Sorry for another one of these type of threads. I can't seem to find any reference to this threaded hole in the remote shifter housing:

It is for the original bottom exhaust bracket/clamp on the 997 and 998 Cooper. Maybe Cooper S had it too, I can't remember.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Thanks, but with answers come questions! Without a bracket for the exhaust until the rear of the car am i likely to damage the exhaust/headers?

Also, just for my curiosity. Where the shifter housing bolts up to the gearbox, there is a half moon looking rubber seal, why was it designed like this instead of just having the housing mate up to the gearbox the whole way around?

There should be a centre pipe mount on the rear subframe.
These days the bottom of new headers is clamped to the bottom bolt of the diff side cover. Or on an original bracket mounted there.
The front of the remote housing was cut away to allow machining inside for the shifter shaft.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

The exhaust (aftermarket) is utilising the rear subframe mount, but no mounts forward of that. I guess I should sort that out before driving it to much.

It is so obvious now that I know what the cut out is for!

All answers to date have been focussing on the secondary purpose of the offending item. Its primary purpose as in all things mini, is to poke out, catch unsuspecting fingers and rip them to shreds...

i am pretty sure that the combination of -front mount / rear subframe mount and a rear muffler mount will be rigid enough, and often welded as one long piece... the downside you may have to slide the whole piece back and off to allow headers to come off ---- able to be done quite quickly but unless on a hoist, be prepared to shuffle about three times under the car

Very true - little is known of Sir Alec's fiendish secret guinea-pig mechanic testing program, but it's rumoured a retirement home in England still houses several old men who will never play the piano again and wake from nightmares screaming "How the &#*% am I supposed to reach that???"

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Min - 1970 MkII S, 119hp Dave Anton 1380, SH Engineering belt drive, 1.5 rollers, 123Tune ignition, 48 DCO SP Weber, HP Headers, MSD, Maniflow ex. Swiftune SC/CR 3.7 + ATB, all KAD front, antiroll bars and gas shocks, 6 inch Minilites with Dunlop Sports

I have found that the bottom clamp is not strictly needed IF you have a remote box. But running without it on a rodchange or 850 box is a recipe for a cracked header or downpipe.
Because the power unit rocks about more due to torque reaction. The remote housing makes a dandy torque arm with it's extra mount.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Point of clarification: at the gear lever end of the remote, does that pressed metal cup face down? I am getting close to finishing the interior of mine and the parts drawing shows it facing down. Maybe it doesn't make any difference?

Cup faces up, it's supposed to have a little boot on it to keep crap out. But most don't anymore.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.