Rare Mini Cooper S R53 Factory JCW Part 6: The Final

[@ThorMotorWerks]

Any questions leave them in the comments and I’ll get back to you all. And of course let me know what you think of the end result. 👍 There were some items such as the ABS Pump, MAP Sensor Vacuum pipe etc that have come from items that I’ve got on the shelf from previous cars - Just to cover off that point - I’ve got them as cost neutral but of course if I had to buy them they’d add on another £40ish.

[@williambrackenridge1685]

This guy is so easy to listen to and very knowledgable

[@ThorMotorWerks]

Thank you 👍

[@The_Honest_Reviews_Channel]

People preserving, maintaining and driving R53s are great people in my book.

[@ThorMotorWerks]

@@The_Honest_Reviews_Channel Thanks ❤️

[@cojuk7]

Nice, wish I had your knowledge 👍🏼

[@teknomanning]

Cheers from Las Vegas😊👍🏿 .

[@ThorMotorWerks]

@@teknomanning Cheers 👍

[@davidrix804]

Your sister has virtually a brand new mini after all the work you have done,she’s very lucky to have a brother like you,looking forward to the new adventure👍👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🍺🍺🍺

[@ThorMotorWerks]

Thanks David for the consistent positivity - Much appreciated. I'm sure she's reading this - New Video is out at 7pm tonight (UK Time) - Had a couple of late bits to add in - It's short this week but more because the questions are going out to you guys to have some input in and next week we will be back with longer videos in a bit more vlog style. Winter is setting in so I don't want to break the momentum the channel has gained in the last few weeks but also practicality wise - It's getting cold out there and dark early so trying to make most of the time I have available.

[@davidrix804]

You deserve every bit of everybody’s gratitude with giving everybody such great entertainment,your such a genius especially as you are self taught,weldone👍👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🍺🍺

[@ThorMotorWerks]

Thanks mate :)

[@teknomanning]

Got a 2020 countryman used. Learning everything about it. Thanks😊..have it for a year. Become a mini car nut.Saved a ton ,got a friend who works on Merc’s,,Audis as a hobby..31 bucks for DOT 4.brake fluid case,vs 300 at dealerships🤣

[@ThorMotorWerks]

Worked on an earlier countryman with the N18 engine and can’t say I enjoyed it. Was changing turbo oil line, and it was a horrible job 😂

[@BigCol78]

Really enjoyed this series of the R53 nicely done, it was a shame about the sound from time to time but for me no big deal. I’m looking forward to the R52 now :)

[@ThorMotorWerks]

Hopefully the sound is sorted moving forwards. It’s tough because sometimes it’s different devices filming as some get into smaller places than others. But new microphones are compatible with all devices so should be consistent now. Still learning the basics 😂

[@carlbaker1517]

Wow what a great job you have done 👍, car looks fantastic and for the total cost I think you have done very well.I think your sister is getting a great deal and the main man to look after it in the future 😀 👍, I enjoyed watching 👀 your videos and look forward to your next project., cheers 🍻 dude

[@ThorMotorWerks]

@@carlbaker1517 Cheers 🍻 👍

[@ash-d7o]

My son has a PreFL Indi Blue R53 that the original owner took back to mini a few years later and got the FL JCW 210 kit and full aero kit fitted, most PreFLs are JCW 200s not 210s so think its a bit rare. Has all the original reciepts and JCW certificate. We have done all the gaskets, front and rear main seals, all new sensors, full timing chain kit, flywheel, radiator, thermostat, clutch, ATB LSD, full poly bushed everything, refurbished subframes, supercharger service, R56s front brakes, HEL brake lines, R56 trailing arms, Scorpion manifold and sports cat mated to the JCW exhaust, FL headlights, LED taillights ,LED halo side lights, FL SS fuel tank straps and found some original R90 BBS split rims for it. Still has the original cassette player rocking Guardians of the Galaxy 'Awesome mix' tape 😁

[@ThorMotorWerks]

@@ash-d7o Indi blue is quite a rare colour for an R53. Some nice upgrades as well. I’ve not noticed to much difference on the R56 arms, but it does future proof it a bit with corrosion as you can see from this one 😂 Definitely keep the certificate safe, BMW did go through a stage of not re-issuing the certificates if they were lost, now they are again but only the Smaller sized one, not full A4. Definitely a future classic.

[@gilesl]

seems like a good result for the money, fortunately you've got the time and skills to pull it off

[@ThorMotorWerks]

@@gilesl Thanks 👍

[@Peter-Tchaiky]

Great work and great videos seriously want a R53 myself now👍

[@ThorMotorWerks]

Go for it! 👍

[@johnoakley3493]

Cars looking great and nice to keep it in the family, looking forward to the R52 (its what ive got). Keep up the good work and look forward to some new videos :D

[@ThorMotorWerks]

@@johnoakley3493 Thanks, Next Tuesday on the R52 - I think any fan of the R50 Generation will enjoy the car - But it’s a mixture of emotions that one 😂

[@simonsherwood7169]

Sweet car

[@MoldMinis]

Great job too mate, they’re a pleasure and pain to work on haha! I just got my 2005 R53 front end finished with refurbished subframe, I’ll leave the rear end rebuild until next spring.

[@ThorMotorWerks]

@@MoldMinis 😂 Definitely not a winter job unless you have a garage to do the work in. Very awkward to get back in place as well, really a 2 man job 😂

[@MoldMinis]

@ I can’t wait 😂👍

[@johnathananderson108]

I really want to do this type of "refurbishment" to my R56 base.

[@ThorMotorWerks]

@@johnathananderson108 Quite a bit of work, but it’s all doable if you have time. 👍

[@LibertineScene]

@@johnathananderson108 Do it then :) It's quite doable, provided you're "handy", or are willing to snap some bolts to learn! It takes a while to get the "feel" for when a bolts about to snap/round/whatevs, but it's mostly quite simple. "Remove bits until you have access to the broken bit, if they snap/round/whatevs, escalate until removed. Add that bit to the cost of the bit you 'wanted' to replace, and repeat." It's very doable, and enjoyable (mostly), esp. when done :p Just don't think "I'll have this done in a weekend." A month of weekends, maybe. But not *a* weekend. Besides, "while you're there" you might as well clean up dirty/rusty bits, and spray, plus replace the surrounding (now accessable) "iffy" bits. Get going & enjoy :)

[@AnneMoore-z9y]

Too many R53's (including JCW's ) being scrapped and broken for spares these days, so massive congrats on saving one. IMHO cost wise I think it's ok - I've saved 2 of these and know what a bottomless money pit they can be. Not always about the money though unless the intention is to flip it and make a profit. Your sis has got a cracking car👍

[@ThorMotorWerks]

@@AnneMoore-z9y 😂 One day I’ll put my car on here, but that’s been a labour of love. I think she’s happy with the car - and for the most part if a car can be saved I’ll do my best where it makes some sense to do so. Thanks for positive comments ❤️

[@LibertineScene]

First comment! Bump :) Price seems reasonable, dear, but worth it. I've got an r53, bought for £500, and promptly spent £1,500 (& counting) on "all of the rubber bits" + pumps. New gaskets, hoses, cooling system, water, power steering & fuel pump, joints and bushes, timing chain, engine mounts, all fluids & filters + a few trim bits. Meh, soon adds up. *But* I have a reliable, "as new", 22yo car, with a *supercharger* 😊😊😊 Just imagine buying an £4-8k r53, and finding it needed "all the rubber bits" done. That'd burn! Keep up the good work.

[@keithstapleton7805]

When people buy them they underestimate the effort to get most R53s up to standard so they survive in to the future.

[@ThorMotorWerks]

@@keithstapleton7805 Yeah I think there is a little bit of an expectation forgetting they are mostly over 20 years old now. This one was probably a bit more than the normal maintenance required, but I think the end result was pretty good.

[@Krunch2020]

If there are bubbles in the antifreeze reservoir it may be a blown head gasket.

[@ThorMotorWerks]

@@Krunch2020 Best thing for that would be a quick sniff test - because the R53 has that Oil cooler on the filter housing (On a manual) it’s easy for people to assume a HG fault, when sometimes it’s that splitting. Looking for bubbles in these cars is pretty difficult as they have that top hose constantly pushing water through so it creates a bit of a swirl effect. They are at an age where these sort of things to crop up though, so definitely worth bearing in mind for anyone who’s looking at buying one.

[@Krunch2020]

@@ThorMotorWerks I agree. My subframe is almost ready to bolt up so I’m going to see what’s accessible on the rear of the engine today.

[@MoldMinis]

Got the same issue with driveshafts rubbing my drop links. They were Starline from Europarts. The ball joint is bigger than standard apparently. I might go back to BMW for them as I can’t seem to find info about which ones won’t rub.

[@ThorMotorWerks]

@@MoldMinis I think it’s pot luck on drop links - especially from places on eBay - The Meyle ‘HD’ Ones definitely rub. Doesn’t surprise me that ‘Starline’ would rub. GSF have actually been pretty good a couple of times recently, might be worth giving them a look. Quite a bit cheaper than ECP as well.

[@MoldMinis]

@@ThorMotorWerks Yeah and by the time I’ve bought a few cheaper sets trying to find ones that don’t rub I may as well head to the main dealer. I was looking at Meyle HD so cheers for that! 🙌

[@MoldMinis]

Update on this topic and incase anyone is following…Fitted Febi Bilstein drop links today that are same size as the OEM and no rubbing 👍 quality looks pretty decent. Time will tell but at £20 for the 2 cans beat it.

[@ThorMotorWerks]

@ Thanks. Helps others out if they are having similar issues. Would definitely be cheaper than OEM as well. 👍

[@derekgb3780]

Seems a good total for the whole (rarer) car - which is now more or less completely "sorted"

[@ThorMotorWerks]

@@derekgb3780 Thanks, I imagine someone would have been dissapointed if they bought it not expecting work having to be done 😂

[@farnsfield1385]

Very interesting videos. Can you tell me what the orange brake lines/ pipes are called and where can I purchase them from? Cheers

[@ThorMotorWerks]

@@farnsfield1385 Yeah sorry forgot to link them, I’ve included Proline and HEL as both companies do these kits, the one in the video is a HEL kit, but as I think I mentioned in an earlier video they are a tad short on the drivers side rear, so don’t follow the oem routing. Think proline may be slightly longer as it does state in the listing that it follows oem route 👍

[@farnsfield1385]

@ThorMotorWerks many thanks greatly appreciated. Your videos are very informative.

[@NortonskiJnr]

What is a benefit of swapping in an R56 rear subframe over an R53 one?

[@ThorMotorWerks]

@@NortonskiJnr The R56 subframe uses Alloy trailing arms (So does a GP1 R53) - They are lighter than the original and also won’t corrode like the original did. Secondly they are newer, so will be in much better shape than most R53 ones and the swap is pretty much bolt on / bolt off. If you watch the earlier episode when it was fitted, I think I went through what you need to swap between the 2 to make it pretty much a seamless change.

[@davidgreenfield2981]

Areo bumpers crack because they flex when you go over speed bumps and those are the weakest points

[@ThorMotorWerks]

@@davidgreenfield2981 Yeah I did pick up a Mini Cooper that had an aero kit on it, went into a multi storey car park and took the bottom off the bumper going up a ramp 😂