Mini Cooper Forums - Mini Cooper Enthusiast Forums - 08 ragtop Cooper S restoration...

Good day all!!

Here is a little history on my 08 ragtop S manual trans... I got this for the grand total of $2200 with transmission issues... It started and ran great... No clutch pedal and it made a loud whine when running at idle... I started it in first and got it going... I shifted it without the pedal by matching the next gear to the correct speed... So it worked... It was solid, for the most part... and included a colony of ants... UGH!

I got it home and pulled the trans... Melted throw-out bearing...

New clutch and solid flywheel combo that saved two pounds...

Pass rear window regulator was wound up around the spool... I pulled it apart, straightened the bends in the wire rope and wound it up again... It broke the blue wheel, so I fab'd one quickly out of aluminium... Not my best work, but it is hidden...

Headlights were hazed over... A little rubbing compound and time on them got them better... I need to do the 2000 grit sandpaper then repeat the rubbing compound...

My top worked when I got it... The radio did not... Nothing from the radio at all... The PO had installed a blue Parrot thing and popped the fuse to the back of the radio and main amp fuse... The radio comes on, but no sound so I suspect I have the common amp failure... So, back to the top... It worked until I replaced the radio fuses... Now I have no communication from the amp, nor the CVM (top module) when I hook up the car to the laptop... Swapping in a spare CVM did nothing... Thoughts on this one?!

So, the ants have moved from the engine bay to the driver side rear area... I think I flushed them out this past washing... The interior was completely neglected and filthy... I'm still doing detail cleaning!

There is a mod I want to do, but unsure if it is possible due to wiring differences... I was to put the information gauge cluster in the middle dash location and the dual gauges over the steering column... Can I do that if I pull the wiring and such from the donor car? I found a car that had it, but it had the nav screen and I don't really want nav... Oh, it was also a 2002... I need one from a 9/04 and newer, according to REALOEM.COM.....

Well.... This is a lot to start out with... I should break this post up, but I already have it done, so we'll see how it goes... I did do a search for my issue, but most problems concerned the cables...

Thanks!!!!!

Cheers all!!!

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/minicoo...449de6658c.jpg

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/minicoo...d62d74beca.jpg

Original set-up... Swapped out for the Valeo kit...

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/minicoo...3def542dd0.jpg

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/minicoo...9f3c4dd643.jpg

Broken valve cover... Repaired in stead of replaced by the PO... I had to straighten out the spark plug tubes too...

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/minicoo...91c50135e1.jpg

Before...

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/minicoo...cbb5d04c9e.jpg

After!! Not completely perfect yet...

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/minicoo...cb3e54fa2f.jpg

I put this back together to get the dimensions... I need to make a better set-up... The one I have in there working is just not to my liking...

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/minicoo...2ce009b71e.jpg

That top left most pivot is where the blue wheel should be... I pulled that pin and put a bolt with the fab'd gear on it...

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/minicoo...d5938dbc7b.jpg