Shitting in the shallow end. Fellatio.

[loserone]

My god, it's huge inside. I can't get over it, I feel like a child inside with plastic rockets everywhere and not being able to see more than four feet in front of me.

[loserone]

Right.

 

"Jim" very kindly lent me this for the weekend, because the legacy is getting a tow bar fitted in Scaryoldcortina's yard.  It's also being straightened and having the exhaust welded back on.  More on that elsewhere, later.

 

Some useful pictures:

 

 

MINI will take a full week's worth of shopping, a bag of reusable nappies for two kids, and a pan.  Probably not a lot else though.

 

 

It will also take two kids in the back, one forward facing and one rear.

 

The forward facing one fits in the front too, and my two year old enjoyed pointing at the huge speedometer and going "tick tock".  Particularly as the supercharger was doing it's stuff.  You can't turn the passenger airbag off though, so getting the rear facing seat in is a matter of floating the seat, complete with child, horizontally over the folded forward front seat.  The kids can then reach each other, which is why the big seat is covered in squashed banana.

 

I'm uploading a video which outlines what I think of driving it.

[loserone]

In car thoughts, with a steering wheel shaped fake moustache

 

[loserone]

This is what that kind of noise looks like using the other camera:.

 

[yes oui si]

A fellow half-blood/daywalker, I see.

[Jim Bell]

The on again / off again relationship the dash lights are having with each other are off again. Which is good.

 

 

 

 

 

I'd not actually driven it in the proper dark so took it out for a spin when L1 and jnrL1 dropped it off tonight. Yes, while the headlights might be good for dogging or for finding a lost contact lense, they're not the best for seeing where you're driving. Something else to add to the TO DO list.

 

 

 

[mrbenn]

Those wheels look brilliant, what a great little thing.

[sporty-shite]

Good choice, Mr Bell. I fancy one of these, simply because I really liked the N/A Cooper I had, but just felt it wasn't fast enough.

 

Will look out for roffle/for sale thread.

 

Edit: I thought it looked decent on the other wheels, too. Sorry!!

[Jim Bell]

Good choice, Mr Bell. I fancy one of these, simply because I really liked the N/A Cooper I had, but just felt it wasn't fast enough.

 

Well the good news is that this one is definitely fast enough. I can't imagine anyone getting out of it after a spirited drive and reporting that it's not fast enough. Two people that have driven this one have said it's too fast (which is absurd), but you do have to be careful. Like a Volvo T5 I could imagine this being a non-descript licence loser in the wrong hands.

 

Luckily I mostly drive like an old woman.

[loserone]

I dunno, for track days etc. I would probably expect to want to make it faster.

 

But it's a car that encourages flat out, and flat out involves 95 rather than 65 in many places. Obviously you can and do drive slower than that, but it's always a temptation, where a bigger more mature car might just have the reassurance that you *could* go faster.

[rml2345]

What I found driving it is that because it's small and nimble it encourages you to drive faster in places you probably shouldn't.

[loserone]

Hmm.

 

I would go with that, but it's huge compared to the MGF and less than two inches narrower than the legacy.

 

It's definitely nimble though, and it grips and grips so it makes you very confident about fast bumpy roads.

[louiepj]

Cheers fella.

All knowledge is good knowledge.

A couple of them are broken anyway man. Is there anyway to "rejoin" the magic heat lines in situ?

Have successfully used this g g ger ger granville stuff that halfords always sell, just don't use the supplied cardboard template as its way too big... Unfortunately it's not cheap at just over a tenner but the one I have is at least 5 yrs old and has stored well + been used on many rear screens.

[SiC]

Well the good news is that this one is definitely fast enough. I can't imagine anyone getting out of it after a spirited drive and reporting that it's not fast enough. Two people that have driven this one have said it's too fast (which is absurd), but you do have to be careful. Like a Volvo T5 I could imagine this being a non-descript licence loser in the wrong hands.

 

Luckily I mostly drive like an old woman.

Back in 2004 in my gap year I worked in a place where there was 4 Mini Cooper S's as company cars - all were had new. I never got to drive them (being 18 and insurance), however the bosses were big car enthusiast drove them all. They did note that there was a wide variation in performance between those 4 cars. Some definitely had much more power and free-revving engines than others. Impromptu drag races back from a company meal proved this.

 

Why this is the case I don't know. Could have been manufacturing variation or simply how they were ran in. However it certainly could be the case you jump into one and it had a very different character to another you jump in.

[Jim Bell]

Have successfully used this g g ger ger granville stuff that halfords always sell, just don't use the supplied cardboard template as its way too big... Unfortunately it's not cheap at just over a tenner but the one I have is at least 5 yrs old and has stored well + been used on many rear screens.

 

Cheers for the info man. Ive just spunked £35 on some genuine Mini rubber mats so another tenner on something like this which might actually fix something seems good value to me. I'll get some ordered and give it a go.

[Jim Bell]

Back in 2004 in my gap year I worked in a place where there was 4 Mini Cooper S's as company cars - all were had new. I never got to drive them (being 18 and insurance), however the bosses were big car enthusiast drove them all. They did note that there was a wide variation in performance between those 4 cars. Some definitely had much more power and free-revving engines than others. Impromptu drag races back from a company meal proved this.

 

Why this is the case I don't know. Could have been manufacturing variation or simply how they were ran in. However it certainly could be the case you jump into one and it had a very different character to another you jump in.

How strange. Maybe supercharger tolerances? Would of thought they'd all be near enough from factory but like you say, could be as simple as how they're run in. I'm actually happy with the power in this one. I VERY FUCKING NEARLY spent north of £500 on performance parts not long after I got it. (lightened larger crank pulley, smaller charger pulley, smaller lightened alternator pulley, lighter tensioner, belt).

Glad I didn't now, but I probably will at some time in the future.

 

Orranje reckon all that would be good for a +25% power increase.

[Fraz]

I presume you’ve already spotted it has an upgraded non standard intercooler already?

 

The more I see this thread the more I’m gutted I didn’t buy it now! Lol

[Jim Bell]

I presume you’ve already spotted it has an upgraded non standard intercooler already?

 

The more I see this thread the more I’m gutted I didn’t buy it now! Lol

 

The top mount?

 

errrrrrr, no?

 

Looks standard?

 

Though I've not looked hard mind.

[Fraz]

Indeed the top mount.

 

Unless I’m mistaken it’s a non standard updated jobbie. Someone’s spent a few quid on it already potentially.

 

Can’t remember the brand now but I’m sure it’s an unrated job.

[Jim Bell]

Indeed the top mount.

 

Unless I’m mistaken it’s a non standard updated jobbie. Someone’s spent a few quid on it already potentially.

 

Can’t remember the brand now but I’m sure it’s an unrated job.

 

 

Cheers for the info man, I'll have a look at it in the morning.

 

Free historic  already implemented upgrades are the best!

[loserone]

You're going to buy a smaller pulley and discover it's bigger than the one on it..

[Jim Bell]

You're going to buy a smaller pulley and discover it's bigger than the one on it..

 

Thats what I was just thinking too.

[Jim Bell]

 

 

 

https://orranje.co.uk/product/grs-motorsport-r53-top-mount-intercooler-motorsport-version

 

 

Ok, looking at that historic pic it's clearly a GRS top mount.

 

A £425 upgrade when new, so somebody really has spent time and money on it. I bet there IS a smaller pulley on it. ..

 

Thanks for the tip Fraz, I'd not have noticed if you hadn't mentioned it.

 

 

[The Moog]

Free upgrades are absolutely the best

[SiC]

The standard intercooler on the Mini Cooper S will only keep Air Charge Temperatures (ACT’s) down to a satisfactory level with boost levels of no more than around 8-9psi. Once the boost pressures have been raised the ACT’s associated with the higher boost levels can be excessive for a standard intercooler. As ACT's rise, power is lost due to the air containing less oxygen. The GRS Motorsport Intercooler has been designed to keep the ACT's to a satisfactory level. When the GRS Motorsport intercooler was tested on the rolling road it showed no more than 38 degrees at all times, at 13-14psi, thus ensuring that maximum power is always available even in hot weather.

 

If you went to the trouble of fitting an expensive aftermarket intercooler, there is no way you wouldn't fit a smaller pulley at the same time! I bet that has a smaller pulley.

 

But then you might not want to know....

Yes Mr Insurance this car is not knowingly modified.

[loserone]

Might explain why it's a little bit rapid!

[SiC]

A diagnostic scantool should be able to you if it's got a smaller pulley on. Even a cheapy generic one using Torque probably will be able to read the boost sensor. If it's boosting at >10psi under hard acceleration then it's very likely has.

[Jim Bell]

This is as much of it as I can see. Not much help by eye.

 

 

I'll order a usb dongle thing and download Torque. Thanks for the tip man!

[loserone]

I've a couple of ODB2 Bluetooth dongles you can borrow one indefinitely if you like

[Fabergé Greggs]

This is as much of it as I can see. Not much help by eye.

 

20190219_130405.jpg

 

I'll order a usb dongle thing and download Torque. Thanks for the tip man!

That’s definitely the tiniest pully I’ve ever seen.

 

How many horses will this have then, supposing it has all the good bits?