Friday, January 16, 2009

NM Hi-Flo Induction Kit for non-North American Models

Through international dealers, we found out that some Cooper S models (R55 & R56) do not come equipped with a MAF sensor. Due to requests from some of international customers, we now offer our Hi-Flow Induction kit for non-MAF equipped vehicles.

NM.658856.1
MINI Cooper S Clubman and Hardtop w/o MAF Sensor
Blue Pipe Finish

NM.658856B.1
MINI Cooper S Clubman and Hardtop w/o MAF Sensor
Black Pipe Finish


If you have a non-MAF equipped vehicle, we have an intake to meet your needs now!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

NM Engineering 22mm Adjustable Rear Anti-Sway Bar

I am happy to announce that our 22mm adjustable rear anti-sway bar is now available. What makes the NM rear anti-sway bar different from others? Afterall, when I look at pictures of all the different kits out there, they all pretty much look the same. Here is the low-down:

Material:
Everything starts with material - it is the foundation of the part. Companies typically have a wide variety of material to choose from when they decide to manufacture an anti-sway bar. As such, many factors come into play (i.e. cost, availability, cost, strength and durability, cost, etc.).

During this evaluation process, our engineers chose to use 4130 chromoly. Cost was not the primary factor, as 4130 is a more expensive material. The choice was made because of 4130's superior fatigue resistance, high tolerance and zero-memory - even after repeated cycling.

Hardware:
I have seen some other kits and typically they will include polyurethane bushings, clamps and bolts. As we all know, most MINI's are driven fairly agressively. Because of this an OEM-type steel clamp would not be reliable. Looking at the original OEM clamp and clamps available from various suppliers, we quickly realized that we needed to come up with our own solution.

As you can see from the picture on the left (click to enlarge), we machined our own clamps from 6061 aluminum alloy for supperior durability. The clamps are mil-spec hard anodized for a long lasting finish and to protect the material itself from the elements. In addition, we include new grade 12.9 bolts to attach the clamp to the car (the OE bolts are grade 8.8).

Rounding out the included hardware are low-resistance, graphite impregnated poly urethane bushings and special synthetic bushing grease.

Manufacturing and Finishing:
The rear anti-sway bar features machined ends with exacting tolerances. In comparison, other manufacturers have chosen to use forged ends (where the material is heated and literally pounded into shape) or welded end (where the mounting points are welded to either end of the bar). Both those manufacturing methods are not as precise, when compared to a CNC machined end.
After the manufacturing process is complete, each bar is powder coated with an ultra-high luster finish that looks great, while protecting the bar itself from the elements.

Installation Instructions:
One of the few areas that are overlooked are the quality of the installation instructions. For parts that are a little more involved, we print full-color instructions on ledger size paper (11" x 17") to make sure all pictures and text are legible. A detailed parts list, along with a list of tools required are provided to make sure you can complete the job before you start it. Lastly, proper manufacturer's torque specifications are provided so that you can put the car back together properly after installation.


If you have any questions, drop me a line...I'd love to hear any feedback you may have!

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Welcome & Happy New Year!

Welcome to the NM Engineering official blog. I would like to take a moment to introduce myself and NM Engineering to you. First of all, my name is Joe and I've worked for Automotive Performance Systems, Inc (our parent company) since 1996. In total, I've been in the automotive aftermarket for over 2 decades now. I will be keeping this blog updated as regularly as possible, but since it's our company's first blog give me feedback on what you would like to see here. I am open to all suggestions. You can contact me directly by email: joe@nm-eng.com.

Since our website has been up and ads have been appearing in various publications, the email I receive most asks, "Who are you guys?" NM Engineering is a division of Automotive Performance Systems, Inc. (APS). APS has been a supplier of aftermarket parts since 1975 and was founded by Bill Neumann. Besides being a renowned hot rodder, you may recognize the brand of parts he created called NEUSPEED. Nowadays, NEUSPEED is known by many to supply some of the best parts and accessories for Audi/VW and Acura/Honda vehicles...but did you know that the very first part NEUSPEED ever produced was for a BMW? It's true, the very first NEUSPEED part was an upper front tie-bar for the 1979 BMW 320i. APS and it's NEUSPEED division sold various parts for the 320i over the years so our roots really started with BMW.

Fast forward 30 years, we are back to a BMW produced vehicle. With the R56 MINI, all of us here saw a car with a lot of potential. The car is fun as soon as it leaves the lot, but the car could be more. Parts for the MINI family of vehicles could have simply been sold under the NEUSPEED banner (quite economically), so why did we choose the costlier route of launching a new brand? The fact of the matter is Bill felt the MINI was a very special vehicle in its own niche - an affordable, premium small car with no real competitors and as such deserved its own brand and identity. Although NM Engineering shares some engineering and manufacturing resources with its sibling NEUSPEED, NM Engineering has its own budget, engineering and marketing resources. As such, NM Engineering has found new and more efficient ways to produce and package products and this will also help to improve the NEUSPEED as well! NM Engineering's mantra is to improve your motoring experience, without changing the essence of what makes a MINI a MINI.

As the new year is here, everyone at NM Engineering is excited about the parts and accessories that we will be introducing to enhance every MINI owner's motoring experience. Some parts, like our Hi-Flow Induction Kit, RS-a Performance Spring Kit, Stainless Brake Line Kit and Engine Torque Arm Insert have already made a splash in the community and you can look forward to more in the very near future. Stay tuned to the blog updates...