The project car
In case you haven’t been around lately to hear my blather, a few months ago I bought myself a project car. Yup, I’m venturing into the world of DIY automotive repair. Why you ask? Well, damn fine question really. I guess just because, fundamentally, I like to understand how everything works, and you can’t truly understand without getting your hands dirty. My plan is to blog a few fairly detailed posts every time I open the hood, but I thought to kick it off, I’d start with the plan.
So what is the project car? It’s a 2008 Mini Cooper S (R56). I picked this car for a few reasons:
- It was relatively cheaply available
- It has the structure and the stability to hold up to the mods
- It has a relatively easily accessible engine cavity to make it easy for this nubeWhen I first got it, the timing chain went…a common problem with this model, and so I’ve had that replaced along with a new high output fuel pump. So on to the plan. Stage 1 for me is the intake system. I plan on replacing most of the input side of the engine to get more air in. Here is a list:Turbocharger upgrade K03 Super 42Hi-flow Turbo Outlet PipeHi-flow Charge PipeCold Air Intake (high flow induction)And then a new set of pure white headlights.After that, an exhaust and an ECU. And then finally some new 17” wheels and tires.Wish me luck!
