Prepping '05 Mini Cooper for the track

[Sublimerace]

So I'm about to take delivery of an '05 Mini Cooper which will become a track car. Initially to be used for track days, but over time as experience and budget improves, competitions.

I've been doing my research and spoken with other owners/drivers, but I'm keen to hear opinions and ideas from this community. Anyone out there with the same?

Cheers

[E-bmw]

Currently in the middle of doing that with an r53 S.

Seriously good fun to drive even now with only around 180 whp, hope to end up with an "easy" 200.

[df76]

Sublimerace said:

So I'm about to take delivery of an '05 Mini Cooper which will become a track car. Initially to be used for track days, but over time as experience and budget improves, competitions.

I've been doing my research and spoken with other owners/drivers, but I'm keen to hear opinions and ideas from this community. Anyone out there with the same?

Cheers

What competitions? Tbh, with a Cooper I'd just be making sure that the brakes and tyres are decent.

[timbo999]

As above... my R53 munches through its front pads but is remarkably easy on its tyres for a heavy front drive car. The R50/53 are heavy especially across the front axle (iron engine as opposed to the R56 alloy engine) so brakes are the achille's heel in my experience,

[anonymous-user]

Upgrade the front brakes to R56 parts - it's just a straight bolt-on job and is the cheapest/easiest way to get around the issues with the standard brakes. Add some brake cooling ducts (if needed)

Strip the interior for an easy 40 to 50kg weight saving and change the wheels. The standard wheels are incredibly heavy, I saved 24kg by going from the standard 17" wheels to 15" pro-race 1.2s, that's unsprung weight too don't forget.

They're pretty capable out of the box as long as the suspension is in good shape - most won't be at that age.

After that how far do you want to go? Decent coilovers with adjustable mounts for camber, some adjustable rear control arms and a track geo setting will make a huge difference.

From there lightweight buckets to take a bit more weight out, better (lighter) exhaust, better manifold, better intercooler, reduced pully, (not necessarily in that order ) the sky's the limit.

Edit - just realised Cooper not Cooper S, but I believe it all still holds bar the engine tuning

[nurseholliday]

Sublimerace said:

So I'm about to take delivery of an '05 Mini Cooper which will become a track car. Initially to be used for track days, but over time as experience and budget improves, competitions.

I've been doing my research and spoken with other owners/drivers, but I'm keen to hear opinions and ideas from this community. Anyone out there with the same?

Cheers

I had an '03 Mini One as a track car.

My mods were limited to:

Bluefin remap (118 bhp on the dyno)
Scorpion exhaust
EBC Yellowstuff brake pads
Goodridge braided lines
Motul RBF600 brake fluid
Spax RSX coilovers
VW G60 steel wheels (15x6)
Yokohama Parada Spec 2 rubber
Completely stripped interior
Sabelt Harness
Polybushes

If I was doing it again?

I'd go for KW V1 or V2 coilovers - my Spax coilovers were really crashy
Team Dynamics Pro Race 15x7 wheels for the reduced weight, mine were an aesthetic choice
Stiffer rear ARB - I think Whiteline do a 20mm

You don't need bigger brakes, the speed you're hitting at the end of straights isn't enough to warrant it, and the Mini is very "chuckable", if you're committed you don't need to brake heavily as you can carry a tonne of speed through the corners.

I'd be doing a 6-speed gearbox conversion before any other mods.

[Sublimark]

Many thanks, nice work :-)

[Shappers24]

As mentioned above, replace the front brakes with the r56 calipers. You’ll need new brake lines too. Cheap upgrade and makes the world of difference.

[christurner5]

if you haven't got one yet, a catalogue from here will give hours of endless reading and suggestion for how to go faster....

https://www.demon-tweeks.com/uk/

[SlimJim16v]

From what I've read, the brakes are crap. You need the complete R56S setup.

[rallycross]

I would say with a Cooper you dont really need to do much to get it on track and enjoy it, give it a service, make sure everything is in good order before venturing on track, some tips

1. get some 15 inch wheels from a One or Base Cooper (the Cooper handles best on smaller wheels/tyres which are also lighter/cheaper for tyres) and put some good tyres on. There are a couple of people on ebay who trade ex Ginetta Junior tyres (Michelin PS3) for around £100 per set these are really good wet or dry - see eBay item number: 263858679616 (we use these on track days there is no cheaper / better answer than these.

2. put some decent pads on the front and upgrade the fluid to dot5, yellow stuff would do it, or mintex 1144.

3. Dont strip the car interior to the bare bones, that is fairly pointless on a track day car, does not make it any faster and if after a few track days you decide that its not for you then trying to sell a mini with its interior ripped out will be very difficult.

4. Once you get more into it, add stiffer rear anti roll bar as first mod.

[Rovinghawk]

rallycross said:

upgrade the fluid to dot5,

Dot 5 or dot 5.1?????