If you have time, please post a picture of your JCW build number on the valve cover, and any other pictures please....we are trying to get a database going

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...are-there.html

Bryan

 

Here are the condition of the Sparcos in more detail. I’ll be getting the bolster completely replaced with a matching fabric. They don’t have heated elements so we’ll add some that can be wired to the harness I’ll cut off the stock seats later. The JCW logos are embroidered and pretty worn out (I didn’t really notice when I bought them) so we’ll take the seat cover off completely and redo them so they look like new.




For the back seats, I currently have some fairly vanilla, stock cloth seats. At minimum I’ll cover them in the same fabric and add the embroidered logos.
I’m considering going all out and doing custom foam work to replicate the very rare cloth Sparco rear seats including the extra bolstering. I’d look a lot nicer but it’s also much more work once you get creative with foam.
example of the rear Sparcos below:


Very different from my stock rear seats:



For reference, I’m working with an upholstery shop called Trim Pro in Calgary

 

Looking forward to seeing your refurbished seats and what you decide on for the backs.

I was thinking of going with grayscale embroidery if I go to the correct '05 JCW logo for a more subtle look, closer to the leather seats. I was also thinking of replacing the lapis blue leather on the back seats with matching Alcantara and no logos or if lucky enough, finding a set of matching back seats from the UK and having them re-covered.

 

I faced that very decision just a few hours ago. Go with a white background or a grey one. I was very tempted by grey but alas, decided
to go white as that is what the gods had intended.

I removed the backseats so I can drop them off tomorrow. I’m leaning toward going the whole hog and replicating the Sparco rear seats. I’ll use the red/black leather brochure images as reference to capture the shapes accurately but I’m curious - did Mini / Sparco ever make a black cloth rear seat for the R53? I don’t ever recall seeing it in my travels.

Seats out - wow that’s the quickest rear seat removal I’ve ever done! What a great design.

 

 

Really nice those Sparco JCW seats, you'll love them once fitted. They add so much in driving experience imo.
The rear seats are really hard to find....
I look forward to your solution for the rear seats.

 

got a sample of the fresh embroidered logos and marked up the rear seat for modifications.



I’d love to get some additional images of an OEM Sparco rear seat. If anyone has some and could post here for me I’d appreciate it. The only ones I have for reference are above. They’re pretty clear but extra angles could be helpful.

 

Nice! The embroidery looks clear and crisp, but “Works” should have white knockouts surrounding “John Cooper” like the red centerline to be more accurate. If it matters to you, I would ask for another stitch sample to see if it still looks good with this correction.

This link has a 3/4 view like your pic, but from the other side: 3/4 View Rear

This link has pics of a brand new rear seat set: JCW Sparco Rear New

 

so what more could I ask for other than a brilliant response like this! Get this man a beer.

Thanks for the additional reference images of the seats and their modified bolstering.

I’m going to try to see if I can get the logos reprinted. They’re asking me for a high resolution logo if exactly what I want so I’ll have a look around and see what I can find. I understand exactly what you mean though, re. Knocking out the edges around the text which overlays the WORKS part of the logo.

<update>
I’ve supplied this Vector file and they say it’ll work great. I’ll see a sample early next week.
http://logos-vector.com/logo/vector_...rks_149012.htm

 

From the stitch sample it looks like they did a great job digitizing the embroidery file from the JCW sample you provided. The embroidery software should be able to toggle back to the vector file to edit the embroidery file by including a white stroke to the outside of the "John Cooper" to knockout the "Works" without re-digtizing the whole logo from a higher res pic. Just make sure the stroke/outline setting is to the outside only and not done as a centerline which would add to both the inside and outside of the "John Cooper" and make it thinner.

edit: (leaving out boring and excessive details of logo recreation and digitizing) Not sure what you provided for the original file, but they should be able to use a high-res pic or scan from your valve cover plate if you can't find something else. The embroidery isn't be as precise as print so any small differences in the logo would go unnoticed.

 

thank you my friend. The original file I gave them was a fairly low resolution image I found (not the vector file that I just posted) I think it was too low res. so they worked off a photo off the logo in the seats. Trouble is that logo is really worn out and so they probably couldn’t tell what parts were intentional or not.
as it goes, I’m happy with what they did - but like to get it right so with your input and that vector file I’m pretty sure they’ll be able to nail it.
This is fun! I’m ready to embroider all the things!

 

Got a new version of the sample yesterday. I didn't love the the very thing threading around the 'john cooper part of the logo:


I requested another version where they went a little thicker with the white border and I'm quite happy with this one. There's a little rouge white thread in the e which will be fixed.

 

The front seats are done. I'm very happy with how they've turned out. Back seats still in progress.

 

They look really good!

 

Awesome job with the build so far! What I wouldn’t do for a pepper white jcw with aero kit...and those seats!

 

Those seats look like an absolute dream, nice!

 

I tracked down a set of carbon/alcantara original Logo Gear **** and Hand Brake including their original Alcantara boots. Really happy with these.

 

You're building an amazing car.

 

thank you friend! I’m trying to roll back the years and build exactly what I wish I could have factory ordered in 2006. The good news is, we’re still at a a point where It’ll cost me less than half the original sticker to put it all together.

 

This has been an interesting read. I didn't realize there were so many JCW accessories. My 04 had the JCW tuning kit dealer installed on 3/15/2004 at 1,051 miles and it has the aero kit, but the rear bumper cover is a bit different than yours without the lower lip extension. I have no record of whether the car came from the factory with the aero kit or if it was a later addition, but I did discover that it does not have JCW brakes. The previous owner said he bought it from a Subaru dealer's used car lot because it was an original JCW and that it registered 112 Hp on a dyno with the JCW goodies and after some further tweaks and pulley changes it made 252 Hp at the wheels. Aside from the tuning kit, badges, and areo kit bodywork there are no other JCW accessories, but it does have "white out" rear lights that have red LEDs when on. Here's a photo of my rear bumper cover.

 

hi there tweety pie! That’s a cool looking R53. Do you have the front Aero bumper? (It’ll look like the one I’m including in this picture. So what you have there are JCW Aero skirts, and a regular S rear bumper. I hypothesize a few possible explanations for this, but calling all NAM experts to help you solve!

There were clear taillights that were an optional upgrade (it appears you have them) but unbelievably, they could not be partnered with the typical JCW Aero rear bumper (the one I have on my car) There was a slightly different version of the aero rear that had red reflectors built in to it and this was mandatory when combining an aero rear bumper with the clear taillights. This different version of the bumper is unbelievably rare - I’ve only ever seen one. It’s possible this wasn’t available when the vehicle was specked with the clear lights, or that it became damaged and was replaced with something more easily available before you came to own her. Alternatively, it’s possible the original owner added pieces alacarte and intentionally didn’t want the aero rear bumper.

Regardless - that’s a beautiful mini and the window stickers make me think there are some sweet mods under the hood!

 

Besides the JCW tuning kit it has an ATI 2% over super damper, an Alta 17% under super charger pulley, and an M7 cold air intake. The PO may have had larger injectors in it when it made 252 Hp, but it seems to still have plenty of go power. Here's the front view.

 

Beautiful. The yellow paint is simply brilliant! I’d love to get a close up head on view of the front, to see those rally driving lights in the grille in context to the front of the car. To prove my love of yellow cars, my mini wishes she had yellow paint but keeps close company with a fairly recent addition in the garage.

 

AFAIK, there weren’t different bumpers for the clear taillight retrofit. The reflectors and recessed holders/trim were included with the lights and was supposed to be installed on the existing bumper. Most DIY installers probably didn’t want to cut their bumpers, or didn’t like the look of the reflectors regardless of legality.

The reflectors are still available, but the the trim is NLA. Replacements can be printed with a good CAD file and a 3D printer though.

 

this is brilliant clarity. I always assumed it was a different part number. Cool to learn it was effectively a couple of adaptors. Makes sense t he hat most people wouldn’t install it though. It’s not a hansom modification