Anyone/any vendors have an alternative to all the chrome out there? I know about the black grills but I am interested in black, billet, anodized, or painted trim pieces instead of all the chrome available now. Sorry, nothing against chrome, just not for me.

 

Yah! I would like some paintable guage trim rings. I am in the process of painting all the flat silver pieces to match my exterior, so something that could be painted/tinted any color would be cool.

MINIACK

 

I agree. Actually, I'm in the process of working with my MINI Service manager to see what I can do to make my MINI as chrome-less as possible. i really like chrome...but I'm going for an all-black look.

here's what I'm planning.

- Badge Removal....got the "COOPER" badge off, now working on getting quotes for an autobody shop to fill and paint the holes that will be left when I remove the "MINI" badges.

- Checking with my MINI Service Manager to replace my boot handle hatch with the Cooper-S one which will be painted to match my body color. Also want to replace my chrome grill on my bonnet with the Cooper-S body colored one (if that's possible).

- Smoked out my side reflectors.

- Painting over my front stainless steel grill to make black.

After this, all I will have left is some minor chrome left on my bonnet grill (which I think can be done black...I've seen some pics), the chrome window trim, chrome pieces around my headlights (which I don't want to replace), and the door handles (which I hope one day will come in black chrome or something).

If anyone has any better ideas for me to accomplish my all-black look....please share!

Hope this helps!

 

Aloha, keikilee!
I have never been a "chrome" person until I got the MINI
Now I have chrome mirror caps, the chrome MCS gas cap (not yet installed ), and still looking for a decent chrome side vents.

I'm still not a chrome person, but if black chrome was readily available AND affordable, my VR/VR MC would have a different look!

 

Hey Kohu`ulaMINI,
MA or not....you aint touching my MINI!!!!

Mahalo!

 

didn't you pay xtra for a chrome package?

 

I have an MC, so I didn't pay extra for the chrome, it came standard. I think the MCS has the chrome package option...I think. I hear that some MCS owners trade their body colored pieces for chrome ones from MC owners. But I haven't run into anyone wanting to trade, yet.

Anyone living in Honolulu and want to trade...let me know!!!

 

ditch the chromey homey!

 

>>I agree. Actually, I'm in the process of working with my MINI Service manager to see what I can do to make my MINI as chrome-less as possible. i really like chrome...but I'm going for an all-black look.
>>
>>here's what I'm planning.
>>
>> - Badge Removal....got the "COOPER" badge off, now working on getting quotes for an autobody shop to fill and paint the holes that will be left when I remove the "MINI" badges.
>>
>> - Checking with my MINI Service Manager to replace my boot handle hatch with the Cooper-S one which will be painted to match my body color. Also want to replace my chrome grill on my bonnet with the Cooper-S body colored one (if that's possible).
>>
>> - Smoked out my side reflectors.
>>
>> - Painting over my front stainless steel grill to make black.
>>
>>After this, all I will have left is some minor chrome left on my bonnet grill (which I think can be done black...I've seen some pics), the chrome window trim, chrome pieces around my headlights (which I don't want to replace), and the door handles (which I hope one day will come in black chrome or something).
>>
>>If anyone has any better ideas for me to accomplish my all-black look....please share!
>>
>>Hope this helps!

my thoughts on going all black...

tint tails, 3rd brakelight and fender markers
tint clear side markers

have the surrond of your chrome grill power coated black
use your black grill if it's S
have the mes replaced with an m7 ultimate black grill
don't touch the chrome around the car, around the cowls, or around the headlights.
Also the rain gutter is a light black, i would get that painted too.

 

there's an online mag that modded a black cooper s, and the way they dealt with the door handles and gas filler cap was just to throw a light coat of black over the chrome. from the crappy pics they posted, it looked like it turned out ok.

if I can find the link again i'll post it.

 

ok, it's here:

Sport Compact Car

if you like that, the European Car site has a couple Cooper projects as well.

_________________

 

I dig that straight back, single muffler exhaust.

 

Yeah, I wish I had the money to start getting rid of all of my chrome. I looked back at my original post to this thread on Aug 17th....YIKES! I haven't done half of that. I guess I'd better start spending less on shoes and clothes, and better start modding. Or, I could find a rich boyfriend to do it for me.

 

>>I dig that straight back, single muffler exhaust.

yeah. I've wondered why MINI didn't move the battery to the right and make the exhaust a single muffler straight shot.

##Now back to your regularly scheduled thread...

 

>>
>>I'm still not a chrome person, but if black chrome was readily available AND affordable, my VR/VR MC would have a different look!
>>

There are ways to get a black chrome effect for cheaper. You can have an auto spray place spray it with a light tint of black and I've heard it looks very similar to the black chrome.