Are the MC and MCS front grill assemblies interchangeable? I'd like to get rid of the chrome grill slats on my MC. I'd just have them painted, but I also like the one less upper slat (3 instead of 4) on an MCS grill. I asked folks in the Tate MINI service and parts departments as well as the body shop and no one knew.

 

On the MC there are two front grills. One is in the lower front bumper and the other is in the bonnet. The one in the bonnet that is all chrome on the MC can be swapped out for the MCS grille or an aero black grill. It's easy to remove with pliers the self tapping nuts and washers. If you are careful you can reuse them and not have to buy more from the dealer.

On the lower front bumper the grille is silver in an MC and black in an MCS and they are not interchangeable.

M7 and replacement grilles in black and silver for the MC and MCS.

Post an ad in the marketplace or get in contact with your local MINI club to see if someone has an MCS grill with your color combination.

 

I forgot about the mesh lower grill...that's another small project.

I should clarify my terms. I'm talking about the two parts of the upper grill. About two thirds of it is in the bonnet like you said, but the rest is in the upper part of the bumper.

I want to replace both parts of my MC upper grill - everything within the oval chrome surround - with the body colored equivalent (IB) from an MCS. Are you saying these (both parts) are interchangeable? If so, I can see how the upper part would be easy to do, but I'm not so sure about the part built into the bumper.

 

Of course the biggest difference between the two grilles is the fact that the MCS's is waaaay cooler AND three mph faster......

 

OK, when you look at the front of the MINI there are several grills.

The bonnet has a grill- easy to swap and all parts are interchangable.
The front bumper has an upper grill and that one is different for each front bumper- MC vs MCS vs Aero front bumper. I know that the aero bumper is very different from the stock bumpers so the grill from the aero kit does not easily fit the opening and slots in the stock bumper. Lots of cutting is required for a good fit which is flush to the front bumper surface. If you do not do the needed cutting due to the slots the upper bumper grill will be raised from the surface of the front bumper.

The upper grill slots on the MC vs MCS bumper I don't know about but I think
they might not be exactly the same. I have an MCS so I have nothing to compare with. We need to find an MC and MCS owner what both added aero grills and would have the left over stock parts to compare how they look.

At this point the MC and MCS front upper bumper grills are the same outer dimension but their slots into the bumper might need some work to fit just right. A few name members have done the swap and would be able to comment.

 

I just went and checked my car. I have a 02 MC, but I just bought the s bumpers, so i have both laying around. I didnt pull my stock bumper off yet to check if the clips are in the same place, but the two lower halfs of the upper grill are identical. The only thing you would have to swap would be the grill slat from the bottom part, which is just held on by 3m tape anyways, so wether you change the whole thing just for the hell of it, or just swap out the chrome slat for the painted slat, it will be simple. The hardest part will be removing your bumper, once you get it off it will take you about a minute to swap out those pieces. You dont even have to remove the outter piece if you just change the slat though...just pull it out, maybe use a screwdriver to pry it off, remove the tape, and put a fresh piece down and put the painted one in place.

..actually, if all you do is swap out the painted slat, you dont even have to remove your bumper. Just pull out that slat, its just over lapped on the ends by a millimeter or so by the large chrome frame, then behind it, it is just held in place by that tape. It doesn't have any clips holding it on, and if you break it...oh well...you're replacing it anyways. It will be super easy to put the new one in place.

Hope this helps.

 

Yep, I'm all fired up because I'm about to assemble my new grill too. The old one has lasted nine years but, well it being summer an all, I figured I'd splurge and get a new one. So here it is. Ta Da.......





Opps, wrong grill thread.

Nevermind.

 

That does not look big enough to cook for all NAM members at one B-B-Q

Earl

 

Kurvhugr,


Check your PM's.

Jason