If someone were to say they were building a track car, an R52 Convertible is probably not what you’d think of. And yet here we are, with Justin Kennedy and his track-build R52 Cab. It’s an unlikely combination but, you know what? It works. Somehow, Justin has taken the soft-top track day candidate, and with some serious enhancement, he’s built himself a hardcore, circuit-hungry convertible, and it’s an impressive offering. Except this wasn’t a solo build, and this is more than just a car, it’s a lasting memory.
“I’ve always had an interest in MINIs,” Justin begins as we chat, “but it wasn’t until five years ago when my older brother Spencer, was diagnosed with cancer that I decided to buy one as a project we could spend time on together. We spent many hours working on it and playing with it together at track days and car shows. This gave us something fun to spend time on that we had a mutual love and passion for, and has given me the gift of happy memories in his last years,” he tells us, and that makes this fiery little convertible a rather special car and very personal to Justin.
So why an
