After a few weeks of searching I was able to pry the hands of the former owner away from GP #1478!

He had taken delivery in Early November last year from South Bay MINI. And somehow was able to keep from driving it! When I drove away from his lovely home in San Francisco on Sunday, it had only traveled a mere 200 miles from new! (You will see in the photos below that we have blasted past that mark and GiusePpe is nearly broken in and ready for some dyno time!)

The 600+ mile drive home was a great time to get acquainted with this phenomenal vehicle. Having owned (ok still own) a bunch of other R53 S and R56 S models it was really nice to compare and contrast. This is truly a unique machine and certainly represents the best factory R53 ever made. (Ok the euro seats would have been nice and may still end up in GiusePpe soon!)

I intend to get the car baseline dynoed in the next week or two, then I can start doing the mods, with how-tos like this one, this one, this one, and this one. I intend to show the Gp owners how they can extract another 25-50 HP without ruining the car, preventing a concourse restoration in future, or screwing with the excellent platform that MINI has given us lucky GP owners. (As well as others with JCW conversions that have similar results, just lack the heritage an uniqueness of this genuine Italian Job!)

Anyway check out the pics below. I thought you guys would get a kick out of my homemade “bra” for the drive home. I can say it worked GREAT, the car looked nearly new and freshly washed.

If anyone has any questions or wants to see something specific let me know. Once we are all done playing the GP will end up in our showroom as well as touring with the band of merry ALTA salesmen and women to shows etc. next year!

Stay tuned!

 

Great name for car car assembled by Bertone.

Glad Howard's buddy made it home as one bit of kit.

 

JCW DRIVER: Thank you! I worked HARD on that one. Something that was Italian and yet had GP in it!

See ya soon!

 

I must have blinked on Sunday, because I didn't see you heading North on I-5. I was heading South from Portland back to Sacto. on Sunday. I'm sure I wouldn't have missed a GP with a tape-blue nose. Congrats on the (nearly) new ride.

 

Must have been a fun drive with Red-bull as your co-pilot??

 

Congratulations, it's about time you posted the drive after pictures. Nice job on the tape!

I do like the name, so your little baby to be in December is going to have an Italian name...

I see your other Italian is trying to steal the picture in the garage.

Looking forward to see what you do with 'GiusePpe'. Any more mods for Howard or is he to become your daily driver?

 

Hey Adam... you gonna be around the shop tomorrow? I just may be able to pay a visit. Do a little recon for a later PDX MINI event. Perhaps a ride in that Bertone blue tape thing, or the other Cheetos colored thingamoabob could be arranged, if there's time.

Send me an email at the work or home addy.

PS: you headed to the Italian Concours in Seattle with the Bertone car or what? I mean, it's Italian isn't it?

 

Oooo! I think I might like a ride in the Cheetos colored thingamobob, too.

 

I'm a big fan of Cheetos. Cheetos are tasty. Particularly the loud, crunchy ones.

Baked Cheetos, not so much. They are ok, but it's like diet cola. Just not the same.

What I really wanna know is, what's the shiny little wheel to the left of the GP in the "butt" shot?

Blingy golf cart???

 

70spop: Sorry I missed you! People certainly stared at my "bra"!

gusmiami: First: nice collection and garage. Most of us are jealous of both! Second: RedBull rules! We had the rep stop by today and apparently we will have it in our showroom ASAP!

old81: Yeah the murci tried unsuccessfully to upstage the other italian in the garage! Yes it is coinicidence that the new boy does have an italian name, having nothing to do with the other italians in the garage. December is going to be so fun! Howard is generally the daily driver, but I still have LOTS planned for him in the coming weeks and months so stay tuned.

JCW Driver: Let me know when you want to come by. I should be there from 6:30 to 3pm or even later. Thanks in advance for stopping by!

 

Thanks Adam. It's good to have you in the GrouP
Oh and I'm sure all that red bull will mean people will have GP mods available that much sooner
.

 

gusmiami: You got it! I'm on it right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Congrats on your purchase! I've added you to the Roof Number list on MINI2, reflecting that you are the second owner after Carey.

The blue tape makes a great temp paint protector, here's GP0019 traveling the lazy way from VA to NV:

 

At first glance, it looks like an EB/EB car that's been in a wreck.

 

That is what I thought as well! Even my car looked the same way!

 

Congratulations Adam! Looking forward to seeing what you do with your GP

 

Thanks Winston me too! I only have a handful of concrete things and the rest is still undecided. I will post pics etc as we go!

Thanks again!

 

Good Luck with the new GP

Now , where's the intercooler diviter we've been waiting on for months????
Just bustin your ba!!'s

GP0088

 

newbs49: Will get on that ASAP! Thanks for the poke!

 

Nice car by the way. I've seen one like that somewhere.
Dam it's in my garage. So where's the extra HP coming from. The R56 posts don't help us GP guy's.
I remember a post about a JCW upgraded filter a while back too!!!

Just bustin again.

Rear trailing arm bushings too!

Now you own one we can push you a little.
Thanks GP0088

 

I will be watching this one for sure! I am very interested in non-intrusive "go-faster" parts for the GP!

 

sorry to be off topic but is that a orange murcie right next to the works GP? ne ways congrats on the new pick up!

 

newbs49 / Scrumpy Jack: Expect to see as much focus on the GP and R53 crowd from me as the R56. I have really become addicted to these cars. And we have a bunch of new stuff etc. for both camps!

astromini: You r correct! Good eye!

Thanks folks for all the kind comments (newbs49: and the directed pokes :-)

 

Enjoy Adam
It's a great car right out of the box.

Had to get the reminders in.

 

Yo adam... you never told me what's the shiny little wheel to the left of the GP in the "butt" shot?

Blingy golf cart? A Unique golf Whip?