Anyone have this set-up? If so, did you have to modify the grille? How? Any pics? Or do the lights end up mounting below the grille, leaving it intact?

Any and all help and BTDT(been there done that) experience appreciated.

 

i was wondering this same thing, i emailed M7 and they said it works and u have to modify the grill just like you do with the OEM grill still i would like to see what it looks like with the black grill and chrome lights....hmm pritty old thread im surprised theres no updates to this

 

I am assuming that you now have the normal 'slat' grill and factory installed DLs on the factory brackets. I've installed several sets of those and several times done the Aero Grill mod as well so I'm gonna make a guess as to what M7 is saying.

Take a look at the install instructions for the factory DLs
http://www.minimania.com/pdfile/NMA3030_INSTR.zip
specifically page 5 where they talk about the "sport grill"

We know that as the Aero Grill and for your case they are the same except for material. The Aero Grill is a tight mesh of plastic and I believe the grill you are using is actually metal mesh. Either way, those factory brackets are going to project thru the grill where the slat gap was and on the mesh grill you need to cut an opening.

The instructions give a part number for a template to use to cut this opeing. Another thread a month or so back was someone else doing this and they'd asked the dealer for this part and were told it was no longer available. I'd ask again but you could easily make a cardboard template of where the brackets are, or use the picture of the template as a guide and scale it up to proper size.

What's it look like? Sorry no pictures but if I decided I didn't like the chrome lights you could always buy a set of blank ones from PIAA or Hella and just replace the factory lamps, keeping the MINI wiring and mounts. The wiring to the lamps is just two wires: power and ground. Or plasti-dip