any photoshopper's out there feel like giving this a wack? thinking of painting the rear light surrounds, but don't have the access / skills to see what it would look like before hand. feel free to give it a shot if you like...

the part i am on the fence about is the silver trim pieces on the back. i don't like how the car looks in profile when it's dark blue with the silver trim tacked on the back. i know for sure i'd like the upper pieces (bordering the windows) to be black. the pieces under that (rear light surrounds) to be lightning blue and the top of the bumper to be blue. a friend has mentioned that leaving the bumper strip sliver might be good as well, but i'm not so sure.

thoughts, opinions, or photoshops?

for example:


pictures to start from:

 

Here is a REAL quick swipe for you to get an idea.
Just my 2¢, I like the silver around the taillights, adn bumper, but i agree with the pillars being black. However, with that said, with the sportstripes, I think the whole thing flows fairly well as is.

Hope this helps.

 

Quick and dirty, no black, but I like the lack of all of that silver trim.

 

I think it would look great. I have a Laser Blue Clubman with a Laser Blue roof and I would like to do the same. Black rear pillars and all else Laser Blue.

 

+1!

Minspeed.com has these rear trim sets already prepainted if you want. Here's the link: http://www.minspeed.net/CCP.htm

 

Consider also perhaps a black bumper top just under the load area (plastic bumper protector); the look might tie in well with the arches while providing some luggage-scratch protection (or at least hiding luggage loading scratches).

I definitely like the black pillars. With the blue light surrounds, I'm wondering if the slightly recessed lights would look too recessed? Hard to tell, and my MCS has the chrome strips around the taillights, so I'm biased. Perhaps a 1/8" silver surround would look good, make the taillights look a li' bigger & tie in w/ the mirrors? Just a suggestion for a p-shop.

 

 

show off. makes a clubman tempting. i always thought the two-tone colors made the car look like a honda element or something.

 

Deleted the rear reflectors. The rear pilars didnt come out quite right but here is my try:

 

THAT looks GREAT! Some mad photoshop skills on display. I still like my silver stripe around the taillights idea though... but if I photoshopped it'd be looking like something my 11 year old did with felt-tip markers...

 

wow indeed. creeve and iwashmycar, those look amazing!

thanks for such expert and quick chops! they look like real life (and which the soon will be, i hope...)

would it be too much to ask for you guys to grab on of the other angles to give me some more food for thought?


thanks everyone else for your input and opinions!

 

Me and Mark have been discussing it since we got our clubmans and me might have mentioned it at that photoshoot in pittsburgh. The big problem with this mod is the chrome beltline. If you tie the top half into the windows and the bottom half into the body, there's no longer a reason that the beltline should stop and start again. And the bigger issue is that you can't just run some new beltline because if you look at the part, it's flush with the beltline on one end and not flush on the other end. A bunch of cutting and molding would be required to seat some new beltline in flushed.

Thats the main problem I've seen. I still haven't seen this mod sucessfully pulled of because every just leaves the beltline as is and it looks very unfinished.

 

yeah, i know what you're talking about, but it comes down to a few things for me. first off i don't see the belt line as that big of a detractor. i agree, if you're looking for it or your eye happens to catch it, it sticks out and you don't forget it, but i think most people will glaze over that part of the car. second, now is a good a time as any because it's already in the shop getting work done and i'll get a better price if this work is thrown in now, as opposed to at a later date where this is the only thing getting done. third, i have a few ideas of how to clean it up and finish the belt line. i just need to find the time (and get the car back) in order to try them out.

i agree that it's not perfect yet, but i also think it's a small enough part that it can be glazed over until i (or anyone else) can come up with a complete solution.

 

Sounds good Just wanted to throw it out there for thought

 

no worries; i appreciate it. and i'll keep you posted if i do find anything that fixes it.

 

BELTLINE BLACKOUT:

Get a roll of Scotch 33+ electrical tape. (the cheap stuff simply will not do). Use this as "decal material" and apply to a clean, dry, warm beltline. Don't stretch the tape much at all, just kind of lay it down and press into place, cutting at the ends as best you can. You may haev to stretch a bit on the curved parts, just use your best judgement and don't stretch too far. Run your finger over it smoothing out the bumps and such, and you've got a beltline blackout for under $5, and available at Home Depot/Ace/Lowes. Took about 15 minutes in my garage. Came off in 5 when I changed my look back (I have the R53; the blacked-out beltline doesn't do as much for that car as it does for an R56 - where it's almost essential - or a Clubbie.)

Yes, it's removable (mine was on 6 months through summer, came right off). No, it left zero residue, though if it did a little goo-gone or WD40 would take it right off. No adhesive leaked out around the edges, and the black was just the right kind of satin finish to blend in.

Got this idea after using Scotch 33+ for a bunch of electricals, and then on road (race) bicycle handlebars to secure the bar tape. The stuff didn't come off until I wanted it to, and then came off very cleanly when I wanted it off. The 33+ is rated for hot/cold temps too. Great stuff.

 

the problem w/ elec. tape is the .75" width. i used it to test the look but its a tad too wide and goes over the rubber some. i have the blackout kit from OutMotoring at home, going on tomorrow

 

Even if you black it out you still have a beltline that would end abruptly. I've seen someone paint a black line across the c-pillar part when they had them painted body color, but it still looks unfinished without the actual 3d beltline.

 

Yep, the 33+ went a little over the rubber, but only my 16 year-old with 20/15 vision could notice it, and only from less than 3 feet away...

 

FWIW, MinSpeed in FL sells the pillars pre-painted in factory colors. I believe they are $350 a set, and you should be able to specify that the top portions be painted black (if they don't already come that way).

Or, just order replacement uppers from the dealer in black and have the lowers painted. They may be more durable that way.

 

If mini made the clubmans look like that i would have gotten one. why is the world did they butcher the rear end of the clubmans? it would be nice if they offered body color matching in the rear. and keep the back part near the window black like a standard cooper.

 

Dude I suggested Minspeed!! Haha jk (i did though)

I think the silver trim around the tailkights is a very smart idea. Without it, the lights look too small for the rear of the car. My two cents...

Btw, I like how in that last rendering the Clubman is lowered. Looks nice. DO IT!!!

 

It looks better without the trim around the light. If I had an R56 I would remove the trim. It's the same reason that people paint the trim body color. It's much less clean when you have the trim there.

 

I agree with you on the R56 Cooper S, as I want to get rid of my chrome trim. I think the tails look big enough without the chrome 'accent.' But on the Clubman, the tailights are a lot smaller, so they might look nice with a little highlight...

 

They aren't that much smaller than the R56. And besides....it looks more like the originals that way