I just had an idea and was wondering if anyone has tried it, and if not then why. Rather than trying to adapt the m62 to the m45 setup why not try to adapt the lsj intake manifold to the Mini's head and bolt pattern, it has water cooling built in and I would think you would be able to get an intake spacer/adapter for the bolt pattern. The only super difficult thing I could think of would be lining up the drive belt and finding a proper tensioner but I suppose fitment could potentially be an issue as well, any thoughts?

 

So from what I'm thinking so far, the r53 head is a little over 26 inches and the lsj head is about 27, as long as the engine bay permits it I would be willing to bet that the runners could be attached with an adapter plate with relative ease. If I ever get the money to try this out, I absolutely will