MINI2 - MINI Forum - View Single Post - Has anyone swapped their gen 1 works for a gen 2 works?

rogan200 · Apr 13th, 2008, 06:09 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by ViscountCharles (original)

Easy. The 1275 Cooper S from the mid-late 60's. I had a fuel-injected Cooper 35 in the late 90's that had lots of engine and suspension work done to it (about £5k on top of the price of the car), and that was pretty special too. the R53 and R56 are both better cars, no doubt about it, but neither are really anything more than very pale imitations of the real thing when it comes to characteristics like handling and nippyness.

Completely agree. I have an early 80's Mini that has been rebuild from the ground up, with totally reworked and properly aligned/set up suspension. It has been bored out to 1380cc and has about 120bhp (weighs about half a new mini), and is an incredible handling and very quick little car - endless fun. In a different league in terms of "nippyness" compared to the new cars dua to being genuinely small and light.
Still cant wait to get an R56 JCW though - new cars just make performance motoring so much easier and trouble free (touch wood) and certainly leagues more comfortable.

Apr 13th, 2008, 06:09 PM	#69
rogan200 Mini JCW Owner-To-Be!! Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Harrogate / Bristol Local Time: 09:23 PM Posts: 85 Offline	Quote: Originally Posted by ViscountCharles (original) Easy. The 1275 Cooper S from the mid-late 60's. I had a fuel-injected Cooper 35 in the late 90's that had lots of engine and suspension work done to it (about £5k on top of the price of the car), and that was pretty special too. the R53 and R56 are both better cars, no doubt about it, but neither are really anything more than very pale imitations of the real thing when it comes to characteristics like handling and nippyness. Completely agree. I have an early 80's Mini that has been rebuild from the ground up, with totally reworked and properly aligned/set up suspension. It has been bored out to 1380cc and has about 120bhp (weighs about half a new mini), and is an incredible handling and very quick little car - endless fun. In a different league in terms of "nippyness" compared to the new cars dua to being genuinely small and light. Still cant wait to get an R56 JCW though - new cars just make performance motoring so much easier and trouble free (touch wood) and certainly leagues more comfortable. Last edited by rogan200 : Apr 13th, 2008 at 06:10 PM. Reason: ?