Show me your extreme cut, diet, chopped Mini!
I have been putting my 2006 r52 S on a diet for a year now. The main motivation besides trying to make the car look like I want it to was to simplify a modern Mini to be more like a classic Mini. I get stopped a lot by people that think my car is an antique. The Mini is a complex bit of engineering, which means lots of stuff to break. My car is an attempt to head off future problems by just chopping anything and everything that steals horsepower or seems frivolous (like headlight washers ) on such a small around town toy.
I also like my cars to look used and ratty not supper shiny.

 

Well holy God

 

Oh she's a bit sticky tonight. Out heating up the new headers.

 

Dude!

Nice work. If I saw that on the road, I'd stop and talk your ear off, too. I want more pictures!

 

 

 

Man, that thing looks like a ton of fun

 

It is a ton of fun, when I'm not fixing broken annoying things.
Just ordered coilovers because both front strut tops are cracked causing a nasty squeak when turning the steering wheel.
Aside from that all the other work going down this spring is fun stuff.
Can't wait to post what's happening with these:




Here are some of the things I have already done:

Fuel filter~
New alternator~
Lighted 2% crank pulley~
17% supercharger pulley~
New water pump/thermostat~
A/C Delete~
New idler pulley~
New belt tensioner assembly~
New timing chain tensioner~
New Intercooler boots~
Non resonated exhaust~
Exhaust manifold cat delete~
Headers~
New oxygen sensors~
Plug wires~
Cross member behind seats~
Relocate seat belt guides~
Blue dot tail lights~
Gut trunk ~
Remove power roof~
Gut door glass~
temporary Roadster interior cover~
Remove carpet ~
Remove sun visors ~
Revise overhead console~
Remove door handles~
Relocate front speakers~
Paint wheels~
White wall tires~
Remove side mirrors~
Remove washer fluid tank~
Remove wash nozzles/tubing~
Remove wipers/motor~
Yellow headlights~
~Chop windshield add Lexan~

 

Sits a bit lower now after replacing the factory struts with coilovers. Nice to get rid of that nasty squeak from the failed front strut caps.




Still going to fabricate a fiberglass cover for the back and have the car wrapped in this deep red color as pictured in the mock up below. I'm at war with myself on swapping wheels, I have always loved these factory optional 17" 5 spokes. There are still a bunch of weight saving things to do like: removing all the HK stereo stuff, trimming some hood bracing, removing all the hood latch hardware and replacing it with a couple of leather straps, taking out the tailgate latch and plastic trim, trimming some excess sheet metal trim from the trunk area and building my aluminum seats to name a few. I should be able to get another 100 pounds off before I'm done.

 

I'd do this if I could find an R52 for cheap. You can extend you cover to the passenger side as well. Did you leave the residual A pillars for safety?

 

What safety? If he roll over, that remaining bit won't do anything.

 

I left the pillars so I could attach the lexan windscreen to it and keep the normal curve the original glass had. As far as rolling over, I would say don't roll over.
It's not any more dangerous than riding a motorcycle. I drive 12 miles to work on sub 55 mph surface streets never on a freeway, that's what the Honda and Subaru are for.

The car is stripped again for the final push of cosmetics and wrapping in vinyl

 

Things and stuff are happening at a good pace this week! Fiberglassing the rear tonneau cover tonight! All the under guts for the cover are in place. I have filled the door handles and side mirror door holes and also the washer nozzle and wiper arm holes. All of my materials are here now so it's time to workworkwork.

 

Kinda reminds be of a Porsche 356 cabrio.

 

Yep, this is a crazy build and really reminds me of the Alpine MINI from back in the day which I think some of the inspiration came from.



Alpine at the time was really into the BMW thing with sema show cars back in 2004 CES. And this was before the convertible came out. Built off of a 2003 R53. I have not seen the car for a long time, last time I heard they had it in storage.


Congrats on the build, you are in another MINI custom build world with that.

 

Fiberglass tonneau is rough sanded and trimmed.
Looks so much better without the seatbelt bumps. From the side it is one smooth line from the A pillar to the tailgate now. Minimalist continues tomorrow.

 

Took all the hood latch hardware off and replaced it with a couple of leather straps. Guide coated the fiberglass tonneau cover for sanding tomorrow.

 

Testing and fitting the grill and got a gas shock for the trunk put in. I have a video of the trunk in operation but no way to post it.

 

Great job so far

 

All holes filled...

 

 

If you don't get it, oh well...

I think it looks cool

 

:popc orn:
I couldn't like this thread more! Can't wait to see it done.

 

The only thing I don't get is those eyebrow things. They don't fit with your whole minimalist idea. Otherwise, I dig it. Keep going!

 

The headlight visors are a throwback to American custom cars from the 50's and Volkswagens vans and beetles from the 50's and 60's. Some custom motorcycles also had/have them. I may or may not keep them when I replace the headlights. I want the car to be minimalist, but I also want it to look old. Leather straps, wire wheels. It is supposed to be a true roadster; lightweight, with no side windows or roof. If only it was rear wheel drive. If I was a younger man I would just weld the doors shut and hop in and out.