MINI COOPER :: North American Motoring

**lotsie** · #1 08-10-2008, 10:49 AM

The old bonnet stripes on the Cabrio needed to be replaced, they were cracked and faded were they were not under the clear bra.

We decided to leave them alone under the bra, remove the rest, then go over the bra with the new ones, which are a little wider than the old ones.

Before.
Here you can see how they faded

How they were cracked

Removal.
We found heat from a hair dryer helped. I used an X-acto chisel blade to lift edges, but because of the cracking they came up in small pieces, it took about 1/2 an hour to remove one stripe.

It's off, but yucky

But with alcohol, WD-40, QD and elbow grease it cleaned up pretty well. Claying,Swirl and Amigo to follow, before new ones go on

Will update as we go.

Mark

kenchan · #2 08-10-2008, 12:27 PM

looking good so far!

yah, those adhesives can be a mess some times.

CR&PW&JB · #3 08-10-2008, 12:35 PM

Ah, Mark, you tease, you !

Just giving us a glimpse of your project and not showing us what the new stripes look like yet.

Nice job in the removal.

**StLouieLo** · #4 08-10-2008, 01:50 PM

The stripes are not on yet! He's clayed, polished & is about to put some Amigo on. Then come the stripes

Lois

CR&PW&JB · #5 08-10-2008, 01:56 PM

We'll be expecting updates every 15 minutes, Lois.

Thanks.

**lotsie** · #6 08-10-2008, 04:42 PM

OK, here ya go, stripes are on. It was not easy lining up the new over the old, we had maybe an 1/8 of an inch to play with, 1/16 or less per side. Took both of us, with tongues stuck out, and moments that were rather stressful, but we got them on. There are some bubbles, but sun and a pin will get rid of those.

I was never able to completely get rid of the lines from the old stripes, I figure it would take a rotary to do that, but the new ones cover them, so not a big issue.

Washed, clayed and polished.

They look pretty good in our opinion

Now it's time to cook some beer can chicken, Banana Gloss the bonnet, and wash Poco. Oh and drink some ales

Mark

CR&PW&JB · #7 08-10-2008, 04:48 PM

Very nicely done, Mark. You can't even tell they're a layer of vinyl and a layer of clear bra under that new stripe. I was wondering if there would be a visible drop off where the clearbra ends. Don't see any.

Are those custom stripes ? They are closer together where they end at the grill than any others I've seen.

Yours: \../

Others: \.../

Cool !

**lotsie** · #8 08-10-2008, 05:19 PM

Yes, Lois likes them that way, makes it look fast

There is a drop off/seam at the edge of the bra, but not real noticeable, and if we still have the car 4 more years down the road, we will replace the bra, stripes, and start again.

The big thing I learned from this, make sure you REALLY like the look of stripes, because if they are exposed to sun, weather, daily driving, you will need to do a major rotary treatment to get completely rid of any sign that stripes have been on. Not an issue for me, as I like the stripeless look.

Mark

kenchan · #9 08-10-2008, 05:19 PM

yah, very unique!

rockridge · #10 08-10-2008, 07:29 PM

Very Nice. How old is your Mini? the paint job looks out of the showroom.

richs10 · #11 08-10-2008, 07:45 PM

Great post! As an "under the bra guy" (did I say that?) I have thought about having to someday replace the upper parts of my sport stripes. It's nice to see someone take that job on and do such a great job!

Rich

ofioliti · #12 08-10-2008, 08:03 PM

Looks great, Mark and Lois!

I guess you're keeping the cabrio then? I tought you were thinking of selling it and getting a Clubman.

bobj · #13 08-10-2008, 08:27 PM

Great job!

**StLouieLo** · #14 08-10-2008, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockridge

Very Nice. How old is your Mini? the paint job looks out of the showroom.

Thanks

I live with a great detailer

My Cabrio is 4 years old next month & looks better than she did coming off the showroom

And, John, we've decided to keep her for awhile. She's unique now that the R52s are a thing of the past.

Lois

**lotsie** · #15 08-10-2008, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richs10

Great post! As an "under the bra guy" (did I say that?) I have thought about having to someday replace the upper parts of my sport stripes. It's nice to see someone take that job on and do such a great job!

Rich

I think doing it the way we did it, is WAY easier than cutting the bra, and getting the new stripes to fit right. If it were to come to that, I think I'd remove the bra(one of my favorite things

) and start over.

Mark

**Mishka** · #16 08-10-2008, 09:15 PM

Well done! Sunny looks great with her new stripes.

Wish we lived closer to you guys and had known you were going to tackle this little project. I have a small plastic tool that's designed for removing vinyl and you don't have to worry about damaging the paint. (Of course, Mark is so good at things like this that damaging the paint is not an issue for him like it would be for me.

)

BTW, what happened to her driving lights?

**lotsie** · #17 08-10-2008, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mishka

BTW, what happened to her driving lights?

It's her new look, due to one that kept falling off

and finally broke

Mark

LtRex · #18 12-06-2008, 08:30 AM

Mark,

Funny I found this post. I am wanting to take my bonnet stripes off. They are not cracked, just water spotted and I can't get that corrected all the way. I wonder if mine will come off in one piece or in pieces like yours!?!?

**lotsie** · #19 12-06-2008, 09:44 AM

Hey Rex, welcome to the detailing forum, I hang out here all the time. Check out this thread, where we talk about all kinds of things, not just detailing.
http://www.northamericanmotoring.com...ml#post2580692

Now to your question. Have you tried clay bar on the water spots, or a mixture of alcohol/water, mixed 50/50 (no, beer will not work

) That may get them off. As to whether they will come off in one piece, there is really no way of knowing until you start pulling them off. The ones we took off of Lois's Cabrio had stone chips, and cracks in them, and that what caused the problem of them coming off in pieces.

Mark