You make a very good point. I haven't been cheap with the car up until now so why start with this? Looks like it's time to do my homework on ring removal. I think I even posted the links on doing it somewhere else.

 

Go with red, black looks to 70's style

 

^ oh yeah...I decided on red quite a while ago, it just looks right IMO.

and hemiheaded18 yes, remove the rings, don't even try to paint them on the car, it will not turn out looking remotely professional. I mean, you would fool many...but not the people that actually care, like yourself

Once I get my sample from Lyle, I'll check it out, hopefully its close enough for me, because I'd prefer to go this route instead. From close up my OEM, never removed hood scoop doesn't even match perfectly, it's about a shade dark and that doesn't get to me. I'll let you guys know, either way though, I plan to get it done.

 

Almost done! Final wet sanding and clear coating will get finished tonight. The paint from Minspeed is an exact match, very happy with it. Will give it a few days to cure before putting on the clear vinyl and getting the headlights back in Saturday.

 

Alright, finished putting everything back together last night. The clear static vinyl did not work, the only pieces with the vinyl are the flat headlight washers, the rings were too thin & difficult to make it work. Put a couple coats of wax on there now, will continue searching for a good clear adhesive type vinyl this week. I have the PhillyMINI meet this Sunday, so I needed to get it back together for that. Overall I am very happy with the results. Paint is from Minspeed.

before shot


after

 

Can some one point me towards a How to on removing the rings?

 

It looks VERY nice man, good job and you say you've never painted before? Did you do the process that I layed out, or something a little different? Also, the paint from minspeed, did it come in a spray can, or did you have to have an air brush? Looking at yours, I may start getting everything together to do mine.

 

Yeah this was my first try at painting anything. I didn't sand the chrome all the way off, started out with a 320 paper, then used a glass bead machine I had access to, followed with some 600 grit hand sanding. Then three coats of self etching primer, and wet sanded that with 600 & 1000 grit. Four coats of color, more wet sanding, then three coats of clear coat. Yeah the Minspeed paint comes in a rattle can.

Littlehandegan, to remove the rings you first need to remove the headlights. Three nuts hold it to the hood, unplug the lights, remove the headlight washer nozzle if you have them, then remove the washer units from the lights, they just clip on. Then remove the two screws that mount the ballast unit on the bottom of the light so it can swing down, actually you need to that so you can have access to one of the mounting nuts. Then just lift the whole light assembly from the hood. The rings are held on the plastic lens with clips around the perimeter, just use a small flathead screwdriver and lightly pry away from the lens. The whole process is pretty easy once you start doing it, takes maybe 10 minutes at most to remove each light, and another couple of minutes to remove the rings.

 

That is crazy! It took me forever to decide how to do mine as well - however in BRG... This was before the I sent the parts in to Vinyl Styles..


Now I am just waiting for the parts to come back...



I decided to put tint the headlights a light grey, Green the chrome headlight surrounds. Grill surround will be green with black slots. Beltline blackout kit. Green handles. Green Gas Cap. I should get the parts in by Tuesday and have pictures of the new look by then - I AM SO EXCITED!

 

I had my headlights rings, mirror caps, door handles, and gas door painted flat black but the stone chips were killing me, so I got them repainted dark silver.

 

the red looks good! id like to do mine eb but i dont know how.

 

very nice DMCs, thats a very clean car. i think id smoke the tails too, since it seems to be the only thing on your car not DS or black

 

jahmills - the rings look great. When you get back from your mini meet did you get any chips without the clearbra?

darkmini - your body color rings look much better than your previous matt black

 

Anyone know where to find a DIY on removing the rings?

 

Sorry I don't know where one is. But when the search function on these boards lets me down...and it normally does, I try my search on google and am normally able to find the thread ON THESE BOARDS that I'm looking for...quite ridiculous if you ask me...but

 

Indeed. I just googled it, here is a great link:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co....php?p=2395420

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co....php?p=2395420

I agree 100%! This is by far my favorite look on the mini with any de-chroming. (still working on the rest of mine)




[QUOTE=DarkMiniCooperS;2402368]I had my headlights rings, mirror caps, door handles, and gas door painted flat black but the stone chips were killing me, so I got them repainted dark silver.

Your car is SICK!

 

[quote=COOPERPOOPER;2403527]Indeed. I just googled it, here is a great link:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co....php?p=2395420


https://www.northamericanmotoring.co....php?p=2395420



I agree 100%! This is by far my favorite look on the mini with any de-chroming. (still working on the rest of mine)




that actualSize sticker with the red s is sick!!!!

 

[quote=dustinhxc;2404888]
eBay.

 

No, no chips or marks so far, but I only put about a 150 miles on this weekend, and only a little of that was high speed highway driving. Thinking about getting some 3M clear scotchcal, it's adhesive backed. Need to get it done before I head down to the Outer Banks in NC at the end of the month. Here are a couple more shots of the paint after two days of drivng, that Minspeed stuff is great, perfect color match, highly recommend it, for anyone who is going to paint them.

 

I just installed blacked out headlamp rings by VinylStyles. Install was tedious but not too difficult.

Taking the headlights out of the bonnet was easy, and I have the xenons, so I have the HID unit to play with too. Taking the rings off is the only PITA part, as you need a small screw driver and patience, as you can chip the lens. The glue/tac that holds the rings to the lens makes getting the tabs off much more difficult.

I managed to break tabs on both of my rings so I couldn't send them back for the core charge return. The end result was great! The car looks MUCH different afterwards, especially since my car is JB with M7 ultimate grills.

 

Jaymills - those close ups look great. What, tint film do you have on your headlight lens and does it reduce the brightness at night much. I haven't thought of doing that before but it reduces the chrome look even more, which is a plus, without having to fuss with an intrusive joey mod.

 

i done all of this before and you'll regret it

 

I have the lighter of the two LaminX tints. I had the tint before I did the Joey Mod in an effort to darken up the lights, then just left it on there after the Joey Mod. It does degrade the light output somewhat, and I have thought about removing it, but at this point my MINI is a garage queen, and I really only use it for fun on weekends.

Here is a pic of the lights pre Joey mod with just the tint.


now with the Joey Mod and painted rings.

 

Flaco,

Thats a bit cryptic, please explain, share your experience.

Regards, Lee

 

[QUOTE=Jahmills;2408806]I have the lighter of the two LaminX tints. I had the tint before I did the Joey Mod in an effort to darken up the lights, then just left it on there after the Joey Mod. It does degrade the light output somewhat, and I have thought about removing it, but at this point my MINI is a garage queen, and I really only use it for fun on weekends.

Jahmills,

What was the % reduction in brightness from just the tints on the headlights and then how much more after joey mod?

Regards, Lee