Thanks! Wheels are AC Schnitzer, in anthracite. 19” x 7.5 which may be narrow for your taste but what they spec for the F54. The open wheel looks much better with the JCW calipers. I’m on 225 x 35 Michelin a/s3+ (cause we had a snowstorm last week), with 7mm spacers and Schnitzer springs.

 

Thanks that is helpful. I am looking to fit some 19's as my 18 inch Work VS-XX dont for the new 2021. I wanted to get a 19x8.5 et45 but not sure if it will fit, I know 19x8 is safe but running a 8.5j lets me use 235's for a meatier sidewall.

 

19x8 with 235 might be the size of the stock set up. I was initially looking at HRE flow form series. Pricey but quality and some really nice options.

 

I was looking at those as well amongst a few other brands as I hope to make a decision before the end of May. My other options are JDM but the wait time is 8-12 months fml

 

the HRE ff01 make my heart skip a beat. I was going to find some dope Porsche hollow turbo twist wheels and refit them. It needs to be the fronts only since they are staggered, but options are endless. I know you like JDM. I’m euro trash

 

After many weeks of waiting my 2021 F54 JCW has arrived. Got it on Friday and on Saturday I debadged it, I installed CF door handles, LED side markers, blacked out beltline and the red strip on the front grill, and tow hook license plate mount. Enigmatic black with indigo blue seats.




Here is the paint under better lighting...

 

Sharp!

 

Looks fantastic. I’m sure you will enjoy it thoroughly.

 

Looks great! What beltline blackout kit/tape did you go with? Did you get gloss or matte finish? Thanks.

 

I got gloss and picked it up from Outmotoring last year. I ordered 2 kits so I had plenty to spare as his man error is my M.O.

 

M, Another outstanding MINI! Was the car equipped with a factory 'flapper' exhaust system? If they ever take down the barbed wire and barriers I will take a run up there to see it in person. Treat you to an adult beverage while you explain your journey with this MINI. Right now on the tipping point of ordering one myself. Happy motoring!

 

Yes it has the valves exhaust where it opens in Sport mode. I just love jwp the throttle response comes alive when you go into Sport mode. It handles so well on the coilovers, I forgot how much fun it was to drive after using my wife's Q5 these past few months. I hope you do order one, it is so much fun to drive compared to many other cars in the segment.

 

The Transformation is almost complete.

When I bought in March 2020


Now, mostly de-chromed, caliper paint, CF Hood scoop, RSe05 17" wheels with 225/50/17 Pilot A/S 4

 

Looks nice!

 

Nice, it is really coming together. I also like the style of those wheels. It's funny, I blacked out my red front grill strip and you made your red but I guess we all just like to change things up.

 

I also like the red he placed inside the All4 logo, nice little extra pop.

 

Blacked out all the chrome and tinted my windows. Can’t wait to get some wheels and coilovers.

 

Thanks, got the Red decals from here She's a MINI Enthusiast - https://www.artisticreflection.com/a...tic-reflection
Got the hood scoop, blackout cover rings and door handle covers all from eBay and the Red grill strip from ECS.

Also got black letters off eBay

 

Looks great, what did you use to black out the grill, something like this as a replacement. How is it to remove the grill, any instructions or videos you found to help ?

 

Looks sharp, what wheels are you considering?

 

I used the cover so I didn’t have to remove the whole bumper. It just slid over the stock and uses 3m tape. Looks just as good as a replacement but takes 2 seconds to install vs hours lol.
Black grille

Thanks! Strongly considering oz Leggera HLT

 

How is the quality of those door handle covers, and how do they hold in place? I considered buying those ebay ones, but I was afraid they may not be good quality.

 

Al's check out Killallchrome as their door handes are good. They also have a YouTube video of the product if you look.

 

I purchased the complete grill with the trim pieces from Out Motoring. The grill trim caused me more trouble to install than any other thing to date because there were no instructions included. Make sure you watch a few YouTube videos as they are critical if yours comes without instructions. The one from fiveYorks is without question the best as some of the cars required you take off far more than others depending on what kit you purchase or whether you just get covers for the grill trim that you can later remove. If your kit or the trim pieces are different keep searching YouTube until you find one that is identical to what you have on hand.
I didn't intend to replace the grill, just the trim but as it happened the new grill was way better looking (and just shiny clean) and I had messed up getting the trim off and found it far easier to just replace the entire thing.
As there were no instructions with the kit, just one instruction with the listing to remove the bolts from the upper trim piece. (which I found out after removing the grill trim and breaking some pieces of the little clips that hold it on.)
My advice:
1. Put down a blanket over the engine as you may drop a screw and it will give you something to place the flashlight you will need to see what you are doing onto as well as any tools you need.
2. First remove the top grill trim by unscrewing the four screws, two in the center and one on each side. Use a magnetized Philips head as that will help you from dropping the screw when it comes free and make it easier to reinsert later.
3. Check out how the grill trim is affixed at the top. I was told to take it down to bare metal and the little parts that were left in were destroyed after I had already removed the top trim piece and they were left behind. I couldn't get them out at that point without breaking them. Most of the clips "pinch" together and you just have to know how to either open them up or push on one side to remove the pressure so they come off. I am still at the point of needing to retrofit the top trim piece because although in place it isn't as secure as it should be and even if you can't see it, I know it and it bugs me.
4. Next to remove the grill there are four round pieces that you pop off at the top. Make sure you have PLASTIC TRIM REMOVAL tools. They cost less than 10. and are critical to not scratching your paint. You literally take the trim tool, put in under the edge and pull back and the two pieces will fly off. (It is like a screw inside a large plastic collar.) Once you have those out there are some U shaped pieces that have to be squeezed at the bottom to remove the grill and bottom trim piece. (this is where watching the recommended YouTube video is critical to success!) The bottom grill trim piece will come out with the grill and once you have the grill out you can either take the trim off at that point if you are only replacing the trim OR if replacing the grill and trim, just set the older one aside and put the new trim into the new grill. As my initial mess up of taking the trim off first left me trying to retrofit the steps to make things work, I can't stress enough how important it is to find a video that MATCHES the product you purchased for the car model you have. (I about flipped when they were removing practically the entire front of some of the cars but was happy to find that wasn't required on my car with the kit I purchased.)
5. When the bottom trim is attached to grill replace it following the removal steps backwards! It may seem like the grill /trim doesn't fit especially when you get to those top grill pop off bolts. While plastic won't flex or stretch, keep at it and don't secure them all down until you are sure you have them lined up and then you may have to wiggle and pull a bit to get it all secured back in place. Take your time, plastic once broken can't be fixed.
6. After replacing the top grill trim piece by replacing the four screws, close the bonnet and take a look at how good it looks in all black!

Of course if you have a black grill and you get the covers, you just have to pull off the plastic from the sticky tape, clean the grill trim pieces with rubbing alcohol so the trim will stick, put the trim pieces over the existing grill trim and hold it securely for a bit so that the tape has plenty of time to adhere and you are done.....in other words it is way easier to cover the two trim pieces than it is to replace them.....that being said if you are lucky enough to have the instructions with yours and/or find the video that matches your car and trim purchased it is not that difficult to change out either.

Good luck and hope this helped. It is a bit difficult to "tell" and is way better to "show" which is why I am thankful for YouTube.

 

Got my piano black badges put on today with my tints. Guy said he would do it free! I intended to leave the “S” chrome with black…. he changed it by accident

do I leave it or change it back?

doesn’t look bad! But the “S” in front is chrome and black… now if it’s red in back not sure if I should peel the black vinyl off the front so it’s chrome/red… the voices are so loud!