[arvin]

I want to get more power out of my car [Mini Cooper] but i dont want to switch to a Cooper S because i have already started modding my cooper.

Is it possibl to take an engine from say a written off cooper S and convert my existing cooper engine?

[MiniPetrolHead]

Short answer is yes you can but there is also alot of other things that need converting too, such as gear box drive shafts etc, your best bet would either be to have the cylinder head ported and pollished on you cooper and then put a turbo on it from BMW MINI bodystyling specialist - kits, colour coding, air suspension,,,08707 518518 who are in the UK, they can put a standard one/cooper engine up to 170bhp.

Alot of people say that the One/Cooper engine cant take it but it can, as they have theirs running at 220bhp. I think 170bhp would be great in a One/Cooper, give them a ring and they will talk you through everything.

Hope this helps

Alex

[Paul]

You'd still want to do something about the gear box with that power or you're at serious risk of regular serious issues.

[MiniPetrolHead]

Yeah Paul is right, with the early One/Cooper's they esspecially had a weeker gear box and struggle with even 150bhp, although the later models were better they still may have issues.

If you determined to have power coming out of your ears 1320 autos do a gear box conversion, but when you realisticly look at the costs, i would say.......buy an S and have peice of mind.

You can use pretty much all your mods from the cooper on the S!

I used to have a Mini One that i had done everything to apart from the turbo and the cylinder head and it was fast running 135.4bhp! but now i have sold it back to bmw (standard again) i can now put things like my short shifter, exhaust manifold, strutt brace and lowering springs on my cooper S.

You can put you cooper up to around 150 - 155bhp with the cylinder head and cam done and it will be fast, near enough as fast as an S, but 150bhp area is where your going to have to stop. Where as with an S you have 163/170bhp standard which is already very fast, then put it up to 275bhp area when funds allow.

Alex

[Ant FR]

sorry, no real option but to put it back to standard and swap it for a cooper S. Just throwing good money after bad to do it any other way. Not to mention reslae value. Who really is going to want to buy a Cooper that has been converted to a cooper S when they can just go a proper BMW cooper s in the first place. No financial sense in that idea at all.

[Root Ginger]

Quote: Originally Posted by Ant FR (original)

sorry, no real option but to put it back to standard and swap it for a cooper S. Just throwing good money after bad to do it any other way. Not to mention reslae value. Who really is going to want to buy a Cooper that has been converted to a cooper S when they can just go a proper BMW cooper s in the first place. No financial sense in that idea at all.

+1 on that. By the time you have converted to an S you'd have spent more money than trading for an S in the first place.

[arvin]

ya thats pretty much wat i thought, + thnx for the technical info petrolhead thats wat i wanted to kno about.... but is it possible to unbolt and rebolt my aero kit, and exhaust etc... cos surely you need the oem bumper, skirts etc to put them back?

[Dubcooper]

Quote: Originally Posted by MiniPetrolHead (original)

then put a turbo on it from ..who are in the UK, they can put a standard one/cooper engine up to 170bhp.

Hi Alex, do you know of anyone independent who's actually had this work done to their one/cooper? Would be interested to hear how it works out long-term.

[JAMIE1131]

Quote: Originally Posted by arvin (original)

ya thats pretty much wat i thought, + thnx for the technical info petrolhead thats wat i wanted to kno about.... but is it possible to unbolt and rebolt my aero kit, and exhaust etc... cos surely you need the oem bumper, skirts etc to put them back?

Might be wrong but I dont think the rear cooper aero bumper will fit an MCS due to centre exhaust?

[Capsaisin]

Apart from the complexity, reliability and cost of converting a Cooper have you even considered the insurance on such a car?

I bet you will discover that if you can get insurance, the premium will most likely be twice that for a standard S.

[I love MINI, Laura]

Quote: Originally Posted by Capsaisin (original)

Apart from the complexity, reliability and cost of converting a Cooper have you even considered the insurance on such a car?

I bet you will discover that if you can get insurance, the premium will most likely be twice that for a standard S.

This is exactly what I was going to say! Modifications are the Insurance companies reason to burn you. Buy a Cooper S and you'll find that will be cheaper to insure than if you modded your Cooper.

[quim]

Quote: Originally Posted by I love MINI, Laura (original)

This is exactly what I was going to say! Modifications are the Insurance companies reason to burn you. Buy a Cooper S and you'll find that will be cheaper to insure than if you modded your Cooper.

Change cilinder head and turbo is very discreet you can do it without call Insurance Company. But always will be a Cooper with extras.

[I love MINI, Laura]

Hmmmm not sure about that. Insurance companies just look for a reason not to pay out. Mush better idea to tell them everything!

[arvin]

Well im 17 anyway and the insurance on my cooper is £5,000-6,000 and i had an accident for £9,000 worth of damage 3 months ago, when i get my new premium next year i will definetly have to be a named driver.. probably have to wait a fair few years to get a cooper S

[David King]

Quote: Originally Posted by quim (original)

Change cilinder head and turbo is very discreet you can do it without call Insurance Company. But always will be a Cooper with extras.

Im sorry but a turbo is NOT a discreet modification, and its not very clever to go around encouraging someone to effectively drive around uninsured.

Quote: Originally Posted by arvin (original)

Well im 17 anyway and the insurance on my cooper is £5,000-6,000 and i had an accident for £9,000 worth of damage 3 months ago

Im surprised the car wasnt writen off at that price.

[Capsaisin]

Quote: Originally Posted by arvin (original)

Well im 17 anyway and the insurance on my cooper is £5,000-6,000 and i had an accident for £9,000 worth of damage 3 months ago, when i get my new premium next year i will definetly have to be a named driver.. probably have to wait a fair few years to get a cooper S

Then surely you are being faecesious?

[I love MINI, Laura]

Why not just blue fin the Cooper if you feel like it needs more power but again this will put your insurance up and is it really worth it with all your insurance costs now anyway?

[James]

Quote: Originally Posted by arvin (original)

Well im 17 anyway and the insurance on my cooper is £5,000-6,000 and i had an accident for £9,000 worth of damage 3 months ago, when i get my new premium next year i will definetly have to be a named driver.. probably have to wait a fair few years to get a cooper S

Sounds like you can't handle a Cooper let alone an S. You should have got a ONE and saved the money up for when you're old enough for an S.

[mab01uk]

You missed this complete S engine/gearbox for a complete transplant went for only £225:-
Cooper S
or this engine only low miles but asking more:-
Cooper S
A few classic Mini owners are now buying these for transplants...........won,t be totally free of BMW parts

[Chris369]

Can you put a Cooper S Supercharger into a regular Cooper? If so, is it a fairly easy process? Obviously I'd need a Cooper S bonnet too.

I'm not planning on doing it soon .. need to wait until I get at least my second years discount first I think. Just wanna know for future reference