A couple of thread links below of recent MINI Cooper to Cooper S conversions carried out in the UK by members of TotalMini.com...........the first is DIY with some pictures included, which may help as a reference for others wishing to carry out this increasingly common upgrade to the Cooper or MINI One!

Supercharged MCS conversion:
http://www.totalmini.com/forum/9-gen...onversion.html

Parts replaced:
ENGINE
FULL SUPERCHARGER
6 SPEED GEAR BOX
ALTERNATOR
STARTER MOTOR
ENGINE LOOM
TWIN EXHAUST SYSTEM
2 DRIVE SHAFTS
ENGINE MOUNTS
EWS IGNITION BARREL & KEY
ENGINE MANAGEMENT
WATER RADIATOR & FAN
FUEL PUMP.

Cooper to Cooper S conversion...DONE!
http://www.totalmini.com/forum/44-20...onversion.html

 

Why on earth would anyone want to do this when a very good S can be found for less?

 

That's kind of what I am wondering. Is it just the challenge of doing it yourself?

 

The threads do explain this point.........but usually it is the challenge of doing it yourself, some of us actually enjoy doing such things, it can work out cheaper (but only diy) and if you have a much modded MINI you know well it saves swapping everything over into a new unknown replacement and starting again.
Also the classic Mini owners (myself included) having been doing this for years!

 

Thanks for explaining, when I get a chance I will check out the posts. I understand the *unknown replacement* angle (and the challenge aspect). I dont every want to get rid of Smurfette so if I ever wanted an S, these posts will come in handy!

 

I guess if you want an "S", and have a blown motor or major tranny problem, AND you can find a totaled rear-ended "s" and are handy, and are adventurous, I guess it is possible....they just proved it.
Still, gen1 mini's are kind young and very avalable to do this type of surgery...heck, selling it, re-regerstering it, or insuring might get interesting....

 

The DIY is only cheaper if you don't value your time. So many people forget this. They think, "Oh, I'll do it myself and it won't cost anything". Guess what, your time costs you. Like time away from family, fun, doing other things, relaxing, driving, etc. If you're really, really into turning wrenches just to be turning wrenches, then I say go for it. But if you're doing it to save money, you'd be far, far better off selling the reg Mini and buying an S.

Try adding up all the hours it takes to source parts, order them, do the work, etc. and then multiply by even just a minimum wage. I think you'll be surpised.

 

Said it only cost him roughly $1300 (!?)

not bad at all IMO, especially if he does save the more than $800 on insurance!!

on a side note, im loving thier wording for things hahah. i've not heard many of those terms before...

 

To some it's more of a hobby and time isn't a factor, it's the end product that makes them smile.

When my father and I rebuilt a 79 Mini S it took us well over 300-500hrs total but when she started up for the first time man where we happy and time didn't bother us at all. People are in such a rush...

 

Why does every thread involving modding a non-S minis turn into "you should just buy an S." This forum is about modding non-S Minis, so it should be a discussion as such. Not a discussion over how you manage your funds and your time or why buying an S would have been such a better idea.

I couldn't afford the insurance on the S when I bought it, so I got the non-S, because I liked the Mini. I still like my non-S 6 years later. I've put alot of time and energy into it, not to mention all the money spent on suspension and aestetics to make it unique. I'm not going to trade it in for another mini just to do all of that again, I would get something different with more *****. If my engine blows up, I'll put an S motor in it. Midlands grenades? 6 speed going in and if I find a doner mini with the S motor, then that gets swapped too.

No one is going into your mini-S motor build threads and saying "you should have bought an STI, becuase in stock form it will still eat your modded S's lunch", so just stfu already.

edit: also, thanks for the links Mab01uk! book marked for future reference

 

A bit prickly, aren't you. And you don't have to tell us to......what you said. Rude to say the least.

I might also point out that there are insurance companies that don't distinguish between the various Mini models. AAA didn't care one whit that I had a JCW cabriolet. To them it was just another Mini.

 

I understand the feeling having built several engines in the past. It puts a smile on your face.

 

That is bad ***. And can all you "S" owners please get out of our thread! I'm pretty sure we don't need most you, since you can't relate.



But the helpful ones can stay. :P

 

"s" drivers rule

 

If you don't have anything worthwhile to say, why say anything at all? About as valuable as the clowns on Youtube forums yelling "First!"

Anyway, this is interesting. I'm not mechanically inclined to tackle it myself, but it's an impressive project nonetheless. I doubt anyone is doing it just to save a few bucks. People adept at these projects generally enjoy the work, and I imagine that a huge part of the appeal is the experience itself. Nice to know it can be done.

For me, I'll just be upgrading my Justa to improve handling, and work on my driving skills so I can smoke you turbo drivers on the twisties

 

Sorry you missed the meaning......the thread is about turning a Cooper into an S, thus the owner now has an S, thus S drivers rule.......

 

why cooper to cooperS? Strikes me there must be better options for ICs and SCs to make this Cooper bettererrrrr!

perhaps add a turbo?

kudos for doing the work but I would consider looking beyond the capacity of the S - especially since the DIY investment will not reflect well in resale.

 

I'm all for turning one's wrenches and having hobby like that. I've rebuilt and improved my fair share of engines and cars in the day. However, those attempting such radical upgrades to their standard Minis should be aware of the following:

1. You will NOT be saving any money. The work is purely a labor of love and enjoyment. If the goal is to have a Mini that will perform like an S, then buying an S will achieve that goal at a much lower total cost outlay. (Don't forget to factor in the value of your time.) If the goal is the simply the enjoyment of wrenching, wrench away.

2. Resale value will be less than what either the standard or the S model would otherwise be.

 

this car is on our forum and has save the chap arround £800 over the cost of a cooper S, in the uk our tax and insurance is different, its much cheaper to insure a car with and engine swap for some reason and the road tax for a cooper is half what an S is

 

Also, the links don't work for me. Where can I see this car?

 

lol... 1300 spent on parts, Perhaps it was 1300 for the bail to get him out of jail for all the stolen parts from the chop shop.

 

people who would do this many would consider crazy. I think it's cool and thanks for sharing. Also, most here in the US have no idea of the various other costs of running cars in countries like England, so don't understand the advantage of having a One on paper that drives like an S.

Anyway, more power to those that do this and do it well!

Matt

 

So this car is still registered/insured as a Cooper ?

 

Congrats on the successful engine swap. I purchased an '08 MCS engine/tranny with a JCW stage one ecu out of a totalled MCS with 6k and had initially planned to swap it into my R56 Cooper but it's been sitting in the garage for a few years now

 

But if I lived there and did it, I sure wouldn't admit the changes.... Heck, I might even figure out how to do a front mount IC and keep the Cooper hood!

Matt