This might help others and otherwise maybe someone can enlighten me.
2017 JCW 2 doors.
So exchanging thoughts with another owning a 2014 CS regarding removing the hood vinyl stripes as I am not a "stripe" kind of person, the conclusion was that he had done it with no problems.A bit of clay, buffing, waxing and that would be it.
Big mistake on my part...
The vinyl with the heat gun on very low was not a problem and the glue neither but SURPRISE, there was underneath about 1mm thick a "hard rubber" [?] layer. NO PRODUCT would remove it. Zilch. And on, scratched up with not even the option to re-cover it!
So on to the body shop who will with their special rubber like rotary tool will remove it down to the bare metal and now PAINT two stripes [I chose "Moonwalk dark gray metallic"] of course wider than the ones that were on. It will be fine but what a process!!!
Warning!!! Unless someone knows what that layer is... Definitely put on before the stripes.
I should have left it alone!!! Even though the previous owner has put the car through one too many car washes. I can detail it as far as removing the swirls and so on but obviously messed up the hood... Will be about a week for the new stripes and will post a photo when done.

 

Its probably a masking layer to keep the stripes down. Its a pretty common practice, basically giving the vinyl something to stick on

 

I removed and replaced the stripes on my '07 MCS and my '15. Happy to say I didn't run into that problem on either one.

 

It is actually a hard as rock [!!!] rubber type masking tape. Oh! well...
Just came back from the best body shop in town and the car will be going in Monday for that ugliness to be removed and new stripes painted on. No gray but the same Chili Red as the rest of other parts. I guess I will have a moving Christmas tree and stuck with stripes. I am not having the whole hood repainted!

Thanks for your comments...

"vetsvette". I hope you have found your solution for your cold air intake. Maybe "Eventuri" intake? Pricey!!! I will be staying with the stock air filter. Dyno tests shows that the Cravenspeed and stock produce the same hp and actually if the cone was cut and laid flat it would be the same surface area. This paint job is enough for me for this month!!! Stay well.

 

Hey Chef. I settled on my intake choice a couple years ago when I bought my ArmaSpeed intake. Uses the same behind the grill air intakes as the stock unit, but opens up and cuts down on sone of the restrictions of the stock unit. I'm happy with it, both in looks, and the fact that it is in fact a CAI (outside air).

 

It looks fantastic! And, not to brag about my mechanical mind which is a big zero [seriously!] while I was thinking and looking at the C air intake I started wondering why they would not do exactly what you have. 4 partitions but why not one on top also? The C intake by the way as far as I can tell also is an outside air intake since the stock intake goes back. I think!!! Thanks for the great photo... Happy Trails or should I say... roads?

PS: checked the price and that is not too bad actually.

 

Re: stripe removal -- you can buy a "pinstripe removal tool" on eBay/Amazon for under $10. It fits in the end of your drill and will take the stripes right off. You do need to be careful not to leave it in one place too long (sort of like you might do with an electric polisher) as you could burn the paint. I used such a tool to remove all the old, original decals (15 yr-old) on my 2004 MC40 and it worked brilliantly. Once removed a bit of rubbing/polishing compound and some wax and it looked as good as new. Once the paint was good to go I applied new decals.

 

I had the bonnet stripes removed on my 2015 recently and it was like that underneath also. My shop soaked some towels in some kind of solution and placed it right on top for about 5 min and wiped everything off clean.

 

Denatured alcohol.

 

That stinks Bee! I remember reading the post about how excited you were to be back in a mini. I just polished part of my stripes today.....

 

Why not paint the Stripes Black with a very thin red stripe on each side instead ?
OR just repaint the whole bonnet Black with no stripes.... since you don't like them anyway.

Just a thought . . . . . . . . .

 

That layer sounds like the actual glue from the back of the stripe....its baked onto the surface now, either from being parked in sun or from heat gun use.

 

You were fortunate to get it! I talked to the Arma Dealer in NC, [Preston], very helpful I must say, as I decided to get their 3 dimensional filter which makes a lot of sense, and Arma has stopped stocking anyone in the US! It would have to be mailed from Taiwan at an exorbitant mailing fee! They themselves use the air intake you have on their VW GTI. A little tidbit for you... Have a great day.

 

My car had the red stripes on the bonnet and the grey/black ones on the top. The dark ones spotted up pretty bad so I had my dealer remove them, which only took a short time and I couldn't tell at all. The red ones I can keep decent using a little Black Wow to get the water spots out and restore the color (most of it).

 

That solidified layer of glue hard as a rock was beyond it all! The Dealer would only send it out and he is 220 miles away which would mean a total of about 1000 miles for two round trips!

It will actually be ready today from a very reliable Body/Paint shop. At least it will look better than before with those worn out stripes which surprises me only after 22 months. Chili red on black metallique. Eventually as the paint totallly cures I will add a couple thin black stripes.

The price we pay for our mistakes!!!

I will post a photo when I get it back.

I also learned about "insurance oriented body shops!". Unreliable and truly don't give a damn... Oh! well...