PLR Project: R56 from street to track car

As some will already know, the PLR Project R56 track car has progressed pretty well since the last time we posted any updates about it. So I guess its about time I update the website with what we have been up to with the car. If you have seen the post about us at the #trackaddicts track day, you will have seen some of the upgrades we have done, So let’s go into some detail about them.

Just in case we roll it…

The first thing we actually got done on the Mini, was a rear cage was installed. Now 90% of the upgrades we do ourselves in-house, but the first thing we had done we actually sent the car down to Lohen. They are one of the main suppliers and installers for Safety Devices BMW Mini roll cages. In this case a Mini R53 cage, which he had installed in the R56. For those wondering this is a common upgrade, as up until a few months ago there was no specific R56 cage available.

Images from @Lohenmini on Instagram

We opted for the full bolt in cage. though only the rear has been installed for now. This is due to, for now at least, the car been a road legal track car. Once the car comes off the road the rest of the cage was going to be installed. But we may now upgrade to the newly developed R56 full cage, especially if we end up competing in the car.

Are we sitting comfortably?

So after the rear cage was installed it was time to install a set of bucket seats and harnesses. The seats are the same ones that we had in the old R53 Cooper S, Corbeau clubsports. Now yes these are none FIA approved bucket seats, but for now, the R56 is only doing track days. Once we move onto competition then an FIA approved bucket seat will be installed. To get these to fit we have used the R53 seat mounts as the floor pan is very much alike in both cars.

Harness wise, we went with TRS 6 points, thanks to PLR associate Olly Button for those. To make sure the harnesses are anchored properly we have welded in the mounting plates. To which harness belt eye bolts are wound into. We are also utilizing the harness bars on the rear cage for the two shoulder straps. One advisory here is it can be very dangerous to install harnesses without a harness bar.