I was following this guy's progress when dealing w/a mild rebuild and looks like he's moved to thr big leagues now:

 

That's interesting. Not my thing, but interesting.

 

the sc mini's are becoming a bit special, the auto n/a though?

 

Becoming? Bit? 5 seconds after picking mine up in 2003 I knew it was a car that would have to be pried out of my cold, dead, fingers.

 

Now imagine if it didn't leak any fluids for 150k+ miles, parts were cheap and ubiquitous and bolt-ons got you to 250+ in no time!

 

Now, imagine if there was anything that looked as good as an r53, sounded as good, was as easy to work on, or made you smile as much... I think the r53 engines are quite reliable, very robust, and capable of taking a lot more hp than they are delivered with. But, older cars are easy targets for frankensteining I suppose.

 

but the looks remain, na's @ high rpm sound awesome and they're easier to work on than boosted engines though?

 

R53's are super easy to work on, and IMO - the *most* reliable of the MINI engines, but I will admit bias. There are a multiplicity of folks here with over a quarter million miles on the gen1 engines. This can't be about ease of working on, or about parts availability or cost - there is Allmag, Redline, and ebay - not to mention probably over 50k r53's in junkyards and pick n' pulls. This has to be about frankensteining and hot rodding. If that's what it's about, then by all means! I, personally, hate the noise that comes out the back end of pretty much every Honda I have ever heard (s2000 excepted).

 

Kseries is a FAR better platform than the BMW sourced engine.
BUT, the cost to swap in a Kseries into a Mini starts at 10k.

I have a hardtop S that I might ruin and swap in my 700hp kswap into when I jswap my other car. Cause, 700hp. But might wait until the Mini pops the motor.

 

the dude whose kit I link was making the mounts for ~350 a few months ago. The shafts are off the shelf honda parts; they spline into mini's hubs.

 

and they're correct lengths already , no cutting n rewelding ?
I'd love to pick up an na mini over winter and begin a kswap..
people just arnt realizing $ for $ how much more power your going to get out the honda motor... the money and parts I've throw at this mini engine , had it been into a K series I'd be atleast in the 500hp range and yet just as if not more reliable too..

 

Quick / Rough estimates:
- $1500-$2000, engine w/ gearbox
- $500-$1000, engine harness
- $1000, ECU
- $500, clutch kit
- $500, header
- $500, tune
- $200, axles
- $350, mounts
- $100, shifter cables
- $150, shifter box
- $1000, miscellaneous. (fuel line adapters, clutch line adapters, cooling system adapters
- Optional: $2800 for RTP swap kit... (remove from above: mounts $350, axles $200, harness $500)

So, I was off, min of ~$6000, doing all the work yourself.

 

yup, correct length, I think one's a tight fit but works. If i recall, one's an integra piece and another a civic or crv.

I mean, you can run a factory clutch, tune, and ECU. You don't need a standalone.

 

Correct, you could technically run the factory ECU with no piggyback/standalone...and have it idle like junk, not run very well, have a ton of CELs, and ultimately be down on power -- which is part of the reason for doing this whole thing.
And yes, a $100 junk clutch kit on a resurfaced old flywheel would have you driving the car away.

Would I want that, after spending nearly +$5k to kswap my mini? No.

You could certainly do this all on a budget of less than $6k, but it'll require far more legwork (ie. scouring for sale ads for cheap used stuff) and for a far worse build.