I've got vinyl-wrapped black door handles coming for my clubbie - is there a "how-to" for removing/replacing these?

 

Hey There,
I have been thinking about this for a while, I had actually thought about painting the whole door black.
Who are you getting the wrap from. I just ordered a blackout kit from Lyle, but I am dumbfounded about the door handles, especally the rear ones.

Pleas let me know what you do, and how it looks. Are you going to do the work yourself. I am helpless when it comes to this type of stuff.

let me know, thanx,
Larry

 

You are too hard on your self my friend..forgetting you have a whole team of friends behind you when it comes to removal of parts and re installation??

You know where to go to get things removed...hehehe.

see you soon.

 

I ordered the wrapped rear handles from Lyle's (and a gas cap).
Also ordered the black fiberglas side handle covers from Aesthetic - I've heard the front handles are a real pain to replace so decided to go with the fiberglas covers. I'm blacking out most everything eventually. I've done the grill surround and headlight surrounds, have (but not yet applied) the side marker vinyl wrap, side molding tape, and will be painting the emblems/lettering eventually.
This blacking-out disease is pernicious

 

Got my gas cap and rear door handles today - gas cap was a breeze to replace - now on to the handles and I don't have a clue where to start. Lyle said he'd never done it either so had no idea...

ANYONE???

 

I don't know if the doors all that different from the R56 or not, but this thread would be a good starting point for you.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=140287

Now, I hope you don't have the comfort access handles from Lyle becuase if you do....HURRY UP AND GET IT DONE! becuase I need them next. I understand that he only has one set and it's the very last thing on my blackout to do list. I'm planning on doing a how to write up for this along with pics, but once again, I don't know if it would apply to the R55

 

Rear doors are substantially different than other doors - can't figure it oout -
ANYONE???

 

Ok, this is my first attempt at a how to, so don't judge me too much (don't worry I have pics)



OK sense there seems to be no answer to this I took it into my own hands to try to help a fellow motorer, this is how to take off the rear door handles on a R55 (Clubman.) Now that being said, I didn't take the handles off, but I did get the doors far enough apart to see how they are attached and from there it should be fairly straightforward.

First I started with the left door (no reason why, thats just where I started.) The right door panel is attached the exact same way as the left so the same instructions will work for removing both panels.

First I took off the little rubber boot over the latch shackle on the left door. This is only on the left door

This part is fairly easy, just grasp and pull it out.

Then it's on to removing the door panels, they are held on with two types of fasteners, plastic push pins and metal clips, as pictured

and

There are two metal clips along the bottom edge of the window on each door, these hold the top part of the panel on. The rest is held on with the plastic push pins. The easiest way I found to get the panels off was to grab the bottom of the panel and use the recessed light as a grip and give the panel a good quick tug, this will free the bottom of the panel and then just work your way around the panel freeing all the fasteners.

From that point you have to undo the wire for the light in the bottom of the panel, just grasp the plug and pull, and it will come out

Once you have done this the panel is free to take off and set aside (on the left you will have to kind of snake the panel around the door shackles, but it's nothing major.) Then you should be looking at the inside of the doors, like this

Left side


and Right side


Once you get this far your almost there, and this is as far as I took my Babe apart, but it looks as if there are only 2 torx head bolds and one wire clip left to get the handles off.

Bolt 1 and wire plug, Left door

This is the easiest and most obvious bolt of them (this can also been seen in the first pic I posted of the left door, I just posted a close up for better detail.)

Bolt 2, Left door

This bolt is a little hidden, but MINI was kind enough to leave an access hole for it. It's the little silver torx bolt near the wires at the back of the wiper motor plug. Either a torx screwdriver or a torx socket adapter on an extension should be able to get to it. From what I seen it was only these two bolts that held the handles on. Below is the pics for the right door bolts.

Bolt one, Right door

Sorry this pic is a little blurry but I had already put the door back together before I realized it. This bolt is a little hidden, but again MINI was kind enough to leave an access hole for it. Also again it's located right by the wire on the wiper motor plug.

Bolt two, Right door
This bolt is hidden behind a little black sticker along the edge of the door

Just peel back the sticker to reveal the last bolt

The wire plug for the handle on the right door is over by bolt one, it's not viewable in the pic but you can reach through the opening in the center of the door (as seen in the "Right side" pic above) and unplug it.

Once you have both bolts out and the wire unplugged, it looks like you have to undo the little black clip/grommet (as seen in the "Bolt 1 and wire plug, Left door" pic) around where the wire come through the door, but it looks as if you should just be able to release the catches on it while pulling on the handle from the outside and the handle should come loose. Then just fish the wire out of the hole while pulling the handle and the handle should come off.

Reassemble in reverse order with your new wrapped handles.

Hope this helps

 

Trbasil, this is great stuff.
Don't answer the doorbell this week.
I may be a UPS hitman sent by Mini to whack you!
Most excellent pics.

I wanted an all black option instead of chrome, but that ain't an option!
They may update it next year . You never know.

 

thank you

ROTF



I have never really been a fan of chrome myself, but when I got Babe I got it off the lot and it had the chrome packages inside and out, much to my dismay. Been thinking about doing the whole vinal wrapped thing myself to de-chrome some of it.

 

YeeHaw!!!
Took 15 minutes to do the deed!!
Thanks so much!!! (now if I can just get the pix to load... check my gallery)

Again, THANKS!!!

Forgot to add: Be Careful when removing the bolts - if it slips out, it'll fall to bottom of inside of door!!
Luckily mine didn't... but, a-l-m-o-s-t...

 

You are welcome, I checked your gallery, they look so much better than the chrome ones, the chrome ones just seem so out of place, especially once you see them with the black

 

Next is the belt-line blackout, then the badges/lettering...

 

Can the driver doors be blacked out if it has Comfort Access?
I'll guess no.

 

...very nice thulewx, much better then the chrome! I would LOVE checkered boot handles for my Clubman to match the side door handles. Haven't seen them yet though!

 

I've got black gloss fiberglas side door handle covers coming from Aesthietic Creations for my comfort access, someday (they have problems with their supplier and it could be months ) otherwise, you can do-it-yourself I guess ... or you could spray paint them ...

 

thulewx, they look great! i noticed in your gallery that you did something to your third brake light. Was it white and you switched it to red, or vice versa (Haven't taken delivery yet so I don't know what's stock). and if you did change it, how?

 

Thanks - sharp eyes! my rear brake light was the white/clear one that comes with the "S" package - I swapped with a fellow NAM member for his red one - I just thought the red would look better.