Alright, so I haven't kept up with my posting on here, but I'm lingering threads day in and day out. That said, I've made a few (more than a few i guess) mods to the car[dubbed Chloe] to date. Only performance mod has been an Alta CAI and opening my hood scoop, but now that I am relatively satisfied with the exterior/body (for now), I'm saving up over the winter for engine/suspenion mods in the spring. I'll throw some pics in first of what she looked like from day one, of course for reference.

Well lets start off with the initial butt meeting leatherette obligatory photo:


3 Miles on the ODO, brand spankin new!

Here are some other photos, in the parking lot of a restaurant for dinner that night.








Here are some more/repeats from when I made my intro post...
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=148902

I tinted 35% all the way around (- front windshield of course), suntek carbon tint, 24hrs after I got the car (im crazy).

Alta 4" stubby antenna, as shown in that linked thread above.

All other mods on the car have been DIY, and have cost me less than ~$30 I believe, moreless. Under $50 to be safe.
Here are some taken a few months ago...















Now, what she looks like today:
(I need to warn you... I put on my winter wheels a few weeks ago, so the 16" and wheel gap is only for the winter, the 18"'s will go back on in the spring, with a drop coming then too!) The wheels were originally (bought the set of 4 rims + dsst runflat dunlop wintersport m3s (ehhh) for 200$ off a previous mini owner).. they were originally all silver in color, but two nights ago I couldn't stand not having my black jcw's anymore, so i sanded primed and painted the rims while masking off the lip for a brushed effect there. I think it looks better imo. Anyhow, onto the pics:


Joey Mod, done just over a week ago, hi temp glossy black duplicolor spray, and duplicolor fire red projector ring, turn signal bulb lightly coated with hitemp black spray, still blinks amber




As I said, I just did the rims a few days ago. Red mirror caps (bought extra set on ebay for 40$, sanded painted and clear acrylic enamal, fire red again. Grills [upper and lower], headlight rings, washers, scuttle, all blacked with duplicolor


Rims are gunmetal duplicolor wheel paint, 2 coats











Black'd stock tow hook and 'pull to inflate' sticker, red


A little rear end shot


Exhaust will be a invidia q300 or custom magnaflow 2.5" dpback


VhtNiteshades tinted tails and black out rings with plastidip
Also Debadged


Hardwired V-! to dome light console for power


Hardwired Garmin nuvi to fuse panel


Upgraded front speakers to infiniti 5022i (for now), rear 6x9's and better fronts to come (I had them lying around)


Gas cap plastidip'd


Outmotoring.com blackout beltline (will be redoing it in the spring with a big roll of the same stuff, stretched a few places first time aruond)


custom white LED with resistor for license plate bulb replacements


Actual Size on Rear windshield


Tinted tails and black'd tail light ring


Duplicolor's red caliper, with enamel acrylic


Stock tow hook plastidip'd and pull to inflate, you back into a space at a parking lot and as people are walking by with their kids they laugh. =] others go... huh? and even more others [friends] tug on it...


LED w5w city DRL LED


Open grill insert and replaced with gutter guard, painted black with krylon gloss paint, some chips in it from a run after a stormy night... needs to be repainted, planning on m7 scoop at some point.







4" Alta Stubby [first mod!]


UCONN HUSKIES! =]


VHT Niteshade tinted side blinker, plastidip side scuttle, and red dome 'S' from aesthetic creations





Non-showing mod: Auto-on sport button! (more details: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=157995)

Thanks for checking it out guys! Comments please!!:tu:

 

Nice job! Car looks great. I have the same color combo except I have the black roof and red accent interior. I have a set of black Rota Torques with red lips waiting to go on. I was thinking of doing the red mirror caps too. Any pics of them with the black wheels?
Tommy

 

nice work! did you tint your side reflectors? What is the process with the vhtnightshade stuff and where do you get it?

 

Oh man, what a sweet DS/B! Thanks for all the pics too. I'm especially digging the red mirror caps. I think they look awesome on a DS/W, wasn't sure about DS/B. Suffice to say I'm definitely leaning towards them now

 

Mine is a black roof as well... unless u meant inside? and yeah, my interior will be red accented soon.
I don't have any pics with the black wheels and red caps unfortunately, cuz i just did the caps last week and i had my winters on for a few weeks now. sorry.

 

Hey, thanks. You can only get VHT Nitesahdes from online.. ebay too. and no i haven't done the side reflectors yet, those are next.. im trying to figure out how to get them off.

Basically,
1)sand with 1000 grit
2) spray light light coat
let dry, coat again (or until how dark u want it)
dry for 1+ hr
sand 2000 grit
spray clear
2000 grit, dry, done.

 

Thanks DrewN. I think it works because it matches the projector ring and the 'S' and calipers all in red... now I just need some red in the back... I'm contemplating the tail light rings... but i dont think i'd do that... feels too out of place

 

Erik, Chloe looks hardcore...
Those red accents really pop.
You need to come back to Mass and help me pimp mine.

 

Looking good although I'd prob suggest black rims with a red lip for accent to tie in with the red caps and the other red highlights. For some reason, a polished lip doesn't seem to fit that scheme to me. If you had kept the black mirror caps, then they'd be okay..but with red caps, they pop out at me but the wheel area just becomes kinda plain looking. I'm looking at your summer wheels and wondering how'd they'd look with the sides of the spokes highlighted in red. Might looks pretty sick then.

 

by spray clear, you mean a clear acrylic spray paint? And I assume you took these off to do this, is it possible to leave the side reflectors on and mask around them or will it run? i heard it's a pain to get them off

 

How was the OutMotoring beltline install? I just ordered some and hope it will stay fairly warm until I get it installed. I will try to post some pics of the Black rims with red lip when I install them this week.

 

Haha I'll be back in two weeks for a month! If you have anything planned i'd love to help you out.
lemme know!
Thanks for the comments

 

Yeah, they were originally planned with the jcw wheels, which i miss like crazy. But, I'm dealing with whatever winters I have on for now. I painted it with the lip because the all silver look on the wheels was WAY too stock looking, especially because those ASA wheels are 5 spoke just like a stock cooper. The lip matches the door handle for now, but yeah, its way too busy looking. Door handles will be black in the spring. And, I still have the black mirror caps, I might switch them back when it starts snowing-- im just enjoying my work on the red ones for now. I impressed myself with spray paint cans and the way it came out!

 

I haven't done the side reflectors, i've done the side repeaters.. (the oval signals on the side scuttle) and yes I took those off. I suppose you could mask them, but it'd be way ridiculous and extra work instead of just taking them off. If not, you can get the tint for it from outmotoring (i think) forgot who sells it. Precut and fits right over it.

 

to be honest, its good stuff, and the quality is good. Its just that its JUST wide enough, (not even so across the front under the windsheild, as that gets fatter in the middle). And, they dont give you enough to practice first. I started out stretching parts here and there, cutting it short, etc, the "oops" and "oh sh*t" came out of my mouth too much while doing it. I wish I had been more patient. its like 3M scotchal something super something something tape- you'll see it on the back of the tape when you get it. You can apparently buy a roll for like ~20$ and its like 150 yrds.... so you can mess up all you want- and you can get it in a little thicker size, i think like 5/8" vs 3/4" or somethin... which fits MUCH better. But, if you're careful with what you got, you'll be fine. You have like an extra 2ish feet to play with extra so i'd suggest practicing first. Good Luck! pics when you're done of course!

 

That looks Great

 

time for some performance mods!

 

haha they're comin! SS soon prob, then magnaflow!

 

The car looks great.

Larry

 

Nice Mini! Quick question. You plastidip-ed all your chrome parts(headlight ring, tail light ring)? How easy was it? Never plastidip anything before. :P

 

Very impressed!

Quick question: How many coats of the VHT are on the tails?

Sparks

 

IzzyG - Plastidipping is very easy. just two light coats and a medium coat, as directed by the bottle, and you're all done! 10 minutes to dry between coats, nice and easy. and if you mess up, just peel it off and start again!
no need to sand or anything, adheres very nicely.

Sparks- two very light coats, then clear acrylic enamel! great stuffff

 

how do you remove the headlight washer chrome piece to paint? i'm planning on painting mine but haven't looked into how to take it out.

also, how did you mount and secure the gutter guard scoop grill?

how about the headlights? did you bake them to open the front? i baked the lights in my other cars but i hear it might be easier with a heat gun for the mini.

 

Thanks!

I've had the VHT and clear sitting on the bench for a month now. Yours just seemed lighter and I liked that.. just the right touch.

 

So technically speaking I could plastidip the grill and the surrounding chrome? Heck even the door handles?