R56 JCW bumper on the R53 final mods

With lots of items coming along nicely it is time to start looking at finishing the bumper I made off so that it is perfect. after moulding I had realised the mould had sagged a little so the bumper has opened out a little, this is quite normal for grp construction bumper and hence why no max power body kit would ever fit correctly. Luck for me I have a guy with years of experience sorting this issue out on my side.

Here is the start point

I really like how this bumper is coming together

Painting many parts

Just wanted to update to show that actually this is moving forward quite quickly. I am over the moon with how the parts are coming together. I think my painter will kill me next time I see him, I do not think he realised the amount of parts he would be painting

Looking forward to putting all this together...

Back on it

After taking some time off to have the operation on my back seams to have been very worth while and I am starting to feel like I did a few years back. I am glad to say that while it will be a slow start back on the project I can carry on and since I have had the time off I have been able to get on with the CAD and drawing the final parts I need.

While I have been down and out I decided it was time to have a few items re-done that I was simply not happy with. I am after perfection and I will get there even if this means that some jobs need to get done again.

Here is the mini in the bodyshop having further work done but I am not happy to say "I am happy"

Here is the pulleys for the supercharger, I had 2 made, 1 which is to run on the standard map to get the car started and moved about for the tests and then later I will choose the smaller pulley when the new ECU is installed

This is all for now, I am hoping that next week the car will be close to finished - bodywork wise.

Down and out

The project has now gone on hold and the car will be tucked away - I will be taking a trip to hospital for an operation on my spine and hence the car will be stored until I have my full health back - this is likely to be at least 6 months

Its home! let the work commence...

With the car home its time to start spending time on it and trying hard to get it done correctly but I am still not  in a rush to get it done.

With the car in the garages, I am able to see the car outside in the sun which I have to say I am really pleased with the way its coming together.

Bonnet up and the trusty block of wood acting as a handbrake - the amount of cars this block of wood has helped with is unreal.

Lots of profile shots of the car in all its glory. Can't wait till all the equipment is on the car and its slammed on the ground. Things to look forward too...

This good looking car needs only some of the brakes but as with everything this can't be standard so the brakes are off a later model mini and not for this shape, they have then been stripped and painted removing the JCW logo and replaced it with the brembo sticker. Again this is all colour coded to match the car. (The brakes are actually brembo callipers

I did not want to use normal steel brake lines so on to some stainless steel braided lines to replace the whole breaking system arrived from Orranje performance and while the camera has not done any favours to the colour they are actually bright red.

Brembo brakes fitted behind the wheels, suddenly a new ROM update on my phone and now again it can take good quality photos. I love the way the brakes look behind the wheels

The new vibra technic engine mount arrived again from Orranje and it even has a colour matching sticker... Looks lovely

Before the engine could go in I needed to finish building it, this called for me to finish my special oil filter idea I had come up with a few years ago. I have taken a magnom filter which offers some of the best in line ferrous filters. If you want to know why then ask

Engine having a gearbox attached, my God I forgot how heavy it was, thanks to Rich for taking over and lifting it on. Need to sort my back out

Just like magic the engine, gearbox and supercharger is in the car, only took about 10 minutes but it did stress me out a little as the crane got stuck before the garage door and I struggled to get the engine passed the door, putting the engine in the car was easy.

I need to get the windows made now so I decided it was time to make the templates for the windows, I could draw them in CAD but the guys who are making the windows just want a simple temple, they say card is fine... I made them out of fibre glass as I think it will aid to give a better shape for me to trim them to the right size.

Until next week this is all I have got done

Coming home

After spending so much time working at the body shop the time has come to take the car back home so I can spend more time on it and importantly be able to lay my hands on my tools.

Before the car came back I managed to get some of the digital dash wired in and starting up with the key. I still need to run the sensors to the correct position but that is a nice simple job.

Over the weekend I went around all the front components and started to torque them all to the correct level, install the power steering tank and pump. I am really pleased with the finish of the red and black components within the engine bay.

The time has also come that I need to get the windows sorted, I am starting out by making fiber glass windows which will be used as templates, I have only had time to do the one at the moment

Now just some photos showing the current progress

Some life in the little feller

The car has been off since the fire 4 years ago and this weekend saw the modules all come to life, there is still a couple of little issues to resolve but mostly all good. When I connected the battery I saw a huge spark come from the positive, I thought I may have wired something really badly but then I looked at the starter motor to discover that the positive was also connected to the body, this was quickly fixed and then with the turn of the key there was life, lots of errors and warnings but not really un-expeted as there is no engine...

With the electrics all in place or should I say for as much as I wanted to do for that day I decided to get on with the body work and fitted the drivers door, the boot and also the custom rear bumper. Really please with how it is all coming together, if only I had more time to play with it other than the one day a week

Bonnet & doors going on

Just a quick update with a photo to show that the doors and bonnet are now on, really shows off the roof chop.

Also put a seat in and then spent the bast part of the day just sitting in it thinking about how it may be to drive the car, I never got round to making engine sounds...

A step in the right direction?

Weeks are flying by and the progress has been happening but its been a little slow. I can now report that after a lot of effort the GRP roof is all shaped to fit and then the carbon retaining layer has been added.

This layer was thinned and then trimmed. This layer is used for rigidity and also to cap hold the GRP roof down to the original frame.

With the roof done in carbon it has now been painted in dark grey metallic but the twist is its mat and I think its stunning against the white.

Also been busy making the outlet for my supercharger, I need more time and money to do all of this... but I am getting there bit at a time.

Heres hoping that I can start the assembly now!