Will a BMW Mini fit in a Brian James Sprint Shuttle?
Discussion
Yes it will - just!
This was the question I wanted an answer to before laying out for a trailer for my BMW mini track car, and I could not find the answer anywhere. So for anyone else considering the same question, the answer is yes, but with a few conditions:
After weeks of checking trailer specs and measuring my car I figured out that my BMW mini (Cooper S R56 2008 model) probably would fit into a Brian James Spring Shuttle trailer, AND, would fit with the tyre rack fitted in the trailer. However:
- there really is not much room along the sides - this means you have to get in an out of the car through the passenger side window. Smaller drivers might be able to get in through the drivers side window, but I'm 6 foot 2 and can't get get in the drivers side. I can get in and out of the passenger side window easily though, even with a passenger seat installed - it might be tricky with a wrap-around FIA seat on the passenger side, but with a normal FIA seat its no problem.
- My mini's ride height has been lowered about 40mm, and that does enable it to be loaded with the bonnet fitting under the tyre rack in the trailer. There's not much room - about 30mm of space between the top of the bonnet and the underside of the tyre rack, so ride height is a determining factor as to whether the car will fit or not.
- Length-wise, the car fits nicely, with about a 12-18 inches of space at the rear. However, there is not much space left at the front - see images. This means tools etc have to go in the towing car, or be strapped onto the tyre rack too.
- The wheel 'choc's have to be removed to get the mini into the trailer. This is because the ride height is too low to clear the chocs - the front spoiler catches on the chocs if they are left in place. However, the chocs can quickly be bolted back in place once the car is loaded and strapped down - just remember to remove them before unloading the car otherwise you will damage the spoiler.
- Finally, because the ride height of the mini has been lowered, I DO need to tilt the bed to get the car on and off the trailer without catching the ramp. ie, this would NOT work with the non-tilting version of the Sprint Shuttle trailer.
So, for other BMW-Mini-owning track enthusiasts like me, who are looking for a covered trailer, I can say that the Brian James Spring Shuttle does work, even with the tyre rack fitted, but the Mini ride height has to be lowered, and that means you will need the tilting version of the trailer.
Hope that's useful for anyone asking the same questions I was asking.
This was the question I wanted an answer to before laying out for a trailer for my BMW mini track car, and I could not find the answer anywhere. So for anyone else considering the same question, the answer is yes, but with a few conditions:
After weeks of checking trailer specs and measuring my car I figured out that my BMW mini (Cooper S R56 2008 model) probably would fit into a Brian James Spring Shuttle trailer, AND, would fit with the tyre rack fitted in the trailer. However:
- there really is not much room along the sides - this means you have to get in an out of the car through the passenger side window. Smaller drivers might be able to get in through the drivers side window, but I'm 6 foot 2 and can't get get in the drivers side. I can get in and out of the passenger side window easily though, even with a passenger seat installed - it might be tricky with a wrap-around FIA seat on the passenger side, but with a normal FIA seat its no problem.
- My mini's ride height has been lowered about 40mm, and that does enable it to be loaded with the bonnet fitting under the tyre rack in the trailer. There's not much room - about 30mm of space between the top of the bonnet and the underside of the tyre rack, so ride height is a determining factor as to whether the car will fit or not.
- Length-wise, the car fits nicely, with about a 12-18 inches of space at the rear. However, there is not much space left at the front - see images. This means tools etc have to go in the towing car, or be strapped onto the tyre rack too.
- The wheel 'choc's have to be removed to get the mini into the trailer. This is because the ride height is too low to clear the chocs - the front spoiler catches on the chocs if they are left in place. However, the chocs can quickly be bolted back in place once the car is loaded and strapped down - just remember to remove them before unloading the car otherwise you will damage the spoiler.
- Finally, because the ride height of the mini has been lowered, I DO need to tilt the bed to get the car on and off the trailer without catching the ramp. ie, this would NOT work with the non-tilting version of the Sprint Shuttle trailer.
So, for other BMW-Mini-owning track enthusiasts like me, who are looking for a covered trailer, I can say that the Brian James Spring Shuttle does work, even with the tyre rack fitted, but the Mini ride height has to be lowered, and that means you will need the tilting version of the trailer.
Hope that's useful for anyone asking the same questions I was asking.
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