Choosing and installing an intercooler in your Mini.
Installing an intercooler is a very worthwhile modification,
an effective intercooler can be a huge advantage and can yield big power gains. Even on low boost, but even more so once the boost is raised.
There is not a lot of room in a Mini engine bay, but the choice of intercoolers is huge, and with a little thought the installation should not be to difficult. Intercoolers do not have to cost the earth, i got my first one, a Renault 5 item, from a scrapyard for five pounds.

My custom alloy intercooler.

Due to ever increasing engine modifications i needed a more effective intercooler, this is the answer, very low charge temps even when running 20+psi of boost. I had previously has the Renault unit mounted to one side, where the radiator is usually situated {reasonably effective for 10psi or so} and had a Metro Turbo radiator up front. Obviously this was not the most ideal location for the intercooler. So i decided to get a custom made alloy item, of a decent size. This could then be mounted upfront in the airstream. I ran the car on low boost while the unit was being made, then installed the intercooler. Even on low boost there was a noticable power increase due to the drop in intake charge temperature.

Loads of cars have intercoolers, especially Turbo diesels. So try searching your local scrap yard for a suitable item. They can usually be picked up for a fair price.There isn't much room in the Mini engine bay so your choice may be limited. But with a bit of DIY most things are possible. Remember biggest isn't always best, it's just as important to locate the intercooler in an effective place as it is to have a larger unit in a poorer position. A couple of possible choices are the Series 2 RS Turbo Escort and the Renault 5 Turbo, Uno Turbo etc

There are plenty of options for intercoolers, pictured above are a Renault 5 Turbo and a Landrover Discovery unit. The Renault unit is quite efficient once the thermostat in the top tank is removed.

I used these Samco silicone type hoses. These are available from the likes of Demon Tweeks etc
They do loads of bends and angles in all different sizes. I used the hoses for the bends and used stainless tubing to make the connections. The Samco items are possibly a bit overkill & there are cheaper options available. Having lengths of stainless tubing bent to the correct dimensions & using small amounts of rubber/silicone hose to connect them, may be a cheaper option ?