Well, I finally installed the aero grills on my JB/JB MCS (cut me some slack, I've had it less than a month!).

Only took a couple of hours since the bumper was already black so I didn't have to do any painting. Here are some notes from my installation:

Upper grill:
Relatively simple, but the 10mm self tapping nuts are a PITA to remove without breaking off the plastic posts. You need to wedge a small flat head screwdriver above the nut and washer and apply pressure so the nuts can be unscrewed.

Lower grill:
Again, the removal and installation of the lower grill is relatively simple. I thought that cutting the aero grill down with my Dremel would be difficult, but the Dremel goes through the plastic like butter. TIP#1: Don't use the Dremel on high speed because it will melt the plastic. Use low or medium speed if you have a variable speed rotary tool. Even taking your time it should only take about half an hour to cut. I left all of the tabs on the lower aero grill intact (see below). TIP#2: I used blue painters tape to mark the line that I wanted to cut. It provides a nice straight edge and also protects the grill from scratches.

I decided to use the tabs that came with the aero grill so I had to drill slots in my bumper. Holding the aero grill up to the lower bumper, I marked the locations of the tabs. Other posts give instructions on how to measure for the tabs from the center point of the bumper, but it's easier to just mark the tabs using the grill itself (you may need a helper to hold the grill while you mark the bumper). I just used an awl to mark each edge of the tabs.

For cutting the slots, I used a 1/8" bit on my Dremel. I drilled a hole at each edge and one in the middle. Then just cut out the slot by connecting the dots. Be careful when using the Dremel to cut out the slots. TIP#3: I found it easier to cut from right to left. Since the Dremel rotates clockwise, the Dremel tends to drift down when going from left to right.

Once the slots are cut, the grill just snaps in.

Ok, so what was the worst part?
The whole process was much easier than I thought. The worst part was actually removing the double sided tape residue left by the louver cover that needs to be removed. Just saturate it with Goo Gone and it will eventually come off. But it's pretty strong stuff.

This weekend I'm blacking out the chrome beltline. I'll post pics when I'm done.

 

What you using to black out the beltline chrome?

 

1/2" 3M low gloss black vinyl tape. Got a 150 foot roll from Terry's Auto Supply (www.terrys.net) for $17.59.

 

The worst part is by far the part where the dremmel slips and nicks the paint...

 

Good point. I taped off the lower bumper while I was cutting the slots, but even still that can definitely happen. Nevertheless, gotta love power tools.

 

I managed to get the double stick tape off in one long stretchy piece....

 

You are either incredibly skilled or incredibly lucky! I tried a lot of different things to take the tape off in one piece - including heat gun. But it just came off in pieces. Usually with the top layer coming off leaving the bottom layer.

 

Nuff,
You didn't happen to take any pictures while you had everything apart did you? I've been reading quite a few write ups on the conversion but haven't really seen to many pictures. The only pictures I"ve seen is from the how to article on MotoringFile's website. Just a little nervous about cutting up my new car so I thought a few pictures would help me build some confidence and go ahead and do it!!! Thanks again,
Steve

 

Sorry, no pictures of the bumper off. I went through the same thing before I "dove" in. But it's very straightforward. If you have some general "DIY" skills, you should have no problem

The only "cuting up" of your new car (and mine was less than a month old!) is drilling the slots in your lower bumper to accept the tabs of the lower aero grill. Just mark their location and drill carefully. Don't worry too much about them because they'll be hidden by the grill itself - even if you were to go back to the original grill. Some other NAMers actually nicked their bumper (the visible part) while they were drilling. Just take it slow and be careful and you should be fine. I also taped off the area around where I was drilling just in case. While the tape isn't going to prevent a nick from a Dremel at full speed it does protect it some.

Here's a good thread to read:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=40017

He had a picture of the lower bumper with the slots cut:



Here's the final picture of my car (with the beltline blacked out, too):

 

GREAT!! thanks Nuff for responding so quickly. I found a few threads on MINI2.com on it as well and found a few more pics so I'm feeling a little better about it. I think I'm just gonna pull the bumper and see what I'm working with. Once off I feel like I'll be much more comfortable about what I'm doing. Thanks again for responding so fast and being so polite about it!! People on this board can be pretty nasty sometimes you know? Thanks again,
Steve

 

No problem, Steve.

I know EXACTLY what's going through your head right now. You don't want to screw up your brand new car. But it really isn't that difficult. I found that it wasn't as hard as some of the other posts described.

Cutting down the aero grill is pretty easy with a Dremel. Plus, at worst you ruin the bottom half of an $88 part (I'm not sure if you can buy that separately). The only thing that I had to think about was cutting the tabs into the lower bumper.

Once you get the lower bumper off, it makes a lot more sense.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

 

Bottom grill is $20 i think. When I paint my bumper (the metal bumper, not the bumper cover), I'll take photos of something I did to take this just one step further.

 

Well I'm convinced...."NUFF said!" hahaha just had to say it. Yeah I'm sure there are people that get way too worked up over this. Making a very simple mod into an extreme project. I've been working with my dremel tool for a few years now on my pickup truck so I feel pretty comfortable with it. Shouldn't be a problem at all and like Tradiuz said I'll try to remember to take some pics while I"m doing it so I can show you guys my work!! Now if only it would stop raining here I could whip out the paint and get this mod going (no garage !!) Thanks one more time bro for the help

Steve

 

Did this mod myself today. When I get a chance I willpost some pics, but looks just like nuff's. JB/JB. I took the extra step and cut out the louvers that the grey sticky tape was on. This allowed the aero grill to sit more flush, at least in my case. Had to use a bit of epoxy to get the thing to sit in all the way as I cut a couple of the slots in the bumper cover too big and it had some slop. When I look at it I can see the couple of minor things, like it being about 1/16th off to the right in the recess and that the passenger side doesn't sit absolutely flush, but my wife says I am just too obsessive, worse than my detailing fetish!

I had no problem with the dremel and actually free-handed a bunch of it. Just looked at the chrome part and eye balled it. The blue painter's tape is a good idea too. I figure if I can make a straight incision on a persons body, I can cut on a $20 automobile part! :smile:

Now in two weeks....springs and sway bar!!!

Joel

 

A cheap trick with the louver in the bottom grill, is to use a cutting wheel, and go along from behind and you can make a very clean looking cut in minutes.



A side note... Why can no installer EVER get the liscense plate holder in the right place. I mean there are two reinforcements in the bumper to hold the screws, why would you just drill ***** nilly and MISS!

 

I decided not to do cut out the louver just in case I ever wanted to go back to the original stock grill. I know ... probably never will, but just in case ....

 

One of the reasons why I left my front license plate OFF!!!