I have a question about the installation of this grille kit:

http://www.outmotoring.com/mini-coop...conversion_kit

Does installing the bottom half require any modification to the car (drilling, cutting, etc)? Or, is all of the modification to the grille.

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Dean.

 

I've installed a half dozen of these for folks...and unbotched a couple more.

To answer your question: "it depends"

It depends on how you do it

You 'must' modify the lower grill part - it is too deep to fit the standard bumber so you cut some of the back away.

The other problem is the tabs on the Aero part don't match the slots on the bumper cover. Whether you decide to cut the bumper or not depends on how you decide to mount the grill piece. I prefer to cut new slots in the bumper (enlarge existing) and use the tabs, but you could also cut all the tabs off and use double sided tape and/or just glue the sucker in.... If you mess up and break off a tab you can always fall back to tape/glue.

The cutting is easy with a Dremel .... just go slow else you generate a bunch of heat and melt rather than cut. Take a little off - see how it fits - take a lil more off and so on.

 

i just did this on sunday and i took off the front bumper, took a drill and lined up the lower grill and marked it with a pencil (the tabs) and took a drill bit and drilled holes where the pencil marks were and pushed the grill in and it look sreally good took about 70 minutes too!

g'd luck

 

Thanks.

I want to be sure that I can put the old parts back and have it look as good as new. Not sure I'd have a need to do that ...but just don't want any surprises. So, cutting the bumper is not an option I am comfortable with.

When you say "glue it in", what glue do you use? Epoxy? Hot glue?

Thanks again.

 

So, you didn't cut the bumper. I like that plan.

Dean.

 

I got the top grille but not the bottom piece and just painted the bottom piece black... It was by far the easiest thing I've ever done...

 

well... i can put the stock grill back on if i wanted and you couldn't even tell there are "secondary" holes there. so it's just like new tabs and it wont effect your bumper at all. i was sketch about it at first then i realized it was super easy and taking the bumper on and off was a 3 minute job (if you have the right tools)

 

When I've glued I've used epoxy ... you don't want this popping off. However - this method isn't reversable for the most part.

 

Dean, your mini is close to identical on the outside as mine hahaha. very good choice

 

I have a vice grips and a sledge hammer. Am I good to go?

Dean.

 

mite want a chain saw for percision cutting

 

I called Out Motoring and it all seems pretty straight forward. Now I just need to make up my mind.

Does anyone have a picture of the aero grille kit on a DS MCS with bonnet stripes ???

Thanks !

Dean.

 

http://www.bridger.us/mini/howto/MIN...ll_install.pdf

 

You've got me curious ...but all I get is "Error 404 - Not Found"

I'd like to see it.

Dean.

 

that's wierd...I opened it this morining then copied the link.

PM me an e-mail address and I'll try to e-mail it; I have it saved. But it is a 6mb file and not all e-mail systems will let this pass....

7 pages with pictures of how to.....

 

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

try this

 

Saw that. Thanks.

The Capt. sent me a very informative link plus some great ideas of his own.

I think its time to pull the trigger.

Dean.