Let me preface this by saying that the aero grill is a pain in the butt to install. The bottom grill took a good 3-4 hours.

Things to remember next time:

1. Keep finglers and kneecaps away from the Dremel tool.
2. Black ABS plastic in a liquid state is enough to stick to you, while searing flesh.
3. Black ABS plastic burning smells like Chinese food to some people.
4. If you're going to make a mistake, make it behind the liscense plate!
5. Dremel out the body colored plastic slat holder, its in the way, and blocks air flow.
6. The slat is held in with adhesive tape, really strong adhesive.
7. Good friends are worth their weight in MINI's.


Onto the pics:

 

Looks good. Nothing like some molten ABS on the skin. Funny how at first you get a quick ouch....then your like ehh????....then after a few seconds it just seems to get hotter until your all like....Mother &*^# that really burns!

Good work.

Sean

 

I really want to do this mod, and for the money its not that much at all. But I am still hesitant on intalling it on my Jet Black MCS. I am not sure if it will look good and or take away from the rest of the chrome trim that is on the car. Right now my MCS is all black with 20% tint. So I bet it would look really good. I am also thinking of getting stripes that TULS has on his car, but in a silver/darker gray color.

Garrett

 

It looks very hot on a black cooper!

 

I'm about to try it on my jet black cooper as well. I have my parts sitting in front of me, but I need to gather the tools. I have the motoring file instructions, but don't see a tools list. I hope I have them all.

 

Me too. Please post some pics when you've done it - I'm convinced this will look good.

 

tradiuz - the install looks great. I have to ask about the plate - does it mount to the new grille or to a bit of the bumper already there from before the install? I am not near my MINI now so can't figure it out for myself. Thanks!

 

I am starting the install today on my 06 Astro Black...

 

Good luck.

My wife and I tackled it last summer (note the post dates in this thread) and it worked out fine. She did much of the dremel work and made it look pretty good. Pics from my gallery of the completed job on our Jet black car.

 

here is the progress of mine....

I got the top done... will do the rest tomorrow I think...

 

Lets start by saying that I'm a newbe. The Aero grill doesn't just bolt in? What needs to be modified or cut. If anyone has pics of what needs to be cut that would be great.

 

the grille comes in two pieces, the upper and lower. The lower is actually the grille in the middle when viewing it installed on a car, since the lower bumper has a large matching area. The upper grille is easy enough, you remove the old and install the new using washers on plastic screws. The lower (middle) portion is the hard one. It comes fitted for the aero kit and is around twice as thick as needed for the standard MCS bumper. This requires some careful Dremel work to shave the thickness off of the bumper. Next, you will notice that the removed lower grille has tabs on the back that insert into factory cut slots on the bumper. These slots do not line up with the tabs on the aero grille, so you must again use a Dremel with a cutting bit and create new slots to go accommodate the aero grille's tabs. Taking accurate measurements is key with this whole process. I was lucky enough to get it right on the first try thanks to the experienced MINI modders in my club helping out. Make sure you download the pdf from motoringfile.com if you are going to do it and read the thing many times before you begin.

 

LBE, here's a couple of links to get you started:

http://www.cooperspeed.com/docs/Aero...ationHowTo.pdf

http://www.motoringfile.com/howto/MI...ll_install.pdf

 

I like it, fits well with the rest of the car. I wanna add one thing to your "remember this next time" list.

1. To get rid of the very strong sticky behind the lower slot, try using some WD-40 and apply it gently to the area (don't over-spread) and let it soak for 5 minutes. Then come back with a flat squeege or something like that (try not to ruin the paint, even though it will be covered) and just have fun. It should be very easy to get rid of the sticky-tape.

Here's mine: Old pic, though. Since then I got the Angel Eyes and custom lower grille (the one underneath the European plate)...



Take care,
Leo.

PS: Before anybody jumps on me - that is the "sticky-cover" for the grille, but I did some major operation on the stock grille to change it around. The stock pieces are gone, and the top part is being held by the stock trim-only, not the entire grille - I also cut the black slots around the stock grille to open up air - and the bottom is glued onto the car - without the stock piece behind it. This is one of my longest PSs. lol.

 

on my Jet Black

 

I still find it surprising that plastic fabricators have not created an aero type direct replacement bottom grill. I am not a manufacturer but it seems easy enough if you had the equipment. I can imagine it being a really big money-maker. I, for one, am still waiting for this to happen. I really like the aero grill look but am not quite as gutsy as the rest of you who have done it the "dremel way".

 

I did the grill this weekend. It is some work but just take your time and it is easy.

 

Here's a link to the goods if anyone needs one:

http://outmotoring.com/mini_aero_grill_kit.html

Official OEM grills straight from MINI to us to you

 

M7 makes one. Available in silver and black. They make all 3 grilles actually.

 

I saw the M7s but not quite my taste...looks too aftermarket since the mesh does not mesh with the bottom grill mesh . I know this may sound too picky for some but IMHO, I'd rather have the regular grill than the M7. Thanks for the tip though .

 

It is not picky to me. I was thinking of buying the M7 but also felt it was too aftermarket. I don't like the seamless look as much as the regular grille with the plastic border around the edge. I guess you could get all 3 replaced with M7 parts and they would match, but I like the regular MINI Aero kit grilles much better.