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Karls W11 R50

37K views 202 replies 49 participants last post by  jonnydrama 
#1 · (Edited)
Karls W11 R50 Shitbox

Full spec on post #2

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I've had the car for years. Since Feb 2006 I think it was. Bought it from my local Mini dealer in Peterborough.

Specs were:

2003 Cooper
Indy Blue, white roof and mirrors
Bonnet Stripes
Spotlamps
36,000 miles
Chilli Pack
Viability Pack
Bits and bobs



I drove it standard for a couple of years, always in the mind that I would sell it and get something else when I could afford the insurance. Thing is, I grew very attached to it and couldn't bare the idea of parting ways.

First mod came in the form of a brand new JCW carbon dash from ebay. It totally transformed the inside of the car and was as happy as Larry.

After that I looked to the exterior. Decided that the sausage bumpers had to go. Jumped on ebay and found a standard S rear bumper from a chap about an hours drive away for about £75. When I went to fetch it, he had loads of stuff kicking around from his Mini that he had now sold. So I took the lot for £150 which included

Rear bumper
S side skirts
Haynes Manual
Front upper grill
Brand new floor mats
And loads of service parts/clips etc

Next came an S front bumper, S spoiler, ditched the spotlamps, and got hold of a nice beefier OEM exhaust tip.

Then I slapped in a Green Cotton cone filter and thought it sounded nuts!

Then I went a little crazy, pulled my rear seats out, made a seat delete panel to fill the hole and tinted my windows.

After that I set to work on changing the orange dash lights to a nice cool white. Took a while to get it right but was well worth the effort.



Next up were some new rims. Got a set of 17x7 TD 1.2s in High Power Silver, direct bore fitment, ET38 frosts and ET45 rears with some Yoko Spec 2 215/40 rubber. Again very happy.

Then I was thinking of lows. Got a set of delivery miles SS+ shocks from the bay, and some -35mm eibach springs to go with.

Clutch died, got a new one done locally, then the Midlands 'box-o-cheese started to die, very loudly. There was only one solution...

Six speed conversion
Janspeed Manifold w/ decat
Play Mini Catback
Front rear bushes
MeisterR Europas
SPC control arms
Smiles all round

But this didn't last long as some cunt faced little shit who I hope has now contracted some tropical and untreatable disease decided to re-decorate my car with his keys.

More to follow...
 
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2
#31 · (Edited)
Some freshly powdercoated R56 control arms. Done for free (say hells yeah!)

They are from a complete 60 plate R56 rear axel I got from fleabay for £77 quid! Had to drive a whole 8 miles to pick it up too...



Plan is

Get the main beam powdercoated
Poly bush control arm
Use alloy trailing arms (duh)
Poly bush trailing arm front bushes
Use the R56 brakes
Uprated ARB (prolly whiteline)
Adjustable end links
Use my SPC arms

:)
 
#43 · (Edited)
Had a stock set for ages as this was my plan for them too ;) well done for getting there first. I am just using hex bar in the middle of mine

You are going to regret not having the polybush pressed in before you powder coated as it will crack all the coat off, very tempted to send mine back now the outer collar is pushed in

Also the rear strut would be better if above the rear shocks as the bracket is not really on all that well and bends a lot so not really a worthwhile point to put the brace but it looks nice and a lovely job on the casting and the weld looks lovely too
 
#40 ·
Excellent. Thanks for the pic. Inovative solution. I think the after markets are designed to be stiffer to reduce flex. The centre being thicker will obviously do this even at M8. These will be weakest at the junction, so if the were as only as strong as stock it should be ok.
Like you say just try and see.
 
#41 · (Edited)
Some DIY bits

Here is the boot brace I did for less than £10



I made a simple pattern and cast two aluminum brackets, machined them on the old Bridgeport at work and got the bar welded in by a guy over the road



These are the adjustable drop links I've just made from some stock ones. Hopefully get them fitted at the weekend and see how they go.

 
#44 ·
Yeah if these work I will make more but use hexagonal bar instead of the shitty McGillian(sp?) ones. They look like Chinese shit tbh. Then I can get the length of the turnbuckles just right too.

As for the bar I agree its far from the best place. I can hear it creak like fuck though when I corner really hard! Must be something going on.
 
#46 ·
Been interior painting. Going all matt black inside :)

Just clipped the a pillar covers in



Going to do speedo and rev counter ring in body colour when car gets painted at end of the month. Also got eye on a roof lining :)

Found a bit of wet under the passenger side footwell so need to sort that out before putting all the lower interior back in.
 
#47 ·
Got my R56S calpiers back from the powder coaters today. They look fucking nuts. Just built them up.



What ya think?

Got some Nitrac 12 Groove discs on order too which I feel was a good move. Twice as much as I planned to spend but I figure they'll last ages so I can justify it.

Pads I have 100 quid budget as I need fluid.

Torn between M1144 and Performance Friction...

Also need some clips from OEM pads! They dont come with aftermarket ones. Anyone have some I can buy off them?????
 
#49 ·
How do you find the PFs? I'm coming from stock 1st gen calipers and pads so anything would be better lol. But I just want to spend my money the best I can.1320 didn't think they came with the clips. I'll get them to find out for sure though. BMW only sell the clips with pads. Well there isn't a part number for them on their own. I could try asking my dealer. eBay has nothing.
 
#53 ·
Well the stripes are painted in so what they are doing is just painting the section of blue up to the little stripe so 'only' £80. Stripes save the day again lol.

Lovely project here. Love the attention to detail!
Thanks very much. It's nothing compared to 99% of the cars on here I know, though I'm happy to take it slow and just enjoy it. Its taken me months just to save for front discs and pads!
 
#55 ·
I tell you what I've had so many days where I've either not been able to drive the car or its been away over the last year. Hate it! Its been gone for 33 hours now...

The spray shop I use are fantastic. When they re-sprayed it before it looked amazing. Far better finish that factory fresh. Just a shame I'm not into keeping cars clean. Ruined the paintwork already really. Should take it to premium detailing one day.
 
#56 ·
Got the car back yesterday afternoon!

Lovely job of the respray and I also collected my bonus bits I had done.

Fitted the door handles back on with their freshly painted covers.



And put some of my interior back in along with the new dial rings.



Very happy.

Just waiting for my lamin-x to come before I re-fit the blue headlight rings and put the lights back in the car.

Under the passenger side carpet was soaking wet. Water has been getting in through the hole the battery cable comes through. So carpet is now out and car can't be driven again. Grrr.
 
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