As some of you may have seen on Facebook/other forums, I am back in a MINI after only 6 months of owing a GT86. The 86 was a great car but I just wasn't into it. With Rich's passing I learnt that life is too short and that I needed to change things if they weren't right and this is when my search started last Wednesday for a MINI.

I was looking at two options either a GP1 or and R53 and a second car. I was avoiding a 2nd gen MINI due to the issues I had with the Clubby and I hadn't considered an F56 until I saw R99's F56 Cooper S for sale. With this I forgot all about the GP's and R53's I had looked at and got straight on the phone to R99. I then spent the night researching F56's and what was available for them. At the same time I put the GT86 up for sale modified and sold it within 3 days for a profit so I cant complain. This meant I had the funds to purchase R99's F56, again one phone call later and I was planning my trip to Newcastle to pick it up. That was one hell of a journey but so worth it. Not only was the car fully spec'd from the factory, its was also loaded with lots of aftermarket parts, pretty much everything you can do to a F56 at the moment. As its me, I wont be leaving this car like this for long, I want to build on the great work by R99 and add my own stamp.

Over the last couple of months its been used by three companies to develop parts for the F56, scorpion have developed a full cutback exhaust and sports cat/decat downpipes. Airtec have used it to develop a larger intercooler, although we haven't test fitted it yet. A third company has also had it however I can't say until their product is ready. Hopefully it will be going to Orranje for them to create a new g-wing for it.

Spec from factory:
The car was built to the following factory spec and it would seem R99 ticked every box he could (costing £27,462 when new):

• F56 MINI Cooper S (2.0 turbo B48 engine)
• Thunder Grey
• White Roof / Mirrors
• 18" Cone Spoke Alloy Wheels in White
• Leather Cross Punch Carbon Black / Carbon Black

MINI Yours Off White Interior Pack (which consist of the following)
• Interior trim (off white)
• MINI Excitement Pack

Media Pack XL (which consist of the following)
• MINI Navigation System XL (larger screen & iDrive controls)
• Enhanced Bluetooth with USB audio
• MINI Connected XL

Chilli Pack (which consist of the following)
• Multifunction controls for s'wheel
• Floor mats
• Passenger seat height adjustment
• Storage compartment pack
• MINI Driving modes
• Rain sensor with auto headlight activation
• Air conditioning, dual zone automatic
• Interior lights pack
• LED fog lights

The following Optional Extras were added to the build:

• Sport Suspension
• JCW Steering Wheel
• Electric Folding Mirrors
• JCW Roof Spoiler
• Panoramic Electric Glass Sunroof
• Darkened Rear Glass
• Front Centre Armrest
• Anthracite Headlining
• Cruise Control with Brake Function
• LED Headlights with Cornering function
• Harman Kardon Hi-Fi (incredible sound)

Current Modifications:

• KW Suspension Variant 1 INOX Coilovers (full laser alignment completed at the same time)
• Speedline Marmora 18x8 ET45 Alloy Wheels (finished in Ice White)
• Michelin Pilot Super Sport 205/40/18 Tyres
• Remus Valvetronic Sports Exhuast (with Bluetooth controlled ‘Bimodal’ valve and carbon fibre / titanium tips)
• Remus Race Pipe
• Scorpion Decat
• John Cooper Works Brembo Brake upgrade (4 piston calipers & 335x30mm front discs / red rear calipers)
• GruppeM Carbon Fibre Air Intake (imported from Japan)
• John Cooper Works Body Kit (incl JCW fog delete & JCW grille)
• John Cooper Works PRO Rear Diffuser & Front Splitters
• John Cooper Works PRO Carbon Fibre Bonnet Scoop
• John Cooper Works Aluminium Gear ****
• Alcantara / Leather Flat Bottom Steering Wheel with Red Stitch (custom made using an original OEM steering wheel)
• Colour Coded Chrome Trim (bumper chrome, headlight & taillight rings)

The car when new was professionally detailed which consisted of a 2-stage machine polish and the GTechniq treatment on both the exterior & interior. It is clear it has been well looked after.

Pictures:




F56 by James Baker, on Flickr

F56 by James Baker, on Flickr

F56 by James Baker, on Flickr

Interior by James Baker, on Flickr

Tips by James Baker, on Flickr

Flames lol by James Baker, on Flickr

F56 by James Baker, on Flickr

On the Evolve dyno at 202bhp, these should be around 190bhp from the factory:

202bhp by James Baker, on Flickr


Videos:

Remus catback, Remus Race Pipe and Scorpion decat downpipe, spits flames and my favourite, not for the faint hearted:



Remus Catback, Remus Race pipe - stock downpipe:



Scorpion Catback - stock down pipe:



Scorpion Catback - scorpion decat downpipe

 

Looks nice, but your steering wheel is on the wrong side :-)

 

Went to the GruppeM site and couldn't find an application for the Gen3 F cars. Where did you get your intake from (R99)?

 

Thanks, I will have to sort that

Hi it's from evolve automotives from memory.

 

I want that steering wheel!

 

+1 on the steering wheel. Was it custom done or are there more for sale somewhere?

 

Thanks both, the steering wheel is a one off custom job based on a modifed cooper s wheel.

 

No worries. I like the flames shooting out as well Is that the doing of the new DP?

 

Combo of Remus exhaust and dp. It wasn't spitting flames with the dp and scorpion exhaust, however the Remus has a butterfly valve which at the flick of a button turns the exhaust basically into a straight through pipe from turbo back. Therefore nothing to stop the flames from unburnt fuel.

 

That's fantastic

 

Congrats!!! I have been following R99's journey since he got the car and he has sure done a lot!!! I am glad it found a good home!! Enjoy!

 

The steeringwheel was done by a guy from Latvia called Ledermanz on eBay.

I have a spare steeringwheel ready as a temporary replacement since i'm going teo send my steeringwheel to him within the next couple of months.

 

Well done.

 

Might have to get a hold of this person. Thanks

 

Why do the British have the best licence plates. They are so simple and clean. I bet if you stuck a North American licence plate on that car it would not look as good!
Just a thought.

 

http://www.ebay.com/usr/ledermanz

 

So today I decided to get a few jobs completed that I had meant to get done for ages.

Debadge

Firstly, the removal of the Cooper S badges on the back to clear it up. Tempted to also go for a wiper delete from Orranje to clear up the back window.

Before by James Baker, on Flickr
After by James Baker, on Flickr

Grill swap

Next came the front grill swap, a lot said it couldn't be done without removing the front bumper, I can confirm this is not the case and I have a walkthrough I will post up later today. I got sick of being asked if it was a JCW and didnt like the fact it was badged up as a JCW so I fitted the Cooper S bumper but with the JCW red strip.

Front grill with JCW Badge by James Baker, on Flickr

Grill Swapped back to S by James Baker, on Flickr

 

Much better on the front grill since it really is a Cooper S. Nothing worse than poser cars.
Nice exhaust tips though- Scorpion?

 

It's like badging a 318 as an m3. Previous owner had the body kit fitted and they were supposed to fit the s grill but fitted the jcw by accident and he never got around to changing it.

As for tips, they are Remus as I have switched back to the Remus catback

 

TB,


what catted down pipe works with the REMUS cat back system (no cutting/welding etc.
thxs

 

Tweedbean - About to add the driving lights to my ride. Last time I did this on an F56 I followed the factory instructions and pulled the front bumper. I am extremely interested in how you pulled your grill without breaking the lower clips. Please post your "walkthrough" in the how too section..but let us know here. Thanks!

 

Very clean,

 

Mapping time

So back in November, Nick at Manic Motorsport contacted me about using my car develop the mapping for the f56 after hearing about the work I was doing with Scorpion.

So off it went for them to look at cracking the obd mapping and to do a little testing. While there I had the use of their forged f56 which was impressive. My car was loaded with a basic map and CEL light correction at that point while they worked on the data collected from my car.

Then today it has gone off for a second round of development. This time I have their black r56 which has an impressive suspension setup. They are looking to develop the maps further based on the findings from both mine and Harvey's car. Look forward to hearing the results, I will get it on the dyno as soon as its done.

 

Love this car so much, seeing it in person it looks incredible.

 

Well more tuning has happened over the last week or so, the car is feeling strong and is getting there for sure. Still more tuning to come on this one, expect some major updates on that side of things in the new year.

As for parts, I have been working with Oli @ Orranje to get hold of a Wiechers strut brace which has been a challenge due to Wiechers only making them to order rather than keeping stock. However after a lot of chasing from Oli, the first set are here and I will be test fitting both a carbon and a polished finished one and taking load of pictures. Interested to see how these fit with the new under bonnet design of the F56 with the weather seal inbetween the engine bay and the strut tops, I feel some trimming coming along. After seeing these pictures I am swaying towards the carbon one for my car.

Oli sent a couple of pictures across and I cant wait to get my hands on mine, expect more come 27th:

Wiecher F56 Brace in Carbon by James Baker, on Flickr

Wiecher F56 Brace in polished finish by James Baker, on Flickr

Wiecher F56 Brace in polished finish by James Baker, on Flickr