2005 & 2002 Cooper S
As our 1998 Mini Cooper Sports Le had turned 105,000 miles we thought it was time to put it on a classic car insurance policy and seek out another everyday car.
We toyed with the idea of a new R56 MINI Cooper S, but when we test drove one of the last R53 supercharged Cooper S MINIs we were hooked on the supercharger whine.
Edwina wanted 'Electric Blue' and I wanted an Aerokit, we both wanted as young a MINI as possible with low mileage.
We found this MINI Cooper S in the Country Garage in Ballymena, it is Electric Blue, had low miles and already had the Aerokit fitted, so was exactly what we were looking for.
As soon as we collected the MINI the personalising started, before it had even left the show room!
I have try to restrict any changes to genuine MINI parts, or parts that have that OEM look as I want the MINI to look as though it could have left the factory this way.
We have taken our 1998 Mini Cooper Sports Le to various shows and locations across Ireland, Scotland, England, France and Switzerland.
We have attended local shows in this Cooper S and have plans in place to visit the MINI factory at Cowley, Oxford (the old Morris factory) in it later this year as well as a nearby Mini/MINI event.
We have added:
MINI fog lamp surrounds
MINI spot lamp covers
Mini Pirate Aerokit rear decals with a grille effect
MINI 2006 spec- custom de-chromed tail lamps
MINI customer de-chromed bonnet/boot badges
Supercharged Script emblem
Smoked side repeaters
De-chromed waistline
Black 'S' badges instead of red
GoMINIGo Brake Pulsar
MINI cd changer
MINI Leather cup holder surrounds
MINI Leather gear selector surrounds
MINI Leather down tubes
Milltek stainless steel exhaust
JCW R95 18"alloys
JCW door step trim
JCW leather/alcantara steering wheel
JCW Carbon fibre steering wheel insert
JCW Carbon fibre/alcantara handbrake grip
JCW Carbon fibre/alcantara gear knob
JCW Carbon fibre rear spoiler
JCW Carbon fibre wing mirrors
JCW Carbon fibre bonnet air intake
JCW alloy strut brace
JCW air filter system
ITG air filter to fit the above
Shorter alloy aerial mast (to clear the spoiler)
Eibach sports suspension
Forge Motorsport alloy washer bottle cap
Forge Motorsport alloy headlamp washer cap
Forge Motorsport alloy brake reservoir cap
Forge Motorsport alloy expansion tank cap
Forge Motorsport alloy intercooler
Alta 15% reduced supercharger pulley
Denso iridium spark plugs IK22
The De-chromed waistline
Under the bonnet
The MINI Pirate rear Aerokit decals
JCW rear spoiler and customer de-chromed tail lights
Close up photo of the rear lights
Both Mini & MINI in the snow
On the rolling road
On show at Minis In The Forest, May 2008
On a visit to MINI plant Oxford, well worth a visit
At Corbiere light house in Jersey
The Eibachs fitted
De-Chromed rear MINI logo
Supercharged and black S
Now on a set of BBS RC
Now with an M7 carbon fibre air diverter and addition bracing
I blacked out the rear number plate recess
Some new gauge faces and needles to keep the black theme running
I had the BBS refurbished and changed the colour
I finally have the centre caps back on the BBS
To carry on the black theme I changed the alloy effect dash & door panels to black ones
My Wife decided to buy a MINI for her everyday transport, so the search was on for another.
We found one we liked, it was close to where we live and my Wife loved the colour, so we ended up buying it.
You can see why see liked the colour
So here are the MINIs
I have started personalising it already.
So far I have added:
Face lift spec interior door panels
De-chromed waist line
MINI spot lamp covers
18" R95 JCW alloys
JCW tailgate badge
Alta Cai
Colour coded Intercooler cover
We now have fitted some Eibach springs, a three spoke steering wheel with matching airbag and some MINI red & clear rear lights.
My Mum decided to buy a MINI for everyday use, she also opted for an R53 (Cooper S), her choice of colour was Dark Silver with a black roof.
We toyed with the idea of a new R56 MINI Cooper S, but when we test drove one of the last R53 supercharged Cooper S MINIs we were hooked on the supercharger whine.
Edwina wanted 'Electric Blue' and I wanted an Aerokit, we both wanted as young a MINI as possible with low mileage.
We found this MINI Cooper S in the Country Garage in Ballymena, it is Electric Blue, had low miles and already had the Aerokit fitted, so was exactly what we were looking for.
As soon as we collected the MINI the personalising started, before it had even left the show room!
I have try to restrict any changes to genuine MINI parts, or parts that have that OEM look as I want the MINI to look as though it could have left the factory this way.
We have taken our 1998 Mini Cooper Sports Le to various shows and locations across Ireland, Scotland, England, France and Switzerland.
We have attended local shows in this Cooper S and have plans in place to visit the MINI factory at Cowley, Oxford (the old Morris factory) in it later this year as well as a nearby Mini/MINI event.
We have added:
MINI fog lamp surrounds
MINI spot lamp covers
Mini Pirate Aerokit rear decals with a grille effect
MINI 2006 spec- custom de-chromed tail lamps
MINI customer de-chromed bonnet/boot badges
Supercharged Script emblem
Smoked side repeaters
De-chromed waistline
Black 'S' badges instead of red
GoMINIGo Brake Pulsar
MINI cd changer
MINI Leather cup holder surrounds
MINI Leather gear selector surrounds
MINI Leather down tubes
Milltek stainless steel exhaust
JCW R95 18"alloys
JCW door step trim
JCW leather/alcantara steering wheel
JCW Carbon fibre steering wheel insert
JCW Carbon fibre/alcantara handbrake grip
JCW Carbon fibre/alcantara gear knob
JCW Carbon fibre rear spoiler
JCW Carbon fibre wing mirrors
JCW Carbon fibre bonnet air intake
JCW alloy strut brace
JCW air filter system
ITG air filter to fit the above
Shorter alloy aerial mast (to clear the spoiler)
Eibach sports suspension
Forge Motorsport alloy washer bottle cap
Forge Motorsport alloy headlamp washer cap
Forge Motorsport alloy brake reservoir cap
Forge Motorsport alloy expansion tank cap
Forge Motorsport alloy intercooler
Alta 15% reduced supercharger pulley
Denso iridium spark plugs IK22
The De-chromed waistline
Under the bonnet
The MINI Pirate rear Aerokit decals
JCW rear spoiler and customer de-chromed tail lights
Close up photo of the rear lights
Both Mini & MINI in the snow
On the rolling road
On show at Minis In The Forest, May 2008
On a visit to MINI plant Oxford, well worth a visit
At Corbiere light house in Jersey
The Eibachs fitted
De-Chromed rear MINI logo
Supercharged and black S
Now on a set of BBS RC
Now with an M7 carbon fibre air diverter and addition bracing
I blacked out the rear number plate recess
Some new gauge faces and needles to keep the black theme running
I had the BBS refurbished and changed the colour
I finally have the centre caps back on the BBS
To carry on the black theme I changed the alloy effect dash & door panels to black ones
My Wife decided to buy a MINI for her everyday transport, so the search was on for another.
We found one we liked, it was close to where we live and my Wife loved the colour, so we ended up buying it.
You can see why see liked the colour
So here are the MINIs
I have started personalising it already.
So far I have added:
Face lift spec interior door panels
De-chromed waist line
MINI spot lamp covers
18" R95 JCW alloys
JCW tailgate badge
Alta Cai
Colour coded Intercooler cover
We now have fitted some Eibach springs, a three spoke steering wheel with matching airbag and some MINI red & clear rear lights.
My Mum decided to buy a MINI for everyday use, she also opted for an R53 (Cooper S), her choice of colour was Dark Silver with a black roof.