I elected NOT for the used one. I figured with my employee discount I would get a decent price for a new one and I wouldn't have to do all that work. Time and effort = $$$. My savings would have only been like $120. Mehhhh

 

I would say it does not function like the OEM part up and down, but pretty rare for a JCW part. Saves money for other mods is what I say.

 

Next thing happening is the Garrett Turbo, Stage III Manic re-Tune, and Water/Meth Injection kit installation. Should be happening sometime soon. Not sure when.

 

The rarest part I've ever seen for the R56/7/8/9/ is the JCW Shift Light Kit. Literally impossible...

Money sure does help for mods.

 

Yea, those dang thing went NLA, i was going to get it then bang, they sell out on our site. I believe we were the last to carry them. Had some in stock, then people found out we had them and they sold. Some people mod the Gen 1 ones to work.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ift-light.html

 

I have a great Instagram connection that sells ONLY Rare JCW parts.

I have this guy scouring the globe to find me one. I told him I'd pay him handsomely for one of those OEM JCW Shift Light Kits. Totally worth it!

 

Yea, think i have seen some posts. Must be hitting the scrap yard hard or buying out old dealership parts. I have some rare pieces at home, saving them for the next project . Leather JCW downtubes from the gen 1 MINIs...etc

 

Whoa! Leather? Awesomesauce!

I tried to contact some dealers around the country and not one has any left. I might begin my search in the UK for the JCW Shift Light Kit. I will find it and it will be great!

There's a good chance that I'm moving to Canada soon...need to do my tune ASAP.

 

BTW...I got my JCW Spark Plugs. Waiting for the head mechanic here to come back to install them. Then the turbo, retune, and water/meth. I should be destroying M3s, Audis, and a menagerie of other vehicles on the road...instantly.

 

Getting my spacers on soon. Going to look awesome!

 

Exciting, just wanted to let you know the last of the Gen 1 JCW shift lights went NLA, now all the Gen1 and Gen2 JCW Shift lights are NLA.

 

Wow...gone into status of legend. I have my feelers out for the Gen2 JCW Shift Lights. Who knows maybe this year or next year I'll find one.

(Side Note: Just made an appointment for early December to drop off my car for new turbo/tune/water-meth installation. Should get 60-100 more HP (possibly more) and a boat load of torque. I'm also going to dyno the car at that point. As soon as I have updates I'll share them.)

 

Yea, its a sad day in the MINI world when I see cool JCW stuff go NLA. I remember when those first came out back in the early Gen 1 days.

Well at least you will have one cool R58

 

It is a sad day. ;(

JCW stuff should just be made forever. lol

Thanks Mike on compliments. I'm just trying to do something no one has done before and have fun at same time.

 

Welcome. I talked to the MINI and MINIUSA Product manager many times over the years and these have a life cycle.

 

Officially purchased my Garrett GT28RS 53mm Turbo and Manic Stage III Tune. Waiting for items to be received and then install. Installation will take roughly a week. Going to install the water/methanol system on a different day. Early estimates for total HP will be roughly 300 HP-330 HP. After full installation, I'll be taking my car to be a legit DYNO for some hard numbers.

(Side Note: BloxSport Wheel Spacers will be installed tomorrow. Very excited!)

 

So, you will install all these upgrades before you start to cut the frame for your AWD project conversion?

I have a hard time to follow your logic.

Also, I read a few years ago that the JCW engine has bigger pistons and valves, coupled with a bigger turbo. In my opinion, you should have started with a JCW coupe.

I hope for you, the standard S engine components will keep up the stress to pump 300+hp. It certainly has not been designed for.

 

I am doing all these upgrades as this is my daily car. I enjoy the short commute to work at MINI and then back home. When it's time to do the conversion, I'll be retiring the car to a track/weekend car. At that point, it's go time. That's ok to not follow my logic; I work abstractly. There isn't really any set way of doing something. I like that I can do things at my pace or do whatever. I could stop right now and be happy, but I enjoy adding something here or there.

If I had the $$$ back then I would have purchased a JCW, but didn't so here I am. Plus, the car is signed by George Lucas, which doesn't make the car faster, but it makes me happier knowing I have a one of a kind. I don't care about resale value or residual importance. I plan on keeping the car the rest of my life. I'm even putting it into my living will that if/when upon my untimely demise, that my niece would get the car. (stipulations would be that she would need to take care of it and respect it for what it is.)

I will be nearing the limit of what I can possibly do...unless I start getting into the nitty, gritty of internals...which will happen in time. I think eventually I could probably get it to 400 HP and AWD...raise the suspension and put on some insane chunky snow tires for when I move to Calgary, Alberta...and then drive that **** up a mountain in the snow. lol

 

I say you are better off not having a JCW motor because the S has lower compression.

Looking forward to December

 

Thank you kind sir. One of the reasons why I didn't go with the JCW was that as well as the fact that I'd be replacing most of the parts on the car...so why pay more for parts that I'm going to be taking out anyway, right?

I'm definitely looking forward to December! Winter Math is my favorite. This is my favorite Winter Math Equation.

Super Cold air + Large Air Intake + New Turbo + Water/Meth = Big Smiles

 

This is incorrect. The S has 10.5:1 compression while the JCW is slightly lower, either 9.5:1 or 10:1.

 

Regardless of the compression ratio, the car will be running smoothly and destroying M3s and various other vehicles on the road.

 

Even with meth, I'd be leary of running it too hard with the 53mm turbo on stock internals and a compression ratio of 10.5:1.

 

(TYROLSPORT), the company doing the install, has done hundreds of installs before and have assured me and re-asssured me that this will be a successful install. They did say that I will be at the point where if I wanted to do anything else, I would DEFINITELY would need to change the internals for sure.

 

BloxSport Spacers are on...finally! Here are some photos I just took. It's coming together.