[ExclusiveWorkshops]

for an example this is mine, it doesn't meet you wish list for spec or cost, I doubt you would find a reasonable condition S for that unless near dead considering they can be ~2 in spares or repairs ads

this has MFSW, heated front screen, auto lights and wipers, cruise, but no climate, has half leather, no roof rails but has bars included, does have sun protection glass and definitely no sunroof, few people do want them because they fail and cost a packet to sort out, or can

this one had new rings and chains, stem seals and head stripped and cleaned with valves lapped, and a new OEM clutch

still has a fault though for cam adjustment and doesn't come with the grey wheels unless paid for in addition, just an example, this car is approaching twice your target figure with 88k on it or at least the asking price would be

it has new rear pads and discs and will be having new front dampers, tyres on either wheel set are non runflat, Landsail on the silver, all good with one new, wheels have just been powder coated since the pic, and new RS5's on the grey which are also newly powder coated, those tyres in a larger size of 225/40, new OEM mat set just added, and it has a spare, don't know if it's complete or right but there's one under the false floor, AC also gassed

it's also not a smoker car or dog car, it has Xenons

few marks as most do, I'm not a valeter making stuff look mint, still it's smart for 15

also has a new turbo cartridge (CHRA)

 

[Rosscopeco]

Thanks for the reply. Really appreciate the detailed post and guidance comments which I’ll take on board. Looks like a nice car….what prompted you to rebuild….looking for more power?

In my Audi B5 S4 / RS4 platform the rods get a bit unpredictable after 700nm so a bottom end rebuild pushes that limit to over 1000nm.

 

[ExclusiveWorkshops]

standard car this one, it had a burnt valve originally, I just know the stem seals and rings are tired by 75k so it just got honed for rings and the head cleaned up as shown, not a full rebuild, while I was doing it the car did receive a temporary motor that had been rebuilt with new pistons and bearings ect but was swapped back before Christmas with its original lump

if tuning them then yes it's a good idea to consider forging, quite puny rod bolts on all the gen 2 cars compared to gen 1 or any of the forged rod bolts which are usually 3/8 rather than 5/16

tempting to forge them all of course but people won't pay for the parts, the irony being if they do it later they pay for both the labour and the parts, rods, pistons, ARP top and bottom plus race version bearings is a good way to add over £2.5k just for the bottom end performance parts excluding any engineering prep

 

[ExclusiveWorkshops]

even some of the forged rods in these have been found to bend, you'll see in that pic above I use an 'I' beam version which is supposedly less likely to than the 'H's that have, that's the belief at least trade off is a few extra grams

 

[Rosscopeco]

Thanks…..again this is all very helpful in my education.

 

[Rosscopeco]

Now sorted with a ‘57 plate Cooper with a great spec. Thanks

 

[MGCooperS]

What did you spend, out of interest? Prices when I was looking a year ago were all over the place.

I bought a 56 plate/R56/66K miles £3.5K and it has the usual oil leaks, but is going strong a year on.

Not sure what £2.5K buys you

 

[Rosscopeco]

‘57 plate Cooper with 120k, pano sunroof, bi-xenon, climate, cruise, MFSW, half leather inc new timing chain, valve stem seals & clutch for £2,500. Since buying it I’ve installed a double DIN central console with a Pioneer head unit, an arm rest, 16” wheels with Michelin CC+ tyres so we’ve got everything we wanted for a total spend of just under £3k. It needs a few wee niggles sorted (very slight leak on thermostat when it’s given a spirited run and a very slight knock from the front end) but over all we’re very happy and will run this for a year then look for a Cooper S.