Joined
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589 Posts
Having regretted selling my previous R53 works Cooper S with JCW tuning kit & exhaust, Aero bumpers and Sparco seats I was always determined to get another as a 2nd car for something to tinker with and for some track time.
At the start of last summer the hunt started, initial aim was to get a Cooper S as clean as possible which for what I wanted to spend was looking like a pre facelift with sub 100k miles.
BRG was first choice with BEP being second, as you can imagine it was a struggle to find either colour let alone in the condition I was after.
A few months later I found the perfect BRG candidate whilst in Germany driving back from Europe and arranged a viewing the day after we got back.
After 17 hours driving for the previous two days what was another 5 hour round trip, hats off to the Wife for agreeing this one.
The car is an 04 facelift BRG with usual spec along with heated seats and climate control both of which seemed rare particularly given my colour criteria. Car wasn’t exactly as expected, brakes were pretty much shot and exhaust was blowing, neither of which were mentioned but easily rectifiable so didn’t put me off. It also came with a stack of work through it's life so figured it's been looked after for the most part. MOT was also coming up so managed to use all of the above to get to where I wanted with the price so a deal was done.
As Purchased
Standard guise with a nice wonky exhaust:
To do/Done list
Engine
Present Day:
Have pics for the journey so far, will get posts for them up in due course to bring this fully up to date.
At the start of last summer the hunt started, initial aim was to get a Cooper S as clean as possible which for what I wanted to spend was looking like a pre facelift with sub 100k miles.
BRG was first choice with BEP being second, as you can imagine it was a struggle to find either colour let alone in the condition I was after.
A few months later I found the perfect BRG candidate whilst in Germany driving back from Europe and arranged a viewing the day after we got back.
After 17 hours driving for the previous two days what was another 5 hour round trip, hats off to the Wife for agreeing this one.
The car is an 04 facelift BRG with usual spec along with heated seats and climate control both of which seemed rare particularly given my colour criteria. Car wasn’t exactly as expected, brakes were pretty much shot and exhaust was blowing, neither of which were mentioned but easily rectifiable so didn’t put me off. It also came with a stack of work through it's life so figured it's been looked after for the most part. MOT was also coming up so managed to use all of the above to get to where I wanted with the price so a deal was done.
As Purchased
Standard guise with a nice wonky exhaust:




To do/Done list
Engine
- Thoroughly clean engine bay
- Cam - Make undecided
- Exhaust Manifold/flexi
- Smaller pulley (11/13/15%??)
Enlarge Rear air box intake - DONEVR Rocker Cover Gasket - DONE
- Clutch - Make Undecided
- Flywheel - Make Undecided
- LSD - Make undecided
Poly Engine & Gearbox mounts - DONE
- Discs
- Pads - PBS Pro race ceramic graphite
- R56 JCW Rear Brake upgrade
Budweg JCW 'Brembo' Calipers - DONEHEL Front lines - DoneYellow Calipers - DONE
- Full Aero Kit (although like the subtlety of GP rear, but mega rare)
- DRL style front sidelights/indicators
- Replace door handles due to peeling
- Stubby aerial
Finish polish / waxing - DONEHoneycombe grill - DONE
- Dial Change - GP style or Black, maybe with some green to tie it in
- Royal Steering Wheel Retrim - Thicker, leather/Alcantara, thumb indent, flat bottom
Retrofit Heated seats to Recaros using Mini loom - DONEVXR Recaros - DONEJCW Gear knob - DONEBlack handbrake handle - DONEBlack Leather Gaiters - DONEGloss black down tubes - DONEGloss Black trim rings - DONE
R112 17" refurbed in silver - DONERefurbish Crown wheels as temp measure - DONE205/45/17 AD08RS - DONE
- Rear Anti Roll Bar - Whiteline
- Strut Brace - M7/Chomiumtech/OMP?
- Rear anti roll bar bushes
- Upper adjustable rear control arms - TO BE FITTED
- R56 Alloy Trailing Arms - TO BE FITTED
MeisterR Zeta CRD+ Coilovers & Adjustable camber mounts - DONELower adjustable rear control arms - DONEWhiteline Rear Adjustable Drop Links - DONEPoly RCA bushes - DONEARB Bushes - DONEInner & Outer Ball joints - DONESteering Rack Bush - DONETrack Rods and ends - DONESteering Rack - DONEDrop links - DONE
Present Day:


Have pics for the journey so far, will get posts for them up in due course to bring this fully up to date.