This One’s A Keeper - 2006 R53 Mini Cooper S JCW

Lauren_E

RMS Regular
Messages
446
Location
Tandragee
Drives
MINI JCW
So very soon after buying the pepper white R53, this cropped up. It was literally my dream spec and colour (Chilli Red with White Roof) so it was hard to turn down
It’s a 2006 R53 Mini Cooper S JCW from the factory not the usual dealer fitted JCW kit
Chilli Red
74k Miles
Factory JCW (So is a JCW on the tax book rather than Cooper S)
Being a Factory JCW this benefits from
- Upgraded Cylinder head (slightly enlarged exhaust ports)
- 11% Reduction supercharger pulley
- Colder spark plugs
- 380cc Blue Injectors
- JCW cat-back exhaust
- Remapped ECU to 210bhp
- JCW Airbox with Cone Filter
- Silver Intercooler Cover
- Front JCW Brake Callipers and Larger 294mm Discs
- Limited Slip Diff

It also has a fairly high spec
- Carbon Fibre Exterior Pack
- Powerfold Mirrors
- Heated Seats
- Visibility Pack
- Auto Climate Control
- R95 Ronal Alloys
- JCW Aero Kit
- Chrono Pack
- Harman Kardon Sound System
- Very Rare Mini United 2009 Mirror Caps (Also have the carbon fibre ones)

This is how I picked the car up, the mods / graphics done weren’t to my taste but I knew it would be easy enough to get the car back to OEM spec as the previous owner had kept most of the original parts, so the next morning it was on the ramp
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First thing was to take the black wrap off the roof
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Then it was just a matter of going round the car and taking all the rest of the vinyl and blacked out trim off
Next was removing the black R95 alloys and replacing them with the OEM silver ones I had sitting in storage
Got a good look underneath it and am more than pleased. It’s a really clean car for the age so will get it all protected underneath when it gets put away for winter
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After day one in my ownership
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Today I was able to get the fake carbon wrap off the headlight rings, I also took the spotlights off and replaced the grill with one with no cutouts for the spotlights, removed all the badges along the lower grill, put the proper JCW badge back on and removed the rear tail lights for the original ones.
I still need to get a new Cooper S badge for the rear tailgate and then I can refit the original JCW badge at the back
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Give it a good clean and fresh tank of super, now just to get my plate onto it and enjoy for the next month before it goes away until Spring
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Plan for this one is OEM Plus spec, bit different from my usual threads, but this one really is a keeper
 

SPIKE_

RMS Regular
Messages
710
Drives
GTI | JCW
Another beautiful JCW added to your collection! You just need to add a GP now. Great to see it going back to OEM+. HTD
 

Lauren_E

RMS Regular
OP
Lauren_E
Messages
446
Location
Tandragee
Drives
MINI JCW
Looks great Lauren :cool:

Thank you for letting me out the other day, I take it you were on your way home for collecting it.
Clubby looked great as usual. Yes that was us on the way home

Another beautiful JCW added to your collection! You just need to add a GP now. Great to see it going back to OEM+. HTD
Would love a GP1 but I think I’ve missed the boat on them now 😔

Fantastic JCW, my wife drove it for around a year then we dry stored it! Great history with it too!
It really shows. It is so clean underneath compared to the majority we see in through the doors and as you say has a great history

All these bloody mini threads makes me want mine back FFS. Stop it! Lol
Told you you would regret selling yours 😂
 

DC.

RMS Regular
Messages
11,357
Drives
VW Golf GTI
Looks so much better without the black decals, roof and wheels.

Enjoy
 

Lauren_E

RMS Regular
OP
Lauren_E
Messages
446
Location
Tandragee
Drives
MINI JCW
Got my plate on it this morning 🥳
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Went to take off the tacky looking mesh grills on the front bumper fog surrounds and someone has made a right hash of things 😡 There is some terrible black vinyl but then it has been painted around the edges, so looks like the bumper is going to have to be painted as it’s likely when the vinyl comes off it will pull the original paint with it. So for now the grills will have to stay 😭 Also have a set of clear halo sidelights to go on to replace the smoked ones

As I’m putting the car back to OEM spec the side scuttles were replaced for the standard chrome ones
Before
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After
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The recaro interior was also swapped out of the white R53
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And a genuine JCW Steering wheel with the all important carbon centre piece
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Fitted a set of genuine JCW alcantara gear and handbrake gaiters along with getting rid of the horrendous copy handbrake handle. Genuine JCW Carbon hanbrake handle fitted to go along with the gearknob
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simy

RMS Regular
Messages
3,489
@Lauren_E Do you have plans for the smoked halos you are taking off? They have gotten quite expensive new online.
 

Lauren_E

RMS Regular
OP
Lauren_E
Messages
446
Location
Tandragee
Drives
MINI JCW
@Lauren_E Do you have plans for the smoked halos you are taking off? They have gotten quite expensive new online.
I’m going to try them on the white car and see what I think, I’ll give you a shout if I’m not going to keep them 👍🏻
 

Lauren_E

RMS Regular
OP
Lauren_E
Messages
446
Location
Tandragee
Drives
MINI JCW
So now this is off the road for winter, I was able to get wee bits and pieces done
First up was taking those horrible little grills off the front bumper.
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Then some small bits picked up from Prentice's
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New Mini Aero Wipers
Before
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After
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Stubby Sport Aerial
Before
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After
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Proper Cooper S badge and genuine JCW badge refitted
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Next, in a round about way I was able to get my original anthracite headlining from my blue R53 back from @Smoothie. I was over the moon at this as it makes such a big difference to the interior of the car. Absolutely hateful job to change out but very worthwhile
Old cream headliner
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New anthracite one
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While the rear quarter panels were out to fit the headliner, it give me a bit of room to fit the factory hidden tyre compressor kit
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And last but not least the wing mirrors. I have 3 different sets of caps and was faffing over what looked best. As much as they are rare and I loved the Mini United mirror caps I just didn't think they suited the car with the white roof. Likewise the genuine JCW carbon ones I have, they just didn't do anything for the car, so for now I have just went with the plain white ones. I think it ties everything together much more now with the white roof
Before
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New white ones
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While the mirrors where off I changed out the rust bolts for nice new shiny stainless steel
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And a pic from the last drive out before it was put away
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Have another few bits and pieces to do over the Christmas holidays but so far I am pleased at the progress from when I got it
 

ALN

RMS Regular
Messages
3,244
Location
Orlando, FL
Drives
Clio 182
Ah would ya quit. I totally regret selling mine and don't think I'll find another as good now.
 
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