Though Mini Coopers have long been popular platforms of customization for vintage and club racing, we’ve never seen anything quite like the newest build series from Santa Barbara-based shop, Gildred Racing: a limited-to-ten run of mid-’70s Mini Coopers that have been transformed into ultra-high-performance, tire-eating, 500hp+ track weapons.
Dubbed the “Super Cooper Type S,” the heavily-modified Minis are powered by Rotrex C38-81-supercharged (2003) Acura CL-S V6 engines with Arias forged pistons, J35 cranks, Crower H-beam con-rods, ARP Head studs, Masters FX350 clutches, and six-speed transmissions — an arrangement that’s reportedly good for 502hp and 383ft-lbs of torque at the rear wheel! Further performance upgrades come from fully-adjustable coil-overs and Wilwood quad-piston forged billet calipers- chomping down on 9.5″ vented rotors. These specially-built Super Coopers are also wearing MK3 Sport bodies and riding on 13” rims. The interiors get heated/cooled Recaro LX seats, custom upholstery, AEM electronics, and an Alpine stereo and dash-integrated tablet, among a slew of other optional upgrades. The first of the ten builds is currently for sale for $150,000, though Gildred is building nine more specimens, all with dozens of customization options and all at a similar price. For more information, check out the Super Cooper Type S website linked below.
