Trevor's JournalTrevor is my Indi Blue and White 2004 JCW MINI Cooper which was delivered on March 30, 2004. February 25, 2004 - Trevor was built in Oxford, England (production number
6608257). I configured a MINI Cooper at MINIUSA.com and took it to Downtown MINI on Friday, March 19th. I was prepared to order a MINI and wait 12 weeks or so, but Downtown MINI mentioned an Indi Blue and White MINI was on the boat on the way to the U.S. and Orlando. It was very close to the MINI I had configured so I went home to think about it. I returned to Downtown MINI on Thursday, March 25th. After they agreed to swap the silver wheels for white, I agreed to buy the car and put down a $1,000 deposit to hold it. I expected to wait one or two weeks to take delivery. The following Monday, March 29th, I went again to Downtown MINI to fill out the application and to order my dealer accessories. As I got out of my truck, I saw a new Indi Blue and White MINI parked outside. I went for a closer look and noticed it was just like mine was going to be. Then I read the VIN which seemed very familiar. Looking at the order sheet in my hand, I realized that this was my MINI. It had already arrived. I hadn't brought a camera, but I did have my mobile phone and took a few photos with it. At this point, the MINI still had its original silver wheels and no bonnet stripes. It also was quite dirty from its long trip from Oxford, England. Still very surprised that my MINI had already arrived, I went inside to find out when I could take it home. After selecting my accessories, I was told the MINI would be ready for delivery the next day. I went home and got my 1998 Toyota Tacoma cleaned out and its paperwork together since it was to be traded in. March 30, 2005 - Tuesday, Delivery Day. I left work early, picked up Jigna, and headed to Downtown MINI. Trevor was sitting just inside the back door ready to go, except he was still missing his white bonnet stripes. These were added while I filled out my paperwork. My friend, and fellow MINI owner, Cathy had bought me a keychain and chrome MINI Cooper license plate frame. Jigna bought me a Custom MINI Pen and a MINI Journal and took several photos of Trevor and me. After delivery, we went to dinner and then I took Jigna home. I parked Trevor next to Jigna's MINI, Howard, and we took several photos. Finally, I get home and park Trevor in his new home. April 25, 2004 – MINIS OF ORLANDO Meet at Blackfin. My first MINI meet with Trevor. It was a breakfast at Blackfin in the Winter Park Village. June 20, 2004 – 2nd Downtown MINI Rally. We met at Downtown MINI at 9:00am for free donuts and drinks and picked up our registration bags with two free t-shirts, three MINI ad inserts, a pen, and rally instructions. Each person got a boxed lunch to take with them. The MINIs began the rally at 10:00am. The route was about 35 miles and wound through Windermere to the Lakeridge Winery. There we lined up our MINIs, ate lunch, and the winners received their prizes. June 27, 2004 – MINIS OF ORLANDO Monthly Meet at Fiddler’s Green in Winter Park. July 25, 2004 – MINIS OF ORLANDO Monthly Meet at Jax in College Park, Orlando. We met at Jax for lunch and drinks. Then we motored north toward the Wekiva area. August 1, 2004 – Spring Thing 10 Planning Meeting. August 29, 2004 – Loop-De-Loop Let’s Motor Photo Rally in Ormond Beach. I skipped the rally itself and went directly to Greg's Steak & Shrimp restaurant to meet up with everyone finishing the rally. October 3, 2004 – MINIS OF ORLANDO Monthly Meet at El Cerro in East Orlando. October 24, 2004 – MINIS OF ORLANDO Monthly Meet at Fiddler’s Green in Winter Park. December 12, 2004 – Motoring the Mouse 3 in Celebration. We met for dinner at Columbia restaurant. Then we motored around the neighbourhoods of Celebration to look at the holiday lights and hit some roundabouts. January 30, 2005 – Mr. Bean Party at Jigna’s loft in the Winter Park Village. We met in the lot in front of the building, 10 MINIs and 1 Mini. After about an hour outside, we went up to Jigna’s for drinks and an Indian dinner. We watched several Mr. Bean episodes featuring his Mini. February 5, 2005 – Greeted the Chapter North Members. Jigna, Holly, and Mike and his family met for dinner at Miller’s Ale House near the airport for dinner. Then Jigna, Holly, and I went to the airport to pick up Tita, Ralf, and Sven arriving from Hamburg, Germany. We transported them “Italian Job”-style to pick up their rental can and bring them to my place. February 6-8, 2005 – Motored to the Minis of Miami BBQ with Tita, Ralf, and Sven. Motored South Beach, Miami. Motored to Key West and the Southernmost Point. February 11, 2005 – Meet the Visiting Chapter North Members at Fiddler’s Green in Winter Park. February 25-27, 2005 – Spring Thing 10 in Kissimmee. Cruised Old Town (at mile 15175). March 26, 2005 – MINIS OF ORLANDO Monthly Meet at Fuddrucker's at Festival Bay. March 30, 2005 – One year since getting Trevor. April 10, 2005 – MINIS OF ORLANDO Monthly Meet at the Ocean Deck in Daytona Beach. Motored on Daytona Beach and visited Daytona International Speedway. April 24, 2005 – MINIS OF ORLANDO Monthly Meet at Lake Eola. May 3-4, 2005 – Motored to visit friends in Apalachicola, Florida. Took Trevor to St. Joe's Peninsula. Motored to Atlanta, Georgia and spent the night on the way to North Carolina. May 5-8, 2005 – MINIs on the Dragon 3. Motored up from Atlanta on Thursday morning, the 5th. The weather was chilly and rainy but I got one run in on the Tail of the Dragon. Then I motored over to Fontana Village and registered for the weekend. Sunshine MINIs pulled in around 5:30pm. That night was the Welcome Dinner... May 14, 2005 – Downtown MINI Rally to Ron Jon's Car Show. I designed and led the rally from Downtown MINI to Ron Jon's Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach. Trevor got free admission into the show. May 29, 2005 – Memorial Day BBQ at Joshua's House in Longwood. Guinness, Old Speckled Hen, and a trampoline. June 16, 2005 – MINIS OF ORLANDO Meet at Fiddler's Green. June 26, 2005 – MINIS OF ORLANDO Monthly Meet at Jax in College Park. A great turn-out with 14 MINIs. June 16, 2005 – MINIS OF ORLANDO Meet at Fiddler's Green. July 30, 2005 – Steve and Nickie's party in Winter Garden, Florida. A front yard full of MINIs. August 13, 2005 – Summerblaze 2005 at Mercado in Orlando. Annual BMW show. Lunch at The Cricketers Arms and Alec from London came by. August 10, 2005 – MINIS OF ORLANDO Meet at the Taproom at Dubsdread Golf Course in College Park, Orlando. August 21, 2005 – The KassMotorsports MINIS OF ORLANDO Meet at The Cricketers Arms in Orlando. I won a $25 gift certificate I used to buy a book. August 28, 2005 – MINIS OF ORLANDO Monthly Meet at Boston's Fish House in Winter Park. September 24, 2005 – Fox Lake British Car Show in Titusville. Trevor did not win anything. September 25, 2005 – MINIS OF ORLANDO Monthly Meet at Market Street Cafe in Celebration Florida to greet Collin visiting from Louisiana. October 1, 2005 – MINIS OF ORLANDO Meet at The Cricketers Arms in Orlando. October 7-10, 2005 – Key West Cannonball Run 2005. Motored to Miami. Stayed at Cathy's, then met the group on the Turnpike with our "Just Married" costume on her MINI (left Trevor in Miami). October 22, 2005 – 19th Annual All British Field Meet & Autojumble at Safety Harbor Resort & Spa on Tampa Bay in Safety Harbor. Trevor won Third Place in the "MINI - New Generation" category. His first show award. October 27, 2005 – Motored 404 miles roundtrip to MyMini in Pompano Beach to pick up my John Cooper Works Tuning Kit. October 28, 2005 – Trevor becomes a John Cooper Works MINI Cooper (no. 475). Downtown MINI installs my John Cooper Works Tuning Kit from 8:00am to 1:00pm. The JCW Tuning Kit includes:
My first impression was very favorable. Right away the sound had changed (but I miss my stock “beer can” exhaust tip). After the install I motored to run some errands around town and on the highway. Immediately I noticed three major improvements to my MC:
With the cooler weather in Florida, Trevor was already running a bit quicker. But the JCW Tuning Kit removed the last traces of hesitation and sluggishness. It pulls strong from 2000 rpm straight through to 4000 rpm into the normal MC power band. October 30, 2005 – MINIS OF ORLANDO Monthly Meet for brunch at Bryan's followed by a motor to The Loop and dinner at LaBella Pizzeria in Ormond Beach. November 4-6, 2005 – Mickey and MINI 2005. Motored down to Disney and stayed at the All-Star Movie Resort. Friday night we ate dinner and cruised Old Town in Kissimmee. Went to Epcot on Saturday to Drink Around the World. November 27, 2005 – MINIS OF ORLANDO Monthly Meet at Jax in College Park, Orlando. December 11, 2005 – Pulley Party at Johnny's shop in Winter Haven. Keith helped me rotate Trevor's tires and I installed new John Cooper Works door sills in Trevor. December 17, 2005 – Motoring the Mouse 4. I organized the dinner and planned the route. We met at Disney Boardwalk at 5:30pm for dinner at the Big River Grille and Brewing Works. After dinner I led the group over to Celebration where we motored through a busy downtown and then through some of the neighborhood including some fun roundabouts. We ended the evening at the Tavern. On the way back to Orlando, Lisa and I were having a spirited motor when blue lights came on behind me. Certain I was being pulled over, I moved to the center lane. But the police car went right by to attend to an accident ahead on the opposite side of I-4. December 28 & 30, 2005 – MINIS OF ORLANDO Meets at Fiddler's Green for dinner, beer, and darts. December 31, 2005 – MINIS OF ORLANDO Monthly Meet at the Sugar Mill at DeLeon Springs State Park. I met Lisa and Mark and Jodi at 7-11 On Princeton Avenue at Orange Avenue. I led the group up to the rest area in Longwood to meet more of the group. We motored to DeLeon Springs State Park where we had nine MINIs gathered for breakfast. After a little more than an hour wait, we got seated and had a delicious pancake breakfast. We had another fun ride back to Orlando afterwards. January 2, 2006 – MINIS OF ORLANDO lunch at Smokey Bones in Casselberry. Our fourth MINI meet in six days. There were seven MINIs for food, beer, and football.
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