2005 R53 Mini Cooper S

Lauren_E

RMS Regular
Messages
446
Location
Tandragee
Drives
MINI JCW
Picked this wee car up during the week as a run around to keep the miles of the R56 JCW. It is a pretty much basic car with not many extras, but the price I got it for I wasn't too worried.
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It is surprisingly nippy for a standard Cooper S, I was expecting it to be dead coming from my previous tuned R53
First thing I did was remove those metro plates for standard ones.
Then when giving it a quick wash with Articulate and Ultrafoam, I noticed a ghastly hole in the exhaust... Excellent excuse to order the Milltek I'd been looking at.
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Today the postman came with some goodies so will hopefully get the K&N Dave F style airbox modified tomorrow and the Milltek fitted.
Also managed to come across a brand new genuine Heated Driver's Sparco JCW Seat for a bargain, so now just have the task of sourcing a passenger one.
Already have a set of R56 Cooper S brakes sitting in the corner from my last R53 which I never got round to fitting, so will eventually throw them on too.
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Next things to be done will probably be the pulley and a trip to the body stop to tidy up the front end as it is quite stone chipped. Have a front aero bumper sitting here ready to be sprayed but still unsure whether to fit it or not. When both sparcos are fitted a DIY rear seat delete may be on the cards too
 
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Deckz

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5,828
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Cars
Why oh why! Another! Dam I need one of these in my life timings just not right! :worried:
 

Wild Thing

RMS Regular
Messages
4,790
Location
Tandragee
And there was me looking to go on the rip tonight, will pospone that and go on the lash for the six nations
 

Wild Thing

RMS Regular
Messages
4,790
Location
Tandragee
Coog we have a mission impossible task for you. Look at the blue rubber flange in 3rd pic, fits over 74mm outside diameter with a step down to 74mm for through the bulk head. Can you identify it?
 

gav525

RMS Regular
Messages
10,217
Location
Co Down
Drives
Anything
Class! Bargain JCW seat also, very jealous lol.

I'm sure it'll move rightly when you've finished tinkering with it!
 

Coog

Admin
Messages
47,515
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GTI
Coog we have a mission impossible task for you. Look at the blue rubber flange in 3rd pic, fits over 74mm outside diameter with a step down to 74mm for through the bulk head. Can you identify it?

Flip I havent a baldy mate. Is that the one you're using for the bulkhead cold air feed?
 

gav525

RMS Regular
Messages
10,217
Location
Co Down
Drives
Anything
gav you in the country long some good weekend we need a spirited drive out with the gang

Flying to Kuwait right this minute mate, but only for a week! Definitely up for a drive out when I'm home though (y)
 

Lauren_E

RMS Regular
OP
Lauren_E
Messages
446
Location
Tandragee
Drives
MINI JCW
Bit of progress today.
Old exhaust off
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New Milltek Non Res on!
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Then to finish off for the day before the Six Nations a wee clean, polish and all trims restored
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Hopefully tomorrow the airbox will be done and brakes sprayed ready to fit
 

Lauren_E

RMS Regular
OP
Lauren_E
Messages
446
Location
Tandragee
Drives
MINI JCW
Little bit more progress aesthetically. First of all the interior wasn't pleasing me. Removed the tired silver trim rings while I was fitting the JCW Gearknob and Handbrake to give them a sanding down and respray to tidy them up.
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All put back together now and looks much better IMO
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Fitted a set of JCW Chequered mats as well
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Next thing on the list was removing the back seats as they were never going to be used and means much more boot room. Picked a rear seat delete up which fitted the bill and was extremely well made!
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I have the Aero front bumper ready to be sprayed and hopefully picking up some aero side skirts within the coming weeks. Never really was a fan of the aero rear bumper so I will keep the standard one and instead just fitted some GP style inserts
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Last thing to date was giving the engine bay a good clean and fitting the cabrio braces
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Next the plans are to get it going faster. Already got some goodies waiting but fitting them won't be for a wee while yet. Also need to change the blue carpet out for a black one I have sitting here and get the Sparcos fitted
 

Lauren_E

RMS Regular
OP
Lauren_E
Messages
446
Location
Tandragee
Drives
MINI JCW
What are these cabrio braces you speak of?
Originally made for a convertible for extra stability so really just to strengthen the car. They work pretty well along with a top strut brace. Helped solve my dash rattle too but that may just be coincidence
 

Lauren_E

RMS Regular
OP
Lauren_E
Messages
446
Location
Tandragee
Drives
MINI JCW
Bit of an update, got the pulley on a few weeks ago, what a difference! Was meant to be getting R53 aero side skirts too but the seller let me down so went on the hunt again when a set of R56 aero skirts popped up yesterday for a bargain of £22 each side! I know they can be fitted to a R53 but need some altering so will send them down to the Bodystop so they can work their magic. Think it will make the Mini look a bit different to the usual ones you see. Now have the front aero bumper and side skirts t be sprayed hyper blue
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Also managed to grab a genuine Orranje G-Wing off gumtree for £100 so it goes to be sprayed white in a couple of weeks along with my roof
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Now for the best bits. As well as buying the aero skirts yesterday, the same seller was breaking a Mini GP1 so picked up a GP intercooler and JCW airbox. Just need to order the cover, air diverter and longer rear brackets for the intercooler from Mini when I find a GP Vin to order them against. Also have a brand new set of JCW injectors to be fitted, Newman Cam and ATI Super damper.
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Now time to save up in order to get the paintwork sorted and the parts fitted. New clutch and flywheel to be fitted next week so thats the spending done for a while.
 
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