Project Drunken Master

This is my slowly evolving 2006 R53 JCW, a.k.a the alcohol problem, running on E85... ethanol, one of the oldest recreational drugs known to man, now at your local gas station

I bought the car from Germany in December 2012 and had already bought the first mod (cabrio braces) before the car actually arrived in Finland. This was my short shopping list for the Mini:

# R53
# JCW kit (with the JCW brakes)
# facelift (LSD & shorter gearing)
# no sunroof
# automatic A/C
# full leather seats

I would've preferred Recaros, but finding a JCW with Recaros but without a sunroof seemed impossible. Later on it became obvious that the leather seats were not the best choice for track driving, but they did smell nice...

The car was pretty well equipped on top of the forementioned mandatory bits:

# MFSW
# PDC
# DSC
# satnav
# automatic headlights
# heated seats
# heated windshield
# tinted rear windows
# center armrest
# carbon JCW wing
# shitloads of chrome inside and outside

Harman/Kardon was one of the few options that was missing, but I was going to upgrade the audio anyway. In retrospect I should've added Aero kit on my list of must-haves.


Current Mods:

Engine:
# KAVS -17% s/c pulley
# PRW FluidGel dampened crank pulley (previously KAVS +2% with -15% s/c)
# OBX manifold /w tomcat
# Catcams '469'
# BVH
# 960cc injectors
# Bytetronik FA53
# tuned for E85 by me
# colder plugs; BKR8EIX
# de-flapped JCW airbox
# KAVS +5% lightweight alternator pulley
# Aluminium coolant tank /w proper pressure cap
# Mishimoto radiator
# Orranje teflon intake manifold gasket

Handling:
# Quaife LSD
# cabrio braces
# HEL brake lines
# Nitrac DCT front rotors
# Carbotech XP8 pads
# Hobo brake ducts
# Bilstein B14 coilovers
# SPC camber plates
# Hardrace rear control arms
# M7 front strut brace
# Powerflex lower engine mount insert
# Powerflex gearbox mount insert
# Vibratechnics upper engine mount
# Powerflex front lower arm rear bushes
# OMP lower brace
# R56 rear trailing arms
# Whiteline adjustable rear ARB
# Greene Performance short shifter

Exterior:
# M7 ram scoop
# rear wiper delete
# JCW wing delete
# Aero spoiler
# 16x8" ET34 Rota Slipstream for track (205/50 Yoko AD08R)
# 17x7" ET45 (+ 11mm spacers) TD Pro Race 1.2 for street (215/45 PS4)
# Stud conversion kit
# Beltline de-chrome
# De-badge & de-stripe
# Clear third brake light
# 2" stubby aerial
# Rear calipers painted red to match the front JCW's
# R50 side scuttles with 'Supercharged' badges
# Classic Mini style [MINI 1600] boot badge in place of the winged MINI emblem
# Nürburging sticker...
# non-EU license plates
# black boot handle (instead of the chromed one)
# ebay aero grills
.. waiting in the parts pile: front aero bumper

Interior:
# JCW Sparco seats
# JCW carbon/leather gear knob
# JCW carbon/leather handbrake grip
# Sticker bombed dash
# Innovate MTX-L AFR gauge
# OEM center console gauge pod with

• Innovate MTX-D oil temp & pressure dual gauge
• Innovate MTX-D water temp & voltage dual gauge

# Center armrest delete
# Rear seat delete & clubsport net thing
# All sorts of sound deadening, especially at the back


As it was when purchased in December 2012, stripes galore and JCW wing




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Summer 2013, de-striped, de-winged and wheel gap issue sorted




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Winter look, January 2015




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Summer 2015




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Summer 2022