Mizer's battle against chrome (blackout!)

[Mini Mizer]

Ok...so i havent posted anything for a while, my computer got a little banged up during shipping so i havent been able to get on. I am now settled in Las Vegas and Felix is here with me.

Sooo...ive been wanting to rid my car of chrome for a while and i have almost all of it gone except for 3 things.

1.) gas cap
2.) licance plate frame
3.) exhaust tips

I have however blacked out my headlight rings, door handles, belt line, rear tail lights, rear "cooper S", mini logo badges. Along with my side fender grills in body color with a black S and clear/black light lense. I also put some silver bulbs in my front blinkers to get rid of the orange reflection.

Here are some pics, taken with my phone. I have no digi camera now that im in Vegas so i am sorry for the poor quility. (Oh and the car is filthy, sorry!!! i hope your OCD doesnt drive you crazy )














Also, if anyone knows of a good shop in Las Vegas, who can powder coat my chrome gas cap black, let me know!

Also, i bought some red "S" stickers to go in the inside of my black "S" But im having a hard time getting them to stick. They are Vinyl stickers, not sure if im suppose to do anything special or if they are just like normal stickers.

Anyways...thats felix in his current state.

[AZMCS]

Mike at Emotion Autowerks is the guy from what I hear. Good luck.

[Murmini]

How did you blacken the belt-line? I have seen some tape that can be used... please enlighten us. The car looks really good.

[IrishCooper]

I want to know how you blackened the taillight ring.

[Partsman]

Your car looks great! Very nice!

I would do the gas cap PW, so you don't have a big black "dot" on the side of your car. It would look a lot cleaner than black.

I still have to do the door handles and grille, here's a few of mine...

[robino]

how did you black out the trim?

sanded it and spray painted it? scuffed it and sprayed it? with what?

[polizei]

No it's 3M tape. You can get it from many places and a couple people on here sold it not to long ago.

-Cody

[mdsbrain]

Your dechroming is going very well !

If you don't want to search around for the 3M tape PM Spikedacrzyman, he sells it in a nice kit.

[mbcoops]

I'd love to know how you did the inside of the taillights...looks great.

mb

[rubyred3]

I would also like to know what is involved in blacking out the edge of the taillights, that looks freaking awesome. . .

[Mini Mizer]

Everything that is blacked out on my car is painted except for the belt line which was black vinyl tape.

for those asking about the inside of the rear tails. It was very easy...but....you cant be scared

you start off by removing the tails from the car.



Then you will notice a groove going around the light on the side of the black plastic case near the lense. Take a dremel tool and cut slots along this groove (where the glue is) and use a wide flat head screw driver to slide into the slots and twist prying the lense off. You might have to make alot of slots about an inch or two apart all the way around the light. Once you pop the lense off it should look like this.



now you have the lense off, i swiped it a few times with steel wool (which i wouldnt do if i were to do this again) and then i taped it off.



After taping it off i used BBQ black grill paint to spray the area that was left exposed. However if i were to do this again i would have used a "self-etching" primer first to stick to the plastic better.





Once everything is good and dry remove the tape. (mine peeled slightly when i took off the tape, i think it was because i didnt use any self-etching primer first) Then to reseal the lense back together i used this below, bought at a local auto parts store. It took about 24 hours to dry and its thick, so it helps fill up the slots you cut with the dremel tool. (make sure to get black)



after they are good and dry, they should look like this.



then install them back in the car. and you got yourself some blacked out tail lights



Special thanks to Rallymini who told me how to do this! you rock!

hope this helps.

[ChrisW]

Originally Posted by PARTSMAN

Your car looks great! Very nice!

I would do the gas cap PW, so you don't have a big black "dot" on the side of your car. It would look a lot cleaner than black.

I still have to do the door handles and grille, here's a few of mine...

Did you buy these are paint them yourself?

[MCDriver]

that is exactly the solution i am seeking to get rid of the chrome on the taillights. thanks.

i know what i am doing after Christmas.

[Partsman]

Originally Posted by ChrisW

Did you buy these are paint them yourself?

I had a friend in the body shop at work paint them for me. He also painted my gas cap, headlight rings, and hood vents.

[COR BLMY]

I have some photos of the repeaters disasembled in my gallery if you want to DIY

What are you plannig og doing for the Door Handles ???

[slvrmni03]

You can also use beltline blackout tape to cover the chrome on the tails without opening it up. It takes some trial and error to get it to line up correctly though.

[jonnieoh]

Mini Mizer, nice job on dechroming. Now you've GOT to do something about those stock rims!!!

You've gone so far with the details of the car's body, but you've neglected the wheels.

What are you planning to do regarding the wheels?

[Mini Mizer]

Sorry i havent been on the boards much, kind of a late awnser but i'll awnser anyways.

My wheels are still stock due to the fact i just moved from florida to Las Vegas, and im in the process of finding a job. I have the money for new wheels but i dont want to make any big purches while unemployed

However once i get a job (may have one already. i will know monday) i can continue my modding. As far as my wheels go...Im thinking about black 16x7 SSR type C's .

still need to powder coat gas cap, and get black license plate frame.

Also...if you happen to live in Florida and you move to Las Vegas...the car insurance in vegas is insane!

I use to pay around 750 every 6 months in florida, now i'll be paying close to 1600 every 6 months in vegas

[Rally@StanceDesign]

Originally Posted by Mini Mizer

E
Special thanks to Rallymini who told me how to do this! you rock!

Glad i could help out and glad it worked out buddy....they look great.

[70spop]

Originally Posted by Mini Mizer

As far as my wheels go...Im thinking about black 16x7 SSR type C's .

Dood, you neeeeeeeeeeeed some of those 18" black JCW wheels.

And, I agree - a PW gas cap would look great, better than black. Car's lookin' sharp!

BTW, you'll be at AMVIV? Good luck on the job. I was in the same boat recently.

[batrugger]

Originally Posted by Mini Mizer

and get black license plate frame.

I got a black one at Target in the auto section. I think it was $12

[Mini Mizer]

Originally Posted by 70spop

Dood, you neeeeeeeeeeeed some of those 18" black JCW wheels.

And, I agree - a PW gas cap would look great, better than black. Car's lookin' sharp!

BTW, you'll be at AMVIV? Good luck on the job. I was in the same boat recently.

Well i got the job and i start tomorrow! YAY! *nervous* :impatient

I am also seriously thinking about a PW gas cap rather than going black. Im thinking it might be a little hard for the powder coat to get the same finish as the black thats on my car, which is a semi gloss black. It might also look better to keep the rear quarter pannel in PW to match the other side of the car.

I do think the Black 18' JCW wheels look very nice, but that is too big of a wheel for me. I like the smaller diameter wheels to help save weight and provide quicker acceleration. I also want to lower my car when i get my wheels, and having 16's vs. 18's well give me more room to lower without rubbing.

[70spop]

Originally Posted by Mini Mizer

I do think the Black 18' JCW wheels look very nice, but that is too big of a wheel for me.

I hear ya on 18s. I've had 16s on my car for the last couple years. I'm going back to a bigger wheel, but I'm sticking to 17s (just got a set of silver R99s - now I need tires).

I'll look for you in Vegas in... WOOHOO!... two months.