Ive searched and looked high and low(if this has been done, please let me know)... since the JCW package was dealer install,as far as i know, they were not tracked. Maybe Mini dealers have a number of how many were sold; but... as intrusive as this may sound, i want to see if maybe, just maybe we can find sequential kit#s and how few(rare) the kit is by creating an excel spreadsheet of kit#s, location of (possible) install, year, and r52/53. No vin, or PII.

ill ante with S3913, san diego(i think), 2004, R53.

it may take a while as this is only one forum, people arnt active in posting/reading, and i get sidetracked like it's cool. But if this does kick off pretty decently i will keep my #s updated with you all.

S/F
Matt

 

There were a ton of them

S4710 04' R53

 

The last year of JCWs were factory installed. Assuming they follow the same serialization as previous kits (there are two kits for the R53, 200HP pre-facelift and 210HP post-facelift), there could be roughly 14-15k installed in all.

Mine is S13000, and it rolled off the factory 5 months before gen1 was discontinued. '06 R53.

 

May 2002 build R53 - Kit S616 (July 2003) + Upgrade Kit (November 2004) installed by East Bay MINI Pleasanton CA

 

14-15k.... not many in the grand scheme of things, and out of those how many in the states....minus the ones that met their demise....

 

My kit number is s16541, 3/07, so there are more. The last would be in the 2008 model year of the verts.

 

I just got an '06 R52 MCS JCW Mini last month, production date is 9-13-2006.....my kit number on the engine is in the picture below.....however, I do not know if this engine is original to the car......

Bryan

 

In 2006 they were both factory and kit JCW made and that will be hard to put together.

 

The kits will be numbered regardless of whether they are dealer or factory installed. The owners of 2006 - 2008 models will be able to decode the VIN to determine whether their MINI was built with the kit (option 3AL).

 

So...i have 7.... ill keep bumping this to see if there are any more... as well as some if the other forums.

 

S12376 2006

 

the kits dealer installed may not have had LSD the most important part, I do not consider them jcw personally

 

Ya need a LSD, but the factory one, which mine has, are not that great, but can be redone for better performance.
The LSD adds something that is needed with a MCS!

 

So...if its not a factory install with LSD it's not a JCW.... so anyone that has the pre 2005 JCW is an imposter?

 

There were factory JCWs that didn't have the LSD from what I understand from 05-08 (verts).

The factory LSD was a joke anyway, if it was an OS Giken then it would be something to boast about.

If you have the package and the paperwork then it is a real JCW

 

that's how I look at it, I do not consider a add on jcw dealer installed a jcw, kinda the same way the SCCA views them. A real factory built vin is going to have higher resale value and the LSD. even a regular S has a hard time putting down power without the LSD before you add a pulley/head/tune

and I also purchased with this in mind, I waited till I found a factory JCW and drove 6 hours to get it, even got lucky it has no sunroof or automatic climate control!

I like the factory LSD On the track and autocross, it's a HUGE difference over open diff, I own & raced one of those too, I even found a used GP diff for my open diff car. The OS has way too much lockup unless you drive ham fisted and they are a little rough on the street. The only diff I like more than stock is helical style

I'm not trying to convince anyone my opinion is right or wrong, I don't really care either way. But I am curious how many factory jcw vins there are running around

 

Thats part of what i want to track as well....is total kits, then filter dealer vs factory. Either way there are very few of either..

 

Come on now! You don't believe that!

 

I believe that mine is a JCW, lsd or not factory install. Now if someone was to slap the emblem on and its just a S....or base. "But what about a transplant?"......damn rabbit holes...

 

 

added.... i feel like there are more than a handful in the states...

 

 

[/QUOTE]

Special like ed?

 

 

Mine is factory installed also...guess that makes me speshul also??

Bryan