes of our fantasies, they dropped the M-Division's miraculous 3.2-liter straight six into the M.
Now the technical garbage. Tragically, BMW decided to make the initial M Coupes (1998 to 2000) different depending on the market. Meaning that west of the Atlantic cars got the short end of the engine stick. North American-spec cars received the peppy S52 inline-6 from the US E36 M3 that cranked out 240 hp and ran the M Coupe up to a limited top speed of 137 mph. Meanwhile European spec cars got the stupid-silly Euro E36 mill – known as the S50 B32 – which was good for 321 hp and a limited top speed of 155 mph. The engines were quite similar (stout iron blocks with aluminum heads) but there were differences. The more powerful Euro motor had higher compression, individual throttle plates and double VANOS for both intake and exhaust valves (the weaker S52 only had variable intake valves).
Then, in September of 2001, everything changed for the better when the "Engine of Damocles," the now familiar S54 B32 power plant from the E46 M3, was slammed into all M Coupes (and roadsters) regardless of national destination. The European model saw its power rise to 325 hp, while the American version came equipped with 315 hp. A word about this discrepancy. Initially BMW said the reduced power (compared to the 333 hp in the M3) was a result of different intake manifolds and exhaust doodads. Liars! The truth is that shoddy third party connecting rod bearings were exploding M3 engines at an alarming rate. You must never forget that while the men behind the M Coupe are the engineers from one of the most respected names in the biz, pr hacks still craft the press releases. Anyhow, the redline of the S54 was quietly dropped from the M3's Luciferian 8,000 rpm to a more minor-demon-like 7,600 rpm. Though plenty of aftermarket folks will re-chip the engine and replace the faulty rods. The difference between the US and Euro versions is smaller than it seems. True, tougher catalytic restrictions choke the US engine a bit more, but remember that 315 hp SAE Net is 320 hp DIN. And what are five horses among friends? Plus, the Porsche 996 only made 300 ponies back in 2001, so 315 hp in a lighter car was plenty.
Naturally, the M Coupe's performance is immense. 0-60 in 4.3 seconds is 0.3 seconds faster than a 427 Cobra. The quarter-mile goes by in less than 13 seconds, about the same as a 427 Cobra. While the top speed is supposedly limited, lots of hoons report 170 mph not being much trouble. And with de-limited M3s hitting 180+ mph, we figure the much lighter M Coupe (3,046 lbs. for the M Coupe vs. 3,415 lbs. for the M3) could dance that jig without much troublle. Though we would imagine the relatively primitive suspension would begin to fizzle at that pace. More importantly, third-gear is good for triple digits. Handling is in another realm compared to most cars, though more than one driver has cautioned against driving an M Coupe in the rain because of the giant tires, trailing arms and teeny wheelbase all conspire to hydroplane the car. In fact, many owners remove the wipers altogether, as they don't need them. Sure, there are cars that go faster, stop quicker and turn harder. But there were a lot less of them five years ago. And very few had normally aspirated 6-cylinders plus room for Fido.
To our minds, the M Coupe just frigging nails it. The styling is a Teutonic rendering of an E-Type coupe where the overt sex-appeal has been removed, leaving the M Coupe still phallic yet somehow perverse. The intent behind the car is pure Carroll Shelby, "Hey buddies – let's stuff a monster engine into a puny car and beat up on Ferraris." And the result is a TVR that's been to finishing school. The M Coupe might not drag its knuckles, but it will still smash a pint across a noggin from time to time. So, British style, American zeitgeist and German precision all come together for a brief moment and BMW doesn't even bother to market the poor thing. From 1998 to 2002 BMW only bothered to make 6,318 M Coupes. And only 10% of those are US-spec versions with the S54 engine. Even its fans refer to the M Coupe as the "clown shoe" and the annual M Coupe gathering is called Dorkfest. True, BMW has since replaced the old car with the new Z4-based M Coupe. But something fundamental is missing as the new car is too sterile, too well planned and, well, not nearly insane. Like the 959 or a Jenson Interceptor FF, the M Coupe is the way too rare result of what happens when engineers take over the asylum. Better than all its siblings and rarer, too, the M Coupe is without question more M than all the other M cars. As such, we strongly feel that the blackest sheep from the BMW farm deserves a pile of hay and a salt lick in our Fantasy Barn. What say you?
Valhoona Quality Video of an M Coupe Fleeing From Ghostrider
The Helix Intake is a "best of both worlds" solution which enables you to keep the clean, stock look of your BMW Airbox while attaining the performance gains of an aftermarket intake system. This kit is a DIY kit that requires a minimal level of expertise. As long as you are somewhat familiar with tools, this should be no problem. The kit comes with all the necessary hardware to install the additional filter on to the existing BMW N54 airbox. For those of you who are running a stock diverter valve set up, you will need to purchase the diverter valve filter as well as the intake inlet cap and clamp. These parts are found labeled underneath the basic kit. Finally, to add to the benefit of your new intake, a drop in filter to replace the stock paper filter is also available. 
Hey everyone! Helix has added another service that we are able to do for our customers. With out new tire machine and balancer we now install all sorts of wheels and Tires for your MINI, BMW. Even if you have another car and you need to swap tires or wheels please let us know. Our prices are very competitive compared to those in our area and our customer service is second to none. Please call or email for more information.
Alex
After only a short time, ADV.1 wheels has made a large impact on the aftermarket wheel industry. With one piece forged, three piece forged and their trackspec lines, each customer gets a custom made set of wheels to his/her specifications. ADV.1 has even gone so far as to add little touches like the option for titanium lug bolts and fasteners. Prices and build time are available upon request. Please email or call me to ask any questions.
Meth injection is the act of injecting methanol into a vehicle's engine intake to increase fuel octane rating, power and performance. This type of injection is synonymous with water meth injection because water can be mixed with methanol in the process.
Meth injection became popular when auto enthusiasts became interested in maximizing their vehicle's power potential. Many of these enthusiasts weren't professional racers and didn't have access or economical means to high-octane fuel. High octane fuel was necessary for effectively running the higher boosts they had. Eventually, after research and trials, a cost-effective alternative called water alcohol injection was created.
Water alcohol injection is referred to as meth injection when methanol or a mixture of water and methanol is used. Other alcohol options include ethanol, ethyl benzene, meta-xylene and a bunch of other long-named chemicals. Methanol became the most popular due to its price, availability and high octane rating. There are other chemicals with much higher octane ratings, but they're harder to find, expensive and often unnecessary.
For anyone with a forced induction system (turbocharger or supercharger) in their vehicle, injecting methanol into the intake is a viable option for utilizing boost. Also, injection kits are fairly simple for the amount of power they add. A typical kit will come with a tank, hose, nozzle, pump and small computer controller. After installing the pump all you have to do is decide what kind of mixture you want to add. You can either use 100% methanol solution or mix water into the methanol.
Pure Meth Solution vs. Meth/Water Solution
Many producers of injection kits recommend a 50/50 blend of methanol and water, but you can inject pure methanol into your intake. The solution you choose is a matter of preference, but there are some spoken advantages of the former over the latter.
When water is added to the solution, the water cools down the air in the charge pipe and intake valves. The particles of water in the fine mist released by the injection nozzle absorb the heat of the hot air from the turbocharger or supercharger. When the boost air is cooled, it becomes denser and rich with oxygen. This means more fuel and power.
Another benefit of adding water is the water's ability to "steam clean" the intake valves. This isn't as effective as walnut shell blasting, but it is a preventative measure against grimy tracts and valves. Also, during the injection process, not enough water is released to harm the engine. By the time the solution reaches the combustion chamber, no water particles exist as they are evaporated by the heat of the intake air.
The main reason racers and petrolheads use a 100% methanol solution is to eliminate engine knocking. They're more concerned with increasing the octane rating of the fuel in the cylinder than cooling the intake air.
Meth Injection Prevents Engine Knocking
Engine knocking, also called detonation, occurs when the octane rating of the fuel in the combustion chamber is too low. When the octane rating is too low, the mixture of fuel and air in the combustion chamber becomes unstable. It detonates outside of the combustion front causing inefficiencies, engine wear and pinging sounds.
The methanol that travels into the combustion chamber with the air instantly increases the octane rating of the fuel injected into the combustion chamber. This is why it's a reliable alternative to high octane fuel. The necessary octane rating that regular street fuel doesn't have is compensated for by the meth injection. With high octane levels, engine knocking is less likely to occur.
Hey everyone,
I strongly encourage all of you to please join our facebook group. We will continually have updates and pictures of our events, pictures of local installs and customer cars, announcements on specials, and friendly chatter.
Click on the Facebook Image below to go to our page!! Please add us and post up comments and pictures of your helix vehicle!
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_166859263324470&ap=1
Helix is proud to be the sole one month distributor or AWE's newest addition to their product line. The new AWE Forged Diverter Valve will be the best of both worlds as it can act as both a high quality diverter valve as well as a top of the line blow off valve. Incorporated into this new design is a diaphragm valve which is maintenance free and cannot get stuck open or closed as piston based valves are prone to do. Another advantage is that a diaphragm valve will typically open at a lower vacuum pressure where a piston valve setup could surge slightly under the same conditions.There are no disadvantages to a proper diaphragm design valve. Additionally, when the diverter valves are set to blow air into the atmosphere (blow off valve) the kit includes two filters which will help keep your engine bay clean as well as make sure debris doesn't get sucked into the valve.
Introductory Price is set to $299.99 and includes all install materials. Please call 267-335-4337, or email Sales@Helix13.com. .jpg)
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Come join us on March 26th as we hold our first meet of the new year. Car enthusiasts of all kind are welcome to join. We will be meeting at Helix headquarters at 10am and we will be offering coding for those who have 07-10' BMWs and may also be offering R56 Coding. For those of you who do not know what "coding" is, we can activate and de-activate certain features on your cars. Features such as: opening and closing windows with your key fob, de-activating idrive warnings, enabling power mirrors to be folded with your key fob, deactivating certain chimes, amber corner delete (bmw), and many more. Once we have done some coding we will caravan over to the museum. At 12 oclock there will be a "Tribute to Sebring" where a 1958 Ferrari TR250, 1956 Jaguar D-Type, and 1953 Jaguar C-Type will be fired up outside the museum. Tickets to enter the musem will be 10 dollars depending on how many people we get in our group and can purchased ahead of time if you want to save a few bucks and not have to wait on line. After we walk around the museum and see all the priceless pieces of car history, everyone is invited back to Helix for a complimentary BBQ where we can all have a burger or hotdog and hang around talking cars. If you have any questions or would like to purchase your ticke please contact me at Alex@helix13.com or call 267 335 4337.
www.simeonefoundation.org
Saturday, March 26th at 10AM
Please purchase ticket beforehand through me! 10$
Nelson Nieves' radical Helix-tuned MINI has earned a feature article in this month's Eurotuner magazine.
A full spread with pictures and history can be seen on newsstands now. Here's a taste:
That's right. We had so much feedback from our black friday weekend sale that we have decided to extend our sale on a bunch of stocking stuffers (15% pulleys, helix control arms, helix camber plates, helix brake lines, etc...).
This Holiday Sale will go until December 27...enough time in case you want to spend the christmas money that you just got
Prices are already adjusted on our site.
For both Mini & BMW
www.helix13.com
www.helixbimmersport.com
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Thats right. No need to camp outside for good deals, you can sit at home in front of your computer!
From Friday November 27 through end of day Sunday November 29 we will have smoking specials on many of our products (Both Mini & BMW). The link is below.
All you have to do is place your order through our site www.helix13.com
The pricing will be adjusted when we process your order next week after the holidays.
http://www.helix13.com/files/HelixBlackFriday.pdf
We are pleased to offer the Vent Gauge Kit for the BMW 335 cars.
The gauge has a precise electrical movement with face graphics that blend with the OE interior very nicely. Further, the LED lighting is a perfect match for the stock instruments.
The pod is injected molded out of Delrin with a UV stabilizer to ensure no fading, cracking, or drooping over time. The gauge is offset in the pod to prevent any obstruction when the driver’s hands are on the wheel.
All mechanical and electrical hookups are included, as well as detailed install instructions. This is a fully reversible install that takes about 1.5 hrs start to finish.
The 335 Vent Gauge Kit retails for $259.95 plus shipping
http://www.helix13.com/bmw/products/interior-exterior
On Aug. 1 we will be hosting a day of fun events, including vinyl installations by Lyle, an open house, BBQ, Rally with fabulous prize style items, a people's choice award and trophy. They day will be a celebration for PhillyMINI, or local club, but is very much open to the public, and best of all, it's free!
Here's what's happening:
Lyle from Vinyl Styles will be tarting MINIs with his unique brand of artwork throughout the day. PhillyMINI and Lyle are coordinating a schedule for installations. If you are interested, give us a call and we'll hook you up with the right people. Helix won't be doing any installation work that day, being busy showing off our prowess with the spatula, as well as general ham-fisting, baby kissing, hot dog eating and telling of racing lies.
We will be serving a BBQ from about 1pm until we run out of food or you run out of room.
At 11am, we will contest HelixCUP 4, the latest in a series of driving events that date back to inception of Helix in 2001. This year's event will not only test your driving and navigation skills, but also put a premium on your ability to sniff out a bargain. You'll need that last skill.
Here's how it works: plan to arrive at Helix by 10:00am with car, full tank of gas, Nav turned off, and if you can swing it, a co-pilot. the co-pilot is not necessary, but will greatly improve your chances for glory. Once you are registered, you will receive a sealed envelope with instructions, which you may open at the strike of eleven. Please bring a small amount of pocket money with you--you're going to have to buy things. Yeah, don't complain, if you're clever, it won't be much money, and consider it part of the Philly stimulous plan, to kick start the local economy. HelixCUP 4 is free to enter with valid PhillyMINI ID, or $1000 to enter if you are not a PhillyMINI member. However, if you join PhillyMINI on the day of the event, entry is free, and we will issue a gift certificate to Helix in the amount of the annual membership dues.
If you call Helix and pre-register for HelixCUP 4, you will be given custom cut vinyl stickers with your team name for your MINI.
The rally will end in time to enjoy the BBQ, as well as an important trophy presentation to the rally winner, along with the inevitable press conference.
At 3pm, we will be having a people's choice vote on the coolest car in the lot, with a fabulous and valuable original trophy, constructed of MINI parts, to be presented to the winner. Bust out your carnuba wax.
We will be posting more information as we dream it up, but stay tuned for such tantalizing teasers as photos of the trophies. As always, if you have questions, or would like to register for HelixCUP 4, please call us or stop by the shop.
We are finally up and running in the new Helix headquarters in the beautiful Manayunk section of Philadelphia. It's been a long slog, renovating and moving our operations but it was well worth it.
Where once we offered a dim shop in the heart of North Philly, complete with murder victim memorials, six-fingered sandwich makers, and a dirty couch in the corner of the shop, we now offer gentrified shopping and dining opportunities, a rails to trails path, and that same dirty couch, now in our bright, new waiting room. Now you can relax and watch cable, connect to the internet, or read a car magazine in peace as we work on your MINI or BMW. we are also a 5-minute walk from the regional rail line if you prefer to drop your car off, or make a visit to center city Philadelphia while we work. We are also building a retail area where you can browse through everything from performance parts to car care products.
Our installation facility is open and fully operational with the exception for the Dynamometer, which is still at our old facility, waiting for an overhaul. The dyno room is about half-way complete so it will still be several months before we have it ready for operation.
Please note that we have new contact information, including new telephone and fax numbers. You can find it and directions to the new shop in the contact section of the site. Please make some time to stop by the shop and say hi. If you come close to the end of the day, be sure to ask about the basement lounge.
As posted on 1addicts.com by m3gtrdtm:
Helix Attaché Installed
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Last week I installed the Helix Attaché on my friend's car that I happen to daily drive. Here are my impressions.
Install:
I brought the car over to my friend's garage at around 6pm. We originally intended to do it the day before but upon popping the hood we realized you can't just open up the ecu case and start tinkering. I did some research by searching for walk-throughs online and familiarized myself with the steps so I was prepared to do it the following day. The removal of components to get to the ECU box is straightforward. Even though it may look daunting at first glance, it really doesn't take long at all. Burger motorsports has an excellent walk-through on their website. Once we got the box open, we spent about half an hour trying to figure out how to get the clips off the harness attachments (think 2001: a space odyssey). With some patience we finally figured it out. The rest of the install was simple. We used an awl to push the pins down and out, they clicked right into place. It's really just all about taking your time, triple counting the pin numbers, and thuroughly applying electrical tape. Getting everything back together took only about 15 minutes. The install took a total of only 2 hours, including the clip fumbling.
First Impressions:
I started the car up and let it get up to temperature, then drove around the parking lot to test the driveability of the tune. The first thing I noticed is the increased smoothness in first gear. You can tell the richened the mixture on engine decel as its much less abrupt and jerky. For that alone the tune is worth it. Once the car was fully up to temp I went on to the road and did some short 2nd gear pulls. The first couple pulls the onset of boost was almost violent in how unexpected it is. I'm not sure if its the ecu getting used to the tune or me, but the onset of boost is equally as fast as stock, just a stronger shove. After doing these pulls I took it to an onramp and went through 2nd and most of 3rd. The pull is strong and consistant, and continued to get smoother as I did more pulls. Top end is amazingly improved, its too easy to go too fast.
Conclusion:
To say the addition of the Helix is noticeable is an incredible understantment. It's about as noticeable as getting hit in the face with a baseball bat. The car is sufficiently fast for my stock tire and suspension setup (1st gear w e-diff only has been renamed tire decimation mode). I know modding isnt for everyone, but for those of you that are considering it, I highly recommend any type of ECU mod. The bang for the buck is incomparable to any other platform I've ever driven.
If anyone has any questions regarding the install or driveability I'd be happy to answer. There isn't that much info out there on the Helix unit compared to the jb tunes, but from what I've found I think its about on par with the jb3.
The Helix R56 Turbo MINI was the subject of Marc Biunno's column in the latest Roundel magazine. To read the article, click below:
The only speed mod was the Attache`. The first run was 93 octane. Then we put in some 103 oct. and the traps went up. A 113mph trap speed is equivalent to right around 400whp. See below.
Congratulations to the Jacobs, Chiles, Allen team of MINI Cooper S autocrossers for another championship this year. Their total to date is as follows:
2005 G-Stock Solo Nationals Champion
2006 G-Stock ProSolo National Champion
2006 G-Stock Ladies Solo Nationals Champion
2007 G-Stock Ladies Solo Nationals Champion
If we add in the championships that were won in Jeff's 2003 Cooper S, plus two or three (Jeff can't remember) in Chiles' H-Stock 2003 Cooper, Helix has supported something in the neighborhood of eight national championship titles since 2003. Congrats and great job.
The 2005 Cooper S and Wendi Allen (who won the ladies championship) will be featured in MINI's new print advertisement which runs starting with the Oct. 22 issue of Autoweek.
We've made some progress with our R56 ECU and are getting closer to bringing it to market. We're going to be needing some beta testers for our R56 ECU fairly soon. We should be ready to start by the end of next week/early the week after.
Here is the dyno chart Eric posted a few weeks back. A solid 25whp and 25 lb ft gain!
Click HERE to view a PDF of our latest newsletter, or contact us for a hard copy.
Once in a generation there occurs an event so epic, that it changes the course of humanity. Its impact is so profound it reverberates around the globe. On Thursday May 3rd , 2007, such an event shall take place...
Introducing MINICup3
The wide-open road will be the canvas for the 2007 MINICup3. This event will be held in conjunction with MINIs on the Dragon 2007, a celebration of all things MINI. You will match your wits against all comers in a no-holes-barred rally from One Helix Plaza in beautiful north Philadelphia, to a secret checkpoint near the Tail of the Dragon in the beautiful Smokey Mountains. This one-day, six hundred mile rally will be a contest of driving skill and stamina. It will test the participant's ability to efficiently road trip from point to point, collecting precious goods and information, without breaking the rules of the road. Points will be awarded for successful route navigation, efficiency of time, and data/goods collection. Points will be deducted for missed checkpoints, and traffic violations. He or she who collects the most points and checks in at the destination will be awarded the coveted MINICup3, as well as bragging rights as the greatest road-tripper ever.
The rally begins at 8:00 AM on Thursday, May 3rd, where participants' cars will be lined up Le Mans style. All drivers (and hopefully teammate-navigators) will receive a sealed envelope with a triptych. At the sound of the starting bell, the envelopes will be un-sealed revealing the route and challenges for the MINICup3. The final check-in location will be revealed in the Triptych, where drivers will be checked in as they arrive. Then, on Thursday night, there will be an awards party and ceremony for all of the participants, crowning the new MINICup3 Champion. All participants will receive a gift packet, as well as rally insignia for their MINIs. The cost to participate is $25 per car early registration until Monday, April 2nd, or $40 up to and at the event.
For more information, please contact Helix Minisports, at 215 739 8800 or email sales@helix13.com.
May the best rallier win.
Check out Helix on the ever popular and time consuming Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/helixmotorsports. Add us. Comment. Post your car. All the good stuff.
Check out our newly updated catalog section for Official MINI Motoring Gear and Accessories
Check out Nelson's Helixed-up Cooper S at TheSpeedLounge.com
Truth be told, I never had a problem with the handling on my Cooper S. The car felt great at delivery, and it felt REALLY great after installing the JCW Suspension kit. For the life of me I never expected to tinker with the suspension again. But of course what sounds logical never really makes sense to a MODaholic like myself, so after finishing every possible mod I had originally set out to do on my car (see my previous motoringfile article for all of those juicy details) I was just looking for something to play with. Enter: The Rear Sway Bar. So much has already been written about this extremely effective (and inexpensive) mod that I won’t bore you with reiterating it all. But for the uninitiated I will sum it up as probably the single best suspension mod you can perform. Dare I say, even more exhilarating than my coveted JCW Suspension kit. But first a little bit on the install…
Having had such a great experience with my pulley install, there was no other person I would even consider going to but Eric at Helix in Philadelphia...
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Ahem, that's Point Of Sale. And what that means to you is that we now take debit cards for service in the shop (of course we still accepts credit, cash, checks and beer). So come on in and we'll let you play with the handy dandy Pinpad.
First thing’s first: I Love The MCSa. Of course I’m a sucker for all things MINI, but this car seems to have super powers. It can turn regular driving into a near video game with its paddle shifters, and it has also sparked more debate amongst the MINI faithful than any topic I’ve seen on any message board. While some love to bash it for not having a manual shift (which still boggles my mind to this day) others have grown to love it for the truly unique experience it provides. I am one of the latter folk, and just may be the biggest proponent of the model around. I love it so much in fact that I have gone on a bit of a crusade to turn it into the best possible MCSa that I think it can be. This review is the culmination of that year long quest to perfect a car which (in my opinion) is pretty damn close to perfect to begin with. But first, a little history…
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Helix's very own Eric, along with Garret from GIAC, are featured in a very nice spread in this month's Eurotuner magazine. You can check out the article below (watch out: for readability, the scans are large in file size)
Article page 1 (213k)
Article page 2 (206k)
Helix Minisports and Rossier Dyno Research are pleased to announce that the two companies are merging. Both companies have been at the forefront new MINI tuning for the last several years. RDR, located in Wisconsin, has developed a strong reputation for suspension parts development, as well as power upgrades. By joining forces with Helix, the two companies will better be able to develop, manufacture, deliver, and install performance parts for the MINI.
RDR's existing performance parts line will now be called Helix/RDR products. They will continue to be manufactured to the same professional quality standards, utilizing the finest materials available. These prducts include the Cold Air Intake, Camber Plates, Rear Control Arms, Rear Adjustable Sway Bars and Wheel Stud Kits. Other products are in development.
All Helix/RDR products can be purchased through Helix, either by phone, or by our secure online ordering system at www.helix13.com. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call Helix at 215 739 8800.
Click Forums in the menu from anywhere on the site to join in the duscussions with other Helixites on everything from 19% pulley heat generation to JLM's girlfriend.
Now all of your favorite MINI tuning bits are just a click away with helix13.com's new secure online ordering system. Not all of our items are quite ready to be sold via the information super highway, but we are working to get them there. Right now, though, you can order the most crucial pieces like Short Shift Kits, Supercharger Pulleys, RDR Rear Sway Bars, and others online with your favorite credit card.
A boost gauge is the best eye candy since The Matrix. Just be sure that you keep one eye on the road as you spool up the supercharger. It can be installed with an oil pressure or temp gauge in the new SPI twin gauge pod. This pod is custom made to fit MINIs without navigation, and features twin, movable gauge cups. Just set the gauges where you want them and tighten the hex set screw (nifty hex key included).
Since you are hammering the throttle to see the boost gauge dance, add some Powerflex polyurethane bushings, to shore up the sloppy motor and suspensions mounts. Powerflex is the benchmark for spirited street driving and track use. Give us a call for our recommendation for the best combination of stiffness and comfort.
You'll notice the stiffer drivetrain as you shift through the gears with a new '04 short shift kit. The '04 kit is similar in shift throw to our popular '03 kit, and fits the newer cars. If your car was built in October of '03 or later, give us a call and we can help determine which shifter is correct for your car.
Finally, as the competition catches your vapors, they may notice that you are sporting a stylish Helix soccer jersey, teaching them where to get the go-fastest parts for your MINI. They just may be able to make out the tasteful slogan on the back...
Helix is proud to introduce the shortest shift kit on the market. Unlike other kits, this doesn't shorten the shift lever so your right hand has to reach around your right leg. It keeps the shift knob in the proper place, and shortens the throw by 34%. See Suspension/Chassis in the Products section for details.
In a joint venture with Rossier Dyno Research of Plover, Wisconsin, Helix has begun developing high performance suspension and engine parts for the new MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S. Helix and RDR are committed to producing the highest quality parts that are track and dyno proven to increase the performance of your vehicle. Stay tuned for new product announcements.
In their ongoing series on prepping a MINI for National-level Autocrossing, Grassroots Motorsports Magazine asked us to submit our Cooper exhaust system for a dyno shoot-out. We at Helix are always up for a good challenge and in the end of the day our cat back system……. Well, we will let GRM (Feb 2003) tell you,” The Helix exhaust came out on top of the horsepower charts with an impressive 111.1 horsepower and 104.1 lb.-ft of torque” and “the dyno shoot-out winner- the Helix system” Our Cooper Cat-back system also saves you 9 lbs. over the stock factory system. Wait until you see what our MINI Cooper S system will do.
Helix will be holding our first open dyno day on Saturday, December 14, from 10:00am to 6:00pm. Measure the HP and Torque output of your MINI (or other 2 wheel drive car) throughout the rev range. We have a lift and facilities to add/remove parts so that you can test your mods as well. The cost is $50 for three pulls. For more information or directions, don't hesitate to call us at 215-739-8800.
Keeping in line with our aim to provide the best parts available for the MINI, we purchased an in house Dyno to help us provide proven performance products (WOW!!! is that a lot of P's) for our customers. In addition to helping in the development of the GIAC MINI chips, We are using the dyno for a wide variety of MINI projects as well as being available for private and group rentals. We have both an hourly rate as well as a per pull rate. Give us a call to set up a date.
Helix Minisports was featured in a nationally syndicated article regarding aftermarket tuning for the new MINI. Here's the text from the Philadelphia Inquirer 9/19/02:
MINI COOPER'S POPULARITY BRINGS NEW BUSINESS
Helix Minisports, of Philadelphia, is among the companies vying to sell performance parts for the car's enthusiasts.
By Michael Rubinkam
Associated Press
Eric Savage floors the accelerator, and the light-blue Mini Cooper S quickly pushes 50. He jerks the wheel right, then left, and the car darts from one side of the street to the other. He jams the brakes and the Mini stops - abruptly.
"Don't worry, I've been a crazy driver so long, I'm good at it," Savage quips, then quickly adds: "I'm kidding!"
Maybe about his driving, but when it comes to the new Mini, Savage doesn't joke. This one is modified with a carbon-filter intake, high-flow exhaust, and high-energy spark plugs, all of which contribute to its peppy performance.
Savage, 35, an erstwhile musician and brewmaster, recently launched Helix Minisports in Philadelphia to develop parts for BMW's Mini brand. The Mini has attracted lots of buzz among auto enthusiasts. Savage's goal is to improve the Mini's performance, from acceleration to braking to cornering. His idea is not a new one. Once a car becomes "hot" - think Volkswagen's New Beetle or Chrysler's PT Cruiser - so too does the market for performance parts. Savage, who works out of a rented garage in the city's Fishtown section, already has several competitors, both established parts-makers and new arrivals. This is not a cottage industry. Retail sales of domestic aftermarket parts hit $26 billion in 2001, growing 93 percent for light trucks and 83 percent for all other autos since 1994, according to the Specialty Equipment Market Association, an industry trade group.
"People have always loved their cars, but in the last several years they've had money to do things other than buy food and pay rent," said Rosemary Kitchin, the group's spokeswoman.
The Mini, produced in Oxford, England, had its debut at the Paris Auto Show nearly two years ago and became available in the United States in late March. Savage hopes to generate business from people such as Jason Livingood, 31, of Philadelphia, who bought his Mini last month and plans to modify what he says is already a "very, very fun car."
"Everybody is going from Point A to Point B, but this makes getting from Point A to Point B a lot more fun," said Livingood, who got rid of his New Beetle to buy the Mini. "I'm just waiting to see what these tuning companies develop."
Helix sells about 15 products, with more on the way. About one-quarter were developed by Savage and his partner, Chris Kellett. Among them: an aluminum "stress bar" that stiffens the chassis and improves handling, a heavy-duty brake rotor, and spark plugs that improve fuel combustion and thus power. Savage eventually wants all product development and manufacturing to be in-house, but for now he is also distributing other makers' parts. "A startup company needs revenue," he said. Helix has about 15 customers, with 70 more on a waiting list for a computer chip that will make the Mini's engine more powerful. Savage has no engineering degree, but he is a lifelong car tinkerer who used to work in a tuning shop. He is currently restoring a 1971 BMW race car and also plays around with a 1970 Porsche and a rare 1976 Lancia Scorpion.
In the second of two SRX7 SCCA club races, Chris, running in fourth (from eleventh on the grid)was hit from behind in turn one of Summit Point. Even before he was through the corner, Chris was able to left-right the bird both through the rear hatch and out the drivers window to the offending driver. His car, rendered useless with suspension damage was pulled onto the trailer but not before he had a few choice words for the fat-n-clumsy crasher. See him next year drinking beer in the paddock, renting his front-of-the-pack car to wealthy hotshoes.
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You are about to embark on the most grueling, demanding event in the history of motorsports. If you return alive you will be looked upon as a hero on par with Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, and Mario Andretti. For five hours, only skill and stamina will deliver you from your wild journey around the Philadelphia area.
To join this completely new kind of road rally, enter your car of particular interest, along with a healthy appetite, by calling 215 739 8800. Noon to 5:00pm, June 1st, 2002 at Helix Minisports, 2424 Martha Street Phila. $20 includes food & beverages.
With the skinny stock tires replaced this with a set of Kuhmo Victor 700's and a proper alignment, we could not wait to start throwing this car around at a SCCA Solo II event. We enlisted the help of Local GS Hotshoe Andre Downey to help us sort out the maiden runs. As you can see in the photos, the MINI is a well balanced car out of the box. Well, the short of it is that we took a 1,2,3 in HS as well as 3rd, 8th and 9th in PAX. Not bad for two guys who have not done an autocross in a few years (Eric and Chris) Thanks you to Andre for his help and feedback. Helix Minisports will be running the complete Winter Solo II series. Stay tuned for more results
and product development.
Helix Minisports completed a day of Dyno testing to establish a baseline for our line of performance products. The results show that the factory figures of 115hp @ the crank looks like it might be a little conservative. As you can tell from the Dyno sheet the car showed 111.3 HP@ the wheels with an almost flat torque curve available from 2500RPM. Please remember that the motor @ this point only has 180 KM on it. The result were gathered using a Mustang MD-250 Rolling Road dyno @ our friend's AWEtuning shop. ECU Information was also downloaded at this time as a starting point for our chip tuning research.
After what seemed like a lifetime waiting, Helix Minisports' MINI Cooper landed on the US shores in Baltimore, MD. As you can tell from the pictures, our MINI had plenty of good company on the long boat ride over from
Europe. In addition to a host of original minis and a few odd Land Rovers, a pretty slick red SAAB 96 Rally car found it's way here. It took us about two minutes of careful admiration before Eric took off in the car to start "testing" a few things. After bouncing it around the docks for a while we loaded up the MINI on the trailer for a tow back to PA. We were completely shocked by the reaction we received on our ride home with the car in tow.
The car made a powerful first impression on the public. Let the games begin.
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