ive talked to someone who had it done, and they had great success. There is nothing physically different about them, just a port job, and better valve material (which is true for any s head anyway). I only wish there was more of a differnce, sigh. Beecher oh, i just noticed you run an RV cam, who are they, never heard of them (im always looking for cam options). thanks

 

oh, and since your an asministrator, maybe you can help with a problem i have, when i post it is blending everything into one paragraph, instead of have ing spacing. I used to be fine, then it statted for about a week or so, then its been fine for the last week, and now its doing it again. Is it something im doing wrong, or is the forum doing it to me? I dont like it, hahah. Thanks Beecher

 

One of the SSM Club Members (actually, I suppose you could say he's the founder) owns a R50 with the JCW TK installed. Honestly, there isn't much to see that's different from the JCW SK, least upon visual inspection. Even if you did see one in person, you probably wouldn't realize it... heh... I always thought it'd be cool if they distinguished between the kits a little more, but ahh well.

GotMINI

 

Does anybody know if the sale is going to continue until they sell out or was it just for November? Even at this great price, I can't afford one right now.

 

i was told only for november, but it never hurts to phone and find out if they could still give you that price. Being that it was miniusa pricing, i kind of doubt it sorry. I couldnt afford it either, but i got it anyway, i just had to cut into the mod budget for other stuff. By the way, there was 71 post 04 kits when i got mine, so a few more that the one for early builds. Beecher

 

The JCW S head is the same as a JCW (non S) head except for the valves. The valves and cam in any case are stock. The porting is very mild due to the intent to be used on a daily driver and meet emissions regulations.

 

I'm the SSM club member with the JCW Tuning Kit on my MC. My review was the one linked by Edge a few posts back. Like Alerious said, there isn't much to see different under the bonnet beside the silver JCW injector cover and numbered JCW badge. However, the JCW Tuning Kit does get you very cool side vent badges:



Here is the view under my MINI's bonnet:



Some more information about the rare JCW Tuning Kit:

• It was available from 2003 (if not earlier) in Europe, but only offered in the US from April to June 2004 when the 2005 MINIs went into production and they switched to offering only the JCW Sound Kit.
• There were actually two JCW Tuning Kits for the MC offered in the UK, a 132 bhp "motorsport" kit and the normal 126 bhp that I have. See the thread on MINI2 for discussion about them.
• Supposedly only 26-30 JCW Tuning Kits were imported to the US.

I don't know why JCW made such a big difference in the offering of the two kits. They could have given the Tuning Kit the intake from the Sound Kit. The Tuning Kit doesn't have the JCW logo on the exhaust tip, instead it looks similar to the chrome tip MINI offers as an accessory, except that it is welded on.

My JCW Tuning Kit was around $3,000 including five hours labor by my MINI dealer.

Something I was thinking about lately is whether I will get a new JCW air filter with any of my future services. I purchased the extended 100,000 mile service extension and would expect it to cover my factory JCW air filter replacement.

 

Nice to hear from you James... you coming to MOTD next year? I still haven't had a chance to check out your JCW MC.

Incidentally, since I switched to the amber turn signals, black plastic vent and the same JCW vent badges from your kit (man were those badges crazy expensive!), and the fact that my MINI is Hyper Blue (the closest match to your Indi Blue for our model years), our MINIs are cousins, in a way. Heh. Your MINI was definitely my inspiration for the badges, but you knew that already.

Here's my side JCW badge:

 

I skipped MOTD this year, but I will probably go in 2008. I remember you ordering the side badges after I quoted $80 or something for them, which turned out to be for just one, right? I'll definitely keep you posted on my MOTD plans and we'll have to organize a Team Justacooper get-together there.

 

Actually, after tax, etc... $87.07 - each. And I didn't find out until the part number was for only one until the first one arrived. I looked at it, held it in my hand... it's a very solid and beautiful piece... took a deep breath and said: "OK... order another one". Ouch. But so niiiiiice. If it's Team JustACooper, then I'll be left out. I thought you were talking about Team Craptastic?

 

Oh right. We'll do Team Craptastic and I'll find Dave to have a Team Justacooper meet.

My MC is still 100% stock MINI/JCW parts.

 

If you mean Dave the other NAM admin, I don't think he's been to a single MOTD yet. I'm still hoping that Mark can drag him over here at some point!Mine too... the only non-OEM stuff on my MINI is stuff simply not available from MINI (like the Schroth harnesses). One glaring exception - the OEM iPod adapter. It isn't just craptastic, it really sucks. I won't buy it.

I am probably the person deepest in Team Craptastic... even added the GP Intercooler, and I'm eyeing off the GP rear trailing arms and JCW seats! It's such a sickness... although I'm deliberately choosing not to get any of the carbon fiber (I don't like the CF look much), opting for JCW leather stuff instead.

 

I was very tempted to buy the carbon fiber JCW Dash during the November sale at Minspeed. I have OEM driving lights which have been in the box for three years, I decided against putting them on my MINI.

Back to the topic: my Tuning Kit has a slightly deeper growl, but it doesn't sound as loud or as aggressive as the Sound Kit's (if I remember correctly). I'll have to find one to do a side-by-side comparison.