The Independent American Magazine for all Mini Owners
Issue link: http://mc2.epubxp.com/i/33536
T here’s one indisputable fact about Jan Brueggemann, the driving force behind the success of Revolution Mini Works: He has no tolerance for a car that’s all show and no go. His interest in Mini began back in 2002, when he purchased as S model; it was his first 4-banger. Previously he had been into big-bore V8s, but his interest in large engines was waning. With a new interest, he spent time with some fellow California MINIacs building and racing components, produced a few MINIs with far-greater horsepower than stock, but the results just didn’t “turn his crank”.” So, working alone, and with a few handpicked suppliers these last five years, Jan began perfecting his idea of what MINI performance was all about, and in the MINI community he is known as Jan at RMW. MC2 has also been watching him and his suppliers, race teams and his track records the last few years, and we’re impressed! GP #0625 It all started with his purchase of GP #0625 from Buddy Minrath who had two MINIs and several Corvettes. With less than 100 miles on the odometer, Jan drove the GP home to Southern California from Kentucky, and started toying with it in late 2007. At AMVIV 2008, I drove the GP in its first iteration, when it had 262 hp/232 lbs.ft from his early 2-liter “stroker” engine, stock GP blower, head/valves, cam and lightweight clutch system. Going from our Project Clubman to his GP, I made the mistake of lifting the clutch as I would any streetable MINI and stalled it. A few years later with 1.8-liter “stroker,” OS Giken’s excellent twin-disc clutch and limited-slip differen- tial (LSD), just moving it in the pit area of the recent MINIs at Thunderhill Raceway is something I had to watch lest I make a fool of myself with almost 400hp under me! Stroker Engines In the early development days, the intake, head, valves, and exhaust system were the thrust of RMW. As some of us know, there’s been a lot of chatter and back-biting on forums about whose head was the best given the other four competitors, three of which have not survived in the MINI market. The present RMW big-valve head is the result of eight months of extensive flowbench analysis by Portflow. The design was then digitized so that every RWM head is exactly the same in com- bustion chamber design. Matter of fact, he divulges very few of his closely guarded suppliers for fear of being copied, nor does he speak of the specifications of most parts. It’s equipped with Inconel valves (a material used in extreme temperatures where turbo/supercharging is used, to withstand the heat) that measure 1.8 and 2.3mm, actuating hydraulic rockers, using their cam grind of 272/280-degree lift/duration. The overlap is another secret, but he says that mechanical lifters are being tested for race engines. The retainers are obviously made of titanium. >>> Issue 32 MC2 Magazine 25 By Barry Brazier T h e M I N I R e v ol u ti o n Begi n s Five Years Later…