Removing the bumper chrome strip

[Justin S]

Just bought a black JCW grill to replace the chrome strip on my car, but do I just prise the strip out? I believe I have to fettle the grill to make it fit as well. Anyone done this that can give me advice? Cheers

[craigtf]

The top grille is easy to fit. To do the lower one you need to take off the bumper, the grille is clipped and double sided taped. You need to cut the grille to make it thinner and cut new slots into the bumper

[craigtf]

Here is a guide: http://www.motoringfile.com/howto/MINI_aero_grill_...

[Justin S]

Car already has the bonnet grill, just trying to sort the lower one, which looks like a beer, discussion, beer night with mates and a dremmel LOL Cheers for the link, thats made it worse than I thought it would be LOL

[kiefh]

just done one with my son tonight on his cooper s,took approx 2hrs.incl fitting top grill,you need a steady hand when cutting down the lower grill,found a copping saw was best but make sure you get some one to hold grill steady.looks great when done,or can do it for you if not to far away for a small fee.good luck.

[Justin S]

Cheers for the offer kiefh but if it stops raining, I will do it today. Have a chainsaw,so cutting shouldnt take too long LOL................... I have a dremel and a compressor fed cutter, so a bit of patience and hopefully be done. Going to take the wheels off for easier access to the under wheel arch bolts, as have to change the brake pads anyway and then the rear brake sensor and we are nearly done, oh and just ordered a strut brace, so maybe never done...................and looking at the GTT JCW air filter...........and a pulley.............it will never end LOL

[bobr]

Crashing in to the back of and old Beemer (at low speed) is pretty effective at removing both grills

st fk bks tt

[Justin S]

Uuuum,wasnt planning that style of approach bobr. Done the job, dremmeled more than I thought. Cut all the grille up and then removed the inner stuck on plastic piece, found the bumper part still hits the new grille, so the dremmel came out again. Cut that out and left just the middle support piece. Painted the inset area black with plasticoat and also painted the crash bar black, as now it will show through the grille. Grille now fits as flush as the bonnet grill and looks really good.Mate came over in his car, was thinking about doing it too, but saw all the bits I was cutting out and I think he chickened out. Luckily the bumper had all new bolts in, so was a doddle to take off, except I forgot when I put it back on to refit the temp sensor......Really pleased with the end result, better than I was expecting. Will post a picture later.................brake pads next LOL

[Justin S]

Picture of the finished article. Really pleased. Had real trauma with the brakes yesterday. One of the slider bolts knurled the tread in the cast caliper bracket and are they a standard thread? er no.....................try M9 x 1.25 pitch FFS.... Had a few hours in a mates garage workshop looking for a spare pin, which we found and had to improvise a tap from that and chased the thread and he has some thread saving files for the slider bolt.............4hrs to do the brakes and sods law was the last bolt before putting the wheel back on to finish the job...............so,just the rear pads sensor to change , which I cant be arsed after all that this weekend.