Hi all, My name is Maik i'm living in Germany and as you might expect I drive a MINI.
So I'll write the whole story about my MINI. It all started when I sold my oldtimer (Auto Union 100 5E) and wanted a small but fun car. I test drove a lot of cars that should fit that description.
Golf GTI, Polo GTI, S3, Corsa OPC, Clio RS all fun cars but then one of my mates owning a R50 JCW and later a F56 JCW said you should look at a MINI. So I drove his F56 which already seemed a much more fun car to me. So I started looking at MINI and searching for information. A couple of months passed by when I decided my next car should be a R53. Again a couple of months passed.... I just couldn't find what I like or they were sold almost immediately. And then I found a MINI a couple kilometers away from my home. So I called the owner and we set an appointment.
Next week I took a look and test drove it. It was love at first sight so I bought it and took it home the same day. From that day on I own a '06 MINI Cooper S Checkmate with factory JCW 210 Kit.
The first owner had it for 10 years and had the service done at the MINI Dealership. Well we all know the MINI dealer ship has some "special" statements about maintenance. For example a lifetime filling for the Superchager... yeah right..
As I like to work on my cars myself I made a list of all the things I wanted to do (mechanically). So I ended up doing all these jobs so I knew it was mechanically in perfect condition.
- Oil and oilfilter change (Castrol 5w40, original MINI Filter)
- Supercharger service including Waterpump, belt, idler pulley and both the chain and belt tensioner
- Conrod bearings (King Racing CR4600XP and ARP bolts)
- lots of gaskets and O-rings (original MINI)
- Sparkplugs including Coilpack and cables (NGK BKR7EQUP, coilpack and cables from MINI)
- Airfilter (Pipercross)
- Upper and lower engine mounts (Meyle)
- Snootboots (Pro hoses)
- Shocks allround with original springs (Bilstein B4)
- upgraded By pass valve (Affective Insanity)

So now I could finally start modifying the car! The first thing I bought was a JCW Gearknob and JCW E-brake handle, that's where I got the idea why not try to find all original JCW Accessory parts, that would be nice as it is already a Factory JCW. Then I discovered the prices of those parts.... but I wanted to do it any way. But I did some other mods too. See the list:

John Cooper Works Accessory parts
JCW Carbon Hoodscoop
JCW Carbon Boothandle
JCW Carbon Mirrorcaps
JCW Carbon Steeringwheel cap
JCW Carbon/Leather Gearknob
JCW Carbon/Leather E-brake handle
JCW Sprach seats in Leather Pantherblack with heating
JCW Gauges in grey
JCW Strutbrace
JCW Dashboard in Leather with black piping
JCW Floormats front and rear (with old style logo)
JCW R105 18 inch wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 Tyres

Suspension
OMP Lower brace
Ultraracing Rear brace
Cabrio braces
PFF5-101 ~ Front lower wishbone busing
PFF5-101-24 ~ Front ARB bushing
PFF5-107 ~ Lower engine mount
PFR5-1102 ~ Rear Trailingarm bushing
PFR5-111-17 ~ Rear ARB bushing

Exterior
Aero Frontbumper
Aero side skirts
Aero grill
GP Rear bumper trim
Custom Works210 side scuttles.
Tinted side indicator
LED daytime running lights
Beltline, Headlight surrounding, Doorhandle and gascap wrapped in gloss black.

Interior
Custom steeringwheel (full nappa leather, 2mm Thicker allround, flat bottom, 12 o'clock marking in red, stitching in red)
Carbon speedo rings
GP Gearshift boot
GP E-brake boot
GP style Dials

Exhaust
Centre muffler delete from HJS
Pre Cat delete

And now it's time for some pictures!







To do list:
- Find all other JCW Parts (downtubes in leather and shift light)
- Find more mods..
- Keep it as nice as it is

 

Looking damn good! Greetings from your neighbour in the west

I bought a JCW210 not too long ago and also did the big maintenance, see my thread (link in signature).

 

I'm also active on a dutch and german forum, can it be that I saw your car (and built) on the dutch forum?
Yours is looking really good too!

 

Welcome and thanks for joining us!

You being from Germany reminded me how much I'd love to have an oldtimer NSU TT,
such great machines!


But,
I am very very happy with my youngtimer R53 JCW.

Sounds like market demand for the R53 is strong there.

I am curious though for your opinion on something because you have recently test drove a variety of cars --- we do not get the French hot hatches over here but they are always very highly rated, especially by British autojournalists --- how does the Clio RS compare to the R53 JCW?

Enough rambling from me,
must say CONGRATS! on a very nice Checkmate JCW you got yourself there.

Space Blue is wonderful and yours has roof same as body color which seems rare on a Checkmate edition.

Looks lovely.

The leather JCW dash is fantastic!

Such rare.

Love the car cover too 3-2-1 Action. I could never find the JCW version so I had to get the regular one because I need an outside cover sometimes.

Thanks for sharing the photos.

HAPPY MOTORING!

 

Thanks Maik!

Im also on https://www.newminiclub.nl/forum/ and on https://www.seat-online.nl/ (I had a Seat Leon 1.8T 20VT with 261bhp before), using the same forumname

 

To be honest I love the concept of that car a small lightweight car with the engine in the back, also liked the Simca 1000 Rallye which is the same concept.

The Clio RS gen3 which I drove had the CUP Chassis and was a great driving car but imo not better than a R53 with Sport suspension plus (in good condition). What I missed the most with the Clio was the connection both with the road as well as emotionally. The Clio was reactive but somehow also a bit vague. and emotionally I just hadn't the connection which I did have with the MINI. Have to say I really like the vented front fenders and seats from the Clio RS. If you look on youtube there are a couple of video's of Clio RS's and R53's racing each other.

Thank you very much! Did you guys have the Checkmate over there too?

I have the red one for outside too but officially that's a R56 one because it has the newer John Cooper Works logo but fits the R53 perfect.

The first owner did really like the Space blue color so it was ordered from factory with roof and mirrors in the same space blue color.
The interior was interesting too as the first owner didn't like the grey/blue seats and steering wheel so it was ordered with the seats and steering wheel in Panther Black

 

Greets!

I also have a question for you kind sir since you're experienced with the cool Seat cars that we don't get here...

...how does the Cupra compare to the JCW?

Even though Seat is a VAG product, for some reason I've always associated them with Fiat, but I am a dumb American.

Glad that Seat still does WRC --- wish MINI had some sense and would sport an entry in WRC!!!



:



Ah!

Don't get me started --- back in the good old days we got just about everything, including Simca which were sold through Chrysler dealerships, along with the NSU Prinz too, and even Opels as well, but all of those are very rare these days and command a premium price usually, sadly the sales figures never went blockbuster with such stuff here in the USA which saddens me deeply...

...and nowadays?

jeez


Forget about it!

Everywhere is SUV trucks and Jeeps.

3 door hatchbacks are almost extinct.

Manual gearbox is rare too.

The world has become a handbasket of hell --- automated touchbutton convenience easy easy but not so feeling, much has been lost.

Many many thanks for sharing your impressions of the Clio RS --- very interesting to read from a real person instead of in a magazine, I've often found myself lusting after those machines which are forbidden here.

Yes,
we got the Checkmate in both R50 and R53 form...

...they most often have chequered A-pillars and a special door trim too.

Almost all of them are Space Blue with Silver roof/mirrors:



Here is the Checkmate owners thread:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ners-club.html

Very very cool that the first owner specified some unusual features.

Was the leather JCW dash already there as well?

Or did you find and add it?

Motoring File recently reposted an older article concerning that particular bit of kit:

http://www.motoringfile.com/2020/08/...-leather-dash/

Good stuff.

 

@Oldboy Speedwell
Very different experiences. I learnt a lot from the Cupra as I almost did everything by myself. It's built on the Golf MK4 chassis, which is solid, but has it flaws (like solid rear axle). It was a cool project but I had to sell it as I had some other financial priorities (buying a house). I swapped it over for a Clio RS Phase 1, which was lots of fun (2.0 NA engine with 169bhp on 1060kg). But as we also moved further from our work, I had to swap it for some eco car because fuel is a lot more expensive in Europe (Toyota Aygo)...

Knowing that when we had new jobs near our new house, I would save up for something fun again. Ended up with a Golf MK3, which was sold due to rust issues. I swapped the Golf with a Volvo S80 2.4T which is now my daily driver. I love the turbocharged 5 cilinder lump . And finally bought the Mini purely for fun and for gaining knowledge. My aim is to learn something from every car that I drive.

The Mini is probably the most fun to drive car for me till this day. I smile everytime I give it a spin. Fuel consumption is now measured in Smiles Per Gallon :D

The banana Seat, pictures here: https://secure.flickr.com/photos/and...57629066602690

The Clio RS Phase 1, pictures here: https://secure.flickr.com/photos/and...57650112492783

The Volvo S80 2.4T, pictures here: https://secure.flickr.com/photos/and...57694648668714

If you like the Euro cars, check some other videos I have on my Youtube channel > https://www.youtube.com/c/NDPhotonl/videos

 

The car is an Factory JCW and was delivered with almost every available option just tinted windows, deactivating passenger airbag and alarm weren't ordered
But none of the accessory list was there so all the JCW parts I had to find and fit myself and i'm still searching for some of them because these days the JCW parts are really hard to find.

 

@nd-photo.nl

Many thanks for your reply. Very interesting thanks!

I also measure in Smiles Per Gallon and the R53 is the most fun car I've ever owned!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

@Maik-jcw

Yes, it's sad that most of the first generation JCW parts are now no longer available and getting more and more difficult to find.

I'm always on the lookout and came across a rare window decal but unfortunately wasn't able to get it because it sold while I was negotiating with the seller about international shipping...



...there is a good JCW thread where you can see such a decal fitted,
and jpmcc00 also has the leather dash like yours, but also without the leather downtubes - those must be very very very hard to find I imagine.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post4486307

We never got the option for Sparco or Recaro seats here,
do yours have the logo?

 

By the way,
you could also always post a WTB (want to buy) thread in the classifieds here at NAM as there is a chance maybe someone here has some stuff you're looking for...

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...nued-rare.html

...worth a try!

 

sweet ride Malik!

 

Some parts even more.. The hoodscoop, mirrors and boot handle do come up every now and then. But parts like the dashboard, downtubes or the shift light are almost impossible to find..

I'm always willing to help members here! especially small part like that sticker, if they're only willing to ship in the EU send me a message and we'll work something out and i'll ship it to the US.

I'll take a look there! The downtubes are the only parts that I think I'll never find. I'm searching for over 2 years now and never seen one for sale..

Yes mine are original and the heated version too!


​​​​​​​

 

Thank you!

 

Oooooh!

I am jealous of those Sparco seats!

Too damn cool.

I hope you find those downtubes one day, never give up hope.

Many many heartfelt thanks for your kind offer for the mailing,
I very much appreciate it!

In the case of the sticker the seller was in UK and quoting me Royal Mail international signed-for which was way too much $$$ and while inquiring for standard mail instead the sticker got sold.

But there is sometimes cases where help would be great, for example I have anthracite instrument rings which I changed from chrome because I did not like the glare...

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post4541981

...but it took me a while to find the tach ring even though they did sell them over here and I ended up finding it in the UK.

It is part # 62116966526 and I also found them cheaply on German ebay by looking for R53 Drehzahlmesser,
but in many cases they did not list international shipping,
like this one:
https://www.ebay.de/itm/402224953337

or this one:
https://www.ebay.de/itm/184228183140


:


Another thing is when I was looking for GP replica gauge faces because I think it'd be neat to have a km/h speedo, but the EU version has slightly different warning light placements so it wouldn't be ideal on my US spec car...

https://www.ebay.de/itm/324279911046

 

I hope that too but I have a backup plan, the guy who made my steering wheel could make a replica with the same leather and stitching pattern. I might do that and fit them till I find original ones.

You're welcome, I think we should help each other out a bit. It's already hard enough to find original parts as more and more parts go NLA

What you could try is contacting ChameleonLED through Facebook or Instagram. He makes custom gauge faces so he must be able to make US spec ones in GP style.
He also did mine in GP style for the twin clocks with instead of the DTC light a Racinghelmet.

 

Love the look of your gauges!

The "Stig mode" racing helmet icon is awesome.



The replica downtubes are a good idea --- if you do that please post up pictures here!

I found some GP replica faces here in USA from Greene Performance, so I am no longer looking but I appreciate the pointer to Chameleon as I've seen his work on instagram and he makes good stuff for sure --- the options available are unlimited from him.

Too bad that car parts are so heavy LOL like the Sparco seats which come up fairly regular on UK ebay...



...I want to replace my seats at some point and was researching what kind I'd like to get, made a massive thread on the topic:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...s-for-r53.html

But,
for me that is end-of-the-rainbow cherry-on-top final touch and I still haven't got any new seats as I've been taking care of other things so can't stretch the budget in that direction yet.

I have finally made my mind up though with regards to what seat I am actually going to buy, it will be Recaro Pole Position ABE --- not only do I know it fits no problem thanks to seeing other people with them, but the ABE also allows for proper seatbelt placement although does sacrifice snug fit and has more "fat man spec" due to accommodation of factory 3point belts...



Of course,
the ABE version is unavailable in USA so I'll have to source international unless I might find them here.

And they just came out with a new retro version that's right up my alley and I absolutely love them! They were supposed to be released Summer 2020 but I think C19 has caused delay.

https://www.recaro-automotive.com/en...e-position-abe




Unfortunately,
the MSRP right now seems to be a very large financial premium just for slight trim changes over the regular version and I will already be stretching beyond budget for the fancy Recaro brand, so likely cannot afford those new Classic PP's unless they are priced less in real life once they hit the market.

Trim option adds $500+ over the regular PP ABE:

https://www.demon-tweeks.com/us/reca...campaign=85386

Beautiful seats though.

 

@Oldboy Speedwell I like the looks of those Recaro's and have seen them in several MINI's they fit perfect. But if you want to go more JCW style you could try find a Sparco dealer in the USA and ask about the Sparco R700 seats, those are identical to the JCW seats just without the logo.

 

Thanks Maik!

To be totally honest, the 1st gen JCW logo does matter to me, I would absolutely love those seats with the logo as I feel it would add a complete touch to my JCW, but if I have to choose between the Sparco without logo and something else, then I will go fixed-back Recaro for weight savings.

I have thought maybe I can get some used PP's and have them re-trimmed in houndstooth pepita if the new Classic version remains high cost, which would actually be good because at the same time I could do a retrofit of the heating element --- I will greatly miss my heated seats if ever "upgrade" to fixed-back because they rarely have that unless special order for additional money.

Anyway,
I have enjoyed seeing your JCW and I'm glad you joined here, would love to see more pictures!

Got any shots of the engine bay?

 

That would be nice too! especially if you can retrofit the heating element, would suggest that if you do retrofit them take a original MINI R53 heating element so the wiring will be plug and play.

About the engine bay of course I have some pictures, at the moment I have 1553 photos on my phone from my MINI
The engine bay is all original only things I did was fit the Cabrio Braces, a Cravenspeed dipstick, a air diverter and the JCW Strutbrace.



I'll add some more pictures too.
JCW Carbon rings


The custom steeringwheel


His/Her outside pyjama


The Custom side scuttles (and partly the supercharged sticker)


The rear brace (rear seats can still be used)


The JCW Floormats (with old style logo)


If you like to see some specific details or parts just ask, i'll be happy to post some.

 

A thousand thanks!

1553 pictures?



That is a good number!
Bonus points for ending with 53!

I like taking pictures whenever I am on a particularly nice road...



...are you near the nice twisty roads over there?

I'm sure you are as Germany has many great roads yes?

Your car looks totally awesome, like new almost! Obviously it has been well taken care of, and it's great that you also love it dearly and are enhancing it even further - good job!

Those JCW floor mats are another rare item indeed!

Too much good stuff.

I like how you painted the cabrio braces in silver, looks very good and matches the i/c cover nicely.

Also choice of painting downtubes satin black, looks mighty fine!

Love the air diverter too --- did you get it from the guys in England?

I want one of those too but I'm holding out for an M7 fiberglass version because I like the way it curls around the lip and looks very clean in my opinion. I'm sort of broke with no money right now but plan to list a want-to-buy for one of the M7 diverters either in carbon or fiberglass doesn't matter, I only like the fiberglass option due to less money. LOL

I am curious about the stickers on the radiator support because they look different from what we have here.

Your car is incredibly clean --- and the Space Blue Metallic looks beautiful sparkling in the sunlight!

Thank you for sharing the photographs.

 

I'm all the way in the south of Germany better known as The Black Forrest, so non stop twisty roads!
I'm not a professional photographer but I like to go out with the MINI and take a lot of pictures so those 1500+ pictures will grow anytime I drive the MINI.
This pictures shows the most of the roads and nature over here, I'm driving in Germany but across the river is Switzerland


I had an OMP Strutbrace in white and matched the Cabrio Braces but when I changed to the JCW Strutbrace I didn't like them being white so indeed I checked the colour of the I/C cover and sprayed them in the same silver color, have to say I like the silver more!

I really wanted the M7 version in Carbon but they never sold them overhere so finding one is impossible... Couple of months ago a Carbon one was for sale in Germany but the guy asked €400 - $475 which imo was a bit too much. So this is just a selfmade one from a piece of aluminium and painted in Black satin. The one from the guys in England (RPM) looks good too, but i'm not sure if they have a new version because the ones I have seen looked like the one in this picture, in that case I like my selfmade piece more.

The original stickers are gone unfortunately but I ordered spares and will fit them someday, the stickers that are on there now are just some from the maintenance done by the garage. The left one is for the air conditioning service (date it's done and how much they had to add) the right one for brake fluid (date it's done and next date it have to be done)

Thank you! Is there a particular part of the forum where everyone has a thread about his/her car and post pictures or should I just update this thread?

 

I'd say stay on this thread. It's well started, and I know where it is! ;-)

Cheers,

Charlie

 

Very cool - I like the pic.

Good work with the DIY air diverter!

I may try to do something similar if I never find the M7 version.

 

In that case i'll just post updates here!

I should have the measurements somewhere on my pc, i'll have a look and see if I can find them