My Other Project: 2006 R53 MINI Cooper S

[MaxA]

And I have a new(ish) boot lid on the way, to arrive in April. It doesn't suffer from rust to the boot handle, so I should be able to drive without getting pulled over for no numberplate lights ... although it might be a bit 'outlaw' as I think it might be red. the car's "dark silver" (grey) with a black roof. Let's see. Might have to think about that.

 

[MaxA]

I'm delighted by the latest development: my daughter turned 18 and as such, wants to get her manual driving license including learning to drive in the Mini. Now I really need to get it back on the road ...

 

[MaxA]

The poor old 53 is still a work in progress; the long-awaited red boot lid sourced and delivered from Poland was slightly twisted and didn't fit properly. It must have been removed with a sledgehammer, but it wasn't obvious until you try to fit the bolts to the hinges.

Unfortunately I only discovered this on trying to fit it, having stripped the previous boot of all badges, interior trim, and belt line, th radio boost wiring and box, and the wiring loom, and refitting it all to the red boot lid. So I had to reverse all that work, and I then spent hours trying to re-install the old boot handle on the old rusty boot lid with new longer hardware and spacers etc. so it would basically just stay on (with a bit of glue!) and still open the boot. The old handle then failed to work at all.

I've finally now sourced a new rear high level LED brake light with gasket and hardware - as the lens did not survive this enterprise - and I now have a whole new boot handle with new non-rusty registration light holders, bulbs and new clear lenses with all tabs intact.

Of course the rust is still there on the old boot lid but at least I know how to fit the boot handle, and I might be able to get the car back on the road (albeit still rusty), once I've figured out how to re-assemble the drivers' side seat rails which I pulled apart in a vain attempt to add the rails to my Sparco bucket for my daughter. (It can't be done without a lot of removal of metal which concerns me, for obvious safety reasons.)

As much time has passed, and the car obviously hasn't been used, the pistons in both the rear calipers had rusted solid due to lack of use and water ingress (they wouldn't wind back at all, even with the right tool) so I have replaced the calipers and now the rear wheels rotate.

So far, all this boot lid stuff is not the kind of stuff I normally do, so I find it awkward and time-consuming, but hopefully I can get the seat rails back together, and then get an MOT organised without finding any new issues, but it does feel like a bit of life has got in the way.

I've learned that taking a car off the road (ie SORN) is a bad idea, as it fights you when you want to re-commission it. No plans to do that again.