West Tuning Thruxton 240+bhp conversion test drive

[Tonyt3]

Just spent most of today driving the West Tuning Thruxton conversion. This car boasts the 240+bhp conversion of the standard S, and is marketed by ex Touring car driver Ray West down at Thruxton (Hampshire). Ray has been tuning high performance cars for many years, he relies almost totally on word of mouth about his engineering skills in order to promote his conversions.

Not many people get the chance to drive this car. The engine conversion boasts the following mods:

17% pulley reduction
Fast road Cam
Enlarged throttle body
Custom ECU remap
Full Milltek exhaust system - header and back boxes

Also on this car, but not included in the price of the 240bhp kit -

18" custom alloys
Brembo 330mm brake kit
Lowered suspension

Let me just tell you about what I am going to compare Ray Wests car against. I myself drive a Works S. The Thruxton car anialates the Works, at every comparison. Power delivery is both smooth and at the same time manic - topping out the rev range at well over 7200rpm, this car pulls and pulls. Power avialable in sixth gear is more than equal to 5th in the Works. the sound it makes is breathtaking. Stability on the road is superb. I thought the standard S was good, but this car is simply joined to the road surface. Braking is unbelievable. Ray took me for a demo run in this car, he was still accelerating hard towards a corner maybe 2 seconds after I would have been on the brakes in my Works car. When he did use the anchors, deceleration was profound. Its hard to believe the little Mini can be made to perform like this.

Prices for this kit are around £4000, similar to the Works conversion. The difference in performance between a Works and Rays' Thruxton is similar to the gap you get between a Cooper and an S, except more urgent again. Spending some extra money on the Brakes (£1300ish) and the suspension turn the Mini from a fast road car to a very capable track performer. I'm simply stunned at how good this car is.

Thanks to Ray for letting me use his car for a day - a rare privalige if ever there was one.

Fully recommended - why did I spend my money on a Works?

[LMB]

I've read nothing but good things about this conversion but it's bound to be better than the Works. For a start it's got 40bhp more, you then throw the Brembo 330mm brake kit and the lowered suspension and it'll feel like a different car.

Can I ask how much he charges for his suspension setup?

[Tonyt3]

Quote: Originally Posted by LMB

I've read nothing but good things about this conversion but it's bound to be better than the Works. For a start it's got 40bhp more, you then throw the Brembo 330mm brake kit and the lowered suspension and it'll feel like a different car.

Can I ask how much he charges for his suspension setup?

Don't know how much he charges for the suspension LMB, but I've got his phone number if you want to call him yourself.

I know that 'its bound to be better than the Works', but that is still my yardstick for direct comparison. However, its so much better than the Works, it makes you wonder why John Cooper Garages don't develope their own 'super works' conversion.

If I had compared the car directly to a standard S, I don't think many people would get the idea of just how good this thing is. The only major technical difference that I think also needs doing is the brake conversion - I don't think people should get this conversion without spending the extra money on the brakes.

I haven't driven the other 240bhp conversions available yet, and, from what I've seen already with the Thruxton car, I don't think I'd bother. If I were to compare this conversion with say a 3 series BMW, its like the standard car is a 320, the S is a 325, the Works is a 328, and yes, the Thruxton is the M3. The engineering feel of the conversion really is that solid. Very comparable with a Works conversion in that respect actually - i always said the Works felt 'engineered', very 'M sport' in feel.

My wife would kill me if she knew I was considering this conversion on top of my Works. Ray West says the conversion on top of the Works components already fitted should see a return of in excesss of 250bhp....

[Leccy_Blue]

Sounds like an excellent conversion. I saw the article in EVO a couple of months ago, they seemed to rate it very highly and I think I recall them saying it was the fastest Mini they had ever driven.

I thinks I might be going for the 214bhp West tuning upgrade myself for around £1500(I think thats how much it is) in the not too distant future as there has been nothing but praise for his conversions.

LB.

[Vron]

So you would be spending another c£5k for a Wings West conversion & brakes on top of a 4K Works conversion ???????????????

[Perm]

For infomation the link below will take you to the EVO site
www.evo.co.uk

Do a search on the site for West Tuning, you will be able to find the full review.

Perm

[LMB]

Quote:

My wife would kill me if she knew I was considering this conversion on top of my Works. Ray West says the conversion on top of the Works components already fitted should see a return of in excesss of 250bhp....

What would he do to get the performance? 17% pulley reduction, Fast road Cam,Enlarged throttle body?

That'll cost £££ no?

Be nice mind. A Thruxton JCW

[MINIAC]

Make all those changes and it won't be a Works car anymore

Makes more sense to sell the Works and do this conversion on a new MCS.

[Fullupo]

I take it the £5664 that EVO state is for the engine mods, the brakes and the suspension? It it was 4k all in then id be putting in my order now.

[Hubert]

Hi Tony,
Does the West 240hp package not include cylinder head work?

[uae mini]

i just cant wait till i get the handling of the Mini to a new level to start with more upgrading...
just imagine kicking a Z350's butt.
wooohooo!!

[uae mini]

BTW guys don't you think Mini Madness offers relatively the same thing?
they have got a 265hp kit too... but most important the have a 63mm throttlebody, Schrick cam, and port and polish head with larger valves, not to forget the intake manifold.
what do u think? i think its great.

[Tonyt3]

Quote: Originally Posted by Vron

So you would be spending another c£5k for a Wings West conversion & brakes on top of a 4K Works conversion ???????????????

I'd consider it if I could get it done without my wife finding out.....

[Tonyt3]

Quote: Originally Posted by Max

Hi Tony. Graham Goode racing offers 245 bhp for less money and just the 15% pulley...

Alistair Mayne and many other tuners in the UK are not happy about going for more than 15% reduction on the pulley and I support them in their diagnosis. The 19% reduction pulley wheel has not been tested to exhaustion yet (and JCG are not doing this which is a good indicator )

Anyway GGR do this with a GGR S200 (like a JCW but 207 bhp and a third of the cost ) plus a gas flowed head with larger ex valves, a new header (developed with Janspeed Tuning), a sports Cat and the Janspeed Cat-back

They actually let u back in at thruxton then??

tehe

Max, with respect, i haven't heard a GOOD word said about the GGR 245bhp conversion yet.....

[Tonyt3]

Quote: Originally Posted by Hubert

Hi Tony,
Does the West 240hp package not include cylinder head work?

I'm not sure, but I don't think so....