Ok so far the group has been really helpful in my brake questions so here are a couple more:

1. How hard is it to change to a short shifter? Do you have to get under the car or anything like that? I am limited on work space and means to lift the vehicle.

2. How hard is it to do the pulley change on the car? Do I have to disassemble the front end or anything like that? It seems to be a tight fit.

3. Also my car did not come with the power jack in the rear boot area. Does anyone know if it is as simple as buying one and placing it in the spot where it should go. My car just has a plastic tab where the outlet should be. Do you think that the wiring is already in place or would I have to buy and install myself?

Alright that is enough brain picking for one night. Just let me know what can be done on my own and what I should get a pro to do. I am very mechanically inclined and know my way around a tool box or two, I am just limited in lifting my vehicle and any kind of major disassembly.

Thanks for you guys help.

By the way my car is a
2003 Cooper S

 

1. - On my '05 I had to jack up the front of the car, unbolt the header from the exhaust, remove the heat shield and that whole bit to change the dust cover. This was a B&M short shifter. Im not quite sure, but i think the install is similar on the '03...

2. - If you can unbolt and re-torque the motor mount bolts and jack up your engine, you can do a pulley swap. Just go slooooow.

3. - No clue on that one, i only have an '05 and '06...sorries

 

I have not seen a short shifter install so don't know anything there however I have watched the pulley install by Randy Webb.
He made it LOOK easy and in some respects it is. Many others have done this DIY. I have done a lot of automotive work from time to time but I would only do it if I had no other choice. It might be OK if you could find a person who has done it before to help out. I am old enough now that working on the car is not as much fun as it once was.
This install does have several requirements
(1) You must be able to lift the car to be able to easily move the floor jacks TWO preferred but not maditory.
(2) Two floor jacks best by far
(3) Special pulley puller sometimes loaned by the sales company ( Randy does this)
(4) Plenty of time if this is the first time.

Randy did this install in less than an hour but he has done over 400 of them and knows exactly which tools he needs. He had every tool laid out before hand and never had to go look for any others.

If you decide to accept this mission, good luck and stay cool.